title: Regional changes in elastic fiber organization and transforming growth factor β signaling in aortas from a mouse model of marfan syndrome.
abstract: In Marfan Syndrome (MFS), development of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) is characterized by degeneration of the medial layer of the aorta, including fragmentation and loss of elastic fibers, phenotypic changes in the smooth muscle cells, and an increase in the active form of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), which is thought to play a major role in development and progression of the aneurysm. We hypothesized that regional difference in elastic fiber fragmentation contributes to TGFβ activation and hence the localization of aneurysm formation. The fibrillin-1-deficient mgR/mgR mouse model of MFS was used to investigate regional changes in elastin fiber fragmentation, TGFβ activation and changes in gene expression as compared to wild-type littermates. Knockdown of Smad 2 and Smad 3 with shRNA was used to determine the role of the specific transcription factors in gene regulation in aortic smooth muscle cells. We show increased elastin fiber fragmentation in the regions associated with aneurysm formation and altered TGFβ signaling in these regions. Differential effects of Smad 2 and Smad 3 were observed in cultured smooth muscle cells by shRNA-mediated knockdown of expression of these transcription factors. Differential signaling through Smad 2 and Smad 3 in regions of active vascular remodeling likely contribute to aneurysm formation in the mgR/mgR model of MFS. Increased elastin fiber fragmentation in these regions is associated with these changes as compared to other regions of the thoracic aorta and may contribute to the changes in TGFβ signaling in these regions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, 77843-1114, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Popovic
authors.forename: Richard P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Metz
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D008382:Marfan Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D057507:Mice, 129 Strain; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010766:Phosphorylation; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051900:Smad3 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051900:Smad3 Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta