Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Porcine Coronary Arteries Following Balloon Angioplasty

• Published in: Journal of investigative surgery Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 15 - 23
• Main Authors: Hausner, E A, Orsini, J A, Foster, L L, Modzelewski, T C, Merrill, J J, Perkowski, S Z, Slee, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Informa UK Ltd 1999; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Animals; Arteriosclerosis - chemically induced; Arteriosclerosis - therapy; Cholesterol - blood; Cholesterol, Dietary; Coronary Vessels - cytology; Coronary Vessels - pathology; Coronary Vessels - physiology; Dietary Fats; Endothelial Growth Factors - analysis; Endothelial Growth Factors - metabolism; Lymphokines - analysis; Lymphokines - metabolism; Neovascularization, Physiologic; Porcine Angioplasty Growth Factors; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen - analysis; Swine; Tunica Intima - cytology; Tunica Intima - pathology; Tunica Intima - physiology; Tunica Media - cytology; Tunica Media - pathology; Tunica Media - physiology; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; Wound Healing
• ISSN: 0894-1939; 1521-0553
• DOI: 10.1080/089419399272728

The present study was a preliminary inquiry into the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)in a model of coronary artery response to injury. We examined domestic pigs who had received a diet enriched in saturated fat and cholesterol and undergone balloon angioplasty of one or more coronary arteries. Immunohistochemical analysis of the coronary arteries 2 months after injury revealed the presence of VEGF distributed throughout the media and neointima of the angioplasty lesions and in association with blood vessels in the adventitia and those vessels growing into the base of the neointima. VEGF was also detected in areas of dietary-induced intimal proliferation. This study provided the first immunochemical demonstration of VEGF occuring naturally in a pig model of coronary response to injury.