OBJECTIVENovel stents loaded with antibody against CD105 were analyzed for their potential to limit coronary neointima formation and to accelerate endothelialization by attracting activated endothelial cell.

METHODSThirty Stents coated with antibody against CD105, thirty unloaded polymer, and thirty bare metal stents were deployed in 90 coronary arteries of 30 minipigs. Oral aspirin (300 mg before operation and 100 mg post operation) and clopidogrel (300 mg before operation and 75 mg post operation) were orally administrated. Coronary artery quantitative analysis was completed by coronary arteriography, the vascular endothelium changes were observed under scanning electron microscope and the vascular morphological changes were observed under light microscope 7 and 14 days after operation.

RESULTSComplete procedural and angiographic success was achieved in all 30 minipigs. There were no major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. At 7 days, there was no difference for mean neointimal area and percent area stenosis among various groups. At 14 days, endothelialization scores were significantly higher in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and bare metal stents group than in sirolimus-eluting stents group (1.78 ± 0.49, 1.50 ± 0.67 vs. 1.08 ± 0.29, all P < 0.05), mean percent area stenosis in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(23.8 ± 4)%, (24.2 ± 2)% vs. (38.0 ± 3)%, all P < 0.05], mean angiographic late luminal loss in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(0.29 ± 0.28) mm, (0.28 ± 0.02) mm vs. (0.41 ± 0.01) mm, all P < 0.05]. There was no difference for mean percent area stenosis in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and sirolimus-eluting stents group. The mean neointimal area in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents, and sirolimus-eluting stents group were less than that in bare metal stents group [(0.88 ± 0.08) mm(2), (0.89 ± 0.12mm)(2) vs. (1.00 ± 0.14) mm(2), all P < 0.05] and there was no difference for the mean neointimal area in the CD105 antibody-loaded stents and sirolimus-eluting stents group. At 7 and 14 days, there was no difference for the injury score and the inflammation score among various groups, scanning electron microscopy evidenced enhanced endothelial coverage on CD105 antibody-loaded stents compared to sirolimus-eluting stents group.

CONCLUSIONStent coated with antibody against CD105 could effectively reduce in-stent restenosis and accelerate endothelialization in the minipigs.