京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第20797号 / 医博第4297号 / 新制||医||1025(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 湊谷 謙司, 教授 齊藤 博英, 教授 Shohab YOUSSEFIAN / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

La resténose intra-stent (RIS) est une complication importante du traitement endovasculaire des sténoses et occlusions artérielles dont l’incidence est réduite par les stents actifs. Ces derniers entraînent un retard de cicatrisation de la paroi vasculaire et parfois une réaction d’hypersensibilité au polymère, pouvant être responsable d’une thrombose aigue tardive. En raison de l’absence de modèle ex vivo validé, le modèle animal est actuellement obligatoire pour l’étude de la RIS. Ces modèles posent des problèmes éthiques et ne permettent pas une étude satisfaisante des stents actifs en raison de l’impossibilité d’effectuer des prélèvements réguliers. Le but de ce travail est d’une part l’exploration de deux nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques dans la RIS, l’hémine et EP224283, et d’autre part la mise au point d’un bioréacteur pour l’étude ex vivo hémodynamique de la RIS. Analyse in vivo. Les modèles de RIS utilisés étaient le stenting d’aorte de rat et le stenting d’artères iliaques de lapins hypercholestérolémiques. Sept ou 28 jours après l’implantation du stent, les artères stentées étaient prélevées puis soit incluses en résine pour analyse morphologique, soit congelées pour analyse de l’expression protéique. L’hémine était administrée par voie intrapéritonéale et EP224283 par voie sous cutanée toutes les 48 heures. Les témoins recevaient du sérum physiologique. L’analyse histomorphométrique après traitement par hémine montrait une réduction significative de 30% de la formation de néointima chez le rat et de 48% chez le lapin. La ré-endothélialisation des mailles du stent, analysée en microscopie électronique, était comparable à celle des témoins. L’analyse protéique montrait chez les rats traités par hémine : une réduction de l’expression des cytokines inflammatoires et des protéines impliquées dans la prolifération et la migration des CMLV (ERK1/2 et RhoA), associée à une augmentation de l’expression des protéines régulatrices de la prolifération (p21 et p27), et une réduction de l’apoptose. L’analyse histomorphométrique montrait chez les rats traités par EP224283 une réduction significative de formation de néointima de 20%. L’analyse protéique montrait une réduction de l’expression des protéines impliquées dans la prolifération des CMLV (ERK1/2 et Akt) associée à une augmentation de la forme active de p38, régulatrice de la prolifération. L’expression de Ki67 était réduite chez l’ensemble des rats traités témoignant d’une réduction de prolifération cellulaire. Analyse ex vivo : En partenariat avec l’ENSAM (Paris), nous avons confectionné et breveté un bioréacteur pour l’étude ex vivo de la RIS en conditions hémodynamiques et biologiques semblables au vivant. Ce bioréacteur fait circuler un flux pulsé dans 6 artères branchées en dérivation et immergées dans du milieu de culture cellulaire. Ce circuit est logé dans un incubateur afin de maintenir les tissus vivants durant l’expérimentation. Son objectif est d’affiner l’étude des nouveaux stents actifs par la possibilité de prélèvements multiples, d’analyser les écoulements, de travailler avec des artères humaines (prélevées lors de dons d’organes) et de s’affranchir en partie du modèle animal. Ces travaux montrent l’intérêt de deux nouvelles molécules thérapeutiques dans la RIS. Celles-ci limitent la prolifération cellulaire sans empêcher la cicatrisation de la paroi vasculaire. Notre modèle d’étude ex vivo hémodynamique de la RIS n’a jamais été décrit dans la littérature et permettra une analyse précise des nouveaux stents. Ce modèle va réduire le recours à l’expérimentation animale. Nos travaux futurs comprendront la mise au point de nouveaux stents actifs à l’hémine et à EP224283, ainsi que la validation et l’exploitation du modèle de RIS hémodynamique ex vivo. / In stent restenosis (ISR) is a major complication of endovascular treatment due to an excessive healing of the arterial wall. Drug eluting stents (DES) reduce the rate of ISR but expose to late stent thrombosis, related to a delayed or incomplete healing of the arterial wall, and also to hypersensitivity reactions induced by the polymer. Currently animal models are mandatory to investigate ISR as there is no reliable in vitro model. Nevertheless, these models are often far from human ISR, because of the underlying atherosclerosis process. They are also not suitable for testing DES because several experimentations and multiple samples are required. In this work, we assess the effects of two new therapeutic molecules to reduce ISR, hemin and EP224283, and we developed a new in vitro model of ISR, reproducing a hemodynamic and biological physiological environment. In vivo analysis. In stent restenosis models were stent implantation in rat abdominal aorta or in hypercholesterolemic rabbit iliac arteries. Seven or 28 days after stent implantation, the stented arteries were removed and either frozen for protein analysis or placed in fixative for morphological analysis with optical or electronical microscopy. Animals received hemin intraperitoneally or EP224283 subcutaneously every 48 hours. Control animals received saline. Histomorphological analysis at day 28 revealed that in the hemin treated group, the extent of neointima area was significantly reduced compared to the control group. A 30% decrease was observed in rats and 40% in rabbit. Endothelial coverage in electronic microscopy was similar in hemin-treated rats and rabbit when compared to their controls. The protein analysis in rats revealed that hemin limited the early inflammatory response and cellular mechanisms implicated in VSMC proliferation (ERK1/2 and p21 p27), in VSMC migration (RhoA) and reduce apoptosis. At day 28, EP224283 significantly reduced neointima growth around 20% in rats. Protein analysis revealed that EP224283 reduced vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation pathways: both ERK1/2 and Akt activated form were down-regulated in the treated rats, and p38 activated form were up-regulated. Expression of Ki67 was also reduced in both hemin and EP224283 treated group, indicating a reduced proliferation of vascular cells.Ex vivo experiments. In association with ParisTech, we developed a bioreactor for ex vivo study of ISR, providing physiologic pulsatile flow. This bioreactor will be a major tool in the research on future pro-healing DES. The bioreactor will allow: to perform numerous blood samples; study several stents at the same time; analyze flows and their effects on ISR; work directly with human arteries, collected during organ donation; and reduce the need for animal experimentation. This work demonstrated the significance of two new therapeutic molecules to prevent ISR, hemin and EP224283. Both reduced ISR without stopping the physiological healing of the arterial wall. We developed a bioreactor providing physiological and hemodynamical conditions. It will be a useful tool for the development of new DES. Our perspectives are now to create a new drug eluting stent releasing hemin or EP224283, as well as to validate our novel ex vivo hemodynamic model of ISR, in order to test our new DES in both animal models and ex vivo hemodynamic conditions.

