Endoluminal reconstruction of the arterial wall with endothelial cell/glue matrix reduces restenosis in an atherosclerotic rabbit.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were 1) to improve the attachment of reimplanted endothelial cells (EC) using a fibrin glue, and 2) to assess the impact of endothelial reseeding on restenosis eight weeks after balloon angioplasty.


BACKGROUND
A possible mechanism contributing to restenosis after balloon angioplasty is the loss of the EC lining. Previous attempts to reseed EC had little effect due to rapid loss of the seeded cells.


METHODS
Twelve atherosclerotic rabbits were subjected to angioplasty of iliac arteries and reseeding procedure. One iliac artery was subjected to EC/glue reconstruction and a contralateral site to EC seeding without glue. The animals were sacrificed after 4 h. In another series 12 rabbits were treated in the same fashion and were restudied at eight weeks. Additionally, in 10 animals one iliac was subjected to glue treatment, and another served as control.


RESULTS
Histological examination demonstrated the ability of this method to reattach the EC/glue matrix circumferentially to 68.0 +/- 6.7% of the arterial wall in comparison with 13.5 +/- 3.9% reattachment after EC seeding. Morphometry at eight weeks showed that the lumen area was significantly greater in the EC/glue group (1.23 +/- 0.35 mm2) than in the EC seeding alone (0.65 +/- 0.02 mm2) and 0.72 +/- 0.41 mm2 in the glue group. This was principally accounted for by the statistically significant differences in the intimal area (0.76 +/- 0.18 mm vs. 1.25 +/-0.26 mm2 and 1.01 +/- 0.53 mm2, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The attachment of EC after angioplasty can be greatly improved with fibrin glue matrix. The near 70% endothelial coverage achieved by this method resulted in a significant reduction of restenosis in atherosclerotic rabbit.
Kipshidze
N
N
Lenox Hill Heart and Vascular Institute of New York, and Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York 10020, USA. NKIPSHIDZE@LENOXHILL.NET
Ferguson
J J
JJ
Keelan
M H
MH
Sahota
H
H
Komorowski
R
R
Shankar
L R
LR
Chawla
P S
PS
Haudenschild
C C
CC
Nikolaychik
V
V
Moses
J W
JW
D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D000818:Animals; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000637:transplantation*; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000473:pathology; D011817:Rabbits; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D014014:Tissue Adhesives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017211:Treatment Failure
D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D014014:Tissue Adhesives