Cardiovascular Research Advance Access first published online on February 19, 2009
This version [Corrected Proof] published online on March 5, 2009
Cardiovascular Research, doi:10.1093/cvr/cvp059
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Leoligin, the major lignan from Edelweiss, inhibits intimal hyperplasia of venous bypass grafts



1 Head of the Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Innsbruck Medical University, Innrain 66, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
2 Institute of Pharmacy/Pharmacognosy, University of Innsbruck, Josef-Moeller-Haus, Innrain 52c, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
3 Central Institute for Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
4 Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
5 Department of Pharmacy, Center of Drug Research, University of Munich, 81377 Munich, Germany
* Corresponding author. Tel: +43 512 504 27815; fax: +43 512 504 27805. E-mail address: david.bernhard{at}i-med.ac.at
Aims: Despite the lower patency of venous compared with arterial coronary artery bypass grafts,
50% of grafts used are saphenous vein conduits because of their easier accessibility. In a search for ways to increase venous graft patency, we applied the results of a previous pharmacological study screening for non-toxic compounds that inhibit intimal hyperplasia of saphenous vein conduits in organ cultures. Here we analyse the effects and mechanism of action of leoligin [(2S,3R,4R)-4-(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)tetrahydrofuran-3-yl]methyl (2Z)-2-methylbut-2-enoat, the major lignan from Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum Cass.).
Methods and results: We found that leoligin potently inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation by inducing cell cycle arrest in the G1-phase. Leoligin induced cell death neither in SMCs nor, more importantly, in endothelial cells. In a human saphenous vein organ culture model for graft disease, leoligin potently inhibited intimal hyperplasia, and even reversed graft disease in pre-damaged vessels. Furthermore, in an in vivo mouse model for venous bypass graft disease, leoligin potently inhibited intimal hyperplasia.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that leoligin might represent a novel non-toxic, non-thrombogenic, endothelial integrity preserving candidate drug for the treatment of vein graft disease.
KEYWORDS Lignan; Neointima; Therapy; Intimal hyperplasia
Time for primary review: 32 days
These authors contributed equally to this work.