Ce projet de thèse concerne les 2 principales complications rencontrées en pratique clinique dans les suites de l’angioplastie-stenting artériel : la resténose et la thrombose aigüe. Pour remédier à ce problème, des stents enrobés d’agents antiprolifératifs sont déjà sur le marché, mais leurs résultats restent décevants en raison de l’augmentation du taux de thrombose tardive intrastent (RR 1,2 vs stent nu) à l’origine d’une surmortalité (RR 1,32 vs stent nu) [Lagerqvist Bo et al., N Eng J Med 2007]. Dans ce travail, nous proposons d’immobiliser sur le stent une ancre spécifique au substrat métallique soit pour immobiliser i) la molécule thérapeutique, soit pour immobiliser ii) une matrice polymère sur laquelle sera adsorbée une molécule thérapeutique dans le cas d’un système à libération prolongée; cette dernière ciblant la resténose et la thrombose. Cette ancre, issue des protéines permettant l’accroche des moules marinières à tout type de substrat [Waite JH et al., Science 1981], est la base commune pour une immobilisation par liaisons covalentes de la molécule thérapeutique ou du système polymère. La première partie du projet concernait la mise au point de l’ancre chimique spécifique dans le cadre d’une immobilisation de surface. Avec cette technique d’immobilisation, l’ancre dopamine inclue un ester activé, permettant de générer un polymère de longueur de chaine contrôlé et capable d’adsorber une quantité contrôlée et définie de molécule thérapeutique [C Zobrist et al., Macromolecules 2011]. Ce polymère de N-(Acryloyloxy)succinimide a pu être caractérisé et couplé à une molécule de glucosamine, protéoglycane aux caractéristiques pertinentes dans la problématique développée. Ce modèle a été validé sur le plan chimique et biologique. Les résultats restaient décevants concernant la prolifération des cellules musculaires lisses qui sont les cellules cibles dans la resténose.L’ancre dopamine a par la suite était modifiée dans le but de permettre le greffage d’autres fonctions chimiques, notamment amines et acides. Elle a finalement été utilisée en conditions basiques (pH 8,5) permettant d’obtenir une polydopamine [Lee et al., Science 2007].Cette polydopamine a permis l’interaction sur notre surface d’un polymère bien connu au sein de notre unité et déjà employé pour la fonctionnalisation des tissus dans le domaine biomédical, le polymère de cyclodextrine (CD) [Martel B et al., European Polymer Journal 1995]. Les CD sont des oligosaccharides cycliques sous forme de cône tronqué possédant une cavité hydrophobe interne et des groupements hydroxyles à l’extérieur engendrant un caractère hydrophile. Cette structure cyclique leur confère la capacité de former des complexes d’inclusion réversibles avec un grand nombre de molécules hydrophobes. Elles peuvent donc stocker une molécule thérapeutique en grande quantité et ont la capacité de la libérer dans le temps.L’ensemble des paramètres du procédé de fonctionnalisation permettant l’adsorption de ces 2 couches successives : polydopamine et polymère de CD a pu être optimisé. La complexation de deux molécules thérapeutiques d’intérêt à notre plateforme fonctionnalisée a pu être réalisée: la simvastatine et le paclitaxel. La simvastatine, de la famille des statines, est une molécule pléïotrope, régulatrice de la dysfonction endothéliale ; elle limite la réaction inflammatoire locale impliquée à la fois dans les phénomènes de resténose et de thrombose [Balk EM et al., Am J Med. 2004]. Le paclitaxel est un agent immunosuppresseur et antiprolifératif limitant la prolifération de la néointima [Creel CJ et al., Circ Res 2000]. Nous avons comparé notre plateforme avec un système actuellement sur le marché, le système PTX « polymer-free » mise au point par Dake et al. [Dake et al., JVIR 2011]. [...] / This work has focused on 2 major issues encountered after angioplasty and stenting of arterial occlusive disease: intra-stent restenosis and thrombosis.To prevent these postoperative complications, drug eluting stents (DES) have been developed and are currently available for clinical use; they elute antiproliferative drugs overtime which limit smooth muscle cells migration and proliferation. Long-term results of DES are jeopardized by a high late in-stent thrombosis rate (RR 1.2 vs bare metal stent) which is correlated to a higher late death rate (RR 1.32 vs bare metal stent) [Lagerqvist Bo et al., N Eng J Med 2007]. We present an original process of immobilization of a specific anchor on a metallic substrate which has the ability to directly immobilize drugs onto the metallic surface. It can also indirectly using specific biocompatible polymers load drugs onto the metallic surface which would be eluted overtime. The target for both systems is the cellular response involved in the restenosis and thrombosis process.This specific anchor, which is dedicated to several substrates, is developed from marine mussels gel [Waite JH et al., Science 1981]. It is currently a common basis for covalent immobilization of drugs and/or polymer systems able to sustain drug release.The first part of the project involved the