A New Mouse Model of Aortic Aneurysm Induced by Deoxycorticosterone Acetate or Aldosterone in the Presence of High Salt

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is implicated in the etiologies of many cardiovascular diseases, including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA). In particular, the infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II) in hyperlipidemia mice to induce AAA and TAA has been extensively used in the field, suggesting a critical role of Ang II in aortic aneurysm. In contrast, whether aldosterone (Aldo), a downstream effector of Ang II, is involved in aortic aneurysm is unknown. Here, we describe a new mouse model of AAA and TAA induced by subcutaneous implantation of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) pellets or infusion of Aldo using osmotic pumps to 10-month-old C57BL/6 male mice in the presence of high salt. The DOCA- or Aldo-salt-induced aortic aneurysm is dependent upon mineralocorticoid receptor activation but independent of Ang II and hypertension and exhibits several unique features that mimic human aortic aneurysm. This review aims to discuss the common animal models of AAA, TAA, and aortic dissection currently studied in the world with the most focus on the DOCA- or Aldo-salt mouse model of aortic aneurysm. significance and potential impact of the DOCA- or Aldo-salt mouse model of aortic aneurysm on the current basic research and clinical practice on the etiology, clinic diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of AAA.