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Updated: Jan 14, 2026
A Murine Model of Stent Implantation in the Carotid Artery for the Study of Restenosis
Published on: May 14, 2013
Facilitating In-Stent Restenosis Research: A Novel Removable Stent Strut Model in Mice
Yang Zhou1, Chang Shu2, Hao He1
1Department of Vascular Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Vascular Disease Institute, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Introduction:
In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains a clinical challenge. Existing mouse models are technically demanding and limit detailed analysis. This study aimed to develop and validate a simplified mouse ISR model mimicking stent biomechanics while allowing easy stent strut removal for comprehensive tissue analysis.
Materials And Methods:
Nitinol stent struts were implanted into the infrarenal abdominal aorta of C57BL/6J mice and secured with sutures (stent strut group). A suture-only control group underwent the same surgery without strut implantation. Mice were harvested at 2 and 4 wk. Stent struts were easily removed after freezing. Histological (hematoxylin and eosin , Masson's trichrome) and immunofluorescence (Mac-2, α smooth muscle actin) analyses assessed neointimal hyperplasia, collagen, and cell composition.
Results:
The stent strut implantation model showed high surgical success. Histological analysis in the stent strut group revealed progressive neointimal hyperplasia, with significantly increased neointimal thickness and collagen at 4 versus 2 wk. The suture-only group exhibited negligible neointimal formation, confirming the strut primarily induced neointima. Immunofluorescence of stented segments showed decreased macrophages (Mac-2) and increased smooth muscle (smooth muscle actin [α-SMA]) cells at 4 wk.
Conclusions:
This novel mouse ISR model recapitulates key human ISR features, offering a simplified, reproducible platform. Easy stent strut removal is a significant advantage. The suture-only control validates that neointimal formation is a specific response to the strut. This model is valuable for investigating ISR mechanisms and novel therapies.
