Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is widely used in secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) disease, mainly because of its antithrombotic effects. Here, we investigated whether ASA can prevent the progression of vessel wall remodelling, atherosclerosis, and CV complications in apolipoprotein E deficien...

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Main Authors: Lynn Roth, Miche Rombouts, Dorien M. Schrijvers, Besa Emini Veseli, Wim Martinet, Guido R. Y. De Meyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-12-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/1/404
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author Lynn Roth
Miche Rombouts
Dorien M. Schrijvers
Besa Emini Veseli
Wim Martinet
Guido R. Y. De Meyer
author_facet Lynn Roth
Miche Rombouts
Dorien M. Schrijvers
Besa Emini Veseli
Wim Martinet
Guido R. Y. De Meyer
author_sort Lynn Roth
collection DOAJ
description Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is widely used in secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) disease, mainly because of its antithrombotic effects. Here, we investigated whether ASA can prevent the progression of vessel wall remodelling, atherosclerosis, and CV complications in apolipoprotein E deficient (<i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i>) mice, a model of stable atherosclerosis, and in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice with a mutation in the fibrillin-1 gene (<i>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i>), which is a model of elastic fibre fragmentation, accompanied by exacerbated unstable atherosclerosis. Female <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> and <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice were fed a Western diet (WD). At 10 weeks of WD, the mice were randomly divided into four groups, receiving either ASA 5 mg/kg/day in the drinking water (<i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 14), <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 19)) or plain drinking water (<i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 15), <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 21)) for 15 weeks. <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice showed an increased neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) compared to <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice, and this effect was normalised by ASA. In the proximal ascending aorta wall, ASA-treated <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice showed less p-SMAD2/3 positive nuclei, a lower collagen percentage and an increased elastin/collagen ratio, consistent with the values measured in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice. ASA did not affect plaque progression, incidence of myocardial infarction and survival of <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice, but systolic blood pressure, cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy were reduced. In conclusion, ASA normalises the NLR, passive wall stiffness and cardiac remodelling in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice to levels observed in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice, indicating additional therapeutic benefits of ASA beyond its classical use.
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spelling doaj.art-11333efe3fda41c98aab68620758efbf2023-11-23T11:39:29ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672021-12-0123140410.3390/ijms23010404Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced AtherosclerosisLynn Roth0Miche Rombouts1Dorien M. Schrijvers2Besa Emini Veseli3Wim Martinet4Guido R. Y. De Meyer5Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, BelgiumLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, BelgiumLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, BelgiumLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, BelgiumLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, BelgiumLaboratory of Physiopharmacology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, BelgiumAcetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is widely used in secondary prevention of cardiovascular (CV) disease, mainly because of its antithrombotic effects. Here, we investigated whether ASA can prevent the progression of vessel wall remodelling, atherosclerosis, and CV complications in apolipoprotein E deficient (<i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i>) mice, a model of stable atherosclerosis, and in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice with a mutation in the fibrillin-1 gene (<i>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i>), which is a model of elastic fibre fragmentation, accompanied by exacerbated unstable atherosclerosis. Female <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> and <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice were fed a Western diet (WD). At 10 weeks of WD, the mice were randomly divided into four groups, receiving either ASA 5 mg/kg/day in the drinking water (<i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 14), <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 19)) or plain drinking water (<i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 15), <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> (<i>n</i> = 21)) for 15 weeks. <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice showed an increased neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) compared to <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice, and this effect was normalised by ASA. In the proximal ascending aorta wall, ASA-treated <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice showed less p-SMAD2/3 positive nuclei, a lower collagen percentage and an increased elastin/collagen ratio, consistent with the values measured in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice. ASA did not affect plaque progression, incidence of myocardial infarction and survival of <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice, but systolic blood pressure, cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy were reduced. In conclusion, ASA normalises the NLR, passive wall stiffness and cardiac remodelling in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup>Fbn1<sup>C1039G+/−</sup></i> mice to levels observed in <i>ApoE<sup>−/−</sup></i> mice, indicating additional therapeutic benefits of ASA beyond its classical use.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/1/404arterial stiffnessneutrophil–lymphocyte ratiocollagenSMADelastinaspirin
spellingShingle Lynn Roth
Miche Rombouts
Dorien M. Schrijvers
Besa Emini Veseli
Wim Martinet
Guido R. Y. De Meyer
Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
arterial stiffness
neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio
collagen
SMAD
elastin
aspirin
title Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis
title_full Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis
title_fullStr Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis
title_full_unstemmed Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis
title_short Acetylsalicylic Acid Reduces Passive Aortic Wall Stiffness and Cardiovascular Remodelling in a Mouse Model of Advanced Atherosclerosis
title_sort acetylsalicylic acid reduces passive aortic wall stiffness and cardiovascular remodelling in a mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis
topic arterial stiffness
neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio
collagen
SMAD
elastin
aspirin
url https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/1/404
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