Background: The combined treatment of sustained-release basic fibroblast growth factor (Sr-bFGF) and a 5-hydroxytryptamine(2A) blocker, sarpogrelate, was evaluated to see whether it reversed the impaired collateral circulation in diabetic (DM) mouse hindlimb ischemia.
Method and results: Diabetic and normal mice with ischemic hindlimb were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 experimental groups (no treatment, sarpogrelate 50 mg . kg(-1) . day(-1), 20 microg or 50 microg Sr-bFGF and a combined treatment of 20 microg Sr-bFGF and sarpogrelate), and treated for 4 weeks. Tissue blood perfusion (TBP), vascular density (angiogenesis) and the number of mature vessels (arteriogenesis) were checked by the use of standard methods. Although angiogenesis was comparable (161+/-14 vs 154+/-12 vessels/mm(2)), the laser Doppler perfusion image index (LDPII) (0.43+/-0.11 (SD) vs 0.63+/-0.08, p<0.05) and arteriogenesis (8+/-3 vs 12+/-4 vessels/mm(2), p<0.05) were significantly lower in DM mice than those in normal mice. The dose of Sr-bFGF for the sufficient number of mature vessels (>or=45 vessels/mm(2)) and LDPII (>or=0.9) was 20 microg for the normal mice, and 50 microg for the DM mice, which was reduced with the aid of sarpogrelate. Conclusions A combined therapy of Sr-bFGF and sarpogrelate is effective for neovascularization to reverse the impaired arteriogenesis and TBP in DM mice.