Jiro Hirosumi

Inflammatory responses in cuff-induced atherosclerosis in rabbits

Cuff-treatment of the rabbit carotid artery produced a diffuse intimal thickening which resembled early lesions of atherosclerosis. A limited amount of focal endothelial damage occurred first (0.5 h), leukocytes infiltrated the subendothelium and extensive endothelial denudation occurred at 24 h. At 3 days, the regenerating endothelium covered the denuded area, and the media was edematous. At 7 days proliferation of intimal cells became visible. Maximum intimal thickening occurred at 3 weeks. Daily injection of dexamethasone (0.01-10 mg/kg i.m.) and ticlopidine (1-100 mg/kg i.m.) dose-dependently attenuated the intimal thickening. Indomethacin had little effect. Inflammatory exudate from zymosan-activated air pouch induced chemotaxis of rat smooth muscle cells (SMC) in vitro. Similar chemotactic activity was observed with leukotriene B4 (LTB4) but not with the other lipoxygenase products tested. The exudate contained reasonable amounts of LTB4, which would account for its chemotactic activity. Dexamethasone inhibited the chemotaxis by the exudate and proliferation of SMC. These results are discussed in relation to the mechanism of atherogenesis. It is concluded that leukocytes play a major role in cuff-induced intimal thickening, and that their products cause endothelial denudation and SMC chemotaxis. Involvement of platelet aggregation in atherogenesis is also suggested.

Antiatherogenic activity of FR34235 (Nilvadipine), a new potent calcium antagonist: Effect on cuff-induced intimal thickening of rabbit carotid artery

The antiatherogenic activity of FR34235 (Nilvadipine), a calcium antagonist, was examined in rabbits with carotid arteries sheathed with polyethylene cuffs, and compared with that of nifedipine, verapamil and diltiazem. The drugs were given intramuscularly in daily doses of 0.01-10 mg/kg for 3 weeks, starting on the day of cuff-placement. FR34235 dose-dependently inhibited the cuff-induced intimal thickening, and was more potent than the other calcium antagonists, whose order of potency was nifedipine, diltiazem and verapamil. In an in vitro experiment on inhibition of migration of rat aortic smooth muscle cells, using zymosan-activated air pouch exudate as a chemoattractant in modified Boyden chambers, FR34235 was also the most potent among the calcium antagonists tested. The IC50 values were 3.3 X 10(-11) M for FR34235, 1.7 X 10(-10) M for nifedipine, 6.0 X 10(-9) M for verapamil and 2.4 X 10(-7) M for diltiazem. Effects of these drugs on proliferation of rat aortic smooth muscle cells and rabbit platelet aggregation were also examined in vitro. At concentrations less than 10(-5) M, none of the drugs inhibited proliferation of the smooth muscle cells, and only verapamil inhibited collagen-induced platelet aggregation (IC50 = 9.0 X 10(-7) M). It is suggested that FR34235 should be useful for preventing and treating atherosclerosis. Inhibition of smooth muscle cell migration is thought to be its mechanism of antiatherogenic activity.

Effect of nilvadipine on balloon catheterization-induced intimal thickening of the coronary artery in miniature pigs

Summary: The effect of nilvadipine on balloon catheterization-induced intimal thickening of the coronary artery was examined in miniature pigs. A diffuse intimal thickening was observed in vehicle-treated controls 6 weeks after balloon catheterization. The histologic features of the intimal thickening resembled those of early atherosclerotic lesions and restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Nilvadipine given in a daily dose of 10 mg/kg (subcutaneously, s.c.) for 6 weeks significantly inhibited intimal thickening. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the intima to the crosssectional area of the media was significantly reduced by 62% in nilvadipine-treated animals. These results suggest that nilvadipine may prevent or exert beneficial effects on coronary arterial injuries such as atherosclerosis and restenosis after PTCA