development of a specific chemical anchor through an immobilization surface strategy. This dopamine anchor includes an activated ester, which is the starting point of the creation of a polymer with defined and controlled chain length. The generated polymer of N-(Acryloyloxy)succinimide has the ability to absorb a controlled and defined amount of drug; it has been linked with glucosamine to illustrate the potential of the system - glucosamine is a proteoglycan from the extracellular matrix of the arterial wall. The system has then been characterized and optimized for every parameters; unfortunately, results were not as good as expected regarding SMC proliferation.The Dopamine anchor has thus been modified to allow interactions with more chemical functions, including amino- and carboxylic functions. Finally, we used it under alkaline conditions (pH=8.5) where dopamine generated a network of polydopamine [Lee et al., Science 2007].Afterwards, we report an original functionalization of metallic surfaces with a hydrophilic, biocompatible and biodegradable cyclodextrin based polymer. This polymer acts as a reservoir for hydrophobic drugs allowing the sustained release of anti-proliferative drugs and promotes natural arterial wall healing. The polymer of CD is well-known in our research department and has already been used as an active coating onto textile for vascular devices [Martel B et al., European Polymer Journal 1995]. In this setting polydopamine was applied as a first coating layer onto the metallic surface in order to promote a strong anchorage of a cyclodextrin based polymer that was “in situ” generated from the native cyclodextrins and citric acid as a crosslinking agent through a polycondensation reaction. After optimization of the grafting process, the ability of this system to act as a drug eluting system was evaluated with paclitaxel (PTX) and simvastatine. PTX is a reference drug for current vascular drug eluting stents [Creel CJ et al., Circ Res 2000]. PTX is currently coated on vascular stents with a “polymer-free” method [Dake et al., JVIR 2011]. It is a highly lipophilic antiproliferative drug, and that “polymer free” system was compared as a positive control to our functionalized scaffold. We compared the results of our functionalized surface loaded of PTX and Simvastatin. Simvastatin is a pleiotropic molecule with targeted actions on arterial disease, inflammatory process and dyslipidemia [Balk EM et al., Am J Med. 2004]. [...]

Despite advancements in percutaneous coronary intervention, stents are still limited by a 2% annual rate of in-stent restenosis (ISR) related to neointimal (NI) tissue proliferation. Efforts to prevent ISR formation remain the focus of ongoing work. Adenosine (ADO) is a purine nucleoside with integral roles in vascular homeostasis, though it has limited clinical application. ADO signals primarily via four receptors with ADO receptor-A2B (ADOR-A2B) considered to play an integral role in vascular healing. Dipyridamole (DP) is a commercially approved therapy known to improve vascular events and modulate adenosine biology. Our objectives with this study included (i) assessing whether ADO could serve as a biomarker of cardiac events; (ii) determine if DP could mitigate NI formation in a pre-clinical stent model; and, (iii) quantify the mechanisms of DP-related vasculoprotection, specifically related to ADOR-A2B. We assessed the analytic and biologic variability of circulating ADO levels in humans and demonstrated that circulating ADO was not predictive of cardiac events at one year following invasive coronary angiography. We then assessed whether modulation of adenosine biology with DP had therapeutic efficacy in a pre-clinical model. Utilizing meta-analysis, we confirmed the sustained effects of DP on vascular patency rates in both pre-clinical and clinical studies. We refined a pre-clinical rabbit model of stent implantation with assessment of stent healing by intravascular optical coherence tomography – with excellent translation to clinical observations. We then assessed DP in a pre-clinical model, demonstrating reduction in ISR and improved stent healing with DP compared to control. Last, we sought to elucidate the mechanisms behind the observed DP effects, specifically related to ADOR-A2B. In vivo, DP therapy demonstrated reduced NI smooth muscle cell (SMC) content. In vitro assessment of DP demonstrated dose-dependent inhibition of SMC proliferation and migration with alteration of SMC phenotypic switching, while selective modulation of ADOR-A2B and ADOR-A2B knockdown support an ADOR-A2B-mediated component to the observed DP effects. Adenosine biology is integral to vascular homeostasis. In humans, circulating adenosine levels in humans are not predictive of one year cardiovascular events. However, DP may improve vascular healing post stent implantation and warrants clinical evaluation for stent healing. The observed DP benefits may, in part, stem from ADOR-A2B modulation. ADOR-A2B is a viable target for assessment of small molecule modulation as a novel therapeutic target to improve vascular outcomes.

