Periostin, a recently found matricellular
protein, has been implicated in
neointima formation after balloon injury. However, the relationship between
periostin and hyperplastic intima formation after
PTFE graft implantation is unclear. Under mixed
anesthesia,
PTFE grafts were implanted between the canine carotid artery and jugular vein, and
PTFE graft samples were harvested 1, 2, and 4 months after implantation. Intima formation started on the
luminal surface of
PTFE grafts at the venous anastomotic region 1 month after implantation. Thereafter, the increase in intimal volume was not only observed in the venous and arterial anastomotic regions, but also in the middle region of the
PTFE grafts. In accordance with the increased intimal formation, time-dependent increases in
mRNA expressions of
periostin and
transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), as well as a strong positive correlation between
periostin and TGF-β1, were observed. These findings suggest that
periostin may play a very important role in the pathogenesis of
hemodialysis vascular access
stenosis through the acceleration of intimal formation. Thus,
periostin may be a very important therapeutic target for the treatment of vascular access graft dysfunction in
hemodialysis patients.