Herpes virus may help after angioplasty

CHICAGO, July 12 (UPI) -- A genetically engineered herpes simplex virus may help keep arteries "free-flowing" in the weeks following angioplasty or a stent, says a U.S. study.

Lead author Dr. Christopher Skelly of the University of Chicago Medical Center says one of the drawbacks of balloon angioplasty to open blocked arteries and the use of stents to keep them open is that arteries sometimes experience aggravation from the procedure.

"The balloon angioplasty, in addition to opening the artery can lead to smooth muscle cell proliferation, similar to formation of scar tissue, known as neointimal hyperplasia," Skelly said in a statement. "The scar tissue can restrict blood flow not long after the procedures, leading to a recurrence of symptoms."

One undesirable yet expected outcome of angioplasty and stent placement is the disruption of the artery's endothelial layer, which predisposes the artery to blood-clot formation -- a recent concern with drug-eluting stents.

The researchers found that the endothelial layer was partially restored at 14 days and completely restored at 28 days post-balloon angioplasty in the group treated with the herpes virus, according to the study published in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.