Rat carotid artery dilation by PTCA balloon catheter induces neointima formation in presence of IEL rupture.
The best animal angioplasty model is the porcine model, which is expensive and not available in all laboratories. The aim of this study was to describe a new rat model of angioplasty. An injury was induced with the use of a standard percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) 1.5-mm balloon catheter. The neointimal tissue, arterial dimensions, and the injury index were assessed following angioplasty. Ki-67 expression was detected to evaluate cell turnover after balloon angioplasty. In contrast with the standard Clowes model, a significant neointimal formation was detected only in the presence of ruptured internal elastic lamina (IEL). A positive correlation between the percentage of ruptured IEL and the amount of neointimal tissue was also demonstrated. The percentage of IEL fracture correlates with the proliferation index by anti-Ki-67 immunolabeling 7 and 14 days after the angioplasty. Significant arterial negative remodeling was observed following PTCA balloon dilation. In conclusion, our inexpensive animal model of restenosis after angioplasty may have great relevance toward a better understanding of the mechanisms and toward assessment of new therapeutical strategies for this phenomenon.
Indolfi
Ciro
C
Division of Cardiology, Magna Graecia University, Via Tommaso Campanella 115, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy. indolfi@unicz.it
Torella
Daniele
D
Coppola
Carmela
C
Stabile
Eugenio
E
Esposito
Giovanni
G
Curcio
Antonio
A
Pisani
Alfonso
A
Cavuto
Luigi
L
Arcucci
Oreste
O
Cireddu
Manuela
M
Troncone
Giancarlo
G
Chiariello
Massimo
M
D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary / Q000295:instrumentation; D000818:Animals; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002404:Catheterization; D002455:Cell Division; D002470:Cell Survival; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012421:Rupture / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*