Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) mostly occur in humans over 65 years old ( 1, 2 ). The most dreaded complication of AAA is rupture, and it is the 13th leading cause of death in the United States ( 1 ). At the present time, there is no effi cacious pharmacological therapy, and the surgical treatments carry a high mortality ( 2 ). In the past decades, many studies supported the view that infl ammation played an essential role in the pathogenesis of the disease ( 2-4 ).Cytochrome P450 epoxygenase 2J2 (CYP2J2), which is of human origin and mainly expressed in the cardiovascular system, metabolizes arachidonic acids to epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) ( 5 ). EETs possess diverse biological functions, and observations reveal that EETs exert protective effects on various cardiovascular diseases, including attenuation of heart injuries and anti-hypertension ( 6-13 ). Recently, Zhang et al. ( 5,14 ) reported that administration of soluble epoxide hydrolase (s-EH) inhibitor, which prevents EET hydration, could prevent angiotensin (Ang) II-induced AAA in mice. However, the underlying mechanisms by which EETs exert the effect and whether increased circulation of EETs by CYP2J2 overexpression could prevent AAA formation remain unknown .EETs are the ligands of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ␥ and exert anti-infl ammatory effects ( 15 ).
Jones et al. ( 16 ) recently reported that activation of PPAR ␥ byAbstract Cytochrome P450 epoxygenase 2J2 (CYP2J2) metabolizes arachidonic acids to form epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which possess various benefi cial effects on the cardiovascular system. However, whether increasing EETs production by CYP2J2 overexpression in vivo could prevent abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains unknown. Here we investigated the effects of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-mediated CYP2J2 overexpression on angiotensin (Ang) II-induced AAA in apoE-defi cient mice. rAAV-CYP2J2 delivery led to an abundant aortic CYP2J2 expression and increased EETs generation. It was shown that CYP2J2 overexpression attenuated matrix metalloproteinase expression and activity, elastin degradation, and AAA formation, which was associated with reduced aortic infl ammation and macrophage infi ltration. In cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), rAAVmediated CYP2J2 overexpression and EETs markedly suppressed Ang II-induced infl ammatory cytokine expression. Moreover, overexpressed CYP2J2 and EETs inhibited Ang II-induced macrophage migration in a VSMC-macrophage coculture system. We further indicated that these protective effects were mediated by peroxisome proliferatoractivated receptor (PPAR) ␥ activation. Taken together, these results provide evidence that rAAV-mediated CYP2J2 overexpression prevents AAA development which is likely via PPAR ␥ activation and anti-infl ammatory action, suggesting that increasing EETs levels could be considered as a potential strategy to prevent and treat AAA. 25 February 2013. Published, JLR Papers in Press, February 26, 2013 DOI 10.1194 , apoE-defi ci...