<p>ZIEL:<br>Untersuchung des Auftretens von In-Stent-Restenosen (ISR) nach stentgeschützter perkutaner transluminaler Angioplastie intrakranieller Stenosen.</p><p> METHODEN:<br> In diese retrospektive Langzeit-Follow-up-Studie wurden konsekutiv 46 Patienten mit insgesamt 49 intrakraniellen Stenosen eingeschlossen, die im Zeitraum von August 2003 bis Juli 2010 mittels Stentangioplastie behandelt wurden. Der Nachbeobachtungszeitraum erstreckte sich bis Februar 2011. Die Quantifizierung der Stenosen erfolgte an angiografischen Bildern. Als ISR wurde eine erneute Stenose >50% innerhalb des Stents oder unmittelbar (d.h. innerhalb von 5mm) neben dem Stent und einem absoluten Lumenverlust von >20% definiert. Die Mittelwerte der Stenosegrade zu unterschiedlichen Zeitpunkten wurden mit dem t-Test für abhängige Stichproben verglichen. Die ISR-freie Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeit wurde mit der Kaplan-Meier-Kurve untersucht und Kurvenvergleiche für Untergruppen erfolgten mit dem Log-Rang-Test.</p><p> ERGEBNISSE:<br> Die mediane Follow-up-Dauer betrug sieben Monate (Spannweite: ein Tag-75 Monate, Interquartilsabstand: 20,25 Monate, Mittelwert: 17,4 Monate). Zwei Patienten verstarben an peri- bzw. post-prozeduralen Komplikationen (eine intrakranielle Blutung aufgrund einer Dissektion mit einem arteriovenösen Shunt und eine Reperfusionsblutung). Sechs Patienten mit sieben behandelten Stenosen verstarben innerhalb des Beobachtungszeitraums ohne bekannte Todesursache. Es gab für 57% der Stenosen mindestens eine Bildgebung im Verlauf. Die 1-Jahres-ISR-freie Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeit für das Gesamtkollektiv lag bei 69%. Insgesamt traten acht ISR auf; sieben davon innerhalb der ersten acht Monate nach Stentplatzierung. Mittels Log-Rang-Test wurde eine signifikant niedrigere 8-Monats-ISR-freie Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeit in der Gruppe der ≤55-jährigen Patienten im Vergleich zu >55-jährigen Patienten (13% versus 79%, p=0,002) ermittelt. Für Patienten ohne eine arterielle Hypertonie resultierte eine signifikant niedrigere 7-Monats-ISR-freie Überlebenswahrscheinlichkeit und eine höhere für Patienten mit einer arteriellen Hypertonie (0% versus 81%, p=0,006). Nur zwei von acht Patienten zeigten zum Zeitpunkt der ISR-Diagnose Symptome. Die Zunahme einer ISR bis zum Gefäßverschluss bei einem Patienten mit einem angiografisch dokumentierten suffizienten Kollateralkreislauf verlief ohne Symptome.</p><p> SCHLUSSFOLGERUNG:<br> Gerade innerhalb der ersten Monate nach stentgeschützter perkutaner transluminaler Angioplastie sind engmaschige Verlaufskontrollen wichtig. Die Festsetzung der Zeitpunkte für Verlaufskontrollen sollte dabei nicht allein auf einer eventuell vorhandenen klinischen Symptomatik basieren. Möglicherweise bilden ≤55-jährige Patienten und Patienten ohne eine arterielle Hypertonie mit höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit eine ISR. ISR können im zeitlichen Verlauf sowohl zu- als auch abnehmen. Der Progress einer ISR bis zum vollständigen Gefäßverschluss kann im Fall einer ausreichenden intrakraniellen Kollateralgefäßversorgung asymptomatisch verlaufen. Somit könnte der zusätzlichen Evaluation des Kollateralstatus in der Verlaufsbeurteilung von ISR ein wichtiger Stellenwert zukommen.</p>

L’angioplastie coronaire est la première forme de revascularisation coronaire. Elle présente cependant 2 limites qui restreignent encore son utilisation : la thrombose et la resténose de stent. La thrombose de stent est un événement précoce associé à une mortalité élevée. Les plaquettes y jouent un rôle déterminant. Le développement de tests fonctionnels plaquettaires permettant d’analyser le niveau de réactivité plaquettaire sous traitement a permis de mettre en évidence les limites de celui-ci sur le plan biologique. Nous avons démontré l’impact clinique de l’utilisation de ces tests dans la prédiction et la réduction du risque de thrombose de stent chez des patients traités par angioplastie coronaire. La resténose est quant à elle une complication tardive de l’angioplastie coronaire avec implantation d’un stent non-actif. Sa physiopathologie repose sur des mécanismes de lésion et de régénération endothéliale. Des marqueurs endothéliaux circulants ont récemment été développés. Nous avons montré qu’ils pouvaient permettre d’évaluer la lésion et la régénération endothéliale induite par une angioplastie coronaire. Les cellules endothéliales circulantes s’élèvent transitoirement après l’angioplastie et ce de façon variable en fonction de la réactivité plaquettaire sous traitement démontrant les interactions étroites entre ces différents acteurs. Dans le même temps, on observe une mobilisation de progéniteurs d’origine médullaire suite à l’angioplastie. Nos travaux suggèrent un rôle clé de la régénération endothéliale dans la cicatrisation vasculaire après angioplastie. En effet, il apparait que la proportion de progéniteurs de profil de différenciation endothélial en réponse à l’angioplastie coronaire détermine la survenue d’une resténose intra-stent. Ces données ouvrent la voie à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes physiopathologie menant à la resténose mais aussi à des perspectives thérapeutiques intéressantes. / Percutaneous coronary intervention is the most commonly used revascularization technique. However it has 2 main complications limiting its widespread: stent thrombosis and in stent restenosis. Stent thrombosis is an early event associated with a high mortality rate. Platelets are key in its physiopathology. The availability of platelet function tests allowing to determine platelet reactivity levels under therapy showed a variable ant platelet effect following aspirin and clopidogrel intake. We further demonstrated that tailoring anti platelet therapy according to platelet function tests results decrease the rate of stent thrombosis following PCI without increasing bleedings. In stent-restenosis is a late complication of PCI with bare metal stents. The pathophysiology of in-stent restenosis is dependent on the lesion and regeneration of the endothelium. Circulating endothelial biomarkers have recently been developed. We have demonstrated that this marker allow to evaluate the lesion and regeneration of the endothelium following PCI. We evidenced a transient increase in circulating endothelial cells following PCI which is dependent on the level of platelet reactivity inhibition demonstrating the interaction between platelets and the endothelium. At the same time, PCI induces mobilization of progenitor cells which is detectable early after the intervention. Our work suggests that these progenitor cells have a key role in endothelial regeneration after PCI. We evidenced for the first time that the proportion of endothelial progenitor cells among progenitor cells mobilized after PCI determine the occurrence of in stent restenosis. Altogether these data give critical inside into vascular regeneration after PCI in human and on the mechanisms associated with in stent restenosis thus providing new potential therapeutic target.

