Continuous inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase does not reduce reperfusion injury in isolated rat heart.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), an enzyme that is important to the regulation of nuclear function, is activated by DNA strand breakage. In massive DNA damage, PARP is overactivated, exhausting nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and leading to cell death. Recent studies have succeeded in reducing cellular damage in ischemia/reperfusion by inhibiting PARP.

Impact of low-and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels on carotid intima-media thickness differs by smoking status in middle-aged men.

Aim: Cigarette smoking is a strong risk factor for atherosclerotic disease; however, it remains unclear whether the impact of other risk factors differs by smoking status. The aim of this study was to investigate this issue, especially with regard to low-density and high-density lipoprotein (LDL/HDL) levels.

Methods: In total, 448 healthy, middle-aged men (aged 37 to 61) participated in this study.

Statin inhibits hypoxia-induced endothelin-1 via accelerated degradation of HIF-1α in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Aims: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases with multiple properties such as vasoconstriction. Human ET-1 gene expression is up-regulated by the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) through hypoxia response element (HRE). Although previous studies suggested that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) alter HIF-1-related gene expression, it remained unclear whether statins modulate HIF-1-mediated ET-1 expression.

Associations between serum lipoprotein(a) levels and the severity of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis.

To elucidate the associations between Lp(a) levels and coronary and aortic atherosclerosis, we performed aortic MRI in 143 patients undergoing coronary angiography. Severity of aortic atherosclerosis was represented as plaque scores. Of the 143 patients, 104 had coronary artery disease (CAD).

Deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist promotes spontaneous femoral artery aneurysm formation in mice.

Femoral artery aneurysms (FAAs) are very rare, and their natural history is not well understood. In this study, we sought to analyze the pathogenesis of inflammatory FAAs in interleukin-1 receptor antagonist-deficient (IL-1Ra(-/-)) B6 mice. Systolic arterial pressures and plasma lipid levels of IL-1Ra(-/-) mice and wild-type (WT) mice did not differ significantly.

Novel TNF-α receptor 1 antagonist treatment attenuates arterial inflammation and intimal hyperplasia in mice.

Aim: Tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) participates importantly in arterial inflammation in genetically altered mice; however it remains undetermined whether a selective TNFR1 antagonist inhibits arterial inflammation and intimal hyperplasia. This study aimed to determine the effect and mechanism of a novel TNFR1 antagonist in the suppression of arterial inflammation.

Methods: We investigated intimal hyperplasia in IL-1 receptor antagonist-deficient mice two weeks after inducing femoral artery injury in an external vascular cuff model.

IκBNS regulates interleukin-6 production and inhibits neointimal formation after vascular injury in mice.

Aims: IκBNS regulates a subset of Toll-like receptor (TLR)-dependent genes including interleukin-6 (IL-6) by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). IL-6 is an inflammatory biomarker for cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine whether IκBNS changes arterial inflammation and intimal hyperplasia after vascular injury.

Deficiency of CuZn superoxide dismutase promotes inflammation and alters medial structure following vascular injury.

Aim: The anti-oxidant enzyme copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) metabolizes superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) in vascular cells. However, the role of CuZnSOD in vascular injury remains poorly understood.

Methods: Using CuZnSOD-deficient (CuZnSOD(-/-)) mice and wild-type (WT) mice, we investigated morphometric changes and the role of O(2)(-) in vascular remodeling after femoral artery injury induced by an external vascular cuff model.

Proteasomal inhibition promotes ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and ABCG1 expression and cholesterol efflux from macrophages in vitro and in vivo.

Objective: ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) and ABCG1 are key molecules in an initial step of reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), a major antiatherogenic property of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) mediates nonlysosomal pathways for protein degradation and is known to be involved in atherosclerosis. However, little is known about the effects of the UPS on these molecules and overall RCT.

Hemoglobin vesicle improves recovery of cardiac function after ischemia-reperfusion by attenuating oxidative stress in isolated rat hearts.

Hemoglobin vesicle (HbV) could be a useful blood substitute in emergency medicine. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of HbV on cardiac function after ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) ex vivo. Isolated rat hearts were perfused according to the Langendorff method.

Pulmonary intravascular lymphoma diagnosed by 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-guided transbronchial lung biopsy in a man with long-term survival: a case report.

