Interlamellar bonding in the arterial wall is often compromised by cardiovascular diseases. However, several recent nationwide and hospital-based studies have uniformly reported reduced risk of thoracic aortic dissection in patients with diabetes. As one of the primary structural constituents in the arterial wall, elastin plays an important role in providing its interlamellar structural integrity. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of glycation on the interlamellar bonding properties of arterial elastin. Purified elastin network was isolated from porcine descending thoracic aorta and incubated in 2 M glucose solution for 7, 14 or 21 days at 37 °C. Peeling and direct tension tests were performed to provide complimentary information on understanding the interlamellar layer separation properties of elastin network with glycation effect. Peeling tests were simulated using a cohesive zone model (CZM). Multiphoton imaging was used to visualize the interlamellar elastin fibers in samples subjected to peeling and direct tension. Peeling and direct tension tests show that interlamellar energy release rate and strength both increase with the duration of glucose treatment. The traction at damage initiation estimated for the CZM agrees well with the interlamellar strength measurements from direct tension tests. Glycation was also found to increase the interlamellar failure strain of arterial elastin. Multiphoton imaging confirmed the contribution of radially running elastin fibers to resisting dissection. Nonenzymatic glycation reduces the propensity of arterial elastin to dissection. This study also suggests that the CZM effectively describes the interlamellar bonding properties of arterial elastin.

中文翻译：

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糖化对动脉弹性蛋白层间结合的影响

动脉壁中的层间结合经常受到心血管疾病的影响。然而，最近几项全国性和基于医院的研究一致报告糖尿病患者发生胸主动脉夹层的风险降低。作为动脉壁的主要结构成分之一，弹性蛋白在提供其层间结构完整性方面起着重要作用。本研究的目的是检查糖基化对动脉弹性蛋白层间结合特性的影响。从猪降主动脉分离纯化的弹性蛋白网络，并在 2 M 葡萄糖溶液中于 37 °C 孵育 7、14 或 21 天。进行剥离和直接拉伸测试以提供有关了解具有糖基化作用的弹性蛋白网络的层间层分离特性的补充信息。使用内聚区模型 (CZM) 模拟剥离测试。多光子成像用于可视化经受剥离和直接张力的样品中的层间弹性蛋白纤维。剥离和直接拉伸试验表明，层间能量释放率和强度都随着葡萄糖处理的持续时间而增加。为 CZM 估计的损伤开始时的牵引力与直接拉伸试验的层间强度测量值非常吻合。还发现糖化会增加动脉弹性蛋白的层间衰竭应变。多光子成像证实了径向运行的弹性蛋白纤维对抵抗解剖的贡献。非酶糖基化降低了动脉弹性蛋白的夹层倾向。该研究还表明，CZM 有效地描述了动脉弹性蛋白的层间结合特性。