title: Urokinase-immobilization suppresses inflammatory responses to polyurethane tubes implanted in rabbit muscles.
abstract: Urokinase and plasmin appear to have antiinflammatory activity in some injury models, and urokinase immobilization has been clinically used to prevent thrombus formation in various implants, including intravenous indwelling catheters and subcutaneous drainage tubes. In the present study, polyurethane tubes were embedded in rabbit muscle for 3 months and the effect of urokinase immobilization on inflammatory responses to the implanted tubes was studied at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Mononuclear leukocyte accumulation occurred around implanted polyurethane tubes and peaked after 1 month, but was reduced significantly by urokinase immobilization. The treatment also lessened as well as delayed eosinophil accumulation, but did not affect fibrosis caused by implanted tubes. These results indicate suppressive effects of urokinase immobilization on polyurethane-elicited inflammatory responses and suggest that an approach to develop persistently active urokinase immobilization is rational for successful long-term device implantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan. lai-zf@gpo.kumamoto-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Zhong-Fang
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imamura
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kitamoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008422:Materials Testing; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011140:Polyurethanes / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019736:Prostheses and Implants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011817:Rabbits; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D004800:Enzymes, Immobilized; D011140:Polyurethanes; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator