High-density Lipoprotein and Inflammation and Its Significance to Atherosclerosis.

Great advances are being made in the understanding of the structural and functional diversity of high-density lipoprotein at the mechanistic level. High-density lipoprotein possesses numerous physiological activities, the most studied of which is the ability to promote excess cholesterol efflux from peripheral tissues to the liver for excretion via a mechanism believed to confer protection against atherosclerosis. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory response.

Lck Inhibits Heat Shock Protein 65-Mediated Reverse Cholesterol Transport in T Cells.

Previously, we reported that heat shock protein (HSP)65 impairs the effects of high-density lipoprotein on macrophages. We also showed that immune response activation adversely affects reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). In this study, we investigated the effects of the Src family kinase lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck) and elucidated the mechanism underlying HSP65-regulated cholesterol efflux in T cells.

The Impact of Serum Amyloid P-Component on Gene Expression in RAW264.7 Mouse Macrophages.

Serum amyloid P-component (SAP) contributes to host defense and prevents fibrosis. Macrophages are the most abundant inflammatory cell type in atherosclerotic plaques. In the present study, using (3)H-cholesterol-labeled counting radioactivity assay, we demonstrated that the apoAI-mediated cholesterol efflux in RAW264.

Up-regulation of miR-138 inhibits hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis via down-regulating lipocalin-2 expression.

Hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis contributes significantly to the development of numerous cardiac diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, heart failure, etc. Promoting cell survival by inhibiting apoptosis is one of the available strategies to attenuate cardiac dysfunction caused by cardiomyocyte loss. Previous studies have been demonstrated that miR-138 and lipocalin-2 (Lcn2) play important roles in cardiomyocyte apoptosis and survival.

Effects of probucol on restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a remained clinical problem which limits long-term success of PCI. Although there was recognition that probucol in treating restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, the efficacy of probucol on restenosis after stent-implantation is controversial. So this meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the association between probucol and late restenosis.

SAP: structure, function, and its roles in immune-related diseases.

Serum amyloid P component (SAP), also known as pentraxin-2, is a member of the pentraxin protein family with an established relationship to the immune response. In the last century, SAP has been used as a diagnostic marker in amyloidosis diagnosis and patient follow-up. SAP has been thought to have potential for treating and curing amyloidosis and fibrosis diseases.