Metabolic Syndrome Abolishes Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonist Stimulation of SERCA in Coronary Smooth Muscle

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) doubles the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists induce weight loss, increase insulin secretion, and improve glucose tolerance. Studies in healthy animals suggest cardioprotective properties of GLP-1 receptor agonists, perhaps partially mediated by improved sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) ATPase (SERCA) activity. We examined the acute effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists on coronary smooth muscle cells (CSM) enzymatically isolated from lean, healthy Ossabaw miniature swine. Intracellular Ca(2+) handling was interrogated with fura-2. The GLP-1 receptor agonist exenatide activated SERCA but did not alter other Ca(2+) transporters. Further, we tested the hypothesis that chronic, in vivo treatment with GLP-1 receptor agonist AC3174 would attenuate coronary artery disease (CAD) in swine with MetS. MetS was induced in 20 swine by 6 months' feeding of a hypercaloric, atherogenic diet. Swine were then randomized (n = 10/group) into placebo or AC3174 treatment groups and continued the diet for an additional 6 months. AC3174 treatment attenuated weight gain, increased insulin secretion, and improved glucose tolerance. Intravascular ultrasound and histology showed no effect of AC3174 on CAD. MetS abolished SERCA activation by GLP-1 receptor agonists. We conclude that MetS confers vascular resistance to GLP-1 receptor agonists, partially through impaired cellular signaling steps involving SERCA.

Epicardial adipose excision slows the progression of porcine coronary atherosclerosis

Background

In humans there is a positive association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and coronary atherosclerosis (CAD) burden. We tested the hypothesis that EAT contributes locally to CAD in a pig model.

Methods

Ossabaw miniature swine (n = 9) were fed an atherogenic diet for 6 months to produce CAD. A 15 mm length by 3–5 mm width coronary EAT (cEAT) resection was performed over the middle segment of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) 15 mm distal to the left main bifurcation. Pigs recovered for 3 months on atherogenic diet. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) was performed in the LAD to quantify atheroma immediately after adipectomy and was repeated after recovery before sacrifice. Coronary wall biopsies were stained immunohistochemically for atherosclerosis markers and cytokines and cEAT was assayed for atherosclerosis-related genes by RT-PCR. Total EAT volume was measured by non-contrast CT before each IVUS.

Results

Circumferential plaque length increased (p < 0.05) in the proximal and distal LAD segments from baseline until sacrifice whereas plaque length in the middle LAD segment underneath the adipectomy site did not increase. T-cadherin, scavenger receptor A and adiponectin were reduced in the intramural middle LAD. Relative to control pigs without CAD, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD-1), CCL19, CCL21, prostaglandin D₂ synthase, gp91phox [NADPH oxidase], VEGF, VEGFGR1, and angiotensinogen mRNAs were up-regulated in cEAT. EAT volume increased over 3 months.

Conclusion

In pigs used as their own controls, resection of cEAT decreased the progression of CAD, suggesting that cEAT may exacerbate coronary atherosclerosis.

Perivascular adipose tissue potentiates contraction of coronary vascular smooth muscle: influence of obesity

BACKGROUND

This investigation examined the mechanisms by which coronary perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT)-derived factors influence vasomotor tone and the PVAT proteome in lean versus obese swine.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Coronary arteries from Ossabaw swine were isolated for isometric tension studies. We found that coronary (P=0.03) and mesenteric (P=0.04) but not subcutaneous adipose tissue augmented coronary contractions to KCl (20 mmol/L). Inhibition of CaV1.2 channels with nifedipine (0.1 µmol/L) or diltiazem (10 µmol/L) abolished this effect. Coronary PVAT increased baseline tension and potentiated constriction of isolated arteries to prostaglandin F2α in proportion to the amount of PVAT present (0.1-1.0 g). These effects were elevated in tissues obtained from obese swine and were observed in intact and endothelium denuded arteries. Coronary PVAT also diminished H2O2-mediated vasodilation in lean and, to a lesser extent, in obese arteries. These effects were associated with alterations in the obese coronary PVAT proteome (detected 186 alterations) and elevated voltage-dependent increases in intracellular [Ca(2+)] in obese smooth muscle cells. Further studies revealed that the Rho-kinase inhibitor fasudil (1 µmol/L) significantly blunted artery contractions to KCl and PVAT in lean but not obese swine. Calpastatin (10 μmol/L) also augmented contractions to levels similar to that observed in the presence of PVAT.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular effects of PVAT vary according to anatomic location and are influenced by an obese phenotype. Augmented contractile effects of obese coronary PVAT are related to alterations in the PVAT proteome (eg, calpastatin), Rho-dependent signaling, and the functional contribution of K(+) and CaV1.2 channels to smooth muscle tone.