Safety and efficacy of a novel iopromide-based paclitaxel-eluting balloon following bare metal stent implantation in rabbit aorta abdominalis

BACKGROUND: Drug-eluting balloons (DEB) may be promising technology for treating atherosclerotic arterial disease. In fact, several DEBs have been clinically available for the treatment of coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR), de novo coronary lesions, and peripheral artery disease. OBJECTIVE: We sought to elucidate the mechanism of action and in vivo safety and efficacy of a novel iopromide-based paclitaxel-eluting balloon. METHODS: In vitro cytotoxicity of a novel DEB on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in vivo pharmacokinetics of DEB in a rabbit aorta abdominalis were assessed. Then, bare metal stents (BMS) were implanted at both the proximal and distal sites of the rabbit aorta abdominalis. Stented vascular segments were immediately dilated with a bare balloon (control group) or the DEB (DEB group) randomly. Histological evaluation was performed in all treated segments at 28 days. Because paclitaxel is a tubulin-disrupting agent that binds preferentially to β-tubulin, we measured β-tubulin expression in aortal stent specimens via immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: We observed that DEB was compatible and could reduce neointimal hyperplasia compared with the bare balloon. Meanwhile, immunohistochemistry revealed that β-tubulin expression in the DEB group increased compared with the control group, indirectly suggesting successful uptake of paclitaxel by vessel walls after DEB dilation. CONCLUSIONS: The novel DEB is safe and has a favorable vascular healing response on neointimal hyperplasia.