Apoptosis bcl-2 and nitrotyrosine expression in an angioplasty-restenosis rabbit: An experimental model

AbstractApoptosis has been suggested to have an important role in the pathogenesis of restenosis in addition to cell migration and proliferation. The aim of the present study was to investigate in an experimental in vivo model the occurrence of apoptosis postangioplasty and its relation to bcl-2 and peroxynitrite detection.Eighteen hypercholesterolemic rabbits underwent transluminal angioplasty of the right iliac artery. The rabbits were sacrificed on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 15th, and 28thday postangioplasty (3 animals per time point) and both the angioplasted and non-injured arteries were studied. Apoptosis was assessed by the terminal uridine nick-end labeling method (TUNEL). Bcl-2 and peroxynitrite were detected by immunochemistry using anti-bcl-2 and anti-nitrotyrosine antibodies.In the angioplasted arteries the number of apoptotic cells was ≤1% of the total cell population in both media and neointima at any of the postangioplasty time points examined. Bcl-2 and nitrotyrosines were detected at all time points in the angioplasted arteries (vs. non-injured, P