Coronary microvascular dysfunction in postmenopausal minipigs with multiple risk factors
Authors: Sorop O , Zandbergen L , Van Drie R W A , Merkus D , Duncker D J 
Published: October 2024

Abstract

Background
Coronary microvascular angina occurs in both men and women, however, the majority of patients are postmenopausal women with multiple cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes mellitus (DM), chronic kidney disease (CKD) and dyslipidemia. No treatment is available for coronary microvascular dysfunction, requiring more in depth knowledge on the mechanisms underlying this syndrome in this expanding group of patients.

Purpose
Here we studied microvascular function in vivo and and in vitro in isolated small coronary arteries, in post-menopausal miniswine with multiple cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods
DM (streptozotocin), hypercholesterolemia (HC, high fat, high sugar diet), CKD (renal artery embolization) and menopause (ovariectomy, OVX) were induced in 5 adult female minipigs (1.5-2 years old, ~40kg, DM+HC+CKD+OVX) for 6 months, while 11 healthy age- and weight-matched female minipigs on normal pig chow served as controls (Normal). At sacrifice, coronary flow reserve (CFR) in response to intracoronary infusion of adenosine was measured under anesthesia. Isolated small coronary arteries were used to study the endothelium-dependent response to bradykinin in the presence and absence of eNOS blockade with LNAME, and cyclooxygenase inhibition by indomethacin, and endothelium-independent response to the nitric oxide (NO) donor, SNAP.

Results
6 months of sustained hyperglycemia (17.5±1.0 in DM+HC+CKD+OVX vs 8.2±0.9 mmol/l in Normal, P&lt;0.05 by t-test), hypercholesterolemia (15.4±2.0 vs 1.7±0.1 mmol/l, P&lt;0.05), renal dysfunction (NGAL: 205±72 vs 67±5 ng/ml, P&lt;0.05) and low progesterone levels (13.1±5.7 in DM+HC+CKD+OVX vs 92.0±30.0 nmol/l in Normal, P=0.1) were accompanied by systemic inflammation (TNFα: 62±7 vs 47±1 pg/ml, P&lt;0.05). CFR was significantly reduced in DM+HC+CKD+OVX as compared to the healthy animals (panel A). Coronary small arteries from DM+HC+CKD+OVX animals showed impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation to bradykinin (panel B), which was mediated by a loss of NO (panels C & D). The loss of NO was partly compensated for by activation of the cyclooxygenase pathway, as indomethacin blunted the dilation to bradykinin in the DM+HC+CKD+OVX animals, but had no effect on the dilation to bradykinin in Normals (panels C & D). Endothelium-independent dilation to SNAP was also impaired in DM+HC+CKD+OVX animals, indicating blunted vascular smooth muscle responsiveness to nitric oxide (panel E).

Conclusion
Postmenopausal minipigs with multiple risk factors, displayed severe coronary microvascular dysfunction as evidenced by a significantly reduced coronary flow reserve and both reduced NO sensitivity/ production, indicating endothelial and smooth muscle cell dysfunction. Loss of NO-mediated vasodilation was partially compensated by activation of cyclooxygenase pathway. Such perturbations may contribute to reduced myocardial perfusion that is often observed in post-menopausal women with multiple cardiovascular risk factors.