Beneficial effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in a rat model of vascular injury

1 The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ca€eic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis, was able to reduce neointimal formation in a model of endothelial injury of rat carotid artery (balloon angioplasty). Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between neointima formation and nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) activation and we correlated NF-kB activation to the expression of inducible isoform of cyclo-oxygenase (COX-2) in injured carotids. 2 In control group a signi®cant proliferation of neointima was observed 14 days after balloon angioplasty, which was correlated to an increase of NF-kB/DNA binding activity as well as p50/p65 nuclear levels compared to those observed in the carotids from sham-operated rats. Furthermore, NF-kB activation was correlated to increased COX-2, but not b-actin, protein expression. 3 Treatment of rats for 14 days with CAPE (3, 10, 30 mg kg71) caused a significantcant inhibition of all the parameters assayed, except beta-actin protein expression. 4 These results indicate that treatment with CAPE may lead to a reduction of neointima formation by inhibiting NF-kB activation and suggest that this agent may have therapeutic relevance for the prevention of human restenosis.