Publications by authors named "Anna Ratajska"

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a condition that includes symptoms, such as obesity, hyperglycemia, and hypertension, which elevate cardiovascular risk. An impaired angiogenic response of endothelial cells (ECs) in heart and peripheral organs has been proposed in MetS, but the mechanisms of this phenomenon have not been thoroughly explored. Results obtained from evaluating the whole myocardium are inconsistent, since different types of cells react differently to MetS environment and a variety of molecular pathways are involved in the angiogenic response.

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Background: Elevated mortality rates in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are partly due to adverse remodeling of multiple organs, which may lead to cardiovascular disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, kidney failure, or other conditions. MetS symptoms, such as obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, associated with insulin and leptin resistance, are recognized as major cardiovascular risk factors that adversely affect the heart.

Summary: Pathological cardiac remodeling is accompanied by endothelial cell dysfunction which may result in diminished coronary flow, dysregulated oxygen demand/supply balance, as well as vessel rarefaction.

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Article Synopsis
  • Lymphatic vessels (LyVs) play a crucial role in maintaining fluid, solute, and immune cell balance in the body and are influenced by surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules, which affect their function and structure.
  • Changes in the ECM due to disease can negatively impact the lymphatic system, leading to dysfunction in LyV networks.
  • This review focuses on the current understanding of ECM molecules in various tissues, especially around lymphatic vessels in both healthy and diseased states.
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Cardiac lymphatic vessel (LyV) remodeling as a contributor to heart failure has not been extensively evaluated in metabolic syndrome (MetS). Our studies have shown structural changes in cardiac LyV in MetS that contribute to the development of edema and lead to myocardial fibrosis. Tissue macrophages may affect LyV via secretion of various substances, including noncoding RNAs.

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Macrophages are vital inhabitants of the developing heart. Nonetheless, their key role is not limited to prenatal processes, as embryo-derived macrophages govern the pool of cardiac macrophages also postnatally. Namely, embryonic cardiac macrophages are of yolk sac-, embryonic monocyte-, and heart-tissue origin.

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Purpose Of Review: The beneficial role of cardiac lymphatics in health and disease has begun to be recognized, with both preclinical and clinical evidence demonstrating that lymphangiogenesis is activated in cardiovascular diseases. This review aims to summarize our current understanding of the regulation and impact of cardiac lymphatic remodeling during development and in adult life, highlighting emerging concepts regarding distinguishing traits of cardiac lymphatic endothelial cells (LEC).

Recent Findings: Genetic lineage-tracing and clonal analyses have revealed that a proportion of cardiac LECs originate from nonvenous sources.

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Macrophages are essential components of the immune system and play a role in the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Depending on their origin and phenotype, cardiac macrophages perform various functions. In a steady-state, these cells play a beneficial role in maintaining cardiac homeostasis by defending the body from pathogens and eliminating apoptotic cells, participating in electrical conduction, vessel patrolling, and arterial tone regulation.

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Cardiac macrophages are known from various activities, therefore we presume that microRNAs (miRNAs) produced or released by macrophages in cardiac tissue have impact on myocardial remodeling in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aim to assess the cardiac macrophage miRNA profile by selecting those miRNA molecules that potentially exhibit regulatory functions in MetS-related cardiac remodeling. Cardiac tissue macrophages from control and db/db mice (an animal model of MetS) were counted and sorted with flow cytometry, which yielded two populations: CD45CD11bCD64Ly6C and CD45CD11bCD64Ly6C.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on understanding cardiac tissue macrophages (cTMs) during fetal development, particularly their populations and functions based on specific surface markers.
  • Immunostaining of murine fetal hearts revealed that cTMs are primarily located in the subepicardial space and interact with newly formed blood and lymphatic vessels.
  • Three distinct subpopulations of cTMs were identified, showing different gene expression levels related to angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling, indicating their diverse roles in heart development.
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Here we describe various techniques for visualization of the lymphatic vasculature, particularly in the heart. Addressing macro-, microscopic, and molecular levels of lymphatic organization, we give examples of how to explore the roles of specific antigens/markers expressed in lymphatic vessels and their extracellular matrix as structural and functional elements involved in various biological functions of lymphatics. Some obstacles and technical challenges related to lymphatic visualization are also discussed.

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Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex heterogeneous disease for which our pathophysiological understanding is still limited and specific prevention and treatment strategies are lacking. HFpEF is characterised by diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodelling (fibrosis, inflammation, and hypertrophy). Recently, microvascular dysfunction and chronic low-grade inflammation have been proposed to participate in HFpEF development.

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Many cardiovascular diseases lead to heart failure, which is a progressive syndrome causing significant distress and limiting the quality of life, despite optimal cardiologic treatment. It is estimated that about 26 000 people in Poland suffer from advanced heart failure, and this number is growing. That is why palliative care (PC) dedicated to people living with end‑stage cardiac diseases should be urgently implemented in Poland.

