C1q/Tumor Necrosis Factor-Related Protein-9 Is a Novel Vasculoprotective Cytokine That Restores High Glucose-Suppressed Endothelial Progenitor Cell Functions by Activating the Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase.

Background: This study investigated whether gCTRP9 (globular C1q/tumor necrosis factor-related protein-9) could restore high-glucose (HG)-suppressed endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) functions by activating the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).

Methods And Results: EPCs were treated with HG (25 mmol/L) and gCTRP9. Migration, adhesion, and tube formation assays were performed.

The myth of aortic valve annulus changes in aortic valve disease.

Background: The characteristics of aortic annulus changes in aortic regurgitation (AR) patients are poorly understood, and predictive factors among aortic valve disease are yet to be established.

Objective: This study seeks to elucidate the pattern of annular size fluctuations across different cardiac phases in AR patients and to identify predictors for annular enlargement during either systole or diastole in aortic valve diseases.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 55 patients with severe aortic valve diseases, including 26 patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and 29 with AR, to discern the two groups' contrasting and analogous patterns of annular changes.

Anatomical characteristics of aortic valve diseases: Implications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background: The etiology of aortic stenosis (AS) significantly impacts transcatheter heart valve (THV) implantation, with rheumatic etiology posing challenges. The concept of valve anchoring during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) remains unclear.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the clinical and CT anatomical characteristics of various aortic valve diseases.

Mechanism Analysis of Vascular Calcification Based on Fluid Dynamics.

Vascular calcification is the abnormal deposition of calcium phosphate complexes in blood vessels, which is regarded as the pathological basis of multiple cardiovascular diseases. The flowing blood exerts a frictional force called shear stress on the vascular wall. Blood vessels have different hydrodynamic properties due to discrepancies in geometric and mechanical properties.

Screening of immune-related secretory proteins linking chronic kidney disease with calcific aortic valve disease based on comprehensive bioinformatics analysis and machine learning.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most significant cardiovascular risk factors, playing vital roles in various cardiovascular diseases such as calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). We aim to explore the CKD-associated genes potentially involving CAVD pathogenesis, and to discover candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of CKD with CAVD.

Methods: Three CAVD, one CKD-PBMC and one CKD-Kidney datasets of expression profiles were obtained from the GEO database.

5mC modification patterns provide novel direction for early acute myocardial infarction detection and personalized therapy.

Background: Most deaths from coronary artery disease (CAD) are due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). There is an urgent need for early AMI detection, particularly in patients with stable CAD. 5-methylcytosine (5mC) regulatory genes have been demonstrated to involve in the progression and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases, while little research examined 5mC regulators in CAD to AMI progression.

Fluid Shear Stress Ameliorates Prehypertension-Associated Decline in Endothelium-Reparative Potential of Early Endothelial Progenitor Cells.

This study investigated the effects of prehypertension and shear stress on the reendothelialization potential of human early EPCs and explored its potential mechanisms. Early EPCs from the prehypertensive patients showed reduced migration and adhesion in vitro and demonstrated a significantly impaired in vivo reendothelialization capacity. Shear stress pretreatment markedly promoted the in vivo reendothelialization capacity of EPCs.

Assessment of atrial septal defect using 2D or real-time 3D transesophageal echocardiography and outcomes following transcatheter closure.

Background: The assessment of interatrial septum (IAS) requires a standardized, systematic approach, including two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D TTE), 2D transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE), and three-dimensional (3D) TEE. Although 2D TEE has been widely used for the preoperative assessment of atrial septal defect (ASD), its ability to provide reliable information is often limited due to the structural characteristics of IAS. The introduction of 3D TEE provides a unique "en face" view of IAS, which allows the visualization and accurate measurements of diameters, area, and rims of ASD.

