Nuclear factor-κB activity and arterial response to balloon injury

We studied the effect of arterial balloon injury on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) mobilization and ICAM-1 expression in untreated rats and rats treated with aspirin. Baseline NF-κB nuclear binding in smooth muscle cells (SMC) increased two-fold within 6 h after balloon injury. The binding returned to baseline 3 days after injury. Consistently nuclear staining of p65 active subunit increased in the medial SMC following balloon injury. There was no baseline ICAM-1 expression. Within 3 days after balloon injury there was marked medial ICAM-1 expression, that localized to neointima 7 days after injury and to regrowing endothelial cells 14 days after injury. Treatment with aspirin inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation and binding and was associated with reduction of ICAM-1 expression, SMC proliferation and neointimal thickening following balloon injury. These data suggest that transient mobilization of NF-κB in vascular SMC after balloon injury mediates ICAM-1 expression and is involved in arterial response to balloon injury.