Extracellular Matrix Proteomics Reveals Interplay of Aggrecan and Aggrecanases in Vascular Remodeling of Stented Coronary Arteries

Abstract

Significant differences were identified by proteomics in the ECM of coronary arteries after bare-metal and drug-eluting stent implantation, most notably an upregulation of aggrecan, a major ECM component of cartilaginous tissues that confers resistance to compression. The accumulation of aggrecan coincided with a shift in <i>ADAMTS</i> gene expression. This study provides the first evidence implicating aggrecan and aggrecanases in the vascular injury response after stenting.