Activation of β3-adrenergic receptor by mirabegron prevents aortic dissection/aneurysm by promoting lymphangiogenesis in perivascular adipose tissue

Abstract

Aims: β3-Adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) is essential for cardiovascular homoeostasis through regulating adipose tissue function. Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of aortic dissection and aneurysm (AD/AA). Here, we aim to investigate β3-AR activation-mediated PVAT function in AD/AA.

Methods and results: Aortas from patients with thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) were collected to detect β3-AR expression in PVAT. ApoE-/- and β-aminopropionitrile monofumarate (BAPN)-treated C57BL/6 mice were induced with Angiotensin II (AngII) to simulate AD/AA and subsequently received either placebo or mirabegron, a β3-AR agonist. The results demonstrated an up-regulation of β3-AR in PVAT of TAD patients and AD/AA mice. Moreover, activation of β3-AR by mirabegron significantly prevented AngII-induced AD/AA formation in mice. RNA-sequencing analysis of adipocytes from PVAT revealed a notable increase of the lymphangiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), in mirabegron-treated mice. Consistently, enhanced lymphangiogenesis was found in PVAT with mirabegron treatment. Mechanistically, the number of CD4+/CD8+ T cells and CD11c+ cells was reduced in PVAT but increased in adjacent draining lymph nodes of mirabegron-treated mice, indicating the improved draining and clearance of inflammatory cells in PVAT by lymphangiogenesis. Importantly, adipocyte-specific VEGF-C knockdown by the adeno-associated virus system restrained lymphangiogenesis and exacerbated inflammatory cell infiltration in PVAT, which ultimately abolished the protection of mirabegron on AD/AA. In addition, the conditional medium derived from mirabegron-treated adipocytes activated the proliferation and tube formation of LECs, which was abrogated by the silencing of VEGF-C in adipocytes.

Conclusion: Our findings illustrated the therapeutic potential of β3-AR activation by mirabegron on AD/AA, which promoted lymphangiogenesis by increasing adipocyte-derived VEGF-C and, therefore, ameliorated PVAT inflammation.

Keywords: Adipocyte-derived VEGF-C; Aortic dissection/aneurysm; Lymphangiogenesis; Mirabegron; β3-AR.