Evaluation of expression levels and mechanism of complement activation.

The present study aimed to reveal the expression changes of complement system activation and complement activation product C3a receptor during acute myocardial infarction. Blood samples were collected from healthy individuals and from patients with coronary artery stenosis or acute myocardial infarction. The subjects received physical examination in hospital between January and July 2015 (n=5).

Human Umbilical Cord-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Improve Left Ventricular Function, Perfusion, and Remodeling in a Porcine Model of Chronic Myocardial Ischemia.

Unlabelled: : Stem cell therapy has emerged as a new strategy for treatment of ischemic heart disease. Although umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (UC-MSCs) have been used preferentially in the acute ischemia model, data for the chronic ischemia model are lacking. In this study, we investigated the effect of UC-MSCs originated from Wharton's jelly in the treatment of chronic myocardial ischemia in a porcine model induced by ameroid constrictor.

Claudin-4 is required for vasculogenic mimicry formation in human breast cancer cells.

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) refers to the unique capability of aggressive tumor cells to mimic the pattern of embryonic vasculogenic networks. Claudins are aberrantly expressed in aggressive breast cancer. However, the relationship between claudins and VM formation is not clear.

DIDS attenuates staurosporine-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by PI3K/Akt signaling pathway: activation of eNOS/NO and inhibition of Bax translocation.

Aims: 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), a non-selective chloride channel blocker, has been shown to prevent cell apoptosis, however, the underlying mechanisms remain undefined, thus the present study was to explore whether phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and its downstream molecules are involved in the cytoprotective effect of DIDS.

Methods: Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were exposed to staurosporine (STS) in the presence or absence of DIDS. Cell viability, apoptosis and expressions of Akt, phospho-Akt (p-Akt), eNOS, phospho-eNOS (p-eNOS), Bcl-2/Bax and nitric oxide (NO) production were determined, and Bax translocation was assessed by double immunofluorescence labeling and Western blotting.