Inhibitory effect of fluvastatin on intimal hyperplasia after balloon injury / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM: To investigate the effects of fluvastatin on intimal hyperplasia following balloon injury of rabbit iliac artery. METHODS: The iliac arteries of twelve white New Zealand rabbits were injured with an inflated balloon catheter, six rabbits were given fluvastatin 8 mg?kg~-1 ?d~-1 by gavage, the others served as controls. Serum concentrations of endothelin, thromboxane A_2 and prostacyclin were measured by radioimmunoassay at time points before, 3 hours and 3 days after balloon injury. After 28 days, ratio of intima-to-media area (I/M) of the injured arteries were calculated using a computer image analysis system and the alteration of TGF-?_1 and extracellular matrix (FN, LN) were quantified with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: ① Serum endothelin-1 and thromboxane A_2 significantly increased after injury, whereas serum prostacyclin markedly decreased. The alterations were completely reversed by the treatment with fluvastatin. ② The expression of TGF-?_1 and deposition of ECM in intimal were much lower than that in the untreatment animals. ③ Intimal hyperplasia after balloon injury was significantly attenuated by fluvastatin treatment. CONCLUSION: The inhibitory effects of fluvastatin on intimal hyperplasia after balloon injury may attribute to its inhibiting thrombosis and deposition of ECM. [