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Cardiovascular Engineering

Cardiovascular Engineering - Poster Session E

T9 - Role of Levodopa in Murine Aortic Valve Elastogenesis

Saturday, October 11, 2025
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM PDT
Location: Exhibit Hall F, G & H

Introduction: : The aortic valve (AoV) endures billions of cycles of opening and closing over a lifetime, a mechanical challenge met by its specialized extracellular matrix (ECM), primarily composed of elastin (Eln) and collagen. These structural components are produced and maintained by valvular interstitial cells (VICs), a heterogeneous cell population that includes melanocytic cells similar to those that develop pigment in skin. Although the diversity of VICs is well recognized, the contribution of melanocytes to AoV development and pathology remains unclear. Recent studies from our group demonstrated that hypopigmented mice exhibit reduced and disorganized elastic fibers in the AoV leaflets compared to the pigmented groups, suggesting a link between pigmentation and elastogenesis. Interestingly, previous studies have shown that treatment of albino mice with levodopa (L-DOPA), a precursor of melanin and a known neuromodulator, can restore visual function without altering pigmentation patterning. Building on this, we hypothesized that L-DOPA may influence elastin formation independently of its effects on pigmentation.

Materials and

Methods: : To assess the potential role of L-DOPA in elastogenesis, pregnant albino mice were treated with L-DOPA dissolved in water ad libitum throughout gestation. Aortic valve tissues were collected from postnatal day 30 (P30) offspring for analysis. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to evaluate the organization and presence of elastic fibers in the AoV leaflets. And ongoing in situ hybridization and co-immunofluorescence studies aim to determine whether specific cell types within the VIC population are responsible for this effect and to clarify the molecular pathways involved.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:: Preliminary immunofluorescence data reveal that L-DOPA treatment rescues the disrupted elastin phenotype observed in P3 albino mice, resulting in more organized and robust elastic fibers within the AoV leaflets. These findings support the hypothesis that L-DOPA may enhance elastogenesis through pigment-independent pathways. Together, our findings provide new insight into ECM regulation in the aortic valve and suggest that pharmacological agents such as L-DOPA, already approved for clinical use, may hold potential as novel modulators of elastin synthesis in valve disease.

Acknowledgements and/or References (Optional): :