{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Sympathetic hyperinnervation drives abdominal aortic aneurysm development by promoting vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching.
{Author}: Tang Z;Xie J;Jin M;Wei G;Fu Z;Luo X;Li C;Jia X;Zheng H;Zhong L;Li X;Wang J;Chen G;Chen Y;Liao W;Liao Y;Bin J;Huang S;
{Journal}: J Adv Res
{Volume}: 0
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024 May 29
{Factor}: 12.822
{DOI}: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.028
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Sympathetic hyperinnervation plays an important role in modulating the vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotype and vascular diseases, but its role in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is still unknown.<BR><B>OBJECTIVE: </B>This study aimed to investigate the role of sympathetic hyperinnervation in promoting AAA development and the underlying mechanism involved.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Western blotting and immunochemical staining were used to detect sympathetic hyperinnervation. We performed sympathetic denervation through coeliac ganglionectomy (CGX) and 6-OHDA administration to understand the role of sympathetic hyperinnervation in AAA and investigated the underlying mechanisms through transcriptome and functional studies. Sema4D knockout (Sema4D-/-) mice were utilized to determine the involvement of Sema4D in inducing sympathetic hyperinnervation and AAA development.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>We observed sympathetic hyperinnervation, the most important form of sympathetic neural remodeling, in both mouse AAA models and AAA patients. Elimination of sympathetic hyperinnervation by CGX or 6-OHDA significantly inhibited AAA development and progression. We further revealed that sympathetic hyperinnervation promoted VSMC phenotypic switching in AAA by releasing extracellular ATP (eATP) and activating eATP-P2rx4-p38 signaling. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that Sema4D secreted by osteoclast-like cells induces sympathetic nerve diffusion and hyperinnervation through binding to Plxnb1. We consistently observed that AAA progression was significantly ameliorated in Sema4D-deficient mice.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Sympathetic hyperinnervation driven by osteoclast-like cell-derived Sema4D promotes VSMC phenotypic switching and accelerates pathological aneurysm progression by activating the eATP/P2rx4/p38 pathway. Inhibition of sympathetic hyperinnervation emerges as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for preventing and treating AAA.