The stent-eluting drugs sirolimus and paclitaxel suppress healing of the endothelium by induction of autophagy

Am J Pathol. 2009 Nov;175(5):2226-34. doi: 10.2353/ajpath.2009.090152. Epub 2009 Oct 8.

Abstract

Clinical studies have indicated that the stent-eluting drugs sirolimus and paclitaxel impact restenosis; however, it is still elusive how these drugs affect the vascular endothelium at the molecular and cellular levels. The purpose of this study was to determine whether sirolimus and paclitaxel induce molecular and cellular alterations in the vascular endothelium. Endothelial regrowth was assessed in human aortic endothelial cells and rat aortic endothelium. Molecular and cellular alterations were analyzed in human aortic endothelial cells by Western blot analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and immunofluorescence staining. Green fluorescent protein-LC3 mice were used to analyze autophagic endothelium. Here, we show that sirolimus and paclitaxel differentially induce self-digesting autophagy in vascular endothelial cells with changes in expression of LC3B, p53, and Bcl-2, considerably suppressing re-endothelialization and revascularization. These results suggest that phenotypic alteration in the endothelium by sirolimus or paclitaxel might affect the rates of late stent thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and mortality.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / pharmacology*
  • Aorta / anatomy & histology
  • Autophagy / drug effects*
  • Autophagy / physiology
  • Drug-Eluting Stents*
  • Endothelial Cells / cytology
  • Endothelial Cells / physiology
  • Endothelium, Vascular* / cytology
  • Endothelium, Vascular* / drug effects
  • Endothelium, Vascular* / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / genetics
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins / metabolism
  • Paclitaxel / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology*
  • Tubulin Modulators / pharmacology*
  • Wound Healing / drug effects*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • LC3 protein, rat
  • Microtubule-Associated Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Tubulin Modulators
  • Paclitaxel
  • Sirolimus