ABSTRACT: Objective:The arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred method of dialysis access because of its proven superior long-term outcomes.However, women havelower rates of AVF patency andutilizationthan men.We used a novel mouseAVF model that recapitulates human AVF maturation to determine whether there are differences in AVF patency in female and male mice. Methods:Aortocaval fistulas were created in female and male C57BL/6 mice (9-10 weeks). At days 0, 3, 7, and 21, infrarenal inferior vena cava (IVC) and aortic diameters and flow velocity were monitored by Doppler ultrasound and used to calculate the vessel diameter, blood flow, and shear stress. AVF were harvested, and expression of proteins was examined by proteomic analysis and immunofluorescence and of messenger RNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Results:At baseline, female mice weighed less and had lower IVC velocity and smaller magnitudes of shear stress, but there was no significant difference in IVC diameter and thickness. After AVF creation, both female and male mice had similar IVC dilation and thickening with no significant differences in IVC wall thickness at day 21. However, female mice had diminished AVF patency by day 42 (25.7% vs 64.3%; P = .039). During fistula remodeling, female mice had lower IVC mean velocity and shear stress magnitude and increased spectral broadening (days 0-21). Messenger RNA and protein expression of Krüppel-like factor 2, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 was similar at baseline in female and male mice but increased in the AVF only in male mice but not in female mice (day 21). Proteomic analysis of female and male mice detected 56 proteins expressed at significantly higher levels in the IVC of female mice and 67 proteins expressed at significantly higher levels in the IVC of male mice (day 7); function-specific analysis showed that the IVC of male mice overexpressed proteins that belong to pathways implicated in the regulation of vascular function, thrombosis, response to flow, and vascular remodeling. Conclusions:AVF in female mice have diminished patency, preceded by lower velocity, reduced magnitudes of shear stress, and less laminar flow during remodeling. There is also sex-specific differential expression of proteins involved in thrombosis, response to laminar flow, inflammation, and proliferation. These findings suggest that hemodynamic changes during fistula maturation may play an important role underlying the diminished rates of AVF utilization in women. Clinical Relevance:Women have lower rates of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) utilization than men. Using a mouse AVF model that recapitulates human AVF maturation, we show that female mice have similar AVF remodeling but diminished patency. AVF remodeling in female mice is associated with reduced shear stress and laminar flow; lack of increased transcription and translation of several anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and laminar flow response proteins (endothelial nitric oxide synthase, Krüppel-like factor 2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1); and different patterns of expression of pathways that regulate thrombosis and venous remodeling. Identifying downstream targets involved in these mechanisms may improve AVF outcomes in female patients.
