Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Murine models are widely used to investigate cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet many established models rely on invasive surgery or genetic manipulation to induce hyperlipidemia and therefore may not fully capture the gradual cardiovascular consequences of mutant hematopoiesis. Tie2-Cre
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FF1
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(Tie2FF1) mice express JAK2V617F mutation in both hematopoietic and endothelial cells and develop spontaneous CVD on a standard chow diet.
Methods
We applied a comprehensive, non-invasive cardiovascular phenotyping protocol to 1-year-old Tie2FF1 mice and age-matched controls. Assessments included transthoracic echocardiography, coronary flow reserve by Doppler ultrasound, quantitative analysis of coronary arteriolar structure and perivascular fibrosis, endocardial histology and subendocardial collagen deposition, and histologic evaluation of pulmonary and hepatic congestion.
Results
Tie2FF1 mice demonstrated left ventricular dilation, increased cardiac mass, and mildly reduced systolic function without obstructive epicardial coronary disease. Coronary microvascular remodeling was evident by arteriolar narrowing and increased perivascular fibrosis, while coronary flow reserve was markedly reduced in an exploratory cohort. Endocardial endothelial disruption and increased subendocardial fibrosis were also observed. In addition, Tie2FF1 mice showed increased lung and liver weights, pulmonary fluid accumulation, alveolar septal thickening, pulmonary vascular fibrosis, hepatic sinusoidal dilatation, and centrilobular hepatocyte swelling, providing objective evidence of clinically relevant heart failure.
Significance
These findings establish Tie2FF1 mice as a spontaneous, non-invasive model with features of coronary microvascular and endocardial endothelial dysfunction and heart failure with mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. The integrated approach described here provides a practical framework for comprehensive murine cardiovascular phenotyping beyond traditional atherosclerosis- and surgery-based models.