OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of nuclear transcription factor-kappaB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (NFkappaB decoyODNs) on the intimal hyperplasia (IH) in vein graft in rats.

METHODSAutogenous vein graft model for 72 Wistar rats was established, and the interior jugular vein was transplanted to common jugular artery by microsurgical technique. The rats were divided into 6 groups according to different processing methods, including NFkappaB decoyODNs 50 microg and 200 microg, scramble decoyODNs 50 microg and 200 microg, control and lipofectin + pluronic teams. Vein graft samples were harvested in 1 or 2 weeks after surgery and ICAM-1 mRNA were measured by RT-PCR. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry methods were also employed to detect the expression of p65 and ICAM-1. IH was compared at the same time.

RESULTSThe intimal hyperplasia was evident in 1 or 2 weeks after vein graft, and ameliorated by 50 microg of NFkappaB decoyODNs with inhibition rate from 22% to 31%, 200 microg of NFkappaB decoyODNs had a higher inhibition rate from 41% to 53%. However, no effect was found in the other teams. The expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was also inhibited significantly by NFkappaB decoyODNs and more obvious in 2 weeks after surgery. Expression of ICAM-1 and p65 decreased greatly in NFkappaB decoyODNs team, which has a inhibition rate from 30% to 57%.

CONCLUSIONTransfection of NFkappaB decoyODNs can inhibit the IH after vein graft, which may be accomplished by the inhibition of gene expression of ICAM-1.