Abstract 019: Vascular Smooth Muscle ADAM17 Contributes To Angiotensin II-induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation But Not Hypertension In Mice

Abstract

Enhancement of the renin angiotensin II (AngII) system has been implicated in the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, detailed molecular mechanism(s) by which AngII promotes AAA remain uncertain. We have demonstrated the critical role of a metalloprotease, ADAM17, in AngII-induced EGFR transactivation and subsequent hypertrophy in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). In caveolin 1-/- mice, AAA formation induced by AngII plus beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN), a lysyl oxidase inhibitor, was attenuated. The attenuation of AAA formation was associated with suppression of ADAM17 induction and EGFR activation. Others have reported that systemic ADAM17 silencing attenuated CaCl2-induced AAA formation in mice. However, the cell type specific mechanism that is mediating the deleterious effect of ADAM17 in AAA is not well understood. Here, we tested our hypothesis that VSMC ADAM17 activation is required for AngII-promoted AAA formation using ADAM17flox/flox mice bred with sm22a Cre mice. 8 week old mice were co-infused with AngII 1000 ng/kg/min (4w) and BAPN 150 mg/kg/day (2w) or control saline (4w), and AAA formation was evaluated by echo (internal diameter) and measurement (external diameter) of the aortae. In control Cre-/- mice with the co-infusion, 52.4% (11/21) were dead due to aortic rupture/dissection. All surviving Cre-/- mice with co-infusion had AAA with max external/internal diameter (mm) of 2.18±0.55/1.75±0.33 vs 1.01±0.22/1.06±0.02 with saline infusion (p<0.01). In contrast, VSMC ADAM17 deficient Cre+/- with co-infusion did not die or develop AAA. The max external/internal diameter (mm) of AA in Cre+/- with co-infusion was 1.03±0.11/1.05±0.05 vs 1.01±0.12/1.27±0.21 with saline infusion. In contrast, both Cre-/- and +/- mice with the co-infusion developed hypertension assessed by telemetry (MAP mmHg: 161±15 vs 154±12). The ADAM17 deletion was also associated with less EGFR activation, ER/oxidative stress and extravascular fibrosis/matrix deposition. In conclusion, VSMC ADAM17 appears to be a critical metalloprotease contributing to AAA formation but not hypertension induced by AngII + BAPN. The mechanism by which VSMC ADAM17 promotes AAA seems to involve activation of EGFR and induction of ER/oxidative stress.