Dapagliflozin attenuates histopathological alterations in a rat model of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Aim: Abdominal aortic aneurysm is a progressive enlargement of the abdominal aorta associated with high mortality risk. Despite advances in surgical and endovascular treatments, no pharmacological therapy has been established to prevent aneurysm growth. Dapagliflozin, a sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, has demonstrated cardiovascular benefits beyond glycemic control. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dapagliflozin in a calcium phosphate–induced rat model of abdominal aortic aneurysm.Material and Methods: Twenty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham operated rats (Sham, n=6), rats with abdominal aortic aneurysm induced by calcium phosphate (AAA, n=7), and rats with aneurysm treated with dapagliflozin (Dapagliflozin group, n=7). Aneurysm formation was induced by periaortic application of calcium phosphate. The Dapagliflozin group received daily oral dapagliflozin at a dose of 1 mg/kg for 28 days. Morphometric parameters including lumen area, lumen plus intima area, and lumen plus intima plus media area were evaluated using hematoxylin–eosin staining. Elastin degradation was assessed with Van Gieson staining, vascular calcification with Alizarin Red staining, and apoptosis with immunohistochemical detection of Caspase-3 and Caspase-9. Statistical analyses were performed using Student’s t-test and Mann–Whitney U test, with a significance threshold of p