Vascular adhesion protein-1-targeted PET imaging in autoimmune myocarditis.

Background: Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) is an adhesion molecule and primary amine oxidase, and Gallium-68-labeled 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N',N″,N‴-tetra-acetic acid conjugated sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin 9 motif containing peptide ([Ga]Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9) is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer targeting VAP-1. We evaluated the feasibility of PET imaging with [Ga]Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9 for the detection of myocardial lesions in rats with autoimmune myocarditis.

Methods: Rats (n = 9) were immunized twice with porcine cardiac myosin in complete Freund's adjuvant.

Evaluation of [Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD for PET Imaging of Rat Autoimmune Myocarditis.

The Gallium-labeled 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1-glutaric acid-4,7-diacetic acid conjugated radiolabelled arginine-glycine-aspartic acid peptide ([Ga]Ga-NODAGA-RGD) is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer binding to cell surface receptor αβ integrin that is upregulated during angiogenesis and inflammation. We studied whether αβ targeting PET imaging can detect myocardial inflammation in a rat model of autoimmune myocarditis. To induce myocarditis, rats ( = 8) were immunized with porcine cardiac myosin in complete Freund's adjuvant on days 0 and 7.

Folate Receptor β-Targeted PET Imaging of Macrophages in Autoimmune Myocarditis.

Currently available imaging techniques have limited specificity for the detection of active myocardial inflammation. Aluminum F-labeled 1,4,7-triazacyclononane--triacetic acid conjugated folate (F-FOL) is a PET tracer targeting folate receptor β (FR-β), which is expressed on activated macrophages at sites of inflammation. We evaluated F-FOL PET for the detection of myocardial inflammation in rats with autoimmune myocarditis and studied the expression of FR-β in human cardiac sarcoidosis specimens.

AMP-activated protein kinase activation and NADPH oxidase inhibition by inorganic nitrate and nitrite prevent liver steatosis.

Advanced age and unhealthy dietary habits contribute to the increasing incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. These metabolic disorders, which are often accompanied by oxidative stress and compromised nitric oxide (NO) signaling, increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular complications and development of fatty liver disease. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of dietary nitrate, which is found in high levels in green leafy vegetables, on liver steatosis associated with metabolic syndrome.

Synthesis and characterization of a novel organic nitrate NDHP: Role of xanthine oxidoreductase-mediated nitric oxide formation.

In this report, we describe the synthesis and characterization of 1,3-bis(hexyloxy)propan-2-yl nitrate (NDHP), a novel organic mono nitrate. Using purified xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR), chemiluminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, we found that XOR catalyzes nitric oxide (NO) generation from NDHP under anaerobic conditions, and that thiols are not involved or required in this process. Further mechanistic studies revealed that NDHP could be reduced to NO at both the FAD and the molybdenum sites of XOR, but that the FAD site required an unoccupied molybdenum site.