Effect of gefitinib, as a new stent coating material, on the cell proliferation and the expression of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2 in vascular smooth muscle cells

摘要

To confirm the role and mechanism of gefitinib used as a new stent coating material on inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation, MTT assay was used to measure the cell proliferation and Western Blot was used to determine the expression of Caspase-3 and Bcl-2. Experiments showed that, compared with paclitaxel, gefitinib could effectively inhibit vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation but had a less inhibitory effect on the proliferation of endothelial cells (ECs). What's more, Caspase3 was up-regulated while Bcl-2 was down-regulated more obviously in VSMCs after treated with gefitinib. This suggests it is possible for gefitinib to replace paclitaxel and other existing nonselective cytotoxic drugs used in the coating materials of the drug eluting stent to prevent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).