Cellular, mitochondrial and molecular alterations associate with early left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in a porcine model of diabetic metabolic derangement.

The prevalence of diabetic metabolic derangement (DMetD) has increased dramatically over the last decades. Although there is increasing evidence that DMetD is associated with cardiac dysfunction, the early DMetD-induced myocardial alterations remain incompletely understood. Here, we studied early DMetD-related cardiac changes in a clinically relevant large animal model.

Cgnl1, an endothelial junction complex protein, regulates GTPase mediated angiogenesis.

Aims: The formation of cell-cell and cell-extra cellular matrix (ECM) contacts by endothelial cells (ECs) is crucial for the stability and integrity of a vascular network. We previously identified cingulin-like 1 (Cgnl1) in a transcriptomic screen for new angiogenic modulators. Here we aim to study the function of the cell-cell junction associated protein Cgnl1 during vessel formation.

THSD1 preserves vascular integrity and protects against intraplaque haemorrhaging in ApoE-/- mice.

Aims: Impairment of the endothelial barrier leads to microvascular breakdown in cardiovascular disease and is involved in intraplaque haemorrhaging and the progression of advanced atherosclerotic lesions that are vulnerable to rupture. The exact mechanism that regulates vascular integrity requires further definition. Using a microarray screen for angiogenesis-associated genes during murine embryogenesis, we identified thrombospondin type I domain 1 (THSD1) as a new putative angiopotent factor with unknown biological function.

Gene reprogramming in exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy in swine: A transcriptional genomics approach.

Cardiac hypertrophy of the left ventricle (LV) in response to dynamic exercise-training (EX) is a beneficial adaptation to increased workload, and is thought to result from genetic reprogramming. We aimed to determine which transcription factors (TFs) are involved in this genetic reprogramming of the LV in swine induced by exercise-training. Swine underwent 3-6 weeks of dynamic EX, resulting in a 16% increase of LV weight/body weight ratio compared to sedentary animals (P=0.