Impact of Enhanced Production of Endogenous Heme Oxygenase-1 by Pitavastatin on Survival and Functional Activities of Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a therapeutic potential for the repair of tissue injuries, their poor viability in damaged tissue limits their effectiveness. Statins can induce an increased production of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which may prevent this detrimental effect in MSCs. We investigated the protective effect of statin-induced overexpression of HO-1 by examining changes in gene expression and function in MSCs after pitavastatin treatment.

Pulmonary hypertension associated with veno-occlusive disease in systemic sclerosis: Insight into the mechanism of resistance to vasodilator.

We report a case with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD) associated with systemic sclerosis which exhibits strong resistance to pulmonary vasodilator. A 55-year-old female with severe pulmonary hypertension was admitted to our hospital to be introduced to epoprostenol infusion therapy. She was diagnosed as having pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with systemic sclerosis at the age of 51.

Gene and protein expression analysis of mesenchymal stem cells derived from rat adipose tissue and bone marrow.

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are multipotent and reside in bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue and many other tissues. However, the molecular foundations underlying the differences in proliferation, differentiation potential and paracrine effects between adipose tissue-derived MSC (ASC) and BM-derived MSC (BM-MSC) are not well-known. Therefore, we investigated differences in the gene and secretory protein expressions of the 2 types of MSC.

Impact of adrenomedullin on dextran sulfate sodium-induced inflammatory colitis in mice: insights from in vitro and in vivo experimental studies.

Background: Although adrenomedullin (AM) is known to ameliorate inflammatory processes, few data exist regarding the effect of AM on inflammatory colitis. Therefore, we examined the effect of AM on inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo colitis model.

Methods: In mice experimental colitis induced by 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water for 7 days, AM with 225-900 μg/kg in 0.

Multiple noncoding exons 1 of nuclear receptors NR4A family (nerve growth factor-induced clone B, Nur-related factor 1 and neuron-derived orphan receptor 1) and NR5A1 (steroidogenic factor 1) in human cardiovascular and adrenal tissues.

Objective: Nuclear receptors are involved in a wide variety of functions, including aldosteronogenesis. Nuclear receptor families NR4A [nerve growth factor-induced clone B (NGFIB), Nur-related factor 1 (NURR1) and neuron-derived orphan receptor 1 (NOR1)] and NR2F [chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor 1 (COUP-TFI), COUP-TFII and NR2F6) activate, whereas NR5A1 [steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1)] represses CYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase) gene transcription. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the mechanism of differential regulation of nuclear receptors between cardiovascular and adrenal tissues.

Pseudoaneurysmal formation in abdominal aorta associated with Escherichia coli infection.

Early and accurate diagnosis of infective aortic aneurysms (IAA) is critical for adequate treatment to optimize patient outcome. We report the case of an 84-year-old man who complained of severe back pain with high fever and was finally diagnosed as Escherichia coli-related IAA. Computed tomography showed a periaortic soft tissue density and irregular fringe adjacent to the non-dilated abdominal aorta suggesting the presence of pseudoaneurysm.

Impact of out-stent plaque volume on in-stent intimal hyperplasia: results from serial volumetric analysis with high-gain intravascular ultrasound.

Background: Changes in out-stent plaque volume can be related to in-stent intimal hyperplasia. However, few data exist regarding the impact of out-stent plaque volume on in-stent intimal hyperplasia.

Methods: We prospectively performed volumetric intravascular ultrasound in 46 stable coronary patients (34 males, mean age of 66 years) immediately as well as 18 months after stenting.

Impact of renin-angiotensin system polymorphisms on development of systolic dysfunction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Evidence from a study of genotyped patients.

Background: Although the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) can affect the development of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, few data exist regarding the relationships between RAS polymorphisms and alteration of LV function. The effect of RAS polymorphisms on LV function in genotyped hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) was examined in the present study.

Methods And Results:  The study group comprised 126 carriers with sarcomere gene mutations from 49 HCM families (64 males, mean age 51±21 years).

A KCR1 variant implicated in susceptibility to the long QT syndrome.

The acquired long QT syndrome (aLQTS) is frequently associated with extrinsic and intrinsic risk factors including therapeutic agents that inadvertently inhibit the KCNH2 K(+) channel that underlies the repolarizing I(Kr) current in the heart. Previous reports demonstrated that K(+) channel regulator 1 (KCR1) diminishes KCNH2 drug sensitivity and may protect susceptible patients from developing aLQTS. Here, we describe a novel variant of KCR1 (E33D) isolated from a patient with ventricular fibrillation and significant QT prolongation.

An enhanced device for transluminal retrieval of vascular stents without surgical procedures: experimental studies.

Background: Although efforts have been focused on developing endovascular procedures by which intravascular devices such as stents could be effectively deployed, few data exist regarding devices for the nonsurgical retrieval of deployed stents. Therefore, we designed to enable retrieval of deployed stents without a surgical procedure.

Methods: The device consisted of four components: ultra-low profile forceps with 2.

[Electrocardiographic diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome].

Acute myocardial infarction(AMI) and unstable angina(UA) are part of a spectrum of clinical disease collectively identified as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) which is the most common proximate cause of sudden cardiac death. In a diagnosis of ACS, electrocardiogram(ECG) is still important. But, it is somewhat difficult to find out abnormal findings of ECG when it is taken in early phase of ACS.

Impact of anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidative effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with transient overexpression of heme oxygenase-1 on myocardial ischemia.

Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have therapeutic potential for tissue injury, intolerance and poor cell viability limit their reparative capability. Therefore, we examined the impact of bone marrow-derived MSCs, in which heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was transiently overexpressed, on the repair of an ischemic myocardial injury. When MSCs and HO-1-overexpressed MSCs (MSC(HO-1)) were exposed to serum deprivation/hypoxia or H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative stress, MSC(HO-1) exhibited increased resistance to cell apoptosis compared with MSCs (17 +/- 1 vs.

Idiopathic dissection from left subclavian artery to brachial artery: Spontaneous repair with conservative management.

We report an unusual case of a 58-year-old female with idiopathic dissection of the left subclavian artery to the brachial artery which provoked vessel narrowing in the acute phase and was spontaneously repaired without surgical procedures in the chronic phase. We describe the serial imaging findings of the angiography and ultrasonography which demonstrate restoration of the dissection. In carefully selected patients, conservative management could be an alternative treatment to surgery or stenting with an excellent outcome.

Long QT syndrome and associated gene mutation carriers in Japanese children: results from ECG screening examinations.

LQTS (long QT syndrome) is caused by mutations in cardiac ion channel genes; however, the prevalence of LQTS in the general population is not well known. In the present study, we prospectively estimated the prevalence of LQTS and analysed the associated mutation carriers in Japanese children. ECGs were recorded from 7961 Japanese school children (4044 males; mean age, 9.

Assessment of QT intervals and prevalence of short QT syndrome in Japan.

Background: Long QT syndrome causes ventricular tachyarrhythmias and sudden death. Recently, a short QT interval has also been shown to be associated with an increased risk of tachyarrhythmia and sudden death. However, the prevalence of short QT syndrome is not well-known.

Differences in the diagnostic value of various criteria of negative T waves for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy based on a molecular genetic diagnosis.

Differences in the diagnostic value of a variety of definitions of negative T waves for HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) have not yet been clarified, resulting in a number of definitions being applied in previous studies. The aim of the present study was to determine the most accurate diagnostic definition of negative T waves for HCM in genotyped populations. Electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings were analysed in 161 genotyped subjects (97 carriers and 64 non-carriers).