Psoralen activated by UVA light (PUVA) was investigated as a means of inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation resulting from balloon injury in a large animal model. Twenty kilogram domestic swine were anesthetized and underwent balloon angioplasty with a 3.5mm x 2.0 cm balloon to create 133% overstretch injury. Assignments of treatment and control were randomized between the left anterior descending (LAD) and circumflex (LCX) coronaries arteries. The animals were given 5mg/kg of 8-methoxypsoralen internally. Treatment vessels received 600mJ/cm2 of 364nm light through an illuminating balloon during the inflations to activate the psoralen. Control vessels received drug and balloon injury only. Serum was obtained during the light delivery to assess psoralen levels. At 30 days, animals were sacrificed and the coronary arteries perfusion fixed. Five section per vessel were analyzed morphometrically to determine percent intimal area and extent of injury. The restenosis injury index was 0.21± .02 in treatment vessels and 0.14±0.01 in the controls with a p-value <.02. In conclusion, this large animal model of balloon angioplasty injury demonstrated that psoralen activated by ultraviolet light increased intimal hyperplasia at one month.
Kenton W. Gregory, Lisa A. Buckley, Deborah Bahlman, HanQun Shangguan, Henner Fahrenbach, Eli Rosenthal, Peter Block, "Psoralen Activated by Ultraviolet Light for the Treatment of intimal Hyperplasia in a Porcine Coronary Artery Model." Poster Session, Restonosis Summit VIII, May 1996.