Rapamycin vermindert die Neointimaausbildung nach vaskulärer Schädigung

Background: Proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) mark the key processes in the development of bypass graft disease and during neointima formation in restenosis after angioplasty. Growth factors are potent SMC mitogens as they are involved in SMC proliferation and in extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis. Based on these premises, we examined the effect of the proliferation inhibitor rapamycin in human SMC culture and in a rabbit vascular injury model. Materials and methods: Injection of rapamycin or its vehicle was performed with an infusion-balloon catheter directly into the vessel wall during vascular injury. The intima/media ratio was determined histologicall…