Deficiency of Circulating Monocytes Ameliorates the Progression of Myxomatous Valve Degeneration in Marfan Syndrome.

Background: Myxomatous valve degeneration (MVD) involves the progressive thickening and degeneration of the heart valves, leading to valve prolapse, regurgitant blood flow, and impaired cardiac function. Leukocytes composed primarily of macrophages have recently been detected in myxomatous valves, but the timing of the presence and the contributions of these cells in MVD progression are not known.

Methods: We examined MVD progression, macrophages, and the valve microenvironment in the context of Marfan syndrome (MFS) using mitral valves from MFS mice (), gene-edited MFS pigs (), and patients with MFS.

Amitriptyline Usage Exacerbates the Immune Suppression Following Burn Injury.

Currently, over 10% of the US population is taking antidepressants. Numerous antidepressants such as amitriptyline are known to inhibit acid sphingomyelinase (Asm), an enzyme that is known to mediate leukocyte function and homeostasis. Severe burn injury can lead to an immunosuppressive state that is characterized by decreased leukocyte function and numbers as well as increased susceptibility to infection.