The aim of this study was to determine whether nifedipine could suppress an atherogenic process such as balloon‐injured intimal thickening in vivo and the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in vitro.

First, we examined the in vivo effect of nifedipine to determine whether it could suppress intimal thickening induced by balloon catheterization. Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups (L, nifedipine 0.3 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹; H, nifedipine 3 mg kg⁻¹ day⁻¹; C, no nifedipine), and Alzet® osmotic pumps were implanted in their backs for continuous administration. The neointimal layers were completely occupied by proliferated VSMC, and the area ratios of neointima/media treated with nifedipine significantly decreased dose‐dependently compared to those of the control. Neither blood pressure nor lipid levels changed among the three groups.

We next evaluated the in vitro effect of nifedipine on the proliferation of cultured rat VSMC. Nifedipine decreased the values of [³H]‐thymidine incorporation and total cellular protein content as well as the levels of phosphorylated extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2, mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) 1/2, and even the phosphorylation of Pyk2, in dose‐dependent fashions. In addition, nifedipine suppressed the levels of proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) dose‐dependently in both VSMC and balloon‐injured thoracic aortae.

These results indicate that nifedipine has an inhibitory effect on intimal thickening by attenuating intimal VSMC proliferation, suggesting that nifedipine could be effective for preventing the progression of atherosclerotic plaque as in restenosis after angioplasty.