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Introduction: Observations indicate that struggling with a burden of an incurable disease such as advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may result in the weakening of an individual sense of dignity, and be a source of spiritual suffering. Clinicians providing respiratory care to patients should be open to their spiritual needs, in the belief it may improve coping with the end-of-life COPD. The study aimed to assess overall feasibility and potential benefits of Dignity Therapy (DT) in patients with advanced COPD.

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3D scaffolds represent an attractive substrate for studying macrophage activation and modification since they mimic extracellular matrix (ECM). However, macrophage response to such materials, particularly with respect to angiogenic potential is still poorly recognized. Therefore, we investigated the effect of 3D nanofibrous polystyrene scaffolds (NPSs) versus tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) on THP-1-derived macrophages in various environmental conditions, for example, standard (m0), pro-inflammatory (m1), or anti-inflammatory (m2) with respect to pro-angiogenic potential.

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Article Synopsis
  • The proepicardium (PE) is a temporary structure in embryos that is essential for heart development, originating from the lateral plate mesoderm and found in all vertebrates.
  • Mesothelial cells from the PE connect to the heart's muscle layer (myocardium) to eventually form the epicardium, the heart's outer layer, through processes including epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
  • Understanding the molecular pathways involved in PE formation and the differentiation of epicardial cells is crucial as these mechanisms may reactivate in heart diseases, highlighting their relevance for both developmental biology and potential therapeutic targets.
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  • Sulodexide (SDX) is a mixed drug that has mild anticoagulant properties and affects various immune cells, used primarily for treating cardiovascular diseases with anti-inflammatory benefits.
  • This study focused on how SDX influences tubule formation and the expression of angiogenesis-related proteins in C166 endothelial cell line and mouse proepicardial explants.
  • Results showed that while SDX did not impact tubule formation or mRNA expression in C166 cells, it reduced tubule numbers and mRNA levels for DLL4 and Notch1 in proepicardial explants, indicating SDX indirectly inhibits angiogenesis in that context.
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  • Hematopoietic cells, which are crucial for blood cell formation, develop in areas where blood vessels are forming, originating from a specific type of endothelial cells called hemogenic endothelium.
  • Researchers investigated whether the proepicardium, a tissue in developing embryos, contains endothelial cells with hematopoietic potential and found promising results through in vitro culture of CD31/CD45/CD71 cells.
  • Their findings include the generation of various blood cell colony types and the identification of key markers indicating the presence of hematopoietic lineages, all supported by analyses showing the expression of important regulatory genes linked to hematopoietic development.
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Pentoxifylline (PTX), a non-specific inhibitor of cAMP phosphodiesterases, is commonly used for treatment of peripheral vascular disorders although its direct action on endothelial cells is not well described. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of PTX on tubule formation and mRNA expression for angiogenesis-related proteins in endothelial cell line C166 and mouse proepicardial explants cultured on collagen. C166 cells and explants were stimulated with proangiogenic cocktail containing bFGF/VEGF-A/VEGF-A and with proangiogenic cocktail enriched with PTX.

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Tobacco smoking is the single most important modifiable factor in increased morbidity and premature mortality. Numerous factors-including genetics, personality, and environment-affect the development and persistence of tobacco addiction, and knowledge regarding these factors could improve smoking cessation rates. This study compared personality traits between never, former, and current smokers, using the Five-Factor Model of Personality in a country with a turbulent smoking reduction process.

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Article Synopsis
  • Angiogenesis is crucial for forming blood vessels and plays a role in diseases like tumors, but the details of its molecular pathways remain unclear due to inadequate models.
  • The proepicardial explant (PE) is suggested as a good model for studying angiogenesis since it contains undifferentiated endothelial cells and can produce vascular sprouts in the presence of specific growth factors like bFGF and VEGF-A.
  • The research shows that these sprouts vary in characteristics based on the growth factors used and their ECs express certain mRNAs, indicating that this PE model could enhance our understanding of angiogenesis alongside existing models.
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  • *Recent research has revealed the role of EPCs in diseases, tumors, and healing processes, highlighting their importance in various medical conditions.
  • *The overview discusses methods to activate EPCs for therapeutic use and reviews the effectiveness of these treatments.
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Background: The timing and consequences of alternations in substrate utilization in heart failure (HF) and their relationship with structural changes remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze metabolic changes associated with transition to overt heart failure in transgenic mouse model of HF resulting from cardiac-specific overexpression of constitutively active Gαq*.

Methods: Structural changes quantified by morphometry, relative cardiac mRNA and protein expression of PPARα, FAT/CD36, CPT-1, GLUT-4 and glycolytic efficiency following administration of 1-(13)C glucose were investigated in 4-14-month-old Tgαq*44 mice (TG), compared with age-matched FVB wild type mice (WT).

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