Effects of exercise training on high-mobility group box-1 levels after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: High-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) is a novel predictor of adverse postinfarction clinical outcomes, playing a crucial role in the appropriate postinfarction healing process.

Methods And Results: Seventy-five postinfarction patients were enrolled in a single-center randomized study (clinicaltrial.gov identifier: NCT00755131).

Pro-atherothrombotic effects of leptin in human coronary endothelial cells.

Adipocytes are nowadays recognised as cells able to produce and secrete a large variety of active substances termed adipokines, which exert direct effects on vascular cells. Among these adipokines, leptin has been proposed to play a role in the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes, as well as in increasing cardiovascular risk. At the moment, however, the mechanisms linking leptin to cardiovascular disease are not completely understood.

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors reduce nicotine-induced expression of cellular adhesion molecules in cultured human coronary endothelial cells.

Background: Smoking predisposes to the development of atherosclerosis and of its complications. The mechanisms responsible for these effects are not completely understood. We have investigated whether nicotine might promote a proatherosclerotic state in human coronary endothelial cells (HCAECs), studying the role of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors in preventing these phenomena.

C-reactive protein induces tissue factor expression and promotes smooth muscle and endothelial cell proliferation.

Objective: Inflammation plays a pivotal role in atherothrombosis. In addition to being a prognostic marker for major cardiovascular events, recent data indicate that C-reactive protein (CRP) might directly promote atherothrombosis by exerting direct effects on vascular cells. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CRP might affect the prothrombotic and proliferative characteristics of endothelial (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs).