Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors

Abstract The arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the lifeline for hemodialysis patients. However, there are currently no effective therapies promoting AVF maturation. AVF dilation by smooth muscle cell relaxation, through increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), is one potential mechanism to impr...

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Main Authors: Maheshika Somarathna, Hannah Northrup, Kevin Ingle, Tatyana Isayeva‐Waldrop, Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen, Bailey Lose, Yan‐Ting Shiu, Timmy Lee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Physiological Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70331
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author Maheshika Somarathna
Hannah Northrup
Kevin Ingle
Tatyana Isayeva‐Waldrop
Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen
Bailey Lose
Yan‐Ting Shiu
Timmy Lee
author_facet Maheshika Somarathna
Hannah Northrup
Kevin Ingle
Tatyana Isayeva‐Waldrop
Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen
Bailey Lose
Yan‐Ting Shiu
Timmy Lee
author_sort Maheshika Somarathna
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the lifeline for hemodialysis patients. However, there are currently no effective therapies promoting AVF maturation. AVF dilation by smooth muscle cell relaxation, through increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), is one potential mechanism to improve AVF remodeling. In this study, we examined the cGMP pathway and its inhibitor phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) in rat, pig, and human AVF. We administered the PDE5A inhibitor, sildenafil, to rats with femoral AVFs and analyzed AVF histological and hemodynamic parameters. We observed that AVF creation increases PDE5A expression in rodent and porcine AVF models. Similarly, we observed an increase in PDE5A expression in the anastomotic regions of AVFs from hemodialysis patients when compared to pre‐AVF placement. Sildenafil‐treated rats showed significantly increased ultrasound‐derived AVF volumetric blood flow and increased MRI‐derived 3‐dimensional lumen diameter when compared to controls. MRI‐based computational fluid dynamics showed that sildenafil‐treated rats had increased anastomotic hemodynamics compared to control rats. Histology showed similar intimal hyperplasia in sildenafil‐treated and control rats. In conclusion, sildenafil treatment increases AVF vein outward expansion and blood flow without affecting the level of intimal hyperplasia. PDE5A inhibitors serve as a potential therapeutic approach to promote AVF maturation by enhancing outward vascular remodeling.
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spelling doaj-art-1ca344d234a74ede9ee690dc55cc674f2025-08-20T03:49:44ZengWileyPhysiological Reports2051-817X2025-05-01139n/an/a10.14814/phy2.70331Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitorsMaheshika Somarathna0Hannah Northrup1Kevin Ingle2Tatyana Isayeva‐Waldrop3Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen4Bailey Lose5Yan‐Ting Shiu6Timmy Lee7Department of Medicine and Division of Nephrology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADepartment of Internal Medicine and Division of Nephrology and Hypertension University of Utah Salt Lake Utah USADepartment of Medicine and Division of Nephrology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADepartment of Medicine and Division of Nephrology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADepartment of Medicine and Division of Nephrology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADepartment of Medicine and Division of Nephrology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USADepartment of Internal Medicine and Division of Nephrology and Hypertension University of Utah Salt Lake Utah USADepartment of Medicine and Division of Nephrology University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Alabama USAAbstract The arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the lifeline for hemodialysis patients. However, there are currently no effective therapies promoting AVF maturation. AVF dilation by smooth muscle cell relaxation, through increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), is one potential mechanism to improve AVF remodeling. In this study, we examined the cGMP pathway and its inhibitor phosphodiesterase 5A (PDE5A) in rat, pig, and human AVF. We administered the PDE5A inhibitor, sildenafil, to rats with femoral AVFs and analyzed AVF histological and hemodynamic parameters. We observed that AVF creation increases PDE5A expression in rodent and porcine AVF models. Similarly, we observed an increase in PDE5A expression in the anastomotic regions of AVFs from hemodialysis patients when compared to pre‐AVF placement. Sildenafil‐treated rats showed significantly increased ultrasound‐derived AVF volumetric blood flow and increased MRI‐derived 3‐dimensional lumen diameter when compared to controls. MRI‐based computational fluid dynamics showed that sildenafil‐treated rats had increased anastomotic hemodynamics compared to control rats. Histology showed similar intimal hyperplasia in sildenafil‐treated and control rats. In conclusion, sildenafil treatment increases AVF vein outward expansion and blood flow without affecting the level of intimal hyperplasia. PDE5A inhibitors serve as a potential therapeutic approach to promote AVF maturation by enhancing outward vascular remodeling.https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70331arteriovenous fistulahemodialysisPDE5Asildenafilvascular accessvascular remodeling
spellingShingle Maheshika Somarathna
Hannah Northrup
Kevin Ingle
Tatyana Isayeva‐Waldrop
Nguyen Thuy Nhu Nguyen
Bailey Lose
Yan‐Ting Shiu
Timmy Lee
Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors
Physiological Reports
arteriovenous fistula
hemodialysis
PDE5A
sildenafil
vascular access
vascular remodeling
title Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors
title_full Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors
title_fullStr Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors
title_full_unstemmed Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors
title_short Vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with PDE5A inhibitors
title_sort vascular remodeling in arteriovenous fistula treated with pde5a inhibitors
topic arteriovenous fistula
hemodialysis
PDE5A
sildenafil
vascular access
vascular remodeling
url https://doi.org/10.14814/phy2.70331
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