Formation of myointimal hyperplasia and cytokine production in experimental vein grafts.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between progression and regression of myointimal hyperplasia (MH) and cytokine production in experimental vein grafts. Although the autologous vein is the best suitable bypass conduit for reconstruction of peripheral arteries, at the end of the first year thrombosis in the coronary and lower extremity circulation ranges from 20% to 50%. Many of these failures are caused by MH.


METHODS
In 76 inbred Lewis rats, a 1 cm long segment of inferior vena cava was inserted at the level of the abdominal aorta. The segments of inferior vena cava were obtained from syngeneic Lewis rats. In 56 animals the arterial vein graft was explanted 3 days (n = 10), 7 days (n = 10), 4 weeks (n = 26), and 12 weeks (n = 10) after operation. In 20 animals the vein graft was explanted 4 weeks after being in the arterial system and reimplanted as iliac venovenous bypass in syngeneic Lewis rats. These grafts were explanted 2 weeks (n = 10) and 8 weeks (n = 10) later. Grafts were analyzed by light and electron microscopy, morphometric study, and histochemical analysis and were put in an organ culture to assess cytokine production.


RESULTS
We observed MH formation in arterial vein grafts and MH regression in reimplanted vein grafts (p < 0.001). MH formation was correlated with production of platelet-derived growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, interleukin-1, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. MH regression was correlated with transforming growth factor-beta 1 production.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of the results of our study, we conclude that MH formation in experimental vein grafts depends on production of platelet-derived growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, interleukin-1, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and MH regression depends on transforming growth factor-beta 1 production. Cytokine therapy may represent a valuable new treatment to prevent vein bypass failures caused by MH.
Sterpetti
A V
AV
I Department of Surgery, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
Cucina
A
A
Lepidi
S
S
Randone
B
B
Corvino
V
V
D'Angelo
L S
LS
Cavallaro
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014185:Transplantation, Isogeneic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000637:transplantation
D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha