Effect of TFC-612, a 7-thia prostaglandin E1 derivative, on intimal thickening after endothelial injury with balloon catheter in rats.

The effect of TFC-612, methyl-6-(1R,2S,3R)-hydroxy-2--3- hydroxy-5-methyl-1-nonenyl]-5-oxocyclopentyl)thio] hexanoate, on intimal thickening of carotid artery 14 days after endothelium denudation with a balloon catheter was examined in rats. This compound significantly suppressed the neointimal area and the ratio of intimal and medial layer by 41.1% and 31.4%, respectively, at 3.2 micrograms/rat/h s.c. infusion. At this dose, this compound did not inhibit platelet aggregation induced by either collagen or ADP. It did not inhibit bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into medial smooth muscle cells at 3 days after injury. In in vitro experiments, TFC-612 did not inhibit the [3H]thymidine uptake into cultured smooth muscle cells, but it showed significant inhibition of smooth muscle cell migration induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) at more than 10(-9) M. This compound increased cyclic AMP levels dose dependently in cultured smooth muscle cells at more than 10(-8) M. These results suggest that TFC-612 inhibits intimal thickening by inhibition of smooth muscle cell migration from media to intima through cyclic AMP elevation.