T. Kanzaki et al., IN-VIVO EFFECT OF TGF-BETA-1 - ENHANCED INTIMAL THICKENING BY ADMINISTRATION OF TGF-BETA-1 IN RABBIT ARTERIES INJURED WITH A BALLOON CATHETER, Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 15(11), 1995, pp. 1951-1957
The in vivo effect of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) w
as studied in a model system in which arterial intimal thickening was
induced by injury of rabbit arteries with a balloon catheter (BCI). In
timal area and its ratio to medial area in carotid arteries after BCI
were significantly higher in rabbits treated with 10 mu g/kg TGF-beta
1 and 10 mg/kg aspirin IV QD (TGF-beta 1 group) than in those treated
with 10 mg/kg aspirin IV QD only (control group). Intimal cell numbers
in the TGF-beta 1 and control groups were not significantly different
from each other, but matrix volume in the intimal layer was significa
ntly higher in the TGF-beta 1 group. By immunohistochemical and Northe
rn blot analyses, the fibronectin content in carotid intimal and media
l layers was greater in the TGF-beta 1 group compared with that in the
control group. Thus, in intimal thickenings induced by BCI, TGF-beta
1 mainly enhanced the formation of matrix containing fibronectin. More
over, the mRNAs of TGF-beta type I and type II receptors were detected
in carotid arteries 7 and 14 days after, but not before, BCI. Thus, T
GF-beta 1 influences the process of intimal thickening induced by BCI
through a receptor-mediated mechanism in vivo. The significance of thi
s fact is discussed in relation to the development of atherosclerosis.