title: Noncanonical TGFβ signaling contributes to aortic aneurysm progression in Marfan syndrome mice.
abstract: Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling drives aneurysm progression in multiple disorders, including Marfan syndrome (MFS), and therapies that inhibit this signaling cascade are in clinical trials. TGFβ can stimulate multiple intracellular signaling pathways, but it is unclear which of these pathways drives aortic disease and, when inhibited, which result in disease amelioration. Here we show that extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and 2 and Smad2 are activated in a mouse model of MFS, and both are inhibited by therapies directed against TGFβ. Whereas selective inhibition of ERK1/2 activation ameliorated aortic growth, Smad4 deficiency exacerbated aortic disease and caused premature death in MFS mice. Smad4-deficient MFS mice uniquely showed activation of Jun N-terminal kinase-1 (JNK1), and a JNK antagonist ameliorated aortic growth in MFS mice that lacked or retained full Smad4 expression. Thus, noncanonical (Smad-independent) TGFβ signaling is a prominent driver of aortic disease in MFS mice, and inhibition of the ERK1/2 or JNK1 pathways is a potential therapeutic strategy for the disease.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
authors.forename: Tammy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Jennifer P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Habashi
authors.forename: Jefferson J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Djahida
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bedja
authors.forename: YiChun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Erp
authors.forename: Mark E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schoenhoff
authors.forename: Ronald D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Cohn
authors.forename: Bart L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Loeys
authors.forename: Craig J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Samarjit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patnaik
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Marugan
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Judge
authors.forename: Harry C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Dietz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000873:Anthracenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004159:Diphenylamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; C544830:N-(3,4-difluoro-2-(2-fluoro-4-iodophenylamino)-6-methoxyphenyl)-1-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)cyclopropane-1-sulfonamide; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C497783:Smad2 protein, mouse; D051901:Smad4 Protein; C490810:Smad4 protein, mouse; D013449:Sulfonamides; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; C432165:pyrazolanthrone; D004159:Diphenylamine; C535148:Mapk1 protein, mouse; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D048055:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 8; D019808:Losartan