Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany

Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-beta) are multifunctional proteins that regulate cell growth, differentiation, migration and extracellular matrix production and have an important role in tissue remodelling. There is growing evidence of an important regulatory role of TGF-beta in atherosclerosis. However the role of TGF-beta in vessel wall repair following percutaneous coronary interventions (PTCA) is still unclear. Therefore we tried to determine the role of native and activated TGF-beta in patients undergoing elective coronary ballon angioplasty. Blood was drawn simultaneously from the aorta and the coronary sinus before and at the end of the PTCA procedure. Further blood samples were drawn from the aorta several hours after the procedure at time of sheet removal and through a venous puncture at hospital discharge. There was a continous increase in levels of circulating activated TGF-beta with maximal values at hospital discharge. In patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography without ensuing coronary intervention did not show significant alterations in plasma levels of activated TGF-beta. Thus, activated TGF-beta may serve as marker for vessel wall damage following coronary artery interventions. This underlines a possible central role of TGF-beta in vessel wall repair. Ongoing studies may help to define the significance of elevated levels of activated TGF-beta in the development of restenoses.