Effect of probucol and losartan on growth factors after balloon angioplasty in rabbits / 中南大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the effect of probucol and losartan on the prevention of restenosis after balloon angioplasty in hypercholesterolaemic rabbits, and to examine the expression of growth factors.@*METHODS@#Forty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into high cholesterol diet group, probucol group, losartan group and combined drugs group. After one week of diet, all rabbits were injured on iliac arteries with balloon. Four weeks after the injury, the morphology of the iliac arteries of the rabbits were observed, and the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were examined by immunohistochemical methods.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the high cholesterol diet group, the lumen areas of the probucol group, losartan group and combined drugs group were larger (P < 0.01), the intimal areas were smaller (P < 0.05), and the expression of IGF-IR and VEGF significantly decreased (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among the three groups.@*CONCLUSION@#Probucol and losartan can prevent the restenosis of rabbits' iliac artery from balloon injury, and inhibit the expression of IGF-IR and VEGF. There is no statistical difference between combined drugs and single drug administration.