Inhibition of transforming growth factor-β signaling in myeloid cells ameliorates aortic aneurysmal formation in Marfan syndrome

PLoS One. 2020 Nov 11;15(11):e0239908. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239908. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Increased transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling contributes to the pathophysiology of aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome (MFS). Recent reports indicate that a small but significant number of inflammatory cells are infiltrated into the aortic media and adventitia in MFS. However, little is known about the contribution of myeloid cells to aortic aneurysmal formation. In this study, we ablated the TGF-β type II receptor gene Tgfbr2 in myeloid cells of Fbn1C1039G/+ MFS mice (Fbn1C1039G/+;LysM-Cre/+;Tgfbr2fl/fl mice, hereinafter called Fbn1C1039G/+;Tgfbr2MyeKO) and evaluated macrophage infiltration and TGF-β signaling in the aorta. Aneurysmal formation with fragmentation and disarray of medial elastic fibers observed in MFS mice was significantly ameliorated in Fbn1C1039G/+;Tgfbr2MyeKO mice. In the aorta of Fbn1C1039G/+;Tgfbr2MyeKO mice, both canonical and noncanonical TGF-β signals were attenuated and the number of infiltrated F4/80-positive macrophages was significantly reduced. In vitro, TGF-β enhanced the migration capacity of RAW264.7 macrophages. These findings suggest that TGF-β signaling in myeloid cells promotes aortic aneurysmal formation and its inhibition might be a novel therapeutic target in MFS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adventitia / cytology
  • Animals
  • Aorta / pathology
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / pathology*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Fibrillin-1 / genetics
  • Macrophage Activation / genetics
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Marfan Syndrome / pathology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II / genetics*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fbn1 protein, mouse
  • Fibrillin-1
  • Tgfb2 protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2
  • Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II
  • Tgfbr2 protein, mouse

Grants and funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 19K08484 and Mochida Memorial Foundation for Medical and Pharmaceutical Research (NT). https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/ja/grant/KAKENHI-PROJECT-19K08484/http://www.mochida.co.jp/zaidan/ The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.