Rationale Thoracic aortic aneurysms leading to acute aortic dissections (TAAD) can be inherited in families in an autosomal dominant manner. As part of the spectrum of clinical heterogeneity of familial TAAD, we recently described families with multiple members that had TAAD and intracranial aneurysms or TAAD and intracranial and abdominal aortic aneurysms inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Objective To identify the causative mutation in a large family with autosomal dominant inheritance of TAAD with intracranial and abdominal aortic aneurysms by performing exome sequencing of two distantly related individuals with TAAD and identifying shared rare variants. Methods and Results A novel frame shift mutation, p. N218fs (c.652delA), was identified in the SMAD3 gene and segregated with the vascular diseases in this family with a LOD score of 2.52. Sequencing of 181 probands with familial TAAD identified three additional SMAD3 mutations in 4 families, p.R279K (c.836G>A), p.E239K (c.715G>A), and p.A112V (c.235C>T) resulting in a combined LOD score of 5.21. These four mutations were notably absent in 2300 control exomes. SMAD3 mutations were recently described in patients with Aneurysms Osteoarthritis Syndrome and some of the features of this syndrome were identified in individuals in our cohort, but these features were notably absent in many SMAD3 mutation carriers. Conclusions SMAD3 mutations are responsible for 2% of familial TAAD. Mutations are found in families with TAAD alone, along with families with TAAD, intracranial aneurysms, aortic and bilateral iliac aneurysms segregating in an autosomal dominant manner.
Objective Although hypertension is the most common risk factor for thoracic aortic diseases, it is not understood how increased pressures on the ascending aorta lead to aortic aneurysms. We investigated the role of Ang II type 1 (AT1) receptor activation in ascending aortic remodeling in response to increased biomechanical forces using a transverse aortic constriction (TAC) mouse model. Approach and Results Two weeks after TAC, the increased biomechanical pressures led to ascending aortic dilatation, aortic wall thickening and medial hypertrophy. Significant adventitial hyperplasia and inflammatory responses in TAC ascending aortas were accompanied by increased adventitial collagen, elevated inflammatory and proliferative markers, and increased cell density due to accumulation of myofibroblasts and macrophages. Treatment with losartan significantly blocked TAC induced vascular inflammation and macrophage accumulation. However, losartan only partially prevented TAC induced adventitial hyperplasia, collagen accumulation and ascending aortic dilatation. Increased Tgfb2 expression and phosphorylated-Smad2 staining in the medial layer of TAC ascending aortas was effectively blocked with losartan. In contrast, the increased Tgfb1 expression and adventitial phospho-Smad2 staining were only partially attenuated by losartan. In addition, losartan significantly blocked Erk activation and ROS production in the TAC ascending aorta. Conclusions Inhibition of the AT1 receptor using losartan significantly attenuated the vascular remodeling associated with TAC but did not completely block the increased TGF- β1 expression, adventitial Smad2 signaling and collagen accumulation. These results help to delineate the aortic TGF-β signaling that is dependent and independent of the AT1 receptor after TAC.
An experimental study was carried out to gain a better understanding of the dynamic behavior of gas bubbles during the structural foam injection molding operation. For the study, a rectangular mold cavity with glass windows on both sides was constructed, which permitted us to record on a movie film the dynamic behavior of gas bubbles in the mold cavity as a molten polymer containing inert gas was injected into it. The mold was designed so that either isothermal or nonisothermal injection molding could be carried out. Materials used were polystyrene, high-density polyethylene, and polycarbonate. As chemical blowing agents, sodium bicarbonate (which generates carbon dioxide), a proprietary hydrazide and 5-phenyl tetrazole, both generating nitrogen, were used. Injection pressure, injection melt temperature, and mold temperature were varied to investigate the kinetics of bubble growth (and collapse) during the foam injection molding operation. It was found that the processing variables (e.g., the mold temperature, the injection pressure, the concentration of blowing agent) have a profound influence on the nucleation and growth rates of gas bubbles during mold filling. Some specific observations made from the present study are as follows: an increase in melt temperature, blowing agent concentration, and mold temperature brings about an increase in bubble growth but more nonuniform cell size and its distribution, whereas an increase in injection pressure (and hence injection speed) brings about a decrease in bubble growth but more uniform cell size and its distribution. Whereas almost all the theoretical studies published in the literature deal with the growth (or collapse) of a stationary single spherical gas bubble under isothermal conditions, in structural foam injection molding the shape ofthe bubble is not spherical because the ?fluid i s in motion during mold filling.Moreover, a temperature gradient exists in the mold cavity and the cooling subsequent to mold filling influences bubble growth significantly. It is suggested that theoretical study be carried out on bubble growth in an imposed shear field under nonisothermal conditions.
Abnormalities in the cerebrovascular system play a central role in many neurologic diseases. The on-going expansion of rodent models of human cerebrovascular diseases and the need to use these models to understand disease progression and treatment has amplified the need for reproducible non-invasive imaging methods for high-resolution visualization of the complete cerebral vasculature. In this study, we present methods for in vivo high-resolution (19 μm isotropic) computed tomography imaging of complete mouse brain vasculature. This technique enabled 3D visualization of large cerebrovascular networks, including the Circle of Willis. Blood vessels as small as 40 μm were clearly delineated. ACTA2 mutations in humans cause cerebrovascular defects, including abnormally straightened arteries and a moyamoya-like arteriopathy characterized by bilateral narrowing of the internal carotid artery and stenosis of many large arteries. In vivo imaging studies performed in a mouse model of Acta2 mutations demonstrated the utility of this method for studying vascular morphometric changes that are practically impossible to identify using current histological methods. Specifically, the technique demonstrated changes in the width of the Circle of Willis, straightening of cerebral arteries and arterial stenoses. We believe the use of imaging methods described here will contribute substantially to the study of rodent cerebrovasculature.
Mutations in ACTA2, encoding the smooth muscle cell (SMC)-specific isoform of α-actin (α-SMA), cause thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections and occlusive vascular diseases, including early onset coronary artery disease and stroke. We have shown that occlusive arterial lesions in patients with heterozygous ACTA2 missense mutations show increased numbers of medial or neointimal SMCs. The contribution of SMC hyperplasia to these vascular diseases and the pathways responsible for linking disruption of α-SMA filaments to hyperplasia are unknown. Here, we show that the loss of Acta2 in mice recapitulates the SMC hyperplasia observed in ACTA2 mutant SMCs and determine the cellular pathways responsible for SMC hyperplasia. Acta2(-/-) mice showed increased neointimal formation following vascular injury in vivo, and SMCs explanted from these mice demonstrated increased proliferation and migration. Loss of α-SMA induced hyperplasia through focal adhesion (FA) rearrangement, FA kinase activation, re-localization of p53 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and increased expression and ligand-independent activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (Pdgfr-β). Disruption of α-SMA in wild-type SMCs also induced similar cellular changes. Imatinib mesylate inhibited Pdgfr-β activation and Acta2(-/-) SMC proliferation in vitro and neointimal formation with vascular injury in vivo. Loss of α-SMA leads to SMC hyperplasia in vivo and in vitro through a mechanism involving FAK, p53 and Pdgfr-β, supporting the hypothesis that SMC hyperplasia contributes to occlusive lesions in patients with ACTA2 missense mutations.
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