Overexpression of a constitutively active protein kinase G mutant reduces neointima formation and in-stent restenosis.

Background: Neointima formation after arterial injury is associated with reduced vascular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) and cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), a major cGMP effector in vascular smooth muscle. We tested the effect of PKG overexpression on the neointimal response to vascular injury. Methods and Results- Infection of cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) with an adenoviral vector specifying a cGMP-independent, constitutively active PKG mutant (AdPKGcat) reduced serum-induced migration by 33% and increased serum-deprivation-induced apoptosis 2-fold (P<0.05 for both). Infection with wild-type PKG (AdPKG), in the absence of cGMP, did not affect migration or apoptosis. Two weeks after balloon-injured rat carotid arteries were infected with 1x 10(10) pfu AdPKGcat (n=12), AdPKG (n=8), or a control adenovirus (n=8), intima-to-media ratio was less in AdPKGcat-infected arteries than in AdPKG- or control adenovirus-infected vessels (0.26+/-0.06 versus 0.61+/-0.12 and 0.70+/-0.12, respectively, P<0.05 for both). Two weeks after intramural administration of 1.75x10(10) pfu AdPKGcat (n=8) or a control adenovirus (n=8) into porcine coronary arteries with in-stent restenosis, luminal diameter was greater in AdPKGcat-infected arteries than in control adenovirus-infected vessels (2.32+/-0.16 versus 1.81+/-0.13 mm, P=0.028), associated with reduced neointimal area (3.30+/-0.24 versus 4.15+/-0.13 mm(2), P=0.008), neointima-to-vessel area ratio (0.42+/-0.05 versus 0.58+/-0.04, P<0.05), and percent stenosis (45+/-6% versus 70+/-4%, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Expression of a constitutively active PKG reduces neointima formation after balloon injury in rats and reduces coronary in-stent restenosis in pigs. PKGcat gene transfer may be a promising strategy for vasculoproliferative disorders.