[Retracted] Toll‑like receptor 2 downregulates the cholesterol efflux by activating the nuclear factor‑κB pathway in macrophages and may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of atherosclerosis.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.

Suppression of microRNA-323-3p restrains vascular endothelial cell apoptosis via promoting sirtuin-1 expression in coronary heart disease.

Aims: Coronary heart disease (CHD), a chronic inflammatory condition of vascular endothelial cells (VECs), poses a serious threat to human health. Previous studies have found that microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely related to the occurrence and development of cardiac diseases. Therefore, this study focused on the regulation by miR-323-3p on the progression of CHD.

microRNA-132 inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis and myocardial remodeling in myocardial infarction by targeting IL-1β.

The patients suffering from myocardial infarction (MI) undergo cardiac remodeling with the features of expanded myocardial infarct size and dilated left ventricle. Multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerged as crucial modulators to participate in the remodeling process. This study is mainly intended to clarify the regulatory mechanism of miR-132 in the MI-induced myocardial remodeling.

LncRNA DYNLRB2-2 inhibits THP-1 macrophage foam cell formation by enhancing autophagy.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) DYNLRB2-2 can inhibit foam cell formation by activating autophagy. The location of DYNLRB2-2 in THP-1-derived macrophages was analyzed by fluorescence hybridization (FISH). Oxidized-low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) was used to induce the formation of foam cells, Oil Red O (ORO) staining and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were performed to detect accumulation of lipid droplets and the level of cholesterol concentration, respectively.

Comparative efficacy and safety of lipid-lowering agents in patients with hypercholesterolemia: A frequentist network meta-analysis.

Background: The comparative efficacy and safety of PCSK9 inhibitors, statins, and ezetimibe to lower lipid levels in patients with hypercholesterolemia remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the benefits and harms of the lipid-lowering agents in these patients.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 1, 2000 to June 1, 2018 for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Folate-conjugated nanobubbles selectively target and kill cancer cells via ultrasound-triggered intracellular explosion.

With the rapid development of cancer-targeted nanotechnology, a variety of nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems have clinically been employed in cancer therapy. However, multidrug resistance significantly impacts the therapeutic efficacy. Physical non-drug therapy has emerged as a new and promising strategy.

Toll-like receptor 2 downregulates the cholesterol efflux by activating the nuclear factor-κB pathway in macrophages and may be a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease, which is triggered by lipid retention. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is a novel target for therapeutic intervention in atherosclerosis. In addition, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) serves important roles in stress response and inflammation.

LincRNA DYN-LRB2-2 upregulates cholesterol efflux by decreasing TLR2 expression in macrophages.

This study is designed to determine whether lincRNA-DYNLRB2-2 could promote cholesterol efflux through regulating the expression of TLR2. THP-1 and RAW264.7 cells were incubated with oxLDL for 48 h to induce the formation of foam cells, and ORO staining was performed and intracellular cholesterol contents were measured by HPLC assay.

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction enhances delayed BMC delivery and attenuates post-infarction cardiac remodelling by inducing engraftment signals.

Delayed administration of bone marrow cells (BMCs) at 2-4 weeks after successful reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) does not improve cardiac function. The reduction in engraftment signals observed following this time interval might impair the effects of delayed BMC treatment. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) treatment could increase engraftment signals, enhance the delivery of delayed BMCs and subsequently attenuate post-infarction cardiac remodelling.

Intensity of Left Atrial Spontaneous Echo Contrast as a Correlate for Stroke Risk Stratification in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation.

The intensity of left atrial spontaneous echo contrast (LASEC) by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) has been proposed as an important variable in the stratification of thromboembolic risk, particularly in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). We hypothesized that the quantification of LASEC by ultrasound will improve its utility in predicting subsequent stroke events in patients with NVAF. Patients (n = 206) with definite NVAF receiving TEE were included for this prospective cohort study.

