The process of vascular remodeling is associated with increased hypoxia. However, the contribution of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), the key transcription factor mediating cellular hypoxic responses, to vascular remodeling is established, but not completely understood. In the angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular remodeling model, HIF1α was increased and activated in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Selective genetic disruption of Hif1a in VSMCs markedly ameliorated Ang II-induced vascular remodeling, as revealed by decreased blood pressure, aortic thickness, collagen deposition, inflammation, and aortic stiffness. VSMC Hif1a deficiency also specifically suppressed Ang II-induced infiltration of CD45 + CD11b + F4/80 + CD206 − M1 macrophages into the vessel. Mechanistically, HIF1α deficiency in VSMCs dramatically suppressed the expression of CCL7, a chemokine critical for macrophage recruitment. Bioinformatic analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed three functional hypoxia-response elements in the Ccl7 promoter, indicating that Ccl7 is a direct HIF1α target gene. Blocking CCL7 with antibody in vivo alleviated Ang II-induced hypertension and vascular remodeling, coincident with decreased macrophage infiltration. This study provides direct evidence that HIF1α activation in VSMCs exacerbates Ang II-induced macrophage infiltration and resultant vascular remodeling via its target gene Ccl7 , and thus may serve as a potential therapeutic target for remodeling-related vascular disease.

No abstract

Objective: Neutrophil infiltration plays an important role in the initiation and development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Recent studies suggested that neutrophils could release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), leading to tissue injury in cardiovascular diseases. However, the role of NETs in AAA is elusive. This study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of NETs in AAA development.Methods and Results: An angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion-induced AAA model was established to investigate the role of NETs during AAA development. Immunofluorescence staining showed that citrullinated histone 3 (citH3), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and neutrophil elastase (NE) (NET marker) expressions were significantly increased in Ang II-infused ApoE−/− mice. The circulating double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) level was also elevated, indicating the increased NET formation during AAA. PAD4 inhibitor YW3-56 inhibited Ang II-induced NET formation. Disruption of NET formation by YW3-56 markedly reduced Ang II-induced AAA rupture, as revealed by decreased aortic diameter, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis, and elastin degradation. Apoptosis of VSMC was evaluated by TUNEL staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI staining through flow cytometry. Western blot and inhibition experiments revealed that NETs induced VSMC apoptosis via p38/JNK pathway, indicating that PAD4-dependent NET formation played an important role in AAA.Conclusions: This study suggests that PAD4-dependent NET formation is critical for AAA rupture, which provides a novel potential therapeutic strategy for AAA disease.