title: Beneficial effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in a rat model of vascular injury.
abstract: 1. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis, was able to reduce neointimal formation in a model of endothelial injury of rat carotid artery (balloon angioplasty). Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between neointima formation and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and we correlated NF-kappaB activation to the expression of inducible isoform of cyclo-oxygenase (COX-2) in injured carotids. 2. In control group a significant proliferation of neointima was observed 14 days after balloon angioplasty, which was correlated to an increase of NF-kappaB/DNA binding activity as well as p50/p65 nuclear levels compared to those observed in the carotids from sham-operated rats. Furthermore, NF-kappaB activation was correlated to increased COX-2, but not beta-actin, protein expression. 3. Treatment of rats for 14 days with CAPE (3, 10, 30 mg x kg(-1)) caused a significant inhibition of all the parameters assayed, except beta-actin protein expression. 4. These results indicate that treatment with CAPE may lead to a reduction of neointima formation by inhibiting NF-kappaB activation and suggest that this agent may have therapeutic relevance for the prevention of human restenosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Salerno, via Ponte Don Melillo Fisciano, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maffia
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ianaro
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pisano
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Capasso
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ialenti
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000009:adverse effects; D000818:Animals; D002109:Caffeic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D002109:Caffeic Acids; D007527:Isoenzymes; D016328:NF-kappa B; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; C055494:caffeic acid phenethyl ester; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol