Discussion on the comparison of Raman spectroscopy and cardiovascular disease-related imaging techniques and the future applications of Raman technology: a systematic review.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of unnatural death worldwide, so timely diagnosis of CVD is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Although the traditional diagnostic tools can locate plaque and observe inner wall of blood vessel structure, they commonly have radioactivity and cannot detect the chemical composition of the plaque accurately. Recently emerging Raman techniques can detect the plaque composition precisely, and have the advantages of being fast, high-resolution and marker-free.

Coronary artery calcification and plaque stability： an optical coherence tomography study.

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC), a surrogate of atherosclerosis, is related to stent underexpansion and adverse cardiac events. However, the effect of CAC on plaque stability is still controversial and the morphological significance of CAC has yet to be elucidated.

Methods: A retrospective series of 419 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) were enrolled.

Cholesterol crystals in non-culprit plaques of STEMI patients: A 3-vessel OCT study.

Background: Cholesterol crystals (CCs) are regular microstructures found within the necrotic core of atherosclerotic plaques and have been hypothesized to be related to plaque destabilization. We attempted to investigate the potential association between CCs and non-culprit plaque vulnerability in patients with ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) and study morphological features of CCs in ruptured non-culprit plaques.

Methods: A total of 261 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction who underwent 3-vessel optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging were included.

Anti-atherosclerotic effects of geraniin through the gut microbiota-dependent trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) pathway in mice.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death, which signifies the urgent need for effective anti-atherosclerotic strategies. Gut microbiota-dependent trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is associated with atherosclerosis, and geraniin, a natural polyphenol with various biological activities, might play key role in this process.

Purpose: We aimed to investigate the pharmacological activity of geraniin in atherosclerosis through remodeling the gut microbiota.

Establishment of a Novel Mouse Model for Atherosclerotic Vulnerable Plaque.

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a group of clinical syndromes characterized by rupture or erosion of atherosclerotic unstable plaques. Effective intervention for vulnerable plaques (VP) is of great significance to reduce adverse cardiovascular events. Fbn1 mice were crossbred with LDLR mice to obtain a novel model for atherosclerotic VP.

Differential RNA expression profiles and competing endogenous RNA-associated regulatory networks during the progression of atherosclerosis.

To identify differential mRNA and ncRNA expression profiles and competing endogenous RNA-associated regulatory networks during the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). We systematically analyzed whole-transcriptome sequencing of samples from different stages of AS to evaluate their long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), circular RNA (circRNA), miRNA and mRNA profiles. We constructed three AS-related competing endogenous RNA regulatory networks of differentially expressed circRNAs, lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs.

Promising Therapy for Heart Failure in Patients with Severe COVID-19: Calming the Cytokine Storm.

The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a serious global threat to human health and the economy. Based on accumulating evidence, its continuous progression involves not only pulmonary injury but also damage to the cardiovascular system due to intertwined pathophysiological risks. As a point of convergence in the pathophysiologic process between COVID-19 and heart failure (HF), cytokine storm induces the progression of COVID-19 in patients presenting pre-existing or new onset myocardial damage and even HF.

Differential Expression and Bioinformatics Analysis of CircRNA in PDGF-BB-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Atherosclerosis is mediated by various factors and plays an important pathological foundation for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferation and migration have an essential role in atherosclerotic lesion formation. Circular RNAs (circRNA) have been widely detected in different species and are closely related to various diseases.

Macrophage-Enriched lncRNA RAPIA: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Atherosclerosis.

Objective: Despite the current antiatherosclerotic and antithrombotic therapies, the incidence of advanced atherosclerosis-associated clinical events remains high. Whether long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) affect the progression of atherosclerosis and whether they are potential targets for the treatment of advanced atherosclerosis are poorly understood. Approach and Results: The progression of atherosclerotic lesions was accompanied by dynamic alterations in lncRNA expression, as revealed by RNA sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Shrinkage as a potential mechanism of recurrent clinical events in patients with a large vulnerable plaque.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the progression and vascular shrinkage of vulnerable plaque lesions with a plaque burden at least 70% among patients with coronary artery disease by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Methods: Fifty-six OCT-identified vulnerable plaques from 47 patients were included among coronary angiography-identified nonculprit/nontarget lesions. Serial IVUS images were used to assess plaque progression and vascular shrinkage.