Ezetimibe reduces cholesterol content and NF-kappaB activation in liver but not in intestinal tissue in guinea pigs.

Background: Statins (HMG CoA reductase inhibitors), in addition to reducing circulating cholesterol and incidence of coronary heart disease, also have pleiotropic, anti-inflammatory effects. Patients with chronic liver diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or hepatitis C are often excluded from statin therapy because of adverse effects in a small cohort of patients despite increased cardiovascular risk cholesterol. Ezetimibe, which inhibits cholesterol absorption by inhibition of Niemann-Pick C1 like 1 (NPC1L1) protein in the brush border of intestinal cells, has been suggested as a new therapeutic option in these patients.

Cholesterol rather than procalcitonin or C-reactive protein predicts mortality in patients with infection.

Serum cholesterol procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured consecutively in 76 critically ill patients at admission to the intensive care unit. The presence of infection was defined according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) criteria; in-house mortality, underlying diseases, and severity of sepsis were monitored. Nonsurvivors had significantly lower cholesterol levels compared with survivors (69 mg/dL [range, 37-88 mg/dL] vs.

oxLDL uptake by dendritic cells induces upregulation of scavenger-receptors, maturation and differentiation.

Background: Several studies have proposed a pathogenic role for oxidized LDL (oxLDL) in atherosclerosis. We tested the hypothesis whether oxLDL modulates dendritic cells (DCs), since these important antigen-presenting cells have been implicated in atherogenesis. We investigated the uptake of oxLDL by DCs, the scavenger-receptors involved and the resulting changes in phenotype and cytokine-spectra.

Simvastatin reduces endotoxin-induced nuclear factor kappaB activation and mortality in guinea pigs despite lowering circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Statins, which are effective lipid-lowering drugs, also possess anti-inflammatory potential. However, circulating lipoproteins may also play a protective role during acute inflammatory diseases because of their ability to bind bacterial toxins. Low cholesterol levels have been reported in inflammatory conditions, and plasma cholesterol concentrations inversely correlate with severity and clinical outcome in septic patients.

Heparin-mediated extracorporeal low density lipoprotein precipitation as a possible therapeutic approach in preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-related hypertensive disease resulting in substantial maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Until today there is no satisfactory treatment to stop disease progression except immediate delivery of the fetus. Heparin-mediated extracorporeal low density lipoprotein (LDL) precipitation (H.

Prognostic value of interleukin 6, procalcitonin, and C-reactive protein levels in intensive care unit patients during first increase of fever.

To investigate the prognostic value of interleukin 6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in critically ill patients during the first increase of fever, serum levels were measured in 38 patients admitted to intensive care unit of the Department of Medicine, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, immediately after increase of body temperature more than 38.3 degrees C. Ten healthy controls were also included for comparison.

[Atherogenesis: interplay between cholesterol, inflammation and coagulation].

It is now generally accepted that, in addition to hypercholesterolemia, pro-inflammatory and procoagulatory factors play a major role in atherogenesis. Risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, diabetes and renal diseases alter lipoprotein profile and composition thus rendering them susceptible to modification. Modified lipoproteins induce local inflammation possibly due to activation of nuclear factor (NF-)kappaB and subsequent expression of adhesion molecules, release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, growth factors and mitogens, which are mediators for cell growth, proliferation and lipid deposition.

Heparin-mediated extracorporeal LDL precipitation treating a peripheral arterial disease patient suffering from repeated postoperative bypass occlusion.

Acute occlusion of a peripheral artery is a serious complication in peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Traditionally open surgical intervention in combination with antithrombotic therapy is the choice for treatment but the beneficial effects of both strategies are limited often by the patient's situation and therapeutic side effects. Heparin-mediated extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein precipitation (H.

Effects of heparin-mediated extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein precipitation beyond lowering proatherogenic lipoproteins--reduction of circulating proinflammatory and procoagulatory markers.

In addition to hypercholesterolemia, proinflammatory and prothrombotic markers have been suggested to play an important role in atherogenesis. We examined whether heparin-mediated extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein precipitation (HELP) therapy modulates the circulating levels of proinflammatory and prothrombotic markers. Twenty-two coronary heart disease (CHD) patients undergoing regular HELP-apheresis (18 males, 4 females, mean age 57.

Heparin-mediated extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein precipitation: rationale for a specific adjuvant therapy in cardiovascular disease.

Various radical measures for the treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia such as partial ileal bypass, portocaval shunt, liver transplantation and plasma exchange have been tested in patients in whom drug and diet failed or were insufficient. Although effective, most of these treatments have severe side effects and are not routinely used. For hypercholesterolemic patients LDL-apheresis has proved to be the most promising and safe way as an adjuvant therapy.

Toll-like receptor expression in human keratinocytes: nuclear factor kappaB controlled gene activation by Staphylococcus aureus is toll-like receptor 2 but not toll-like receptor 4 or platelet activating factor receptor dependent.

Cultured primary human keratinocytes were screened for their expression of various members of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family. Keratinocytes were found to constitutively express TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, and TLR9 but not TLR4, TLR6, TLR7, TLR8, or TLR10 as shown by polymerase chain reaction analysis. The expression of the crucial receptor for signaling of staphylococcal compounds TLR2 was also confirmed by immunohistochemistry, in contrast to TLR4, which showed a negative staining pattern.

Serum cholesterol levels in neutropenic patients with fever.

Hypocholesterolemia, which often accompanies infectious diseases has been suggested to serve as a prognostic marker in hospitalized patients. Even though patients with chemotherapy-induced leukopenia are at high risk of infection and mortality, only limited information is available on serum cholesterol levels in these patients. We therefore measured serum cholesterol levels in 17 patients with hematological malignancies during chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and correlated it with clinical outcome.