Introdução: Apesar dos avanços significativos no tratamento endovascular das doenças arteriais coronarianas e periféricas, a reestenose intra-stent continua sendo o principal limitante a médio prazo desses procedimentos. O mecanismo da reestenose intra-stent é principalmente a hiperplasia intimal, já que o stent impede a retração elástica aguda e resiste ao remodelamento geométrico negativo tardio. A hiperplasia intimal ocorre basicamente em resposta à formação de trombo local, à inflamação e às dissecções intimais e mediais secundárias à injúria causada pelo stent, sendo o grau de resposta intimal a base dos efeitos a longo prazo. O uso de stents com hastes menores e revestidos com drogas ou polímeros tem sido considerado uma nova alternativa para a prevenção da reestenose intra-stent. Objetivo: Analisar a resposta arterial ao implante de stent de cromo-cobalto sem e com revestimento de polímero Camouflage® em artérias carótidas de suínos, utilizando os seguintes parâmetros histológicos: grau de endotelização, conteúdo de células musculares lisas, grau de angiogênese, conteúdo de fibrina, grau de inflamação e injúria; além da análise histomorfométrica. Método: Stents balões-expansíveis de cromo-cobalto ( 8 stents CC Flex e 5 stents CC Flex Proactive) de 4 x 16 mm foram implantados em artérias carótidas comuns de oito suínos jovens, sendo um stent liberado em cada artéria. Após 30 dias, as artérias contendo os stents foram removidas, fixadas e coradas pelos métodos de hematoxilina/eosina e Verhoeff/Van Giesson. O segmento arterial contendo o stent foi dividido em 3 blocos distintos: proximal, médio e distal. Os cortes histológicos foram obtidos utilizando-se micrótomo de impacto (Polycut S, Leica, Alemanha) equipado com navalha de tungstênio de 16 cm, tipo D (Leica, Alemanha), com 5 ^m de espessura. A navalha de tungstênio mantém as hastes dos stents intactas nas secções transversas, minimizando os artefatos potenciais causados pela retirada dos stents. A avaliação foi realizada através de critérios histológicos e histomorfométricos. Resultados: Todos os stents foram implantados com sucesso e sem dificuldades técnicas. A análise histológica em 30 dias evidenciou alto grau de endotelização em todos os segmentos avaliados e leve à moderada infiltração de células musculares na íntima. Observou-se baixo grau de angiogênese em cerca de 50% dos segmentos avaliados e ausência completa de deposição de fibrina em pelo menos 80%, com distribuição semelhante entre os grupos. A resposta inflamatória e o grau de injúria causadas pelas hastes dos stents também foram discretas e similares entre os grupos e não houve correlação entre resposta inflamatória e injúria e desses parâmetros com a área de neoíntima. O grau de obstrução neo-intimal identificada neste período foi pequeno (15,1% +/- 8,38 CC Flex x 15,5%+/- 5,39 CC Flex ProActive) e estatisticamente não significativo entre os grupos (p=0,785). Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo experimental sugerem que o uso de stents de cromo-cobalto revestidos com polímero Camouflage® em artérias carótidas de suínos parece estar associado, pelo menos no curto prazo, a uma resposta histológica semelhante àquela encontrada após o implante de stents de cromo-cobalto não revestidos. Neste período não se observou uma menor hiperplasia intimal em virtude do revestimento de polímero. / Introduction: Despite all the advances in the endovascular treatment of coronary and peripheral artery diseases, in-stent restenosis is still the main limiting factor of these procedures in the medium and long-term. The mechanism of in-stent restenosis is mainly the intimal hyperplasia, as the stent prevents acute elastic recoil and later negative geometric arterial remodeling. Intimal hyperplasia occurs basically in response to the formation of local thrombus, inflammation and intimal and medial dissections secondary to the injury caused by the stent, with the degree of intimal response being the cause of long-term effects. Coating drug-eluting stents with polymers and drugs with thinner struts have been considered a new alternative for in-stent restenosis prevention. Objective: Analyse the arterial response to the cobalt-chromium stent implant with and without polymer coating Camouflage® in carotid arteries of pigs, using the following histological parameters: degree of endothelialization, smooth muscle cells (SMC) content, degree of angiogenesis, intimal fibrin content, degree of inflammation and injury; plus histomorphometric analysis. Method: Cobaltchromium balloon-expandable stents (8 CC Flex stents and 5 CC Flex Proactive), 4 x 16 mm, were deployed in common carotid arteries of 8 young pigs, with one stent being deployed in each artery. After 30 days, the arteries containing the stents were removed and underwent fixation and staining using the hematoxilin/eosin and Verhoeff /Van Giesson methods. The arterial segment containing the stent was divided into 3 distinct portions: proximal, middle and distal. The histological sections were obtained using impact microtome (Polycut S, Leica, Germany), equipped with a 16 cm, type D, 5 ^m thick tungsten knife (Leica, Germany). The tungsten knife maintains the stent shaft intact in cross sections, minimizing the potential artifacts caused by stent removal. The evaluation was carried out using histological and histomorfometric criteria. Results: All the stents were deployed with success and with no technical difficulties. The histological analysis performed after 30 days showed a high level of endothelialization in all the evaluated portions and mild to moderate infiltration of the SMC in the intima layer. A low level of angiogenesis of about 50% of the evaluated portions was observed and a complete absence of fibrin deposition in at least 80% of the portions, with similar distribution among the groups. The inflammatory response and the level of injury caused by the struts of the stents were also minimum and this was similar among the groups. There was no correlation between inflammatory response and injury and between the two latter parameters and the neo-intima area. The level of neo-intimal obstruction identified in this period was small (15,1% +/- 8,38 CC Flex x 15,5%+/- 5,39 CC Flex ProActive ) and no statistical significance between the groups (p=0,785). Conclusion: The findings of this experimental study suggest the use of balloonexpandable cobalt-chromium stents coated with polymer Camouflage® in carotid arteries of pigs seems to be associated, at least in the short-term, with a similar histological response to that found in the implantation of non-coated cobalt-chromium stents. In this period, a lower intimal hyperplasia was not observed with polymer coating stents.

