Loss of FoxO3a prevents aortic aneurysm formation through maintenance of VSMC homeostasis

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) phenotypic switching plays a critical role in the formation of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). FoxO3a is a key suppressor of VSMC homeostasis. We found that in human and animal AAA tissues, FoxO3a was upregulated, SM22α and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) proteins were downregulated and synthetic phenotypic markers were upregulated, indicating that VSMC phenotypic switching occurred in these diseased tissues. In addition, in cultured VSMCs, significant enhancement of FoxO3a expression was found during angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced VSMC phenotypic switching. In vivo, FoxO3a overexpression in C57BL/6J mice treated with Ang II increased the formation of AAAs, whereas FoxO3a knockdown exerted an inhibitory effect on AAA formation in ApoE(−/−) mice infused with Ang II. Mechanistically, FoxO3a overexpression significantly inhibited the expression of differentiated smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers, activated autophagy, the essential repressor of VSMC homeostasis, and promoted AAA formation. Our study revealed that FoxO3a promotes VSMC phenotypic switching to accelerate AAA formation through the P62/LC3BII autophagy signaling pathway and that therapeutic approaches that decrease FoxO3a expression may prevent AAA formation.