Nucleoid-phagy: a novel safeguard against mitochondrial DNA-Induced inflammation.

Mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, play pivotal roles in cellular processes ranging from energy production to innate immunity. Their unique double-membrane structure typically sequesters mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from the rest of the cell. However, under oxidative or immune stress, mtDNA can escape into the cytoplasm, posing a threat as a potential danger signal.

TFAM is an autophagy receptor that limits inflammation by binding to cytoplasmic mitochondrial DNA.

When cells are stressed, DNA from energy-producing mitochondria can leak out and drive inflammatory immune responses if not cleared. Cells employ a quality control system called autophagy to specifically degrade damaged components. We discovered that mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM)-a protein that binds mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-helps to eliminate leaked mtDNA by interacting with the autophagy protein LC3 through an autolysosomal pathway (we term this nucleoid-phagy).

Association between admission-blood-glucose-to-albumin ratio and clinical outcomes in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Introduction: It is unclear whether admission-blood-glucose-to-albumin ratio (AAR) predicts adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who are treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Here, we performed a observational study to explore the predictive value of AAR on clinical outcomes.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with STEMI who underwent PCI between January 2010 and February 2020 were enrolled in the study.

Exendin-4 alleviates myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury by enhancing autophagy through promoting nuclear translocation of TFEB.

Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury (IRI) is a common clinical consequence of myocardial infarction. Exendin-4 is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analog that has been demonstrated to alleviate myocardial IRI. Autophagy, a lysosomal pathway balancing cell survival and cell death, is engaged in myocardial IRI.

Prohibitin 1 regulates mtDNA release and downstream inflammatory responses.

Exposure of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to the cytosol activates innate immune responses. But the mechanisms by which mtDNA crosses the inner mitochondrial membrane are unknown. Here, we found that the inner mitochondrial membrane protein prohibitin 1 (PHB1) plays a critical role in mtDNA release by regulating permeability across the mitochondrial inner membrane.

Association of baseline hemoglobin A1c levels with bleeding in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome underwent percutaneous coronary intervention: insights of a multicenter cohort study from China.

Objective: To investigate the association between baseline hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and bleeding in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: This observational cohort study enrolled 6283 consecutive NSTE-ACS patients undergoing PCI from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014. Based on baseline HbA1c levels, the patients were divided into the group with HbA1c < 7% ( = 4740) and the group with HbA1c ≥ 7% ( = 1543).

Association of Proton Pump Inhibitor and Infection and Major Adverse Clinical Events in Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Background: Infections are not common but important in patients with acute myocardial infarction, and are associated with worse outcomes. Infection was proved to be associated with the use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in several cohorts. It remains unclear whether PPI usage affects infection in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Risk Estimation for Infection in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Development and Validation of a Predictive Score.

Background: Infection during hospitalization is a serious complication among patients who suffered from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); however, there are no suitable and accurate means to assess risk. This study aimed to develop and validate a simple scoring system to predict post-AMI infection in such patients.

Methods: All patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing PCI consecutively enrolled from January 2010 to May 2016 were served as derivation cohort, and those from June 2016 to May 2018 as validation cohort, respectively.

CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein Alpha Is a Novel Regulator of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Osteochondrogenic Transition and Vascular Calcification.

Aims: Vascular calcification is a common clinical complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), atherosclerosis (AS), and diabetes, which is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients. The transdifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to an osteochondrogenic phenotype is a crucial step during vascular calcification. The transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα) plays an important role in regulating cell proliferation and differentiation, but whether it regulates the calcification of arteries and VSMCs remains unclear.

Dual Function of a Albumin-Labeling Tracer for Assessment of Blood Perfusion and Vascular Permeability in Peripheral Arterial Disease by PET.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) leads to tissue ischemia in the extremities. Enhanced vascular permeability plays a critical role in targeted delivery of drugs for effective therapeutic angiogenesis and resultant blood perfusion recovery. However, optimal tracers for evaluating this process in PAD patients are lacking.

The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome.

Background: The monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (MHR) has been demonstrated as a new marker of inflammation. However, at present, the prognostic value of MHR in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accompanied with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unclear.

Methods: T2DM patients with NSTE-ACS undergoing PCI were consecutively enrolled from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014 and divided according to MHR value tertiles.

Association of Parenteral Anticoagulation Therapy With Outcomes in Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients Without Invasive Therapy: Findings from the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China (CCC) project.

Our previous study showed that parenteral anticoagulation therapy (PACT) in the context of aggressive antiplatelet therapy failed to improve clinical outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). However, the role of PACT in patients managed medically remains unknown. This observational cohort study enrolled patients with NSTE-ACS receiving medical therapy from November 2014 to June 2017 in the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China-Acute Coronary Syndrome project.

Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Predicting Post-acute Myocardial Infarction Infection in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Study Protocol for an Observational Study.

Post-acute myocardial infarction (post-AMI) infection is an infrequent but important and serious complication in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Predicting its occurrence is essential for future prevention. However, little is known about the prediction of post-AMI infection in such patients to date.

The Release of Peripheral Immune Inflammatory Cytokines Promote an Inflammatory Cascade in PCOS Patients Altering the Follicular Microenvironment.

Background: Hormones and immune imbalance are critical factors in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The alternation of immune microenvironment of oocytes may play a significant role in infertility of PCOS patients.

Objective: This study explores the role of follicular fluid microenvironment change in inflammatory pathways activation of granulosa cells (GCs) in PCOS women infertility.

The association of baseline N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide with short and long-term prognosis following percutaneous coronary intervention in non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome with multivessel coronary artery disease: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Several studies have shown that N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is strongly correlated with the complexity of coronary artery disease and the prognosis of patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), However, it remains unclear about the prognostic value of NT-proBNP in patients with NSTE-ACS and multivessel coronary artery disease (MCAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the relationship between NT-proBNP levels and the prognosis for NSTE-ACS patients with MCAD undergoing successful PCI.

Methods: This study enrolled 1022 consecutive NSTE-ACS patients with MCAD from January 2010 to December 2014.

Validation and Comparison of Six Risk Scores for Infection in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Very few of the risk scores to predict infection in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have been validated, and reports on their differences. We aimed to validate and compare the discriminatory value of different risk scores for infection. A total of 2,260 eligible patients with STEMI undergoing PCI from January 2010 to May 2018 were enrolled.

Using Flame-Assisted Printing to Fabricate Large Nanostructured Oxide Thin Film for Electrochromic Applications.

Flame spray pyrolysis was a process to produce oxide nanoparticles in a self-sustaining flame. When the produced nanoparticles were deposited on a substrate, nanostructured oxide thin films could be obtained. However, the size of the thin film was usually limited by the fixed substrate.

Mitochondrial Contact Sites in Inflammation-Induced Cardiovascular Disease.

The mitochondrion, the ATP-producing center, is both physically and functionally associated with almost all other organelles in the cell. Mitochondrial-associated membranes (MAMs) are involved in a variety of biological processes, such as lipid exchange, protein transport, mitochondrial fission, mitophagy, and inflammation. Several inflammation-related diseases in the cardiovascular system involve several intracellular events including mitochondrial dysfunction as well as disruption of MAMs.

Association of in-hospital intensive statins dosage and death in arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease with percutaneous coronary intervention: insights of multicentre cohort from China.

Purpose: In-hospital statin dosage-related effect remains unknown for patients with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). This study aimed to determine the associations of different in-hospital intensive statins dosages with the prognosis for patients in the era of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: From January 2010 to December 2014, consecutive ASCVD patients receiving PCI were enrolled from five centres in China.

Mitochondrial Quality Control in Cardiomyocytes: A Critical Role in the Progression of Cardiovascular Diseases.

Mitochondria serve as an energy plant and participate in a variety of signaling pathways to regulate cellular metabolism, survival and immunity. Mitochondrial dysfunction, in particular in cardiomyocytes, is associated with the development and progression of cardiovascular disease, resulting in heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury. Therefore, mitochondrial quality control processes, including post-translational modifications of mitochondrial proteins, mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy, and formation of mitochondrial-driven vesicles, play a critical role in maintenance of mitochondrial and even cellular homeostasis in physiological or pathological conditions.

The AMPK-MFN2 axis regulates MAM dynamics and autophagy induced by energy stresses.

Energy deprivation activates the cellular energy sensor AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which in turn induces macroautophagy/autophagy. The mitochondrial-associated ER membrane (MAM) plays a key role in mitochondrial division and autophagy, and the mitochondrial fusion protein MFN2 (mitofusin 2) tethers the MAM, but the mechanism by which AMPK and MFN2 regulate autophagy in response to energy stress remains unclear. Here, we found that energy stress not only triggers mitochondrial fission and autophagy, but more importantly increases the number of MAMs, a process that requires AMPK.

Synthesis of Porous Si/C Composite Nanosheets from Vermiculite with a Hierarchical Structure as a High-Performance Anode for Lithium-Ion Battery.

Silicon nanosheets are fascinating anode materials for lithium-ion batteries because of their high specific capacities, structural stability, and fast kinetics in alloying/dealloying with Li. The nanosheets can be synthesized through chemical vapor deposition (CVD), topochemical reaction, and templating method. After coating with a carbon nanolayer, they exhibit enhanced electrochemical performance.