Transcriptomic analysis reveals Cilostazol's role in ameliorating cardiovascular disease: Inhibition of monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and reduction of endothelial cell reactive oxygen species production.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading global cause of death, with atherosclerosis as the primary cause. Chronic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and the role of molecules like nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species are crucial in this context. Our previous research indicated that cilostazol and ginkgo biloba extract could enhance the ability of endothelial cells to dissolve blood clots, but the effects of cilostazol on monocytes remain unexplored.

Elucidating the Associated Biological Function and Clinical Significance of Expression in Urothelial Carcinoma.

Urothelial cancer, a common urinary system malignancy, often presents treatment challenges due to metastasis and chemotherapy side effects. Angiogenesis, crucial for tumor growth, has become a target for drug development. This study explores the expression, prognostic value, and clinical correlation of in the TCGA BLCA, GSE31684, and GSE32894 datasets.

Profiling of miRNAs and their interfering targets in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Introduction: MicroRNAs may be implicated in the acquisition of drug resistance in chronic myeloid leukemia as they regulate the expression of not only BCR-ABL1 but also genes associated with the activation of drug transfer proteins or essential signaling pathways.

Methods: To understand the impact of specifically expressed miRNAs in chronic myeloid leukemia and their target genes, we collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and healthy donors to determine whole miRNA expression by small RNA sequencing and screened out 31 differentially expressed microRNAs (DE-miRNAs) with high expression. With the utilization of miRNA set enrichment analysis tools, we present here a comprehensive analysis of the relevance of DE-miRNAs to disease and biological function.

Assessment and driving factor of housing vacancies in Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration based on multi-source remote sensing data.

As the urbanization rate in the world has increased rapidly, the housing vacancy problem has become serious and attracting more attention. Calculating and analyzing vacant housing can help reduce the wasteful use of resources. This paper measures the housing vacancy rate and housing vacancy stock in the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration using night-time lighting and land use data.

Structure and Function of Ligand CX3CL1 and its Receptor CX3CR1 in Cancer.

The C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand (CX3CL)1 (also known as Fractalkine) and its receptor CX3CR1 (also known as G-protein coupled receptor 13) are expressed on the membranes of many different cells such as epithelial cells, dendritic cells, smooth muscle cells, and neurons. CX3CR1 is primarily expressed on monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and natural killer cells. The binding of CX3CL1 to CX3CR1 induces the activation of heterotrimeric G proteins associated with this receptor.

Jumps and stock market variance during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from international stock markets.

Based on the work of Buncic and Gisler (2017), this paper investigates whether the roles of jump components will change in forecasting the volatility of international equity markets during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, in contrast to the conclusions of Buncic and Gisler (2017), we find jump components of the international equity indices are useful to predict the international stock markets' volatility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study tries to provide new evidence of jump components in stock markets.

Structure and Functions of T-cell Immunoglobulin-domain and Mucin- domain Protein 3 in Cancer.

Background: T-cell immunoglobulin (Ig)-domain and mucin-domain (TIM) proteins represent a family of receptors expressed on T-cells that play essential cellular immunity roles. The TIM proteins span across the membrane belonging to type I transmembrane proteins. The N terminus contains an Ig-like V-type domain and a Ser/Thr-rich mucin stalk as a co-inhibitory receptor.

OX40 and OX40L Interaction in Cancer.

Background: OX40 (CD134) and its binding partner, OX40L (CD252), are expressed on activated CD4, CD8 T-cells, and several other lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells. OX40L belongs to a TNF family member, a 34 kDa type II transmembrane protein. The crystallized complex of human OX40 and OX40L is a trimeric contableuration of one OX40L (trimer) and three OX40 monomers.

Which popular predictor is more useful to forecast international stock markets during the coronavirus pandemic: VIX vs EPU?

This study mainly investigates which predictors (VIX or EPU index) are useful to forecast future volatility for 19 equity indices based on HAR framework during coronavirus pandemic. Out-of-sample analysis shows that the HAR-RV-VIX model exhibits superior forecasting performance for 12 stock markets, while EPU index just can improve forecast accuracy for 5 equity indices, implying that VIX index is more useful for most stock markets' future volatility during coronavirus crisis. The results are robust in recursive window method, alternative realized measures and sub-sample analysis; moreover, VIX index still contains the strongest predictive ability by considering kitchen sink model and mean combination forecast.

Examining the predictive information of CBOE OVX on China's oil futures volatility: Evidence from MS-MIDAS models.

This study evaluates whether CBOE crude oil volatility index (OVX) owns forecasting ability for China's oil futures volatility using Markov-regime mixed data sampling (MS-MIDAS) models. In-sample empirical result shows that, OVX can significantly lead to high future short-term, middle-term and long-term volatilities with regard to Chinese oil futures market. Moreover, our proposed model, the Markov-regime MIDAS with including the OVX (MS-MIDAS-RV-OVX), significantly outperforms the MIDAS and other competing models.

