Activation of immune cells and dysregulated growth and motility of vascular smooth muscle
cells contribute to neointimal lesion development during the pathogenesis of vascular
obstructive disease. Inhibition of these processes by the immunosuppressant rapamycin is
associated with reduced neointimal thickening in the setting of balloon angioplasty and
chronic graft vessel disease (CGVD). In this study, we show that rapamycin elicits a marked
reduction of aortic atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (apoE)-null mice fed a high-fat diet …