Abstract:
Objective: Secondary failure due to late restenosis continues to occur in 30-50% of individuals after PCI. ß-blockers play an important role in the treatment of CAD. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the new ß-blocker Nebivolol on cell proliferation of human coronary smooth muscle cells (haSMCs) and endothelial cells (haECs) in comparison to traditional ß-blockers.
Methods: The effect of Nebivolol and other ß-blockers on proliferation of haECs and haSMCs was analyzed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. Apoptosis was measured by determination of hypoploid DNA in both cell types. Aditionally, in haECs NO formation, endothelin-1 transcription and secretion were determined.
Results: Incubation for 1,2,4,7, and 14 days resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent reduction of proliferation up to 80% in haECs and haSMCs. ß-blockers such as propranolol, metoprolol or bisoprolol did not exert this effect. Nebivolol inhibited accelerated haSMCs proliferation even in the presence of growth factors such as TGFß1 and PDGF-BB. Nebivolol concentration-dependently induced a moderate apoptosis (10-5 mol/l: 23%) and a decrease of haSMCs in the S-phase by 66%. HaECs showed comparable results. During Nebivolol-incubation NO formation of haECs increased, while endothelin-1 transcription and secretion were suppressed.
Conclusion: Whereas classical ß-blockers do not affect cell growth, only Nebivolol inhibits haSMC and haECs proliferation and induces a moderate rate of apoptosis. Furthermore, in haECs NO formation increases and endothelin-1 secretion decreases suggesting that Nebivolol may represent a ß-Blocker with great promises in CAD therapy.