AimTo investigate the effect of diallyl trisulfide (DT)-coated coronary stents on expression of metalloproteinase-2 （MMP-2） and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 （TIMP-2） in canine model of restenosis.MethodsDT-coated stents (210 μg/stent) were deployed with mild oversizing in the left circumflex coronary arteries (LCX) or the left anterior descending coronary arteries （LAD）of 14 canines.The implantation of protein-coated stents were used as control.Histopathologic examination was performed 28th days after stents implantation.Total RNA was isolated from the arterial wall at different time (5 h, 1 d, 7 d, 14 d and 28 d) after stents implantation.RT-PCR method was adopted for detection of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 genes expression.ResultsNeointimal hyperplasia and the restenosis rate were less in DT-coated stents than those in control group (P<0.01).MMP-2 was constitutively expressed in uninjured coronary arteries, and its activity did not increase until 7 days and remained elevated up to 28 days after the implantation of protein-coated stents.MMP-2 genes expression in DT group was reduced at 5 h, 1 d, 14 d and 28 d compared with that in control groups (P<0.01).The expression of TIMP-2 genes was not significantly different at 5 h, 1 d and 14 d after the implantation of DT-coated stents and protein-coated stents.At 7 d and 28 d ,TIMP-2 genes expression increased in DT group compared with that in control groups (P<0.05).ConclusionDT-coated coronary stents can decrease the expression of MMP-2 and enhance the expression of TIMP-2 in the canine LAD or LCX after implantation, which could therefore contribute to decreasing the effects of its neointimal hyperplasia.