Introdução: Apesar dos avanços significativos no tratamento endovascular das doenças arteriais coronarianas e periféricas, a reestenose intra-stent continua sendo o principal limitante a médio prazo desses procedimentos. O mecanismo da reestenose intra-stent é principalmente a hiperplasia intimal, já que o stent impede a retração elástica aguda e resiste ao remodelamento geométrico negativo tardio. A hiperplasia intimal ocorre basicamente em resposta à formação de trombo local, à inflamação e às dissecções intimais e mediais secundárias à injúria causada pelo stent, sendo o grau de resposta intimal a base dos efeitos a longo prazo. O uso de stents com hastes menores e revestidos com drogas ou polímeros tem sido considerado uma nova alternativa para a prevenção da reestenose intra-stent. Objetivo: Analisar a resposta arterial ao implante de stent de cromo-cobalto sem e com revestimento de polímero Camouflage® em artérias carótidas de suínos, utilizando os seguintes parâmetros histológicos: grau de endotelização, conteúdo de células musculares lisas, grau de angiogênese, conteúdo de fibrina, grau de inflamação e injúria; além da análise histomorfométrica. Método: Stents balões-expansíveis de cromo-cobalto ( 8 stents CC Flex e 5 stents CC Flex Proactive) de 4 x 16 mm foram implantados em artérias carótidas comuns de oito suínos jovens, sendo um stent liberado em cada artéria. Após 30 dias, as artérias contendo os stents foram removidas, fixadas e coradas pelos métodos de hematoxilina/eosina e Verhoeff/Van Giesson. O segmento arterial contendo o stent foi dividido em 3 blocos distintos: proximal, médio e distal. Os cortes histológicos foram obtidos utilizando-se micrótomo de impacto (Polycut S, Leica, Alemanha) equipado com navalha de tungstênio de 16 cm, tipo D (Leica, Alemanha), com 5 ^m de espessura. A navalha de tungstênio mantém as hastes dos stents intactas nas secções transversas, minimizando os artefatos potenciais causados pela retirada dos stents. A avaliação foi realizada através de critérios histológicos e histomorfométricos. Resultados: Todos os stents foram implantados com sucesso e sem dificuldades técnicas. A análise histológica em 30 dias evidenciou alto grau de endotelização em todos os segmentos avaliados e leve à moderada infiltração de células musculares na íntima. Observou-se baixo grau de angiogênese em cerca de 50% dos segmentos avaliados e ausência completa de deposição de fibrina em pelo menos 80%, com distribuição semelhante entre os grupos. A resposta inflamatória e o grau de injúria causadas pelas hastes dos stents também foram discretas e similares entre os grupos e não houve correlação entre resposta inflamatória e injúria e desses parâmetros com a área de neoíntima. O grau de obstrução neo-intimal identificada neste período foi pequeno (15,1% +/- 8,38 CC Flex x 15,5%+/- 5,39 CC Flex ProActive) e estatisticamente não significativo entre os grupos (p=0,785). Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo experimental sugerem que o uso de stents de cromo-cobalto revestidos com polímero Camouflage® em artérias carótidas de suínos parece estar associado, pelo menos no curto prazo, a uma resposta histológica semelhante àquela encontrada após o implante de stents de cromo-cobalto não revestidos. Neste período não se observou uma menor hiperplasia intimal em virtude do revestimento de polímero. / Introduction: Despite all the advances in the endovascular treatment of coronary and peripheral artery diseases, in-stent restenosis is still the main limiting factor of these procedures in the medium and long-term. The mechanism of in-stent restenosis is mainly the intimal hyperplasia, as the stent prevents acute elastic recoil and later negative geometric arterial remodeling. Intimal hyperplasia occurs basically in response to the formation of local thrombus, inflammation and intimal and medial dissections secondary to the injury caused by the stent, with the degree of intimal response being the cause of long-term effects. Coating drug-eluting stents with polymers and drugs with thinner struts have been considered a new alternative for in-stent restenosis prevention. Objective: Analyse the arterial response to the cobalt-chromium stent implant with and without polymer coating Camouflage® in carotid arteries of pigs, using the following histological parameters: degree of endothelialization, smooth muscle cells (SMC) content, degree of angiogenesis, intimal fibrin content, degree of inflammation and injury; plus histomorphometric analysis. Method: Cobaltchromium balloon-expandable stents (8 CC Flex stents and 5 CC Flex Proactive), 4 x 16 mm, were deployed in common carotid arteries of 8 young pigs, with one stent being deployed in each artery. After 30 days, the arteries containing the stents were removed and underwent fixation and staining using the hematoxilin/eosin and Verhoeff /Van Giesson methods. The arterial segment containing the stent was divided into 3 distinct portions: proximal, middle and distal. The histological sections were obtained using impact microtome (Polycut S, Leica, Germany), equipped with a 16 cm, type D, 5 ^m thick tungsten knife (Leica, Germany). The tungsten knife maintains the stent shaft intact in cross sections, minimizing the potential artifacts caused by stent removal. The evaluation was carried out using histological and histomorfometric criteria. Results: All the stents were deployed with success and with no technical difficulties. The histological analysis performed after 30 days showed a high level of endothelialization in all the evaluated portions and mild to moderate infiltration of the SMC in the intima layer. A low level of angiogenesis of about 50% of the evaluated portions was observed and a complete absence of fibrin deposition in at least 80% of the portions, with similar distribution among the groups. The inflammatory response and the level of injury caused by the struts of the stents were also minimum and this was similar among the groups. There was no correlation between inflammatory response and injury and between the two latter parameters and the neo-intima area. The level of neo-intimal obstruction identified in this period was small (15,1% +/- 8,38 CC Flex x 15,5%+/- 5,39 CC Flex ProActive ) and no statistical significance between the groups (p=0,785). Conclusion: The findings of this experimental study suggest the use of balloonexpandable cobalt-chromium stents coated with polymer Camouflage® in carotid arteries of pigs seems to be associated, at least in the short-term, with a similar histological response to that found in the implantation of non-coated cobalt-chromium stents. In this period, a lower intimal hyperplasia was not observed with polymer coating stents.

