title: Effects of tongxinluo on the neointima formation and expression of inflammatory cytokines in rats after carotid artery balloon injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tongxinluo (TXL) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It is used to treat coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. We investigated the effects of TXL on the neointima formation and expression of inflammatory cytokines in rats after carotid artery balloon injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: sham operation group (Sham, n = 15), balloon injury group treated with vehicle (Control, n = 15), TXL low-dose group treated with TXL of 0.5 g/kg/d (TXL-L, n = 15), and TXL high-dose group treated with TXL of 1.0 g/kg/d (TXL-H, n = 15). TXL was given by gavage daily. 14 days after injury', the levels of serum nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were evaluated. The morphology of carotid artery tissue was observed with hematoxylin-eosin staining. Expressions of MCP-1 and ICAM-1 in the artery were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  14 days after injury, a significant increase in concentrations of serum ET-1, MCP-1, and sICAM-1 (P < 0.05), as well as a significant decrease in NO serum level were observed in rats subjected to artery injury compared to the sham rats (P < 0.05). TXL significantly decreased ET-1, MCP-1 and sICAM-1 serum levels (P < 0.05), whereas significantly increased NO serum level compared with the control (P < 0.05). TXL significantly reduced the neointimal thickening at day14 after injury (P < 0.05). In addition, TXL significantly reduced mRNA and protein expressions of ICAM-1 and MCP-1 in injured artery (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that TXL is effective in improving endothelial function, attenuating neointimal formation of artery after balloon injury, and reducing expression of inflammatory cytokine MCP-1 and ICAM-1. It may be a useful agent for protecting the artery against injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Institute of Coronary Artery Disease, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: En-Hui
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Fujian Hypertension Research Institute, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020212:Carotid Artery Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D058426:Neointima / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: C491766:Ccl2 protein, rat; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C513941:tongxinluo; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
keywords: Carotid artery injury; inflammatory cytokine; neointima formation; tongxinluo