Multiglycosidorum tripterygii, a new immunosuppressant, supresses coronary arteriosclerosis after heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Graft coronary arteriosclerosis is the major limiting factor for long-term survival after heart transplantation. In this study, we investigate the effect of multiglycosidorum tripterygii on graft coronary arteriosclerosis and platelet-derived growth factor A mRNA expression of transplanted hearts. METHODS: Three groups of Lewis rats (n = 7/Group) underwent heterotopic heart transplantation from Wistar-King donors and were treated with cyclosporine A (10 mg/ kg/day) for 60 days (Group A) or with multiglycosidorum tripterygii (30 mg/kg/day) for 60 days (Group B) or with cyclosporine A for the first 30 days and followed by multiglycosidorum tripterygii for another 30 days (Group C). Histological evaluations of rejection and coronary arteriosclerosis, as well as Northern blot analysis on graft platelet-derived growth factor A mRNA expression were made 60 days after transplantation. RESULTS: Morphometric results indicated no significant difference in rejection among three groups. However, the extent of graft coronary arteriosclerosis in Group B (1.12 +/- 0.21) and Group C (1.41 +/- 0.19) was significantly less than that seen in Group A (1.72 +/- 0.18) (p < 0.01 andp < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, the incidence of diseased vessels was significantly less in Group B (29.5% +/- 7.8%) and Group C (42% +/- 9.1%) compared with Group A (69.1% +/- 11%) (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). The expression of platelet-derived growth factor A mRNA of cardiac allograft was also significantly suppressed in Group B (25.4 +/- 6.2) and Group C (39.8 +/- 9.4), when compared with Group A (62.2 +/- 12.9) (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: Multiglycosidorum tripterygii is superior to cyclosporine in prevention and attenuation of graft coronary arteriosclerosis and this efficacy is probably associated with the depressed expression of graft platelet-derived growth factor A mRNA in the multiglycosidorum tripterygii-treated groups.