Ventricular lymphatic vessel density correlates with mild cardiac remodelling and preserved heart function in moderate murine aortic valve stenosis

Abstract

Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is one of the most frequent heart valve diseases in the western world, but aortic valve replacement (AVR) remains the only therapeutic option. While one of the most common complications of AS is heart failure, the early disease phase is asymptomatic with preserved cardiac function. Increased ventricular lymphatic vessel density is part of myocardial remodelling upon cardiac pressure overload and an important adaptation mechanism to maintain heart function after myocardial infarction, while in heart failure patients, circulating lymphatic growth factor levels and ventricular lymphatic vessel numbers are altered. Lymphangiogenesis is enhanced in endocardium of human stenotic aortic valves, however, ventricular lymphatic vessels have not been investigated in AS, yet. Therefore, aim of this study was to in a well-characterized mouse model of moderate AS analyse the link between density of ventricular lymphatic vessels, cardiac remodelling and function.