title: Rescuing Impaired Re-endothelialization of Drug-Eluting Stents Using the Hepatocyte Growth Factor.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current commercially available drug-eluting stents (DESs) are criticized for the problem of stent thrombosis by induced impaired re-endothelialization (RE). The solving of this challenge could be boosted by endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on this process.
  
  
  METHODS
  The abundance and functional capacity of circulating EPC was analyzed by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter and western blot. The in vivo effect of HGF on DES patency, RE, and neointimal formation was investigated in a hypercholesterolemic rabbit model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 7 days of HGF administration, the number of CD34+/CD133+ progenitor cells had increased significantly. HGF also significantly inhibited the onset of senescence of EPC due to a decrease in protein expression of p53 and p21. In the in vivo study, HGF-treated DES had a higher patency rate than the control group (11/12 vs. 6/12, P = 0.032). Moreover, the HGF-treated group exhibited better RE (control group: 69.5 ± 12.9%, HGF group: 88.8 ± 8.4%, P = 0.006), but significantly smaller areas of neointima (control group: 0.68 ± 0.15 mm2, HGF group: 0.45 ± 0.18 mm2, P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HGF efficiently ameliorates the vascular response to stent implantation, and has an important redeeming influence on the deleterious endothelial effects of DES.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: huangchen132@sina.com.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haijun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 813477618@qq.com.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D054855:Drug-Eluting Stents; D066026:Endothelial Progenitor Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000150:complications; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D058426:Neointima; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011817:Rabbits; D062326:Re-Epithelialization / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; C066855:HGF protein, human; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D017239:Paclitaxel