Expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide and pulp sensitivity tests in irreversible pulpitis.

The aim of the present study was to identify the relationship between the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and the responses of pulp sensitivity tests in healthy pulps and irreversible pulps by performing a cross-sectional study on patients. Two hundred subjects were evaluated. A total of 75 subjects complied with the criteria.

Obesity is the main determinant of insulin resistance more than the circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Systemic blockade of TNF-α in Rheumatoid arthritis with insulin resistance seems to produce more improvement in insulin sensitivity in normal weight patients with Rheumatoid arthritis than in obese patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that systemic-inflammation and obesity are independent risk factors for insulin resistance in Rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the insulin resistance in: normal weight patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, overweight patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, obese Rheumatoid arthritis patients, and matched control subjects with normal weight and obesity; and its association with major cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.

Methods: Assessments included: body mass index, insulin resistance by Homeostasis Model Assessment, ELISA method, and enzymatic colorimetric assay.

The coronary endothelium behaves as a functional diffusion barrier for intravascular Angiotensin II.

Diverse intracoronary hormones cause their cardiac effects solely via activation of their coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) receptors. To test this hypothesis for Ang II, we synthesized: a) two large polymers of Ang II (Ang II-POL) and Losartan (Los-POL) which act only in the CELM's AT1R because they cannot cross the endothelial barrier and b) biotin-labeled Ang II (Ang II-Biotin) and Ang II-POL-Biotin to be identified by microscopy in tissues. Sustained coronary perfusion of Ang II (potentially diffusible) or Ang II-POL caused a positive inotropic effect (PIE) and an increase in coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) of equal magnitude that were blocked by Losartan and Los-POL.

Luminal endothelial lectins with affinity for N-acetylglucosamine determine flow-induced cardiac and vascular paracrine-dependent responses.

Coronary blood flow applied to the endothelial lumen modulates parenchymal functions via paracrine effectors, but the mechanism of flow sensation is unknown. We and others have demonstrated that coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) oligosaccharides and lectins are involved in flow detection, and we proposed that cardiac effects of coronary flow result from a reversible flow-modulated lectin-oligosaccharide interaction. Recently, glycosylated and amiloride-sensitive Na(+)/Ca(++) channels (ENaCs) have been proposed to be involved in the flow-induced endothelial responses.

Two dissimilar AT(1) agonists distinctively activate AT(1) receptors located on the luminal membrane of coronary endothelium.

Diverse intracoronary agonists cause cardiac effects while acting on coronary endothelial luminal membrane (CELM) receptor. Our data show: a) the presence of AT(1)R in isolated CELM and in all cardiac cell types and b) sustained intracoronary infusions of Ang II-POL, a large sized molecule (approximately 15,000 kDa) confined to the vessel lumen that can only act on CELM's AT(1)R or Ang II (approximately 1 kDa); both exert the same maximum positive inotropic (PIE) and coronary constriction (CPP). The effects of these two agonists are blocked by Losartan and by Sar-POL; a large size antagonist (approximately 15,000 kDa) that acts only on CELM.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of luminal coronary glycosidic structures uncovers their role in sensing coronary flow.

Endothelial luminal glycocalyx (ELG) is a multifunctional complex structure made off of a diversity of glycosilated proteins, and glycosaminoglycans (GAG). Coronary ELG may participate as a sensor of coronary flow (CF) to induce inotropic and dromotropic effects. In isolated perfused guinea pig heart we tested the role of glycosidic groups of glycans bound to proteins and GAG of the ELG on CF-induced inotropic and dromotropic effects.

Intracoronary angiotensin II causes inotropic and vascular effects via different paracrine mechanisms.

We hypothesized that Angiotensin II (Ang II), like other circulating hormones, acts exclusively intravascularly. To activate or block solely intravascular Ang II receptors, Ang II and its peptide receptor blocker saralasin (Sar) were covalently coupled to a inert polymer (POL, MW >4000 kD) forming Ang II-POL and Sar-POL. These two nonpermeable polymers, Ang II and Sar, were intracoronarily administered into the isolated, saline-perfused rat hearts.