TGF expression and macrophage accumulation in atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis

Stent revascularization restores cortical blood flow and reverses tissue hypoxia in atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis but fails to reverse inflammatory pathways or glomerular filtration rate

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is known to reduce renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and amplify kidney hypoxia, but the relationships between these factors and tubulointerstitial injury in the poststenotic kidney are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of renal revascularization in ARAS on renal tissue hypoxia and renal injury.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Inpatient studies were performed in patients with ARAS (n=17; >60% occlusion) before and 3 months after stent revascularization, or in patients with essential hypertension (n=32), during fixed Na(+) intake and angiotensin converting enzyme/angiotensin receptors blockers Rx. Single kidney cortical, medullary perfusion, and renal blood flow were measured using multidetector computed tomography, and GFR by iothalamate clearance. Tissue deoxyhemoglobin levels (R(2)*) were measured by blood oxygen level-dependent MRI at 3T, as was fractional kidney hypoxia (percentage of axial area with R(2)*>30/s). In addition, we measured renal vein levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Pre-stent single kidney renal blood flow, perfusion, and GFR were reduced in the poststenotic kidney. Renal vein neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, tumor necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and fractional hypoxia were higher in untreated ARAS than in essential hypertension. After stent revascularization, fractional hypoxia fell (P<0.002) with increased cortical perfusion and blood flow, whereas GFR and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor-α remained unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that despite reversal of renal hypoxia and partial restoration of renal blood flow after revascularization, inflammatory cytokines and injury biomarkers remained elevated and GFR failed to recover in ARAS. Restoration of vessel patency alone failed to reverse tubulointerstitial damage and partly explains the limited clinical benefit of renal stenting. These results identify potential therapeutic targets for recovery of kidney function in renovascular disease.

Endothelial outgrowth cells shift macrophage phenotype and improve kidney viability in swine renal artery stenosis

OBJECTIVE

Endothelial outgrowth cells (EOC) decrease inflammation and improve endothelial repair. Inflammation aggravates kidney injury in renal artery stenosis (RAS), and may account for its persistence upon revascularization. We hypothesized that EOC would decrease inflammatory (M1) macrophages and improve renal recovery in RAS.

APPROACH AND RESULTS

Pigs with 10 weeks of RAS were studied 4 weeks after percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA+stenting) or sham, with or without adjunct intrarenal delivery of autologous EOC (10×10(6)), and compared with similarly treated normal controls (n=7 each). Single-kidney function, microvascular and tissue remodeling, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrosis were evaluated. Four weeks after PTRA, EOC were engrafted in injected RAS-kidneys. Stenotic-kidney glomerular filtration rate was restored in RAS+EOC, RAS+PTRA, and RAS+PTRA+EOC pigs, whereas stenotic-kidney blood flow and angiogenesis were improved and fibrosis attenuated only in EOC-treated pigs. Furthermore, EOC increased cell proliferation and decreased the ratio of M1 (inflammatory)/M2 (reparative) macrophages, as well as circulating levels and stenotic-kidney release of inflammatory cytokines. Cultured-EOC released microvesicles in vitro and induced phenotypic switch (M1-to-M2) in cultured monocytes, which was inhibited by vascular endothelial growth factor blockade. Finally, a single intrarenal injection of rh-vascular endothelial growth factor (0.05 μg/kg) in 7 additional RAS pigs also restored M1/M2 ratio 4 weeks later.

CONCLUSIONS

Intrarenal infusion of EOC after PTRA induced a vascular endothelial growth factor-mediated attenuation in macrophages inflammatory phenotype, preserved microvascular architecture and function, and decreased inflammation and fibrosis in the stenotic kidney, suggesting a novel mechanism and therapeutic potential for adjunctive EOC delivery in experimental RAS to improve PTRA outcomes.