The Adverse Events Rate of Endothelial Progenitor Cell Capturing Stent in the Treatment of CAD Patients.

Background: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have regenerative capacities and play an important role in vessel wall homeostasis. When attracted to the site of vessel wall injury, EPCs rapidly differentiate into a functional layer as part of the healing process. The Genous TM endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) capturing stent is coated with anti-human CD34+ antibodies which combine with circulating EPCs from the peripheral blood to the stent surface.

Correlation between circulating miR-122 and prognosis of chronic HBV-related liver failure.

Objective: To assess the correlation between circulating microRNA (miR)-122 level and the prognosis of chronic hepatitis B-related liver failure (CHBLF).

Methods: Serum miR-122 from CHBLF patients (n = 6) and healthy controls (n = 6) was quantified using an Exiqon locked nucleic acid microarray. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was utilized to determine serum miR-122 expression in 102 patients with different liver diseases [CHBLF (n = 58), acute hepatitis B (n = 10), chronic hepatitis B (n = 22) and hepatitis B-related cirrhosis (n = 12)] and 23 healthy controls.

Identification of acetyltransferase genes (HAT1 and KAT8) regulating HBV replication by RNAi screening.

Background: The initiation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication involves the formation of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and its transcription into pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) in hepatocyte nuclei. The regulatory mechanism of HBV replication by acetyltransferase is thus far not well understood, but human acetyltransferase has been reported as being involved in the regulation of HBV replication.

Results: Depletion of KAT8 or HAT1 via RNA interference (RNAi) markedly down-regulated HBV-DNA and pgRNA levels in HepG2.

[Effects of oral antiviral agents on long-term outcomes of treatment-naive patients with HBV-related decompensated cirrhosis: a retrospective cohort study].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues (NA) treatment and to assess the long-term outcomes, including survival, liver function improvement and virologic response, in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Methods: Patients with Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores more than or equal to 7, who had been treated with either lamivudine or other agents, but who were free of co-infection with other hepatitis virus were enrolled between January 2005 and December 2009. The study participants were subgrouped according to the antiviral drugs received or model for endstage liver disease (MELD) score for comparative analyses.

Hyperhomocysteinemia independently causes and promotes atherosclerosis in LDL receptor-deficient mice.

Background: Hyperhomocysteine is an independent risk factor of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, whether hyperhomocysteine affects the progression of atherosclerosis is unclear. In the present study, we examined the effect of hyperhomocysteine on the formation of atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLr(-/-)) mice.

Effects of rosuvastatin on the production and activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and migration of cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells induced by homocysteine.

Objective: To test the influence of homocysteine on the production and activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and on cell migration of cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Also, to explore whether rosuvastatin can alter the abnormal secretion and activation of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 and migration of VSMCs induced by homocysteine.

Methods: Rat VSMCs were incubated with different concentrations of homocysteine (50-5000 μmol/L).

Distribution of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C: correlation with patients' characteristics and clinical parameters.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the most up-to-date distribution of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in China, especially the association between HCV genotypes and patients' characteristics and clinical parameters.

Methods: Sera from 483 HCV antibody-positive patients were genotyped using a HCV genotyping chip assay. The distribution of HCV genotypes, clinical parameters, modes of transmission and duration of infection were determined and the relationships among these parameters were analyzed.

Suppression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases may reverse severe pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a fatal disease characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and vascular remodeling leading to right heart failure and early death. The pathology of PAH is associated with endothelium dysfunction and vascular remodeling in pulmonary arteries. In diseased pulmonary arteries, the balance between matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP) is broken down.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles may affect endothelial progenitor cell migration ability and adhesion capacity.

Background Aims: Cell labeling with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles enables non-invasive tracking of transplanted cells. The aim of this study was to investigate whether SPIO nanoparticles have an effect on endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) functional activity and the feasibility of a protocol for labeling swine- and rat-origin EPC using SPIO nanoparticles at an optimized low dosage.

Methods: EPC were isolated from the peripheral blood of swine and bone marrow of rat and characterized.