Introduction: 18-Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography can detect the pulmonary involvement of intravascular lymphoma that presents no abnormality in a computed tomography scan.

Case Presentation: We report the case of a 61-year-old Japanese man who had pulmonary intravascular lymphoma and no computed tomography abnormality. We were able to make an antemortem diagnosis of pulmonary intravascular lymphoma by transbronchial lung biopsy according to 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography findings.

Serum resistin levels and cardiovascular events in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aim: Resistin is an adipocytokine that may link inflammation and atherosclerosis.We studied the associations of resistin levels with cardiovascular events and restenosis.

Methods: We measured pre-procedural serum resistin levels in 140 patients with coronary artery disease undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), of whom 97 had a stent.

A case of idiopathic dilatation of the pulmonary artery with mild subvalvular pulmonary stenosis revealed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

We present herein a rare case of idiopathic pulmonary artery dilatation with mild subvalvular pulmonary stenosis. The chest radiograph showed the protrusion of the left second arch of the cardiac silhouette. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance revealed an aneurysmal pulmonary trunk (maximal diameter, 4.

Cilostazol enhances macrophage reverse cholesterol transport in vitro and in vivo.

Objective: Recent failure of an HDL-cholesterol raising strategy using a cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor highlights the importance of the anti-atherogenic function rather than plasma concentration of HDL. Cilostazol, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 3, has been widely used in patients with atherosclerotic diseases and is known to increase HDL-cholesterol. However, it remains unclear whether cilostazol enhances anti-atherogenic properties by promoting reverse cholesterol transport (RCT), a major anti-atherogenic function of HDL.

Enhancement of ultrasonic thrombus imaging using novel liposomal bubbles targeting activated platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex--in vitro and in vivo study.

Background: We developed perfluorocarbon gas-containing bubble liposomes (BL) with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence-containing peptides, which bind to activated platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complexes. The aim of this study was to examine the enhancing effects in ultrasonic thrombus imaging using these targeted BL in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: Liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were manufactured, and RGD peptide was attached by a covalent coupling reaction.

Severe, short-term food restriction improves cardiac function following ischemia/reperfusion in perfused rat hearts.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of improved ischemic tolerance induced by severe, short-term food restriction in isolated, perfused rat hearts. Male Wistar (8 week-old) rats were given a food intake equivalent to a 70% reduction on the food intake of ad-libitum fed rats for 11 days (FR group and AL group, respectively). After this period, hearts were isolated and perfused in the Langendorff mode, and subjected to 20 min of global ischemia followed by 30 min of reperfusion.

Ventricular fibrillation diagnosed during electrophysiological study for non-sustained tachycardia.

Ventricular fibrillation diagnoses such as Brugada syndrome pose a risk of sudden incapacitation or death in aircrew. This case report presents a 44-yr-old male fighter pilot who unexpectedly developed ventricular fibrillation (VF) during an electrophysiological study (EPS) prior to therapy for non-sustained ventricular tachycardia (nsVT). The initial aeromedical disposition for this case was "qualified for flying duties".

Associations between plasma C-reactive protein levels and the severities of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis.

Aim: Limited correlations between C-reactive protein (CRP) and coronary artery disease (CAD) have been reported. Recently, MRI became a useful tool for non-invasively evaluating atherosclerotic plaques in thoracic and abdominal aortas.

Methods: To elucidate the associations between plasma CRP levels and the severities of coronary and aortic atherosclerosis, we performed aortic black-blood MRI in 136 patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Deficiency of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist induces aortic valve disease in BALB/c mice.

Objective: Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), one of the most important antiinflammatory cytokines, is crucial for homeostasis of the immune system. However, the role of IL-1Ra in aortic valve stenosis (AS) remains poorly understood [corrected].

Methods And Results: IL-1Ra-deficient (IL-1Ra(-/-)) mice on the BALB/c background showed increased aortic valve leaflet thickness compared to wild-type mice at the age of 12 weeks (P<0.

Coffee consumption enhances high-density lipoprotein-mediated cholesterol efflux in macrophages.

Rationale: Association of habitual coffee consumption with coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality has not been established. We hypothesized that coffee may enhance reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) as the antiatherogenic properties of high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

Objective: This study was to investigate whether the phenolic acids of coffee and coffee regulates RCT from macrophages in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo.