Therapeutic Effect of Akt1 siRNA Nanoparticle Eluting Coronary Stent on Suppression of Post-Angioplasty Restenosis.

For effective treatment of restenosis, therapeutic genes are delivered locally from a coated stent at the site of injury, leading to inhibition of smooth muscle proliferation and neo-intimal hyperplasia while promoting re-endothelialization. In a previous study, we delivered Akt1 siRNA nanoparticles (ASNs) from a hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated stent surface to specifically suppress the pro-proliferative Akt1 protein in smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In the present study, therapeutic efficacy was investigated in a rabbit restenosis model after percutaneous implantation of an ASN-immobilized stent in a rabbit iliac artery.