Microbubble-Mediated Sonothrombolysis Improves Outcome After Thrombotic Microembolism-Induced Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background And Purpose: Microthrombi originating from disintegrated clots or formed in situ may account for the poor clinical improvement of acute ischemic stroke after recanalization therapy. We attempted to determine whether microbubble-mediated sonothrombolysis could dissolve platelet-rich and erythrocyte-rich microthrombi, thereby reducing their brain injury-causing potential.

Methods: Platelet- and erythrocyte-rich microthrombosis were induced by periadventitial application of 5% ferric chloride or thrombin to mesenteric microvessels in 75 Sprague-Dawley rats.

Loss of CEACAM1, a Tumor-Associated Factor, Attenuates Post-infarction Cardiac Remodeling by Inhibiting Apoptosis.

Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule1 (CEACAM1) is a tumor-associated factor that is known to be involved in apoptosis, but the role of CEACAM1 in cardiovascular disease is unclear. We aims to investigate whether CEACAM1 influences cardiac remodeling in mice with myocardial infarction (MI) and hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Both serum in patients and myocardial CEACAM1 levels in mice were significantly increased in response to MI, while levels were elevated in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCs) exposed to hypoxia.

[Temporal variation of serum interleukin-37 and its relation with C-reactive protein in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction].

Objective: To investigate the temporal changes of serum interleukin-37 (IL-37) concentration following acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (ASTEMI) and the relationship between IL-37 and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with ASTEMI.

Methods: This analysis was conducted in a cohort of 20 patients with an established diagnosis of ASTEMI and 26 patients admitted for chest pain but with normal findings in coronary angiography (control) between June 2012 and December 2013. Venous blood was collected at days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after myocardial infarction for measurement of serum IL-37 and CRP levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy on patients with heart failure and narrow QRS complexes: a meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: Although cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been demonstrated extensively to benefit heart failure (HF) patients with wide QRS complexes, the effect of CRT in patients with narrow QRS complexes remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether HF patients with narrow QRS complexes may benefit from CRT.

Methods: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of CRT in HF patients with narrow QRS complexes (< 130 ms).

Selective depletion of tumor neovasculature by microbubble destruction with appropriate ultrasound pressure.

Low-intensity ultrasound-microbubble (LIUS-MB) treatment is a promising antivascular therapy for tumors. We sought to determine whether LIUS-MB treatment with an appropriate ultrasound pressure could achieve substantial and persistent cessation of tumor perfusion without having significant effects on normal tissue. Further, we investigated the mechanisms underlying this treatment.

Detection of high-risk atherosclerotic plaques with ultrasound molecular imaging of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor on activated platelets.

Objective: Ultrasound molecular imaging (UMI) of glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor on activated platelets offers a unique means of identifying high-risk atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that contrast-enhanced ultrasound with microbubbles (MBs) targeted to GP IIb/IIIa could be used to detect and quantify activated platelets on the surface of advanced plaques.

Methods And Results: A mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis was generated by maintaining apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice on a hypercholesterolemic diet (HCD).

Impact of etiology on the outcomes in heart failure patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy: a meta-analysis.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been extensively demonstrated to benefit heart failure patients, but the role of underlying heart failure etiology in the outcomes was not consistently proven. This meta-analysis aimed to determine whether efficacy and effectiveness of CRT is affected by underlying heart failure etiology.

Methods And Results: Searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were conducted to identify RCTs and observational studies that reported clinical and functional outcomes of CRT in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) patients.

In vivo ultrasound molecular imaging of inflammatory thrombosis in arteries with cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-modified microbubbles targeted to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa.

Objective: Ultrasound molecular imaging has the potential to detect activated platelets, thus identifying atherosclerotic plaque instability before onset of serious clinical events. However, it has not been well defined in inflammatory arterial thrombosis. We hypothesized that microbubbles (MBs) target glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa) could achieve a noninvasive in vivo detection of inflammatory thrombosis in large arteries through contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEU) imaging.