Introdução: Apesar dos avanços significativos no tratamento endovascular das doenças arteriais coronarianas e periféricas, a reestenose intra-stent continua sendo o principal limitante a médio prazo desses procedimentos. O mecanismo da reestenose intra-stent é principalmente a hiperplasia intimal, já que o stent impede a retração elástica aguda e resiste ao remodelamento geométrico negativo tardio. A hiperplasia intimal ocorre basicamente em resposta à formação de trombo local, à inflamação e às dissecções intimais e mediais secundárias à injúria causada pelo stent, sendo o grau de resposta intimal a base dos efeitos a longo prazo. O uso de stents com hastes menores e revestidos com drogas ou polímeros tem sido considerado uma nova alternativa para a prevenção da reestenose intra-stent. Objetivo: Analisar a resposta arterial ao implante de stent de cromo-cobalto sem e com revestimento de polímero Camouflage® em artérias carótidas de suínos, utilizando os seguintes parâmetros histológicos: grau de endotelização, conteúdo de células musculares lisas, grau de angiogênese, conteúdo de fibrina, grau de inflamação e injúria; além da análise histomorfométrica. Método: Stents balões-expansíveis de cromo-cobalto ( 8 stents CC Flex e 5 stents CC Flex Proactive) de 4 x 16 mm foram implantados em artérias carótidas comuns de oito suínos jovens, sendo um stent liberado em cada artéria. Após 30 dias, as artérias contendo os stents foram removidas, fixadas e coradas pelos métodos de hematoxilina/eosina e Verhoeff/Van Giesson. O segmento arterial contendo o stent foi dividido em 3 blocos distintos: proximal, médio e distal. Os cortes histológicos foram obtidos utilizando-se micrótomo de impacto (Polycut S, Leica, Alemanha) equipado com navalha de tungstênio de 16 cm, tipo D (Leica, Alemanha), com 5 ^m de espessura. A navalha de tungstênio mantém as hastes dos stents intactas nas secções transversas, minimizando os artefatos potenciais causados pela retirada dos stents. A avaliação foi realizada através de critérios histológicos e histomorfométricos. Resultados: Todos os stents foram implantados com sucesso e sem dificuldades técnicas. A análise histológica em 30 dias evidenciou alto grau de endotelização em todos os segmentos avaliados e leve à moderada infiltração de células musculares na íntima. Observou-se baixo grau de angiogênese em cerca de 50% dos segmentos avaliados e ausência completa de deposição de fibrina em pelo menos 80%, com distribuição semelhante entre os grupos. A resposta inflamatória e o grau de injúria causadas pelas hastes dos stents também foram discretas e similares entre os grupos e não houve correlação entre resposta inflamatória e injúria e desses parâmetros com a área de neoíntima. O grau de obstrução neo-intimal identificada neste período foi pequeno (15,1% +/- 8,38 CC Flex x 15,5%+/- 5,39 CC Flex ProActive) e estatisticamente não significativo entre os grupos (p=0,785). Conclusão: Os achados deste estudo experimental sugerem que o uso de stents de cromo-cobalto revestidos com polímero Camouflage® em artérias carótidas de suínos parece estar associado, pelo menos no curto prazo, a uma resposta histológica semelhante àquela encontrada após o implante de stents de cromo-cobalto não revestidos. Neste período não se observou uma menor hiperplasia intimal em virtude do revestimento de polímero. / Introduction: Despite all the advances in the endovascular treatment of coronary and peripheral artery diseases, in-stent restenosis is still the main limiting factor of these procedures in the medium and long-term. The mechanism of in-stent restenosis is mainly the intimal hyperplasia, as the stent prevents acute elastic recoil and later negative geometric arterial remodeling. Intimal hyperplasia occurs basically in response to the formation of local thrombus, inflammation and intimal and medial dissections secondary to the injury caused by the stent, with the degree of intimal response being the cause of long-term effects. Coating drug-eluting stents with polymers and drugs with thinner struts have been considered a new alternative for in-stent restenosis prevention. Objective: Analyse the arterial response to the cobalt-chromium stent implant with and without polymer coating Camouflage® in carotid arteries of pigs, using the following histological parameters: degree of endothelialization, smooth muscle cells (SMC) content, degree of angiogenesis, intimal fibrin content, degree of inflammation and injury; plus histomorphometric analysis. Method: Cobaltchromium balloon-expandable stents (8 CC Flex stents and 5 CC Flex Proactive), 4 x 16 mm, were deployed in common carotid arteries of 8 young pigs, with one stent being deployed in each artery. After 30 days, the arteries containing the stents were removed and underwent fixation and staining using the hematoxilin/eosin and Verhoeff /Van Giesson methods. The arterial segment containing the stent was divided into 3 distinct portions: proximal, middle and distal. The histological sections were obtained using impact microtome (Polycut S, Leica, Germany), equipped with a 16 cm, type D, 5 ^m thick tungsten knife (Leica, Germany). The tungsten knife maintains the stent shaft intact in cross sections, minimizing the potential artifacts caused by stent removal. The evaluation was carried out using histological and histomorfometric criteria. Results: All the stents were deployed with success and with no technical difficulties. The histological analysis performed after 30 days showed a high level of endothelialization in all the evaluated portions and mild to moderate infiltration of the SMC in the intima layer. A low level of angiogenesis of about 50% of the evaluated portions was observed and a complete absence of fibrin deposition in at least 80% of the portions, with similar distribution among the groups. The inflammatory response and the level of injury caused by the struts of the stents were also minimum and this was similar among the groups. There was no correlation between inflammatory response and injury and between the two latter parameters and the neo-intima area. The level of neo-intimal obstruction identified in this period was small (15,1% +/- 8,38 CC Flex x 15,5%+/- 5,39 CC Flex ProActive ) and no statistical significance between the groups (p=0,785). Conclusion: The findings of this experimental study suggest the use of balloonexpandable cobalt-chromium stents coated with polymer Camouflage® in carotid arteries of pigs seems to be associated, at least in the short-term, with a similar histological response to that found in the implantation of non-coated cobalt-chromium stents. In this period, a lower intimal hyperplasia was not observed with polymer coating stents.

Duas técnicas invasivas para o tratamento da doença aterosclerótica coronariana oclusiva firmaram-se ao longo dos anos: revascularização cirúrgica do miocárdio e angioplastia transcutânea com stents metálicos. O estudo visa comparar as alterações histopatológicas causadas por stents metálicos coronarianos fabricados com a superliga de composição química em porcentagem em peso cromo 20%, tungstênio 15%, níquel 10% e cobalto restante, designada ASTM F.90, revestidos, ou não, com carbeto de silício pelo processo de asperção térmica originando uma superfície hidrofílica. Stents com espessura das hastes entre 80 a 90 nm, área das células entre 1,4 a 2,1 mm² e relação metal-artéria de 13 a 19%, em pacientes reestenosantes que sofreram posteriormente revascularização cirúrgica do miocárdio, com aqueles não submetidos à angioplastia prévia. Foram determinados dois grupos: grupo I ou grupo controle, pacientes que sofreram revascularização cirúrgica do miocárdio sem angioplastia prévia de qualquer natureza; grupo II pacientes submetidos à revascularização cirúrgica do miocárdio, após reestenose intra-stent coronariana. Pacientes de ambos os grupos foram avaliados rotineiramente quanto à indicação e risco cirúrgico e durante o procedimento convencional da revascularização cirúrgica do miocárdio utilizando circulação extracorpórea, antes de realizar a anastomose do enxerto vascular na coronária, amostras contendo pequenos fragmentos de endotélio foram retiradas juntamente com fragmentos dos stents, enviadas para análise histopatológica e produção de laminas coradas com H-E. Observou-se a presença de arterite crônica caracterizada por infiltrado mononuclear em conjunto com fenômeno de proliferação fibroblástica e de musculatura lisa naqueles pacientes que apresentavam reestenose intra-stent, sendo mais intenso no local do stent. A visualização das superfícies dos stents em escala nanometrica (MFA) é de suma importância para análise estrutural das próteses, avaliando irregularidades nas superfícies recobertas das hastes dos stents. A persistência de arterite crônica coronariana avaliada por infiltrado linfomononuclear e proliferação de fibrocolágeno foi constatada em pacientes reestenosantes. / Two invasive techniques for the treatment of occlusive coronary atherosclerosis disease were signed over the years: coronary artery bypass surgery and transcutaneous angioplasty with bare metal stent. The study attempts to compare the histopathological abnormality caused in patients with implantation of bare metal stent in coronary made with: Chromium 20%, Tungsten 15%, Nickel 10% and Cobalt remainder, ASTM F.90 alloy for surgical implant applications, and covered with a thin layer of amorphous silicon carbide, or not, and its total or partial obstruction, after undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, with those who had coronary artery bypass surgery with no previous angioplasty. Two groups were studied: group I, or control group, patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without previous angioplasty of any kind; group II of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery after coronary-stent restenosis. Patients in both groups were evaluated for the indication and surgical risk; was done routinely during the procedure of conventional coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass. Before performing the anastomosis in coronary vascular graft, a small fragment of the endothelium was removed along whit a fragment of the stent, and sent for analysis with hematoxilin-eosin. The presence of chronic inflammatory coronary reaction was detected, mediated by mononuclear cells with phenomenon of fibroblast and smooth muscle proliferation in patients presenting in-stent restenosis. It w coronary reaction as also observed that the inflammatory and proliferative process is more intense at the site of stent implantation. The analysis of surface of the stents used atomic force microscopy proved to be an important method for the surface analysis for stents, and showed on nanometric scale an irregular coverage of silicon carbide. In conclusion, in the patients with restenosis in-stent occurs persistence of chronic inflammation with mononuclear cells and process of fibroblast proliferation.