The rxr agonist bexarotene in combination with rosuvastatin inhibits angiotensin-ii induced abdominal aortic aneurysm formation in apoliprotein -e-knockout mice

Combined treatment with bexarotene and rosuvastatin reduces angiotensin-II-induced abdominal aortic aneurysm in apoE−/−mice and angiogenesis

Background and Purpose Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a degenerative vascular disease associated with angiogenesis. Bexarotene is a retinoid X receptor (RXR) ligand with anti-angiogenic activity. Statins also exert anti-angiogenic activity and activate PPARs. Because RXR ligands form permissive heterodimers with PPARs and a single anti-angiogenic drug may not be sufficient to combat the wide array of angiogenic factors produced during AAA, we evaluated the effect of combined low doses of bexarotene and rosuvastatin in a mouse model of AAA.