3D transesophageal echocardiography assists in evaluating the morphology, function, and presence of thrombi of left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) is significantly more likely to form thrombi in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib). Two-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE) is considered the gold standard for assessing and studying LAA morphology and anatomy. However, 2D TEE can only visualize one plane at any given time.

LncRNA-mRNA co-expression analysis discovered the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic agents for myocardial infarction.

Currently, the role of lncRNA in myocardial infarction (MI) is poorly understood. 17 co-expression modules were determined, specifically, the greenyellow, saddlebrown, grey60, royalblue, lightgreen, white, and pink modules were specifically expressed in the acute phase of MI, and brown, darkred, and royalblue, while greenyellow modules were specifically expressed in MI compared with CAD. 12 time-dependent of lncRNA/mRNA clusters with consistent expression trends were also identified.

Intermittent concurrent use of clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors did not increase risk of adverse clinical outcomes in Chinese patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are frequently prescribed to patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) under antiplatelet therapy to prevent gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. However, its clinical impact is still under debate, especially in Asian population. This study was undertaken to explore the effects of concurrent use of clopidogrel and PPIs on the clinical outcomes in Chinese patients with CHD in secondary prevention.

Comparison of intravascular ultrasound-guided with angiography-guided double kissing crush stenting for patients with complex coronary bifurcation lesions: Rationale and design of a prospective, randomized, and multicenter DKCRUSH VIII trial.

Background: Double kissing (DK) crush approach for patients with coronary bifurcation lesions, particularly localized at distal left main or lesions with increased complexity, is associated with significant reduction in clinical events when compared with provisional stenting. Recently, randomized clinical trial has demonstrated the net clinical benefits by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided implantation of drug-eluting stent in all-comers. However, the improvement in clinical outcome after DK crush treatment guided by IVUS over angiography guidance for patients with complex bifurcation lesions have never been studied in a randomized fashion.

Importance of βAR elevation for re-endothelialization capacity mediated by late endothelial progenitor cells in hypertensive patients.

Dysfunction of late endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) has been suggested to be associated with hypertension. β-Adrenergic receptor (βAR) is a novel and key target for EPC homing. Here, we proposed that attenuated βAR signaling contributes to EPCs dysfunction, whereas enhanced βAR signaling restores EPCs' functions in hypertension.

The effect of fluid shear stress in hydrogen sulphide production and cystathionine γ-lyase expression in human early endothelial progenitor cells.

Background: Physiological fluid shear stress has been shown to have a beneficial impact on vascular homeostasis. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) make a significant contribution to maintaining endothelial integrity. Therefore, we hypothesised that shear stress-induced endothelium protection plays a role in hydrogen sulphide (HS) production and up-regulation of cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) expression in EPCs.

Oxidized low-density lipoprotein inhibits the degradation of cyclophilin A via the lysosome in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Background: Cyclophilin A (CyPA) plays an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis. Additionally, it has been reported that lysosomal function is markedly impaired in atherosclerosis induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL). As the CyPA degradation pathway remains to be elucidated, we aimed to uncover the role of lysosomes and ox-LDL in the degradation of CyPA.

Plasma D-dimer as a predictor of intraluminal thrombus burden and progression of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Aim: Intraluminal thrombus (ILT) is presented in most abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and is suggested to promote AAA expansion. D-dimer, a breakdown product in the thrombus remodeling, may have prognostic value for AAA. This study investigated the interrelation between plasma D-dimer level, ILT volume, AAA size and progression.

β2AR-dependent signaling contributes to in-vivo reendothelialization capacity of endothelial progenitor cells by shear stress.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a crucial role in the endothelial repair after arterial injury. Shear stress has a beneficial effect on modulating EPC functions. The molecular mechanism underlying the influence of EPCs on the endothelial integrity and shear stress effects on EPC regulation remained unclear.

CC chemokine receptor 2 functions in osteoblastic transformation of valvular interstitial cells.

