Chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 mediates mast cell migration to abdominal aortic aneurysm lesions in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Aims

Mast cells participate importantly in abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) by releasing inflammatory cytokines to promote vascular cell protease expression and arterial wall remodelling. Mast cells accumulate in AAA lesions during disease progression, but the exact chemokines by which mast cells migrate to the site of vascular inflammation remain unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that mast cells use chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 2 (CCR2) for their accumulation in experimental mouse AAA lesions.

Methods and results

We generated mast cell and apolipoprotein E double-deficient (Apoe(-/-)Kit(W-sh/W-sh)) mice and found that they were protected from angiotensin II (Ang II) chronic infusion-induced AAAs compared with Apoe(-/-) littermates. Using bone-marrow derived mast

SUBMITTER: Zhang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3500042 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature