Rouer M, Xu BH, Xuan HJ, Tanaka H, Fujimura N, Glover KJ, Furusho Y, Gerritsen M, Dalman RL. Rapamycin limits the growth of established experimental abdominal aortic aneurysms.
Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 2014;
47:493-500. [PMID:
24629569 DOI:
10.1016/j.ejvs.2014.02.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 02/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting 4-8% of men older than 60 years. No pharmacologic strategies limit disease progression, aneurysm rupture, or aneurysm-related death. We examined the ability of rapamycin to limit the progression of established experimental AAAs.
METHODS
AAAs were created in 10-12-week-old male C57BL/6J mice via the porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE) infusion method. Beginning 4 days after PPE infusion, mice were treated with rapamycin (5 mg/kg/day) or an equal volume of vehicle for 10 days. AAA progression was monitored by serial ultrasound examination. Aortae were harvested for histological analyses at sacrifice.
RESULTS
Three days after PPE infusion, prior to vehicle or rapamycin treatment, aneurysms were enlarging at an equal rate between groups. In the rapamycin group, treatment reduced aortic enlargement by 38%, and 53% at 3 and 10 days, respectively. On histological analysis, medial elastin and smooth muscle cell populations were relatively preserved in the rapamycin group. Rapamycin treatment also reduced mural macrophage density and neoangiogenesis.
CONCLUSION
Rapamycin limits the progression of established experimental aneurysms, increasing the translational potential of mechanistic target of rapamycin-related AAA inhibition strategies.
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