Key result
Short-term disruption of TGF-β signaling in smooth muscle cells rendered adult mouse aortas vulnerable to hypertension-induced dissection, with norepinephrine causing dissection in 51.1% of mice versus 5.6% with saline.
Why the study?
Hypertension is a risk factor for aortic dissection, but common experimental mouse models of angiotensin II-induced aortopathy appear independent of high blood pressure.
Does short-term disruption of TGF-β signaling in smooth muscle cells render adult mouse aortas vulnerable to hypertension-induced dissection?
Does short-term disruption of TGF-β signaling in smooth muscle cells render adult mouse aortas vulnerable to hypertension-induced dissection?
Absolute Event Rate: 51.1% vs 5.6%
p-value: p=<0.001
Short-term disruption of TGF-β signaling in smooth muscle cells reduces extracellular matrix synthesis, rendering the adult aorta vulnerable to dissection from transient or sustained hypertension.
BP control may prevent dissection in TGF-β–vulnerable aortas; leaves open translation to human connective tissue disorders.
Hypertension and transient increases in blood pressure from extreme exertion are risk factors for aortic dissection in patients with age-related vascular degeneration or inherited connective tissue disorders. Yet, a common experimental model of angiotensin II-induced aortopathy in mice appears independent of high blood pressure, as lesions do not occur in response to an alternative vasoconstrictor, norepinephrine, and are not prevented by cotreatment with a vasodilator, hydralazine. We investigated vasoconstrictor administration to adult mice following 1 week of disrupted TGF-β signaling in smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Norepinephrine increased blood pressure and induced aortic dissection by 7 days and even within 30 minutes (as did angiotensin II) that was prevented by hydralazine. Initial medial injury manifested as blood extravasation among SMCs and fibrillar matrix, progressive delamination from accumulation of blood, and stretched or ruptured SMCs with persistent attachments to elastic fibers. Altered regulatory contractile molecule expression was not of pathological importance. Rather, reduced synthesis of extracellular matrix yielded a vulnerable aortic phenotype by decreasing medial collagen, most dynamically basement membrane-associated multiplexin collagen, and impairing cell-matrix adhesion. We conclude that transient and sustained increases in blood pressure can cause dissection in aortas rendered vulnerable by inhibition of TGF-β-driven extracellular matrix production by SMCs.
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Jiang et al. (2025) studied Aortic dissection (n=102). Norepinephrine vs. Saline was evaluated on Incidence of aortic dissection (p=<0.001). Short-term disruption of TGF-β signaling in smooth muscle cells rendered adult mouse aortas vulnerable to hypertension-induced dissection, with norepinephrine causing dissection in 51.1% of mice versus 5.6% with saline.
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