Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on endothelial function and structure of the basilar artery of atherosclerotic rats / 解剖学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the protective effect of basic fibroblast growth factor ( bFGF ) on endothelial function and structure of the basilar artery of atherosclerotic rats .Methods A total of forty-eight male adult Wister rats were randomly divided into the normal control , the atherosclerosis ( AS) model and the bFGF treatment groups .The AS model group and the bFGF treatment group were injected with a single dose of vitamin D 3 (6 ×105 IU/kg) and loaded with high fat diet for six consecutive weeks .The bFGF (9.5μg/kg, twice one day) was injection into the abdominal cavity after six weeks in the bFGF treatment group for two weeks , and an identical volume saline was given for the AS model group and the normal control group .After eight weeks , all the rats were sacrificed .The relaxation percentages of the isolated basilar artery in response to acetylcholine ( Ach) were detected and the pathological lesions of them were observed under a light microscope .ELISA and colorimetry assayed the content of serum VEGF and basilar arterial nitric oxide ( NO) .The basilar artery was used for primary culture of both vascular endothelial cells (VECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The influence of bFGF on the proliferation vitality of VECs was measured in vitro with MTT assay.TRITC-phalloidin labeling the cytoskeleton microfilament of VSMCs was observed by laser confocal microscopy .Results The early AS plaques were presented after six weeks by hyper lipid foods .Compared with the AS model group , the relaxation percentage of the isolated basilar artery , the content of both serum VEGF and basilar arterial NO in the bFGF treatment group were obviously increased, but the pathologic injury of the basilar artery was significantly decreased (P<0.05).The proliferation vitality of VECs was obviously increased (P<0.05); the cytoskeleton microfilament of VSMCs was of obviously improvement .Conclusion AS may aggravate the basilar arterial injury , but bFGF may efficiently improve the arterial endothelial function and decrease the pathological lesion of the basilar artery in the AS model rats , which may promote the arterial protective effect .