PERSISTENTLY INCREASED EXPRESSION OF THE TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA-1 GENE IN HUMAN VASCULAR RESTENOSIS - ANALYSIS OF 62 PATIENTS WITHONE OR MORE EPISODE OF RESTENOSIS
S. Nikol et al., PERSISTENTLY INCREASED EXPRESSION OF THE TRANSFORMING GROWTH-FACTOR-BETA-1 GENE IN HUMAN VASCULAR RESTENOSIS - ANALYSIS OF 62 PATIENTS WITHONE OR MORE EPISODE OF RESTENOSIS, Cardiovascular pathology, 3(1), 1994, pp. 57-64
Transforming growth factor-beta-1 (TGF-beta 1) is a multifunctional cy
tokine with both growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting properties. Mo
reover, there is abundant evidence that TGF-beta 1 is the principal gr
owth factor responsible for regulating proteoglycan synthesis in human
blood vessels. To determine the potential contribution of TGF-beta 1
to restenosis, the current investigation sought to determine the time
course of expression postangioplasty of the TGF-beta 1 gene. In situ h
ybridization was performed on tissue specimens obtained by directional
atherectomy from 62 patients who had previously undergone angioplasty
of native coronary or peripheral arteries and/or saphenous vein bypas
s grafts. The time interval between angioplasty and atherectomy was 1
hour to 25 months (M +/- SEM = 5 +/- 4 months) for all 62 patients, 5
+/- 4 months for coronary arterial specimens, 8 +/- 5 months for vein
graft specimens, and 7 +/- 3 months for peripheral arterial specimens.
TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression remained persistently increased independen
t of the site from or time interval following which the specimen was o
btained. For saphenous vein bypass grafts, TGF-beta 1 expression was h
ighest in specimens retreived from patients with multiple versus singl
e episodes of restenosis (16 +/- 5 vs. 6 +/- 5 grains/nucleus, p < 0.0
1). TGF-beta 1 expression did not correlate with patient age, sex, or
known risk factors for coronary heart disease. The persistently augmen
ted expression of TGF-beta 1 observed in the present series of resteno
sis lesions provides further support for the concept that TGF-beta 1 i
nfluences growth and development of restenosis plaque.