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Updated: Apr 4, 2026

Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Macrophage Gsα promotes NLRP3 stability and its intervention attenuates abdominal aortic aneurysm in male mice
Lifan He1,2, Xiaoteng Qin1, Qingnan Ren3
1State Key Laboratory for Innovation and Transformation of Luobing Theory, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodeling and Function Research of MOE, NHC, CAMS and Shandong Province, Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Abstract:
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a life-threatening degenerative aortic disease that primarily affects older individuals. While macrophages are central to AAA pathogenesis, the regulatory role of the stimulatory G protein α subunit (Gsα) in macrophages remains poorly understood. In this study, using an Angiotensin Ⅱ-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm model on male mice, we demonstrate that macrophage-specific Gnas deficiency significantly attenuates AAA progression. Mechanistically, Gsα directly interacts with NLRP3 to promote inflammasome activation. Further cellular investigations indicate that Gsα maintains NLRP3 stability by sterically hindering its association with the E3 ubiquitin ligase BTRC, thereby preventing NLRP3 ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. Furthermore, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)-mediated delivery of Gsα siRNA to monocytes/macrophages effectively suppresses NLRP3 expression and markedly reduces AAA progression in vivo. Our findings identify Gsα as a regulator in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and provide a potential therapeutic target for AAA.

