Perivascular delivery of blebbistatin reduces neointimal hyperplasia after carotid injury in the mouse

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2011 Jan;336(1):116-26. doi: 10.1124/jpet.110.174615. Epub 2010 Oct 18.

Abstract

Proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells (SMC) require myosin II activity; thus, we examined whether blebbistatin, a cell-permeable selective inhibitor of myosin II ATP activity, would impair neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury. Delivery of blebbistatin via a perivascular polymer cuff reduced neointimal formation by 73% and luminal obstruction by 75% after carotid denudation injury in C57BL/6 mice. Blebbistatin treatment was also associated with a reduction in cell density within the neointima; total number of cells (76 ± 7 to 27 ± 3 cells/high-powered field) and actin-positive cells (64 ± 4 to 24 ± 2 cells/high-powered field) in the neointima were reduced in blebbistatin-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated mice. In a model of vascular injury with an intact endothelium, implantation of a blebbistatin-secreting cuff after carotid ligation in FVB/N mice was associated with a 61% decrease in neointimal area and a significant decrease in luminal obstruction (88 ± 4% in vehicle-treated mice versus 36 ± 4% in blebbistatin-treated mice; p < 0.0001). In cultured rat aortic SMC, blebbistatin disrupted cellular morphology and actin cytoskeleton structure, and these effects were rapid and completely reversible. Blebbistatin had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on DNA replication and cell proliferative responses to platelet-derived growth factor-BB, angiotensin II, and α-thrombin, migratory responses to serum, and migratory responses after blunt injury. In summary, perivascular delivery of blebbistatin reduced neointimal hyperplasia after carotid injury in the mouse.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carotid Artery Injuries / complications
  • Carotid Artery Injuries / drug therapy*
  • Carotid Artery Injuries / pathology
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Movement / physiology
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Drug Delivery Systems* / methods
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings / administration & dosage*
  • Hyperplasia
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neointima / etiology
  • Neointima / pathology
  • Neointima / prevention & control*
  • Random Allocation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Tunica Intima / drug effects*
  • Tunica Intima / pathology

Substances

  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings
  • blebbistatin