Local perivascular delivery of anti-restenotic agents from a drug-eluting poly(epsilon-caprolactone) stent cuff

Biomaterials. 2005 Sep;26(26):5386-94. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.01.063.

Abstract

The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) to prevent in-stent restenosis is one of the major advances in interventional cardiology. Currently many types of DES are under evaluation for effectiveness and safety, a time-consuming and difficult procedure in humans. An animal model that allows rapid evaluation of the present and upcoming therapeutic approaches to prevent in-stent restenosis is most valuable and still lacking. Here, a perivascular cuff to induce restenosis was constructed of a poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) formulation suitable for the controlled delivery of drugs. Placing the PCL cuff around the femoral artery, in vivo, resulted in reproducible restenosis-like lesions containing predominantly smooth muscle-actin positive cells. Loading the cuff with the anti-restenotic compounds paclitaxel and rapamycin resulted, in vitro, in a sustained and dose-dependent release for at least 3 weeks. Paclitaxel- and rapamycin-eluting PCL cuffs placed around the femoral artery of mice in vivo significantly reduced intimal thickening by 76 +/- 2% and 75 +/- 6%, respectively, at 21 days. Perivascular sustained release of both anti-restenotic agents is restricted to the cuffed vessel segment with no systemic adverse effects or effect on cuffed contralateral femoral arteries. Drug-eluting PCL cuffs provide an easy and rapid tool to evaluate anti-restenotic agents to be used in combination with the DES strategies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis / adverse effects*
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible / administration & dosage
  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible / chemistry
  • Diffusion
  • Drug Carriers / administration & dosage
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Implants / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Implants / chemistry*
  • Femoral Artery / drug effects
  • Femoral Artery / pathology
  • Femoral Artery / surgery
  • Graft Occlusion, Vascular / etiology
  • Graft Occlusion, Vascular / pathology*
  • Graft Occlusion, Vascular / prevention & control*
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / administration & dosage
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / chemistry
  • Male
  • Materials Testing
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Paclitaxel / administration & dosage*
  • Paclitaxel / chemistry
  • Polyesters / chemistry*
  • Sirolimus / administration & dosage
  • Sirolimus / chemistry
  • Stents / adverse effects

Substances

  • Coated Materials, Biocompatible
  • Drug Carriers
  • Drug Implants
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Polyesters
  • polycaprolactone
  • Paclitaxel
  • Sirolimus