Serial Experimental Research Of Arsenic Trioxide On Neointimal Proliferation After Balloon Angioplasty In Rabbit Iliac Artery

Objection: The aim was to investigate the effects and mechanism of arsenic trioxide on neointimal proliferation after balloon angioplasty in rabbit iliac artery.Methods: 36 New Zealand White rabbits were randomized into study and control groups. Ten percent arsenic trioxide 2.5mg.kg^-1kg.d^-1 or same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride was given by intraperitoneal injection respectively three days before left iliac artery balloon angioplasty. 7,14 or 28 days after surgery, the animals were sacrificed for HE staining, immunohistochemedical staining, in situ cell death detection, and image-analyzing, and for histological study on liver and kidney.Results: Compared with the control animals, the mean vascular neointimal areas reduce to 24% in 7-day group ,19% in 14-day and 46% in 28-days group (all P<0.01) in the study animals, the mean vascular medial areas reduce to 12% (P<0.05) ,15% (P<0.05) and 24% (P<0.01) respectively , and the indexes of neointimal proliferation in the study animals reduce to 15% (P<0.01),8%(P<0.05) and 19% (P<0.01) respectively . In the study animals, the index of neointimal apoptosis reach the maximum in 14-day group and have no difference with 28-day group (P>0.05 ) , the index of medial apoptosis reach the maximum in 28-day group and have nodifference with 14-day group (P>0.05) . In the control animals, the index of neointimal apoptosis achieve the maximum in 14-day group and have significant difference with 28-day group (PO.05) , the index of medial apoptosis achieve maximum in 14-day group and have difference in others (PO.05) . Compared with the control animals, the index of neointinal apoptosis increase to 17% (PO.05) in 7-day study group, 22% (PO.01) in 14-day group, and 40% (PO.01) in 28-day group, while the index of medial apoptosis increase to 6% (PO.05) ,29% (PO.01) , and 68% (PO.01) respectively in 28-day study group. According to immunohistochemedical results, there is no collagen depositing at the neointinal or medial in normal and 7-day groups, however, we found it depositing around vascular smooth muscle cell in 14-day groups, and the collagen have increased in 28-day groups. We haven't found any histological change in the liver and kidney.Conclusions: Arsenic trioxide can prevent effectively neointimal proliferation after balloon angioplasty in rabbit iliac artery and induce vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis. Application of arsenic trioxide was safe for animals in the experimentation.