Arthritis-induced changes in the aorta perivascular adipose tissue, focusing the participation of mineralocorticoid receptors

• Grant number: 22/09513-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2023
• End date: January 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Cardiorenal Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Agnaldo Bruno Chies
• Grantee: Agnaldo Bruno Chies
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Marília (FAMEMA). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). Marília , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Dulce Elena Casarini ; Maria Angélica Spadella Santos ; Rosemari Otton

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints, but can acquire a systemic character, with repercussions on the cardiovascular system and on muscle and adipose tissues. A specific type of adipose tissue that can be affected in RA is perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT). Possible inflammatory changes in PVAT may be part of the cardiovascular changes related to RA and possibly involve activation of mineralocorticoid receptors. Thus, the objective of the present project is to characterize the structural, biochemical and functional changes promoted by adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in the PVAT of rat thoracic and abdominal aortas and to verify whether these changes involve activation of mineralocorticoid receptors. For this, in a first step, the PVAT of abdominal and thoracic aorta of Wistar rats submitted to AIA was studied at different moments of evolution of the model, seeking biochemical and histopathological evidence that identify the peak of inflammatory activity in this tissue. In this stage of higher inflammatory activity, the PVATs from control and AIA animals, treated with vehicle and with 50mg/kg carbenoxolone (11²-HSD1 inhibitor) or 30mg/kg spironolactone (mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist), will be submitted to biochemical evaluations, histopathological and functional tests to identify the role of mineralocorticoids in the inflammatory changes related to arthritis that occur in this tissue. (AU)