Impairment of Angiogenesis-Driven Clot Resolution Is a Key Event in the Progression to Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension: Validation in a Novel Rabbit Model

Background: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a life-threatening condition and rare complication of acute pulmonary embolism. Mechanisms underlying impaired clot resolution and in sustained fibrothrombotic obstruction of the pulmonary arterial bed remain poorly understood. Since defective angiogenesis correlated to defective clot resolution based on observations in surgical material from patients with CTEPH, we aimed to validate its crucial pathogenic role by intrathrombus inhibition of angiogenesis in a novel CTEPH rabbit model.

Methods: We aimed to compare whether intrathrombus administration of an antifibrinolytic agent, tranexamic acid, or an inhibitor of angiogenesis, SU5416, would contribute to CTEPH progression. Both products were administered on a weekly basis by autologous clot embolization in rabbits. Right ventricular pressure was monitored by telemetry, right ventricular function by transthoracic echocardiography, and a complete pulmonary hemodynamic evaluation was obtained through right heart catheterization. Markers of inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, heart failure, and fibrinolysis were measured in plasma. Pulmonary vessel remodeling was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

Results: Impairing intrathrombus angiogenesis by repeatedly embolizing autologous blood clots containing SU5416 resulted in elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure (38 mm Hg), increased indexed pulmonary vascular resistance, and enhanced right ventricular hypertrophy (80%, 1.9-fold, 36%, respectively, compared with rabbits embolized with clots containing an antifibrinolytic agent). This was caused by both obstruction of large pulmonary arteries with fibrothrombotic material and muscularization of pulmonary microvessels, and accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration and increased circulating endothelin-1.

Conclusions: The key role of angiogenesis-driven clot resolution was validated in a reliable small-animal model reproducing the major pathophysiological hallmarks of CTEPH.