CARDIOVASCULAR ENGINEERING Journal for Extracorporeal Circulation, Assist Devices,Transplantation and Artificial Organs
	Volume 5, 2000, No 1

Correlation between the Degrees of Platelet-derived Growth Factor-A Chain mRNA Expression and Coronary Arteriosclerosis in the Transplanted Heart
M. Hachida, K. Yasumoto

Although intimal and media proliferation of smooth muscle cells is recognized as one of the key mechanisms in the development of graft coronary arteriosclerosis, the role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in this process is still uncertain because of the undetermined pathogenesis of graft coronary arteriosclerosis (GCA). In the present study, the correlation between the extents of GCA and the degrees of PDGF-A chain expression in cardiac grafts was investigated in 21 rats with varied extents of GCA. Lewis rats underwent heterotopic heart transplantation from Wistar King donors and were treated with cyclosporine A (10mg/kg/day) (n=7) or 15-deoxyspergualin (5 mg/kg/day) (n=7) or Multiglycosidorum Tripterygii (30mg/kg/day) (n=7), respectively. Histological evaluations of coronary arteriosclerosis, as well as Northern blot analysis on graft PDGF-A chain expression were made 60 days after transplantation. Variable extents of graft coronary arteriosclerosis were observed among the 21 transplanted hearts. Significant correlations were found between the PDGF-A chain mRNA expression of cardiac allograft and the arterial intimal thickening grade (rs=0.76, P < 0.005) as well as the incidence of diseased vessels (rs=0.82, P < 0.001). The PDGF-A chain mRNA expression of cardiac allograft is associated with the extents of GCA, indicating that PDGF-A plays an important role in the development of GCA.

Key words: coronary arteriosclerosis, platelet-derived growth factor, heart transplantation, immunosuppressant

Address for Correspondence:
Mitsuhiro Hachida, M.D.
Second Department of Surgery
University of Occupational and Environmental Health
1-1, Iseigaoka, Yahatanisiku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka
Japan
E-mail:hachidam@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp

Reference:
(CVE. 2000; 5 (1): 41-45)

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