Objective <p>Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains a life-threatening condition with few large-animal disease models. We aimed to develop a fully endovascular porcine AAA model for radiology research, reducing surgical trauma and improving reproducibility <i>versus</i> laparotomy-based models.</p> Materials and methods <p>Fourteen female German Landrace swine (<i>n</i> = 14, 30–40 kg) underwent angiography-guided intervention. The animals’ infrarenal aorta was dilated by ~30% via balloon catheter, then collagenase (6,000 IU), elastase (500 IU), and 25% calcium chloride (0.5 mL) were locally incubated to weaken the vessel wall. Eight animals were included in the study; group 1 (<i>n</i> = 4) was euthanized at 2 weeks, and group 2 (<i>n</i> = 4) at 4 weeks. Aortic diameter was measured weekly by ultrasound; <i>ex vivo</i> histology, immunofluorescence, and western blot assessed remodeling and inflammation.</p> Results <p>Progressive aneurysm expansion was observed, with diameters of 1.32 ± 0.08 cm (mean ± standard deviation) at 1 week post-intervention, 1.59 ± 0.06 cm at 2 weeks, 1.81 ± 0.10 cm at 3 weeks, and 1.94 ± 0.19 cm at 4 weeks (baseline: 0.74 ± 0.08 cm; <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Experimental groups’ macrophages increased (group 1, 15.12 ± 3.88%; group 2, 16.65 ± 5.27%) compared to control (0.66 ± 0.27%, <i>p</i> = 0.012 and <i>p</i> = 0.021, respectively). Vascular smooth muscle cells were reduced across interventional groups (45.97 ± 17.26% <i>versus</i> control 80.94 ± 14.26%, <i>p</i> = 0.005).</p> Conclusions <p>This porcine AAA model replicates human disease features with a fully endovascular workflow, offering a valuable platform for evaluation of novel imaging techniques and interventional therapies.</p> Relevance statement <p>This study presents a fully endovascular porcine model of abdominal aortic aneurysm for translational research in interventional radiology and imaging. By enabling aneurysm induction entirely through catheter-based techniques, the model could provide a clinically relevant platform for future evaluation of novel endovascular devices and intraluminal therapeutics.</p> Key Points <p><UnorderedList Mark="Bullet"> <ItemContent> <p>This study established a fully endovascular, translational porcine model of abdominal aortic aneurysm.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p>The model exhibited a significant mean aneurysmal dilation of about 161% at 4 weeks and 107% at 2 weeks.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p>Serial ultrasound confirmed consistent aneurysm expansion and reproducible growth patterns in surviving animals.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p><i>Ex vivo</i> analyses demonstrated inflammation and extracellular-matrix damage, mirroring key features of human abdominal aortic aneurysm pathology.</p> </ItemContent> <ItemContent> <p>This fully catheter-based workflow provides a practical preclinical platform for evaluating imaging techniques and endovascular therapies.</p> </ItemContent> </UnorderedList></p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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An endovascular porcine model of abdominal aortic aneurysm for interventional radiology research

  • Marie-Luise Helene Hildegard Ranner-Hafferl,
  • Dilyana Branimirova Mangarova,
  • Jennifer Mein,
  • Jennifer Lilly Heyl,
  • Jana Möckel,
  • Dirk Schnapauff,
  • Timo Alexander Auer,
  • Federico Collettini,
  • Jan Ole Kaufmann,
  • Lisa Christine Adams,
  • Marcus Richard Makowski,
  • Bernd Hamm,
  • Avan Kader,
  • Julia Brangsch

摘要

Objective

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) remains a life-threatening condition with few large-animal disease models. We aimed to develop a fully endovascular porcine AAA model for radiology research, reducing surgical trauma and improving reproducibility versus laparotomy-based models.

Materials and methods

Fourteen female German Landrace swine (n = 14, 30–40 kg) underwent angiography-guided intervention. The animals’ infrarenal aorta was dilated by ~30% via balloon catheter, then collagenase (6,000 IU), elastase (500 IU), and 25% calcium chloride (0.5 mL) were locally incubated to weaken the vessel wall. Eight animals were included in the study; group 1 (n = 4) was euthanized at 2 weeks, and group 2 (n = 4) at 4 weeks. Aortic diameter was measured weekly by ultrasound; ex vivo histology, immunofluorescence, and western blot assessed remodeling and inflammation.

Results

Progressive aneurysm expansion was observed, with diameters of 1.32 ± 0.08 cm (mean ± standard deviation) at 1 week post-intervention, 1.59 ± 0.06 cm at 2 weeks, 1.81 ± 0.10 cm at 3 weeks, and 1.94 ± 0.19 cm at 4 weeks (baseline: 0.74 ± 0.08 cm; p < 0.001). Experimental groups’ macrophages increased (group 1, 15.12 ± 3.88%; group 2, 16.65 ± 5.27%) compared to control (0.66 ± 0.27%, p = 0.012 and p = 0.021, respectively). Vascular smooth muscle cells were reduced across interventional groups (45.97 ± 17.26% versus control 80.94 ± 14.26%, p = 0.005).

Conclusions

This porcine AAA model replicates human disease features with a fully endovascular workflow, offering a valuable platform for evaluation of novel imaging techniques and interventional therapies.

Relevance statement

This study presents a fully endovascular porcine model of abdominal aortic aneurysm for translational research in interventional radiology and imaging. By enabling aneurysm induction entirely through catheter-based techniques, the model could provide a clinically relevant platform for future evaluation of novel endovascular devices and intraluminal therapeutics.

Key Points

This study established a fully endovascular, translational porcine model of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The model exhibited a significant mean aneurysmal dilation of about 161% at 4 weeks and 107% at 2 weeks.

Serial ultrasound confirmed consistent aneurysm expansion and reproducible growth patterns in surviving animals.

Ex vivo analyses demonstrated inflammation and extracellular-matrix damage, mirroring key features of human abdominal aortic aneurysm pathology.

This fully catheter-based workflow provides a practical preclinical platform for evaluating imaging techniques and endovascular therapies.

Graphical Abstract