Embolization of traumatic and non-traumatic peripheral vascular lesions with Onyx.

Purpose: The aim of our study is to verify the feasibility and the efficacy of Onyx as embolization agent in the treatment of traumatic and non-traumatic peripheral vascular lesions.

Materials And Methods: In the period between September 2006 and March 2012, we treated with Onyx 26 patients (14 males/12 females; age range, 18-85 years old; mean age, 65 years old), 11 of which with traumatic peripheral vascular lesions and 15 with non-traumatic vascular lesions (9 neoplastic hemorrhagic lesions, 3 arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and 3 aneurysms). Follow-up controls were performed with clinical examination and by multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) imaging 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure.

A phase II trial of autologous transplantation of bone marrow stem cells for critical limb ischemia: results of the Naples and Pietra Ligure Evaluation of Stem Cells study.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a vascular disease affecting lower limbs, which is going to become a demanding challenge because of the aging of the population. Despite advances in endovascular therapies, CLI is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Patients without direct revascularization options have the worst outcomes.

Impact of endothelial activation on infective and inflammatory complications after cardiac surgery in type II diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: Altered endothelial response has been described in diabetics after cardiac surgery. Infections and inflammatory organ damage often complicate the postoperative course. We evaluated endothelial/cytokine response (ECR) after cardiac surgery and its role on infective/inflammatory complications of type II diabetic patients.

Beneficial effects of VEGF secreted from stromal cells in supporting endothelial cell functions: therapeutic implications for critical limb ischemia.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the end stage of peripheral vascular disease (PVD). One third of CLI patients progresses to leg amputation with high associated morbidity and mortality. In no-option patients with end-stage critical limb ischemia, bone marrow cell transplantation has shown promising results, improving leg perfusion to the level of reducing major amputations and allowing limb salvage.

Pre-natal exposure of mice to bisphenol A elicits an endometriosis-like phenotype in female offspring.

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Exposure to endocrine disruptors during critical period of development causes long-lasting effects, being the genital system one of the targets. This study describes the effects on female genital system caused by developmental exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) during pre- and peri-natal development in mice.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery versus standard linear or pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass: endothelial activation and inflammatory response.

Objective: Poor outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have been linked to perioperative endothelial activation and systemic inflammatory responses. The use of pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass (PCPB) or off-pump CABG (OPCABG) may minimise these phenomena. We compared biochemical and clinical outcomes among patients who underwent CABG with PCPB, CABG with linear CPB (LCPB) or OPCABG.

Molecular analysis of the apoptotic effects of BPA in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

Background: BPA (bisphenol A or 2,2-bis(4-hydroxy-phenol)propane) is present in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, which can be used in impact-resistant safety equipment and baby bottles, as protective coatings inside metal food containers, and as composites and sealants in dentistry. Recently, attention has focused on the estrogen-like and carcinogenic adverse effects of BPA. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing activity of this compound.

Beneficial effects of autologous bone marrow cell infusion and antioxidants/L-arginine in patients with chronic critical limb ischemia.

Background: Short-term (within 6 weeks follow-up) clinical studies indicate that implantation of bone marrow cells (BMCs) into ischemic limbs may improve peripheral ischemia. Here, the long-term safety and feasibility of intraarterial autologous BMCs with oral treatment with antioxidants and L-arginine were investigated in patients with critical ischemia on account of advanced atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Methods: Eighteen patients with PAD (advanced III/IV Fontaine stages) were enrolled in this study (NCT00306085).

Beneficial effects of low doses of red wine consumption on perturbed shear stress-induced atherogenesis.

Moderate wine intake is associated with a reduced risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. Atherosclerosis is enhanced in arterial segments exposed to disturbed flow. Perturbed shear stress increases also the endothelial expression of oxidation-sensitive responsive genes (such as ELK-1 and p-JUN).

Feijoa sellowiana derived natural Flavone exerts anti-cancer action displaying HDAC inhibitory activities.

Curative properties of some medicinal plants such as the Feijoa sellowiana Bert. (Myrtaceae), have been often claimed, although the corresponding molecular mechanism(s) remain elusive. We report here that the Feijoa acetonic extract exerts anti-cancer activities on solid and hematological cancer cells.

Brain protection using autologous bone marrow cell, metalloproteinase inhibitors, and metabolic treatment in cerebral ischemia.

Despite advances in imaging, understanding the underlying pathways, and clinical translation of animal models of disease there remains an urgent need for therapies that reduce brain damage after stroke and promote functional recovery in patients. Blocking oxidant radicals, reducing matrix metalloproteinase-induced neuronal damage, and use of stem cell therapy have been proposed and tested individually in prior studies. Here we provide a comprehensive integrative management approach to reducing damage and promoting recovery by combining biological therapies targeting these areas.

Comparison between total endothelial progenitor cell isolation versus enriched Cd133+ culture.

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play a role in endogenous neovascularization of ischaemic tissues. Isolation and characterization of EPCs from circulating mononuclear cells are important for developing targeted cellular therapies and reproducibility of data are the major scientific goals. Here we compared two currently employed isolation methods, i.

Autologous bone marrow cell therapy and metabolic intervention in ischemia-induced angiogenesis in the diabetic mouse hindlimb.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a major health problem especially when associated to diabetes. Administration of autologous bone marrow cells (BMC) is emerging as a novel intervention to induce therapeutic angiogenesis in experimental ischemic limb models and in patients with PAD. Since tissue ischemia and diabetes are associated with an overwhelming generation of oxygen radicals and detrimental effects due to formation of glycosylation end-products, metabolic intervention with antioxidants and L-arginine can confer beneficial effects beyond those achieved by BMC alone.

