Advantages and disadvantages of targeting senescent endothelial cells in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases based on small extracellular vesicles.

Introduction: With the growth of the aging population, age-related diseases have become a heavy global burden, particularly cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs). Endothelial cell (EC) senescence constitutes an essential factor in the development of CVDs, prompting increased focus on strategies to alleviate or reverse EC senescence.

Areas Covered: Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) are cell-derived membrane structures, that contain proteins, lipids, RNAs, metabolites, growth factors and cytokines.

Dysfunctional Mitochondria Clearance in Situ: Mitophagy in Obesity and Diabetes-Associated Cardiometabolic Diseases.

Several mitochondrial dysfunctions in obesity and diabetes include impaired mitochondrial membrane potential, excessive mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation, reduced mitochondrial DNA, increased mitochondrial Ca2+ flux, and mitochondrial dynamics disorders. Mitophagy, specialized autophagy, is responsible for clearing dysfunctional mitochondria in physiological and pathological conditions. As a paradox, inhibition and activation of mitophagy have been observed in obesity and diabetes-related heart disorders, with both exerting bidirectional effects.

Cardiac-to-adipose axis in metabolic homeostasis and diseases: special instructions from the heart.

Adipose tissue is essential for maintaining systemic metabolic homeostasis through traditional metabolic regulation, endocrine crosstalk, and extracellular vesicle production. Adipose dysfunction is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The heart is a traditional pump organ.

CD38 deficiency alleviates Ang II-induced vascular remodeling by inhibiting small extracellular vesicle-mediated vascular smooth muscle cell senescence in mice.

CD38 is the main enzyme for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) degradation in mammalian cells. Decreased NAD levels are closely related to metabolic syndromes and aging-related diseases. Our study showed that CD38 deficiency significantly alleviated angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular remodeling in mice, as shown by decreased blood pressures; reduced vascular media thickness, media-to-lumen ratio, and collagen deposition; and restored elastin expression.

The Protective Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Liver Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury occurs during transplantation and major hepatic surgery, which may lead to postoperative liver dysfunction. More and more traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been used to treat liver ischemia-reperfusion injury. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the different protective effects of TCMs in the treatment of liver ischemia-reperfusion injury and to summarize its possible mechanisms.

Renal-Protective Effects and Potential Mechanisms of Traditional Chinese Medicine after Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury mainly causes acute kidney injury (AKI) after renal transplantation, trauma, sepsis, and hypovolemic shock. Patients with renal I/R injury are frequently associated with a poor prognosis. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used for the prevention and treatment of various diseases in China and other Asian countries for centuries.