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Updated: Aug 17, 2026
A Rabbit Venous Interposition Model Mimicking Revascularization Surgery using Vein Grafts to Assess Intimal Hyperplasia under Arterial Blood Pressure
Published on: May 15, 2020
A novel mouse model of autologous venous graft intimal hyperplasia
Yanpeng Diao1, Jing Xue, Mark S Segal
1Division of Nephrology, Hypertension, and Transplantation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
Background:
To investigate the molecular mechanism of autologous venous graft intimal hyperplasia, a mouse model is needed. Currently only vein to carotid artery mouse models are available and are hampered by a high thrombosis rate. We hypothesized that operating on the aorta would lead to intimal hyperplasia with decreased risk of thrombosis.
Materials And Methods:
In C57BL/6J mice, the left external jugular vein was grafted into the infrarenal abdominal aorta by end-to-end anastomosis with 11-0 Ethilon. Grafts harvested at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks postoperatively were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical analysis.
Results:
Thirty-one of 35 mice survived; 2 mice were sacrificed secondary to thrombosis. The percentage lumen narrowing (+/-SE) was 7.8 +/- 0.3, 16.4 +/- 0.9, 19.2 +/- 0.9, 22.3 +/- 0.8, and 23.9 +/- 1.6% at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 weeks, respectively. Nuclear density decreased with each successive time point. The percentage of alpha-smooth-muscle actin-positive cells within the neointima peaked at 16 weeks (53%), and the percentage of cells positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen peaked at 2 weeks (39%).
Conclusions:
We thus report on a novel mouse model of intimal hyperplasia in autologous venous grafts with a low thrombosis rate. Further studies using this model, coupled with genetic and bone marrow transplantation mouse models, should lead to significant enhancement in understanding of the mechanism of intimal hyperplasia.
