HMGB1/TLR4 signaling pathway enhances abdominal aortic aneurysm progression in mice by upregulating necroptosis.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

The age-associated increases in aseptic inflammation and necroptosis are closely related to the emergence of various age-associated diseases.

METHODS

In this study, the role of HMGB1/TLR4-induced necroptosis in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation was investigated. First, the levels of sterile inflammatory mediators (HMGB1, TLR4) and necroptosis markers were measured in the abdominal aortas of young and old C57BL/6JNifdc mice. We observed that sterile inflammatory mediators and necroptosis markers were greatly increased in the abdominal aortas of old mice. Then, angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced AAA model in APOE mice was used in this study. Mice AAA models were treated with the RIP1 inhibitor necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) or the TLR4 inhibitor TAK-242, respectively.

RESULTS

We found that HMGB1, TLR4, and necroptosis markers were elevated in old mice compared with those in young mice. Same elevation was also found in the development of AAA in APOE mice. In addition, the necroptosis inhibitor Nec-1 alleviated Ang II-induced AAA development while downregulating the expression of HMGB1/TLR4. After blocking TLR4 with TAK-242, the expression of necroptosis markers decreased significantly, and the progression of AAA was also alleviated in APOE mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that HMGB1/TLR4-mediated necroptosis enhances AAA development in the Ang II-induced AAA model in APOE mice and that TLR4 might be a potential therapeutic target for AAA management.