Notch 1 pathway and EPCs in bicuspid aortic valve: is their interplay involved in the ascending aortic aneurysm onset?

Backgroud_AIM: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is frequently associated with development of ascending aortic aneurysm, even if the underlying mechanisms remain to be clarified. Here, we investigated if a deregulation of Notch1 signaling pathway and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) number is associated with BAV disease and an early ascending aortic aneurysm (AAA) onset. Methods: To this aim,70 subjects with BAV (M/F 50/20; mean age: 58.8±14.8 years) and 70 subjects with tricuspid aortic valve (TAV)(M/F 35/35; mean age: 69.1±12.8 years), AAA complicated or not, were enrolled. Multiparametric flow cytometry analyses, plasma amount assessments, gene expressions, and tissue protein semiquantitati…