Abstract 18182: Phosphodiesterase 10A Regulates Vascular Inflammation and Pathogenesis of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Abstract

Rationale: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are characterized by aortic enlargement and underlying weakness of the vessel wall. Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that vascular inflammation is a central trigger of AAA formation. Phosphodiesterases (PDEs), known regulators of cyclic nucleotide signaling, play a critical role in vascular inflammation. Objective: In this study, we sought to determine the role and function of PDE10A in vascular inflammation and AAA formation. Methods and Results: Extensive evidence suggests that angiotensin II (Ang II) signaling plays an important causative role in AAA formation. Therefore, Real-time PCR array for all 22 known PDE genes was performed in control and Ang II-treated VSMCs. We observed that PDE10A elicited the highest levels of induction by Ang II among all PDEs. Moreover, we found that PDE10A was dramatically upreguated in the Ang II-infused AAA mouse model and in human AAA specimens. PDE10A was primarily expressed in medial VSMCs and infiltrating macrophages in AAA. More importantly, deficiency of PDE10A or PDE10A inhibition significantly attenuated AAA formation in vivo. In cultured VSMCs, knockdown of PDE10A with specific siRNA and inhibition of PDE10A by papaverine markedly suppressed Ang II-induced vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and MMP2 expression. Deficiency of PDE10A also blocked lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TNF-α, MCP-1, and MMP9 expression in peritoneal macrophages isolated from PDE10A knockout mice. Further mechanistic studies revealed that histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) plays an important role in PDE10A-regulated vascular inflammation via cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that PDE10A is an important regulator of vascular inflammation and AAA development. They further provide evidence for PDE10A as a potential therapeutic target for aortic aneurysms and other vascular diseases.