Summary
Emerging findings have demonstrated the critical role of blood clotting factors in
the formation and stabilization of embryonic blood vessels. Whether a similar role
is true during post-natal angiogenesis remains to be determined. Here we sought to
determine whether the suppression of thrombin generation with anticoagulant drugs
at doses routinely used for therapeutic purposes would affect the angiogenesis pattern
following hindlimb ischemia in rats. Animals were treated with r- hirudin or enoxaparin
within six hours post induction of hindlimb ischemia, whereas two other groups received
oral anticoagulation warfarin beginning at day 3 post-ischemia or saline (as control).
The revascularization anatomical and functional responses were evaluated 30 days following
tissue ischemia. Chronic administration of the drugs resulted in stable anticoagulation
in all animals throughout the experiment. Animals that received drugs with fast anticoagulation
effects (i.e. r-hirudin and enoxaparin) presented a significant decrease in capillary
density and capillary-to-myocyte ratio compared to control animals. These effects
were not associated with changes in relative perfusion of the hindlimb at steady state.
These anti-angiogenic effects occur in a time-dependent manner, since delayed inhibition
of coagulation (> 72 hours) presents no adverse effect on the angiogenic response.
We conclude that the use of anticoagulant drugs immediately after tissue ischemia
induction hampers in vivo angiogenic response in a rodent hindlimb ischemia model.
Keywords
Angiogenesis - warfarin - hirudin - heparin - anticoagulant