Thrombospondin-1 contributes to slower aortic aneurysm growth by inhibiting maladaptive remodeling of extracellular matrix

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) contributes to the development of vascular inflammation by regulating monocytic cell motility in mouse models of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

RATIONALE Histological examination of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) tissues demonstrates extracellular matrix destruction and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Previous work with mouse models of AAA has shown that anti-inflammatory strategies can effectively attenuate aneurysm formation. Thrombospondin-1 is a matricellular protein involved in the maintenance of vascular structure and homeos...

Drug Therapy for Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Dear Editor,Abdominal aortic aneurysm is often asymptomatic, less recognized, and causes considerable mortality and morbidity, if missed. The incidence varies from country to country and the occurrence is influenced by modifiable (smoking, coronary heart disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and prolonged steroid therapy) and non-modifiable risk factors (increasing age, male gender, and positive...

Letter by Murakami et al Regarding Article, "Segmental Aortic Stiffening Contributes to Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development".

BACKGROUND Stiffening of the aortic wall is a phenomenon consistently observed in age and in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, its role in AAA pathophysiology is largely undefined. METHODS AND RESULTS Using an established murine elastase-induced AAA model, we demonstrate that segmental aortic stiffening precedes aneurysm growth. Finite-element analysis reveals that early stiffening of...

Metalloproteinases, Mechanical Factors and Vascular Remodeling

Chronic increases in arterial blood flow elicit an adaptive response of the arterial wall, leading to vessel enlargement and reduction in wall shear stress to physiological baseline value. Release of nitric oxide from endothelial cells exposed to excessive shear is a fundamental step in the remodeling process, and potentially triggers a cascade of events, including growth factor induction and m...

Thrombospondin-1: an extracellular message delivered by macrophages that promotes aortic aneurysms.