Treatment of advanced atherosclerotic mice with the senolytic agent ABT-263 is associated with reduced indices of plaque stability and increased mortality

The use of senolytic agents to remove senescent cells from atherosclerotic lesions is controversial. A common limitation of previous studies is the failure to rigorously define the effects of senolytic agent ABT-263 (Navitoclax) on smooth muscle cells (SMC) despite studies claiming that they are the major source of senescent cells. Moreover, there are no studies of the effect of ABT-263 on endothelial cells (EC), which along with SMC comprise 90% of α-SMA(+) myofibroblast-like cells in the protective fibrous cap. Here we tested the hypothesis that treatment of advanced atherosclerotic mice with the ABT-263 will reduce lesion size and increase plaque stability. SMC (Myh11-CreER(T2)-eYFP) and EC (Cdh5-CreER(T2)-eYFP) lineage tracing Apoe(−/−) mice were fed a WD for 18 weeks, followed by ABT-263 100mg/kg/bw for six weeks or 50mg/kg/bw for nine weeks. ABT-263 treatment did not change lesion size or lumen area of the brachiocephalic artery (BCA). However, ABT-263 treatment reduced SMC by 90% and increased EC-contributions to lesions via EC-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) by 60%. ABT-263 treatment also reduced α-SMA(+) fibrous cap thickness by 60% and increased mortality by >50%. Contrary to expectations, treatment of WD-fed Apoe(−/−) mice with the senolytic agent ABT-263 resulted in multiple detrimental changes including reduced indices of stability, and increased mortality.