Exosomes of Endothelial Progenitor Cells Inhibit Neointima Formation After Carotid Artery Injury

Abstract

Background: Exosomes released from endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a protective role in various disease models. Both endothelial cell (EC) damage and smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation are involved in the pathological process of restenosis after angioplasty and stenting. Few studies have focused on the therapeutic role of exosomes in EC damage and SMC proliferation. In this study, we sought to investigate the effect of exosomes released by human fetal aorta-derived EPCs on the rat carotid artery balloon injury model in vivo. We also sought to determine the effect of exosomes on both ECs and SMCs in vitro.

Methods: Exosomes (Exo group) or saline (Con group) were injected in rat carotid balloon injury model animals. The rats were sacrificed after 2, 4, 14, and 28 d, and injured carotid specimens were collected for Evans blue staining, hematoxylin-eosin staining, and immunohistochemistry.

Results: When the Con group and the Exo group were compared, the reendothelialized areas were not significantly different after 2 or 4 d, as shown by Evans blue staining. The hematoxylin-eosin results showed that the intimal to medial area ratio was slightly but not significantly higher in the Exo group after 2 and 4 d. The immunohistochemistry results showed that the proliferation of SMCs was slightly higher in the Exo group after 2 and 4 d, but the difference was not significant. The reendothelialization area of the Con group was significantly smaller than that of the Exo group at day 14. Both the intimal to medial area ratio and SMC proliferation in the Exo group were significantly smaller than those of the Con group at 14 or 28 d. In the in vitro study, exosome treatment significantly enhanced the proliferation and migration of both ECs and SMCs.

Conclusions: Exosomes derived from EPCs could inhibit neointimal hyperplasia after carotid artery injury in rats. The protective effect of exosomes may manifest through the promotion of EC repair rather than direct suppression of proliferation and migration of smooth muscles cells.

Keywords: Carotid artery injury; Endothelial progenitor cells; Exosomes.