Suppression of rat carotid lesion development by the calcium channel blocker PN 200-110.

Balloon catheter damage of the rat carotid artery endothelium results in an extensive and reproducible neointimal lesion composed of smooth muscle cells and connective matrix. The authors have examined two calcium channel blockers, PN 200-110 and PY 108-068, for their ability to inhibit neointimal lesion development in the rat carotid model. When given subcutaneously (1.0 mg/kg day) both compounds produced rapidly acting and long-lasting hypotension, reducing blood pressure 25-29%. At this dose given daily, PN 200-110 reduced lesion cross-sectional area by 44%, compared with only 25% seen by PY 108-068, which suggests that the antiatherosclerotic effect may not be related to lowering of blood pressure. Furthermore, PN 200-110 did not reduce the extent of platelet deposition (compared with controls) occurring at the denuded vessel surface 1 hour or 24 hours after balloon catheterization, which indicates that the inhibition of lesion development may not reflect an antiplatelet mechanism. The observed inhibition by PN 200-110 may relate to mitogen responses of the smooth muscle cell in the vessel wall (migration and proliferation) involved in lesion progression after endothelial damage.