Inhibitory effect of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii on coronary arteriosclerosis after heart transplantation.
BACKGROUND
Graft coronary arteriosclerosis (GCA) is the major limiting factor for long-term survival after heart transplantation. In this study, we investigated the effect of Multiglycosidorum tripterygii (MT) on GCA and platelet-derived growth factor A (PDGF-A) mRNA expression of transplanted hearts.


METHODS
Two groups of Lewis rats (n=7/group) underwent heterotopic heart transplantation from Wistar-King donors and were treated with either cyclosporine (CsA;10 mg/kg/day) or MT (30 mg/kg/ day). Histological evaluations of rejection and coronary arteriosclerosis, as well as Northern blot analysis on graft PDGF-A mRNA expression were made 60 days after transplantation.


RESULTS
Morphometric results indicated no significant difference in rejection between the CsA- and MT-treated groups. However, the extent of GCA in the MT-treated group was significantly less than that seen in the CsA-treated group (P<0.01). The expression of PDGF-A mRNA of cardiac allograft was also significantly suppressed in the MT-treated group when compared with the CsA-treated group (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
MT is superior to CsA in preventing graft coronary arteriosclerosis, and this efficacy is probably associated with the depressed expression of graft PDGF-A mRNA in the MT-treated group.
Hachida
M
M
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Institute of Japan, Tokyo Women's Medical College.
Zhang
X L
XL
Lu
H
H
Hoshi
H
H
Koyanagi
H
H
D000818:Animals; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000473:pathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029757:Tripterygium
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C075278:platelet-derived growth factor A; D016572:Cyclosporine