Morphologic comparison of blood vessels used for coronary artery bypass surgery

BACKGROUND: Aim of this study was to evaluate morphologic features of healthy saphenous vein and internal thoracic artery used in coronary artery bypass surgery and compare results. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten specimens of saphenous veins and ten of internal thoracic arteries used for coronary artery bypass graft were obtained from 20 patients. Histological routine and immunohistochemical staining was performed with: endothelin (ET), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2), metallomembranoproteinase 2 (MMP2), transforming growth factor beta (TGF β), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). A semiquantitative evaluation method was used. RESULTS: There was found: moderate positive endothelin-containing cells in both blood vessel types; moderate positive MMP2 cells and moderate to numerous positive TIMP2 cells in veins. In arteries - occasionally marked positive MMP2 cells and negative TIMP2; moderate to numerous positive VEGF endothelial cells on small blood vessels in vein wall and occasional in artery wall; numerous TGFβ structures in veins and abundance of VCAM, ICAM positive cells, few in arteries; few HGF positive structures in veins, negative in arteries; In veins few PGP9,5 positive nerve fibres, in arteries - moderate. Moderate TUNEL reaction positive apoptotic cells in veins and few to moderate in arteries. CONCLUSIONS: V.saphena magna grafts are characterized by more intensive modelation plasticity. Number of VEGF, VCAM and ICAM found in v.saphena magna proves the possible tendency of graft failure on basis of local blood supply intensification. Appearance of endothelin positive cells indicate the similar homeostasis condition in endotheliocytes in both - vein and artery grafts.Peer reviewe