Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffolds in a Real-World Patient Population-Results From a Mid-Term Angiographic Follow-Up.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) in daily use in a real-world patient population.

Methods And Results: Between March 2013 and September 2014, 224 patients (233 lesions) were treated with BVS at a tertiary care center. Patients underwent follow-up coronary angiography 3-6 months after implantation.

Atherosclerotic inflammation triggers osteogenic bone transformation in calcified and stenotic human aortic valves: still a matter of debate.

Sclerotic calcification of the aortic valve is a common disease in advanced age. However, pathophysiologic processes leading to valve calcifications are poorly understood. Transformation of atherosclerotic triggers to osteogenic differentiation is controversially discussed and is thought as a trigger of bone transformation in end stage disease.

Role of endogenous RGS proteins on endothelial ERK 1/2 activation.

Endothelial cells are maintaining atherosclerotic signaling mediated by Extracellular Regulated Kinases 1 and 2 (ERK). Signaling gets activated upon stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors mediated by G(q) and G(i/o) proteins subjected to regulation by RGS proteins. The goal of the study was to delineate the specificity of RGS proteins modulating induced ERK phosphorylation.

Statins stimulate RGS-regulated ERK 1/2 activation in human calcified and stenotic aortic valves.

The signal transduction activating extracellular-regulated kinases (ERK) is triggered by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). In turn, the GPCR are mediated by G(q) and G(i/o) proteins subjected to regulation of regulators of G protein-mediated signaling (RGS) proteins. This network compiles extracellular growth signals to intracellular targets of sclerosis on calcified and stenotic human aortic valves (CSAV).