Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Engineering of bacterial cellulose-based vascular grafts for small-diameter applications.

Biomaterials advances·2026
Same author

From back table innovation to contemporary application: a review of the frozen elephant trunk technique.

Annals of cardiothoracic surgery·2025
Same author

A multi-center, open label, single group, observational clinical trial to investigate the effects of training on the administration of Cardioplexol™.

Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine·2025
Same author

Long-Term Outcome Following Concomitant Surgical Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation at University Hospital Basel: A Retrospective Study.

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania)·2025
Same author

Conservative fluid resuscitation protocol does not reduce the incidence of reoperation for bleeding after emergency CABG.

Scientific reports·2024
Same author

Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling after Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Regurgitation-An Explorative Study.

Diseases (Basel, Switzerland)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity
08:00

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity

Published on: July 10, 2019

6.6K

Rapamycin impairs endothelial cell function in human internal thoracic arteries.

David C Reineke1, Else Müller-Schweinitzer2,3, Bernhard Winkler1,3

  • 1Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Berne, Bern, CH-3010, Switzerland.

European Journal of Medical Research
|June 25, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Rapamycin treatment impairs endothelial function in human coronary arteries by reducing relaxation and down-regulating Akt-phosphorylation via the mTOR signaling axis, without causing endothelial cell injury.

More Related Videos

Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function
06:14

Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function

Published on: June 11, 2017

8.9K
Evaluation of Vascular Control Mechanisms Utilizing Video Microscopy of Isolated Resistance Arteries of Rats
10:28

Evaluation of Vascular Control Mechanisms Utilizing Video Microscopy of Isolated Resistance Arteries of Rats

Published on: December 5, 2017

9.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 8, 2026

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity
08:00

Enhancing the Engraftment of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Cardiomyocytes via a Transient Inhibition of Rho Kinase Activity

Published on: July 10, 2019

6.6K
Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function
06:14

Murine Aortic Crush Injury: An Efficient In Vivo Model of Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Endothelial Function

Published on: June 11, 2017

8.9K
Evaluation of Vascular Control Mechanisms Utilizing Video Microscopy of Isolated Resistance Arteries of Rats
10:28

Evaluation of Vascular Control Mechanisms Utilizing Video Microscopy of Isolated Resistance Arteries of Rats

Published on: December 5, 2017

9.9K

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Biology
  • Endothelial Function
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Drug-eluting stents are widely used, but their effect on coronary endothelium is not fully understood.
  • Evidence suggests rapamycin-eluting stents may impair endothelial function in human coronary arteries.
  • Human internal thoracic arteries (ITA) serve as a model to study these effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of rapamycin on the functional, morphological, and biochemical properties of the coronary endothelium.
  • To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of rapamycin-induced endothelial dysfunction.

Main Methods:

  • Organ bath technique to assess functional activity of ITA rings after rapamycin exposure.
  • Scanning electron microscopy for morphological evaluation of the endothelial layer.
  • Western blotting to measure endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and protein kinase B (Akt) activation.

Main Results:

  • Rapamycin significantly reduced acetylcholine-induced relaxation in ITA rings in a concentration-dependent manner.
  • No morphological differences in the endothelial layer were observed via electron microscopy.
  • Rapamycin decreased phosphorylation of eNOS, mTOR, and Akt, indicating reduced activation of these key signaling proteins.

Conclusions:

  • Rapamycin exposure reduces endothelium-mediated relaxation in ITA.
  • This impairment is mediated by down-regulation of Akt-phosphorylation through the mTOR signaling axis.
  • The endothelial cell layer remains morphologically intact, suggesting functional impairment without overt injury.