Extracellular Matrix Proteomics Reveals Interplay of Aggrecan and Aggrecanases in Vascular Remodeling of Stented Coronary Arteries

Significant differences were identified by proteomics in the ECM of coronary arteries after bare-metal and drug-eluting stent implantation, most notably an upregulation of aggrecan, a major ECM component of cartilaginous tissues that confers resistance to compression. The accumulation of aggrecan coincided with a shift in <i>ADAMTS</i> gene expression. This study provides the first evidence implicating aggrecan and aggrecanases in the vascular injury response after stenting.