Long-term effect of stents eluting 6-mercaptopurine in porcine coronary arteries.

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) have dramatically reduced restenosis rates compared to bare metal stents and are widely used in coronary artery angioplasty. The anti-proliferative nature of the drugs reduces smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation effectively, but unfortunately also negatively affects endothelialization of stent struts, necessitating prolonged dual anti-platelet therapy. Cell-type specific therapy may prevent this complication, giving rise to safer stents that do not require additional medication.

Stents Eluting 6-Mercaptopurine Reduce Neointima Formation and Inflammation while Enhancing Strut Coverage in Rabbits.

Background: The introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) has dramatically reduced restenosis rates compared with bare metal stents, but in-stent thrombosis remains a safety concern, necessitating prolonged dual anti-platelet therapy. The drug 6-Mercaptopurine (6-MP) has been shown to have beneficial effects in a cell-specific fashion on smooth muscle cells (SMC), endothelial cells and macrophages. We generated and analyzed a novel bioresorbable polymer coated DES, releasing 6-MP into the vessel wall, to reduce restenosis by inhibiting SMC proliferation and decreasing inflammation, without negatively affecting endothelialization of the stent surface.

High-septal pacing reduces ventricular electrical remodeling and proarrhythmia in chronic atrioventricular block dogs.

Objectives: This study was designed to analyze the relevance of ventricular activation patterns for ventricular electrical remodeling after atrioventricular (AV) block in dogs.

Background: Bradycardia is thought to be the main contributor to ventricular electrical remodeling after complete AV block. However, an altered ventricular activation pattern or AV dyssynchrony may also contribute.