Abstract P632: Nlrp3/inflammasome Activation Contributes To Aldosterone-induced Vascular Dysfunction In Type 2 Diabetes.

Abstract

Diabetic patients and animal models of type 2 diabetes (DM2) display increased plasma aldosterone (aldo) levels. Aldo induces vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. NOD-like receptors, which are pattern recognition receptors involved in a variety of host innate immune responses, promote vascular inflammation. We hypothesized that aldo via mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) activates the inflammasome platform in the vasculature of DM2 mice. Control (db/+) and diabetic (db/db) mice were treated with vehicle or spironolactone (spiro - MR antagonist, 50 mg/Kg/day). Mesenteric resistance arteries (MA) from db/db mice exhibited reduced acetylcholine (ACh) dilation, which was reversed by spiro [Emax (% of relaxation): db/+: 78.5±4.1; db/db: 40.5±6.4; db/+spiro: 77.0±3.8; db/db+spiro: 62.8±5.9 n=3-6 p<0.05]. Spiro treatment reduced caspase-1 and mature IL-1β content in MA from db/db mice. Spiro also reduced caspase-1 activity in macrophages from peritoneal lavage of db/db mice [% of activity: db/+: 33.9±2.5; db/db: 51.8±7.4; db/+spiro: 31.1±1.9; db/db+spiro: 34.8±3.8 n=4-7, p<0.05]. In vitro, aldo increased mature IL-1β in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) (cont: 0.9±0.01 ; LPS+Nigericine: 6.1±2.1 ; Aldo 4h: 9.7±2.6; LPS+Aldo 4h: 12.8±1.9 n=3-5, p<0.05). To determine whether aldo in vivo directly activates NLRP3/inflammasome in the vasculature and whether NLRP3 activation contributes to aldo-induced vascular injury, aldo was infused (600 ug/Kg/day for 14 days) in wild type (WT) and NLRP3 knockout mice ( NLRP3-/- ) after bone marrow transplantation from WT donor. The groups were constituted: WT->WT, WT->WT+aldo and WT-> NLRP3 -/-+aldo. NLRP3 -/- mice were protected against aldo-induced endothelial dysfunction [Emax: WT: 89.3±2.9; WT+aldo: 39.8±1.8; NLRP3-/- +aldo: 87.7±4.2, p<0.05]. Aldo treatment leaded to endothelial dysfunction in WT ->WT mice, but WT-> NLRP3 -/- mice were protected from aldo-induced endothelial dysfunction [Emax: WT->WT: 95.1±3.1; WT->WT+aldo: 57.1±4.7; WT->NLRP3-/-+aldo: 85.3±3.1 p<0.05]. These results suggest that NLRP3/inflammasome in the vasculature plays a crucial role on aldo/MR-induced vascular damage and on DM2-associated vascular dysfunction. Financial Support: FAPESP, CAPES, CNPq.