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.

Allograft interstitial fibrosis was characterized by massive extracellular matrix deposition caused by activated fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is recognized as an important source of myofibroblasts contributing to the pathogenesis of allograft interstitial fibrosis. Smad ubiquitination regulatory factor 1 (Smurf1) has been recently reported to be involved in the progression of EMT. Our study was to detect the effect of Bortezomib and Smurf1 in the EMT and allograft interstitial fibrosis. Biomarkers of EMT, as well as Smurf1, were examined in human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK‐2) treated with tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) in various doses or at various time points by Western Blotting or qRT‐PCR. We knockdown or overexpressed Smurf1 in HK‐2 cells. Furthermore, rat renal transplant model was established and intervened by Bortezomib. Allograft tissues from human and rats were also collected and prepared for HE, Masson's trichrome, immunohistochemical staining and western blotting assays. As a result, we found that TNF‐α significantly promoted the development of EMT in a time‐dependent and dose‐dependent manner through Smurf1/Akt/mTOR/P70S6K signalling pathway. More importantly, Bortezomib alleviated the progression of EMT and allograft interstitial fibrosis in vivo and in vitro by inhibiting the production of TNF‐α and expression of Smurf1. In conclusion, Smurf1 plays a critical role in the development of EMT induced by TNF‐α. Bortezomib can attenuate the Sumrf1‐mediated progression of EMT and renal allograft interstitial fibrosis, which could be suggested as a novel choice for the prevention and treatment of renal allograft interstitial fibrosis.

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Background Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor has become the standard of care to reduce thrombotic events in patients with acute coronary syndrome or after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The role of routine platelet function testing (PFT) in patients treated with DAPT after PCI remains controversial and evidence of PFT‐guided antiplatelet therapy for patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI is limited. Methods We analyzed 1,353 consecutive STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI. PFT was performed 72 hr postprocedure using a vasodilator‐stimulated phosphoprotein assay. The primary endpoint of major adverse cardio‐cerebral events (MACCEs) was defined as a composite of all‐cause death, cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization, and ischemic stroke. Patients with high platelet reactivity (HPR) were randomized to receive an intensified antiplatelet strategy by switching from clopidogrel to ticagrelor (HPR switch group) or to continue on clopidogrel (HPR nonswitch group). One‐year clinical outcomes were compared among the groups. Results The baseline clinical characteristics were comparable across all groups (all p > .05). At the 1‐year clinical follow‐up, the primary endpoint of MACCE was significantly higher in the HPR nonswitch group than in the non‐HPR and HPR switch groups (19.49% vs. 10.20% or 8.57%, p < .05), which was mainly caused by higher mortality (14.87% vs. 4.51% or 5.71%, p < .05). Major bleeding events were comparable across the groups. Conclusions In STEMI patients with HPR, identified by vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP)‐determined PFT, switching clopidogrel to ticagrelor could significantly improve 1‐year clinical outcomes without increasing the risk of bleeding.

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway on thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) development. The study used a calcium chloride (CaCl 2 )-induced rat TAA model to explore the potential role of mTOR signaling pathway in the disease development. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent the periarterial exposure of thoracic aorta to either 0.5 M CaCl 2 or normal saline, and a subgroup of CaCl 2 -treated rats received rapamycin 1 day prior to surgery. Without pre-administering rapamycin, significantly enhanced phosphorylation of mTOR and expression of proinflammatory cytokines [i.e., tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and interleukin (IL)-1β] were observed in the CaCl 2 -treated aortic segments 2 days post-treatment compared with the NaCl-treated segments. At 2 weeks post-treatment, hematoxylin and eosin and Verhoeff-Van Gieson staining revealed aneurysmal alteration and disappearance of normal wavy elastic structures in the aortic segments exposed to CaCl 2 . In contrast, the CaCl 2 -induced TAA formation was inhibited by pre-administering rapamycin to CaCl 2 -treated rats, which demonstrated attenuated mTOR phosphorylation and downregulation of the proinflammatory mediators (i.e., TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, matrix metallopeptidases 2 and 9) to the control level. Further in vitro cell culture experiments using aortic smooth muscle cell (SMC) suggested that the inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway by rapamycin could promote the differentiation of SMCs, as reflected by the reduced expression of S100A4 and osteopontin. The present study indicated that the early enhanced mTOR signaling pathway in the TAA development and mTOR inhibitor rapamycin may inhibit CaCl 2 -induced TAA formation.

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AimsThis study investigated whether S100A4 plays a potential role in the formation of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA).Methods and ResultsThe thoracic aortas of male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 0.5 M CaCl2 or normal saline (NaCl). Animals were euthanized at specified time-points (2, 4, and 10 weeks post-TAA induction). The treated aortic segments were harvested, and mRNA levels, protein expressions and immunohistochemistry of MMP-2, MMP-9 and S100A4 were analyzed. The A7r5 cell lines were used for an in vitro study. Experiments were also performed using human TAA samples for comparison. Localized aneurysmal dilation was observed in the CaCl2-treated segments. The transcription levels of S100A4 and MMPs were elevated in CaCl2-treated segments versus controls, and a significant correlation between S100A4 and expression of MMPs was observed across all time-points. Immunohistochemical studies revealed similar expression pattern of S100A4 and MMP proteins, as well as co-localization of S100A4 with the cell lineage markers (αSMA and CD68) and inflammatory markers (MMPs and NF-κB P65 subunit). The proliferative ability of A7r5 cells after transfection with S100A4 siRNA was suppressed, and down-regulation of S100A4 inhibited MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression in vitro. Increased expression of S100A4 was observed in all layers of the aorta wall in human TAA specimens. Serum concentrations of S100A4 determined by ELISA were found to be significantly increased in TAA patients.ConclusionsThis study established the important roles of S100A4 and MMPs in the development of TAA.

Abstract. In general, young men have a greater risk than agematched women for many types of cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart diseases, such as acute or chronic myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure. The effects of estrogen-replacement therapy in men have not been extensively studied. We evaluated the cardioprotective effects of supplemental estrogen against left anterior descending coronary ligation-induced MI in male c57BL/6J mice. A significantly lower prevalence of cardiac rupture was observed in estrogen-treated mice regardless of castration status. A reduced prevalence of cardiac rupture was associated with decreased activities of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and increased expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. In vitro studies using H9c2 cells under simulated ischemia re-oxygenation treatment further support the role of estrogen receptor β in estrogen-mediated cardioprotection through the Akt-Bcl-2 signaling pathway.