Aims: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) emerges as a challenging clinical issue, which is associated with high cardiovascular mortality. It has been demonstrated that osteoblastic transformation of AVICs is a key mechanism of CAVD and C-C motif chemokine receptors (CCRs) may favor this process. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether CCRs were involved in osteoblastic transformation of AVICs during the development CAVD.

Hydrogen sulfide improves vascular repair by promoting endothelial nitric oxide synthase-dependent mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a crucial role in endothelial repair after arterial injury. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a novel gasotransmitter that regulates vascular homeostasis.

Method: We investigated whether exogenous H2S could facilitate EPCs in repairing arterial injury.

[Corrigendum] Heat shock protein 90/Akt pathway participates in the cardioprotective effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide against high glucose‑induced injury to H9c2 cells.

Subsequently to the publication of this article, the authors have realized that the address affiliation for the corresponding author, Chengheng Hu, and the authors Longyun Peng and Xinxue Liao appeared incorrectly. These authors' affiliation information should have appeared as follows (the corrected address affiliation is featured in bold): XIAO KE1,2*, JINGFU CHEN3*, LONGYUN PENG4, WEI ZHANG5, YIYING YANG5, XINXUE LIAO4, LIQIU MO6, RUIXIAN GUO7, JIANQIANG FENG6, CHENGHENG HU4 and RUQIONG NIE2 1Department of Cardiology, Shenzhen Sun Yat‑sen Cardiovascular Hospital, Shenzhen; 2Department of Cardiology, Sun Yat‑sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong; 3Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and Dongguan Cardiovascular Institute, The Third People's Hospital of Dongguan City, Dongguan; 4Department of Cardiology and Key Laboratory on Assisted Circulation, Ministry of Health, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑sen University; 5Department of Cardiovasology and Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), Huangpu Division of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑sen University; 6Department of Anesthesiology, Huangpu Division of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat‑sen University; 7Department of Physiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat‑sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, P.R.

Honeycomb-like structure in the right coronary artery treated with a drug-eluting stent: a case report and literature review.

A honeycomb-like structure (HLS) is a rare entity encountered in catheterization laboratories. The etiology of HLS remains elusive. Moreover, no treatment guideline or consensus for HLS has been proposed.

IL-33 promotes IL-10 production in macrophages: a role for IL-33 in macrophage foam cell formation.

We evaluated the role of IL-10- in IL-33-mediated cholesterol reduction in macrophage-derived foam cells (MFCs) and the mechanism by which IL-33 upregulates IL-10. Serum IL-33 and IL-10 levels in coronary artery disease patients were measured. The effects of IL-33 on intra-MFC cholesterol level, IL-10, ABCA1 and CD36 expression, ERK 1/2, Sp1, STAT3 and STAT4 activation, and IL-10 promoter activity were determined.

Hydrogen Sulfide-Preconditioning of Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells Transplantation Improves Re-Endothelialization in Nude Mice with Carotid Artery Injury.

Background/aims: The aim of present study was to test the hypothesis that preconditioning with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) could enhance the capacity of migration, adhesion and proliferation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in vitro, and also could improve the efficacy of EPCs transplantation for re-endothelialization in nude mice with carotid artery injury. The paper further addressed the underlying mechanisms.

Methods: EPCs were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy male volunteers and the markers of EPCs were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Heat shock protein 90/Akt pathway participates in the cardioprotective effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide against high glucose-induced injury to H9c2 cells.

It has been reported that exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) protects against high glucose (HG)-induced cardiac injury and has a modulatory effect on heat shock protein (HSP) and Akt, which play a cardioprotective role. In this study, we examined whether the HSP90/Akt pathway contributes to the protective effects of exogenous H2S against HG-induced injury to H9c2 cardiac cells. Our results revealed that the exposure of H9c2 cardiac cells to 35 mM glucose (HG) for 1 to 24 h decreased the expression of HSP90 and markedly reduced the expression level of phosphorylated (p)-Akt in a time-dependent manner.