Transcriptomic Analysis of External Stent-Mediated Vein Graft Remodeling in a Rat Jugular Vein Cuff Model
This project investigates the molecular mechanisms by which an external polycaprolactone (PCL) stent modulates vein graft remodeling following transplantation. Using a rat jugular vein cuff model, we collected six samples for RNA-sequencing: three from non-stented control grafts and three from grafts with external PCL stents. The transcriptomic profiling revealed significant differences in gene expression related to vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, intimal hyperplasia, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Specifically, we observed downregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway and reduced expression of the scaffold protein Ajuba in stented grafts. These findings suggest that external stents may mitigate vein graft failure by alleviating mechanical stress and modulating mechanosensitive signaling pathways.