SDF‐1/CXCR4/CXCR7 is pivotal for vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and chronic allograft vasculopathy. (1st September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thomas, Michael N.; Kalnins, Aivars; Andrassy, Martin; Wagner, Anne; Klussmann, Sven; Rentsch, Markus; Habicht, Antje; Pratschke, Sebastian; Stangl, Manfred; Bazhin, Alexandr V.; Meiser, Bruno; Fischereder, Michael; Werner, Jens; Guba, Markus; Andrassy, Joachim
• Is Part Of: Transplant international. Volume 28:Number 12(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 1426
• Page End: 1435
• Publication Date: 2015-09-01
• Subjects: chemokine -- chronic rejection -- CXCR4 -- SDF‐1 -- Spiegelmer -- transplant vasculopathy; Transplantation of organs, tissues, etc -- Periodicals; 617.95405
• DOI: 10.1111/tri.12651
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0934-0874

Abstract

Summary: Chronic rejection remains a major obstacle in transplant medicine. Recent studies suggest a crucial role of the chemokine SDF‐1 on neointima formation after injury. Here, we investigate the potential therapeutic effect of inhibiting the SDF‐1/CXCR4/CXCR7 axis with an anti‐SDF‐1 Spiegelmer (NOX‐A12) on the development of chronic allograft vasculopathy. Heterotopic heart transplants from H‐2bm12 to B6 mice and aortic transplants from Balb/c to B6 were performed. Mice were treated with NOX‐A12. Control animals received a nonfunctional Spiegelmer (revNOX‐A12). Samples were retrieved at different time points and analysed by histology, RT‐PCR and proliferation assay. Blockade of SDF‐1 caused a significant decrease in neointima formation as measured by intima/media ratio (1.0 ± 0.1 vs. 1.8 ± 0.1, P < 0.001 AoTx; 0.35 ± 0.05 vs. 1.13 ± 0.27, P < 0.05 HTx). In vitro treatment of primary vascular smooth muscle cells with NOX‐A12 showed a significant reduction in proliferation (0.42 ± 0.04 vs. 0.24 ± 0.03, P < 0.05). TGF‐β, TNF‐α and IL‐6 levels were significantly reduced under SDF‐1 inhibition (3.42 ± 0.37 vs. 1.67 ± 0.33, P < 0.05; 2.18 ± 0.37 vs. 1.0 ± 0.39, P < 0.05; 2.18 ± 0.26 vs. 1.6 ± 0.1, P < 0.05). SDF‐1/CXCR4/CXCR7 plays a critical role in the development of chronic allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Therefore, pharmacological inhibition of SDF‐1 with NOX‐A12 may represent a therapeutic option to ameliorate chronic rejection changes.