Effects of a pomegranate fruit extract rich in punicalagin on oxidation-sensitive genes and eNOS activity at sites of perturbed shear stress and atherogenesis.

Background: Atherosclerosis is enhanced in arterial segments exposed to disturbed flow. Perturbed shear stress increases the expression of oxidation-sensitive responsive genes (such as ELK-1 and p-CREB). Polyphenolic antioxidants contained in the juice derived from the pomegranate contribute to the reduction of oxidative stress and atherogenesis during disturbed shear stress.

Role of oxidative stress in experimental sepsis and multisystem organ dysfunction.

Massive increase in radical species can lead to oxidative stress, promoting cell injury and death. This review focuses on experimental evidence of oxidative stress in critical illnesses, sepsis and multisystem organ dysfunction. Oxidative stress could negatively affect organ injury and thus overall survival of experimental models.

Expression of transcription factor Yin Yang 1 in human osteosarcomas.

The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) is known to be present in some human cancer cell lines and its expression correlates with immune-mediated apoptosis. By using Western blot analysis, we have shown that the YY1 protein is strongly expressed in human osteosarcoma cells and localised mainly in the nucleus. Moreover, by using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR techniques, we have analysed the expression of YY1 protein in biopsies from human osteosarcomas.

Therapeutic effects of concurrent autologous bone marrow cell infusion and metabolic intervention in ischemia-induced angiogenesis in the hypercholesterolemic mouse hindlimb.

Lower-limb ischemia is a major health problem especially when associated to hypercholesterolemia. Because of the absence of effective treatment in the advanced stages of the disease, amputation is undertaken to alleviate unbearable symptoms. Since tissue ischemia and hypercholesterolemia are associated with an overwhelming generation of oxygen radicals, metabolic intervention with antioxidants and l-arginine can induce beneficial effects beyond those achieved by a novel therapeutic approach represented by the use of autologous bone marrow cells (BMCs).

Physical training and metabolic supplementation reduce spontaneous atherosclerotic plaque rupture and prolong survival in hypercholesterolemic mice.

Moderate physical exercise (PE) combined with metabolic treatment (MT) (antioxidants and l-arginine) are well known to reduce atherosclerotic lesion formation in hypercholesterolemic mice. However, the long-term beneficial effects on unstable atheroma remain poorly understood. We started early PE training in large groups of 6-week-old hypercholesterolemic mice (by graduated swimming) alone or in combination with nutritional supplementation (1.

Nitric oxide and atherosclerosis: an update.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a molecule that has gained recognition as a crucial modulator of vascular disease. NO has a number of intracellular effects that lead to vasorelaxation, endothelial regeneration, inhibition of leukocyte chemotaxis, and platelet adhesion. Endothelium damage induced by atherosclerosis leads to the reduction in bioactivity of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) with subsequent impaired release of NO together with a local enhanced degradation of NO by increased generation of reactive oxygen species with subsequent cascade of oxidation-sensitive mechanisms in the arterial wall.

[Childhood infection and endothelial dysfunction: a potential synergistic link in atherosclerosis].

The prodromal stage of atherosclerotic lesions is already formed during human fetal development. The presence of infections during childhood may increase synergistically the progression of atherogenesis. After delivery, especially those children exposed to severe maternal hypercholesterolemia should be followed up for the onset and development of acute and chronic infections and be included in clinical and noninvasive examinations of vascular function.

The role of oxidative stress in adult critical care.

Oxidative stress defines an imbalance in production of oxidizing chemical species and their effective removal by protective antioxidants and scavenger enzymes. Evidence of massive oxidative stress is well established in adult critical illnesses characterized by tissue ischemia-reperfusion injury and by an intense systemic inflammatory response such as during sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Oxidative stress could exacerbate organ injury and thus overall clinical outcome.

Pomegranate juice reduces oxidized low-density lipoprotein downregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase in human coronary endothelial cells.

We examined the hypothesis that pomegranate juice (PJ) can revert the potent downregulation of the expression of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (NOSIII) induced by oxidized low-density liporotein (oxLDL) in human coronary endothelial cells. Western blot and Northern blot analyses showed a significant decrease of NOSIII expression after a 24-h treatment with oxLDL. Accordingly, we observed a significant dose-dependent reduction in nitric oxide bioactivity represented by both basal and bradykinin-stimulated cellular cGMP accumulation.

Beneficial effects of concurrent autologous bone marrow cell therapy and metabolic intervention in ischemia-induced angiogenesis in the mouse hindlimb.

Lower-limb ischemia is a major health problem. Because of the absence of effective treatment in the advanced stages of the disease, amputation is undertaken to alleviate unbearable symptoms. Novel therapeutic approaches include the intramuscular use of autologous bone marrow cells (BMCs).

Glycoxidation of low-density lipoprotein promotes multiple apoptotic pathways and NFkappaB activation in human coronary cells.

Apoptosis of arterial cells induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) is thought to contribute to the progression of vascular dysfunction and atherogenesis. It is well established that diabetes mellitus is accompanied by both glycosylation and oxidation LDL, but the biological effects of these modified lipoproteins are poorly understood. We demonstrate here that glycosylated oxLDL (glc-oxLDL) promotes apoptotic signaling in human coronary smooth muscle cells.