Elastin content, cross-links, and mRNA in normal and aneurysmal human aorta

Abstract

Although elastin depletion is thought to be an etiologic factor in abdominal aortic aneurysm, little is known about its transcription and posttranslational modification in normal and diseased human aorta. Our objectives were to quantify total elastin and elastin cross-links (desmosine/isodesmosine [DID]) and to determine if elastin mRNA was detectable in the disease-prone infrarenal aorta from patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and a comparative group with no aneurysmal diseases. After preliminary extraction and thermolysin digestion, content of DID and the elastin tetrapeptide, valine-alanine-proline-glycine (VAPG), were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Tissue mRNA was studied by Northern blot analysis. Mean values (+/- SE) were compared by Student's t test. The proportion of insoluble elastin was markedly decreased in abdominal aortic aneurysm tissue (1.3% +/- 0.04% vs 12% +/- -2.8%; p less than 0.001). There was no difference in the small percentage of elastin solubilized during extraction in abdominal aortic aneurysm (5.3% +/- 1%) and no aneurysmal disease (6.0% +/- 1.2%; p = 0.71) tissues. The DID concentration of insoluble elastin was not different for abdominal aortic aneurysm and no aneurysmal disease tissue (0.18% +/- 0.07 vs 0.18 +/- 0.05 nm DID/nm VAPG; p = 0.97). On the basis of VAPG content, only 26% +/- 4% of the sodium hydroxide insoluble residue from abdominal aortic aneurysm was elastin; the predominate protein(s) was high in polar amino acids. Elastin mRNA was detectable in all tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Elective Treatment of Middle Colic Artery Aneurysm

“…The pathological hallmark of an aortic aneurysm is considered to be remodeling of the aortic wall, involving fragmentation and a decrease of elastic fibers in the tunica media. 8) In the present case, similar pathological findings to the fragmentation and degeneration of elastic fibers were shown. Although it may be impossible to compare the middle colic artery with the aorta, the pathological findings indicated that fragmented or degenerated elastic fibers may also play an important role in middle colic artery aneurysms.…”

Elastin and collagen fibre microstructure of the human aorta in ageing and disease: a review

“…The elastin concentration in the wall of IRAA aneurysms was about 10 times less than the value in the wall of control IRAA [72]. This was further validated by two other studies that showed that the amount of total elastin in IRAA aneurysm was decreased compared with control [68,74]. These studies also characterized the number of elastin cross-links showing a similar amount to control IRAA, but this could vary depending on the method used.…”

Inhibition of Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in the Rat by Use of Decoy Oligodeoxynucleotides Suppressing Activity of Nuclear Factor κB and ets Transcription Factors

“…29 Although elective surgical repair is an effective approach to prevent deaths from AAA rupture, there is a conspicuous absence of alternative therapeutic strategies for this disease. 30 Because human aneurysmal tissues are characterized by destructive remodeling of the elastic media and outer aortic wall, recent investigations have emphasized disease mechanisms involving chronic aortic wall inflammation and the progressive degradation of fibrillar matrix proteins.…”