Changes in aortic collagen in β-aminopropionitrile-induced acute aortic dissection

Hao Zhou; Yan Ren; Jun Xiao; Jian He; Yuling Zhang; Zhihuang Qiu; Qiuyu Huang; Yunnan Hu; Liangwan Chen

doi:10.21037/atm-21-4933

Changes in aortic collagen in β-aminopropionitrile-induced acute aortic dissection

Ann Transl Med. 2021 Oct;9(20):1574. doi: 10.21037/atm-21-4933.

Authors

Hao Zhou^{1

2

3}, Yan Ren⁴, Jun Xiao^{1

2

3}, Jian He^{1

2

3}, Yuling Zhang^{1

2

3}, Zhihuang Qiu^{1

2

3}, Qiuyu Huang^{1

2

3}, Yunnan Hu^{1

2

3}, Liangwan Chen^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiac Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
² Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Gastrointestinal Cancer, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
³ Fujian Key Laboratory of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (Fujian Medical University), Fuzhou, China.
⁴ Department of Cardiac Surgery, Zunyi Medical University Affiliated Hospital, Zunyi, China.

Abstract

Background: The precise role collagen plays in acute aortic dissection (AAD) was investigated in an animal model of β-aminopropinitrile (BAPN)-induced AAD.

Methods: The 30 3-week-old male specific-pathogen free (SPF)-grade Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into two groups: 10 in the Control group and 20 in the Model group. The Model group was treated with 0.1% BAPN for 4 weeks, while the Control group received untreated water. Histopathological staining and western blot were used to detect changes of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and collagen content in the aorta.

Results: At the end of the experiment, the incidence of AAD was 25%, the aortic ECM of surviving rats was severely damaged, and the arrangement was disordered. Fibroblast cells are unevenly distributed, with wide gaps, collagen fibers were also distributed unevenly in a disordered arrangement and their thickness was uneven. The elastic membrane disappeared over a large area. Compare to Control group, the Collagen types I, III and their subunits were upregulated (P<0.05), while matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 and MMP9 were downregulated in the aorta of Model group (P<0.05).

Conclusions: In the animal model of BAPN-induced AAD, collagen types I, III and subunits were increased, while MMP2 and MMP9 were decreased in thoracic aorta, which may lead to stiffness of the aorta and be the cause of dissection.

Keywords: Acute aortic dissection (AAD); animal models; collagen; matrix metalloproteinase; β-aminopropinitrile (BAPN).