The Role of Large Neutral Amino Acid Transporter (LAT1) in Cancer.

Background: The solute carrier family 7 (SLC7) can be categorically divided into two subfamilies, the L-type amino acid transporters (LATs) including SLC7A5-13, and SLC7A15, and the cationic amino acid transporters (CATs) including SLC7A1-4 and SLC7A14. Members of the CAT family transport predominantly cationic amino acids by facilitating diffusion with intracellular substrates. LAT1 (also known as SLC7A5), is defined as a heteromeric amino acid transporter (HAT) interacting with the glycoprotein CD98 (SLC3A2) through a conserved disulfide to uptake not only large neutral amino acids, but also several pharmaceutical drugs to cells.

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Immunomodulatory Therapy for Atherosclerosis.

Background And Aims: The long-term effect of immune tolerance has not been explored so far in atherosclerosis. In the present study, we assessed the effect of mucosal tolerance to a multi antigenic construct expressing three peptides from ApoB, HSP60, and outer membrane protein from Chlamydia pneumonia (AHC) for 30 weeks at every 6-week interval to understand the kinetics of immune modulation in disease progression. The safety profile of the molecule was also evaluated in mice.

Structure and Function of Angiopoietin-like Protein 3 (ANGPTL3) in Atherosclerosis.

Background: Angiopoietin-Like Proteins (ANGPTLs) are structurally related to the angiopoietins. A total of eight ANGPTLs (from ANGPTL1 to ANGPTL8) have been identified so far. Most ANGPTLs possess multibiological functions on lipid metabolism, atherosclerosis, and cancer.

Structure and Function of Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) in Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosis.

Background: One of the important factors in Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) metabolism is the LDL receptor (LDLR) by its capacity to bind and subsequently clear cholesterol derived from LDL (LDL-C) in the circulation. Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin-like Kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a newly discovered serine protease that destroys LDLR in the liver and thereby controls the levels of LDL in plasma. Inhibition of PCSK9-mediated degradation of LDLR has, therefore, become a novel target for lipid-lowering therapy.

Author Correction: Immune regulation by oral tolerance induces alternate activation of macrophages and reduces markers of plaque destabilization in Apob/Ldlr mice.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Infection Exacerbates Atherosclerosis in ApoB100only/LDLR Mouse Strain.

Aims: Hyperlipidaemia model animals have been used to elucidate the role of infection in atherosclerosis. The aims of this study were to investigate the proatherogenic effect of multiple infections in ApoB100only/LDLR mice which based on lipid profile can be regarded as the most suitable mouse model of human hypercholesterolemia and to compare the lesion development to that in a major atherosclerosis model ApoE mice.

Methods And Results: Aorta samples of ApoB100only/LDLR mice infected three times with were subjected to morphometric analyses.

Pitavastatin up-regulates eNOS production by suppressing miR-155 expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Aim: Pitavastatin (Pit) has been proved to efficiently inhibit the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism by which Pit exerts nonlipid-related effects, such as antiinflammatory actions, is not quite clear. Our study aimed at investigating the effect of Pit on the expression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) and miR-155 in LPS-stimulated HUVECs to reveal the antiinflammatory mechanism of pitavastatin.

Immune regulation by oral tolerance induces alternate activation of macrophages and reduces markers of plaque destabilization in Apob/Ldlr mice.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause for cardiovascular mortality. We determined the effect of multi-antigenic construct expressing three peptides AHC (ApoB100, HSP60 and outer membrane protein of chlamydia pneumonia) in stabilizing advanced atherosclerosis in Apob/Ldlr mice. Atherosclerosis was induced by feeding high fat diet (HFD) to mice for 10 weeks, followed by five oral dosing with purified AHC or ovalbumin on alternate days and continued on HFD for another 10 weeks.

Impact of IL-12 in Cancer.

Background: Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays an essential role in Th1-type immune response against cancer, a condition where cells in a particular part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably.

Methods: In this review, we describe the structural features of IL-12 family and their roles involved in cancer.

Results: IL-12 has been demonstrated to regulate both innate (natural killer cells) and adaptive (cytotoxic T lymphocytes) immunities in cancer therapy.

The Impact of IL-17 in Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular disease in which atherosclerotic plaques develop in the arterial wall. It is believed that inflammation plays a major role in atherosclerotic formation and progression. Thus, atherosclerosis can be considered as an inflammatory disease of the arterial vessel.

The Role of Exosomes and Exosome-derived microRNAs in Atherosclerosis.

Background: Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death and morbidity throughout industrialized nations, accounting for one-fifth of all deaths globally. Exosomes are bi-lipid membranous vesicles containing protein, lipid and nucleic acid contents that are released from the cells via the endolysosomal pathway. Exosomes are derived from several cells including macrophages, dendritic cells, platelets as well as human serum.

Oral administration of recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis expressing a tripeptide construct derived from endogenous and microbial antigens prevents atherosclerosis in ApoE(-/-) mice.

Introduction: Immunotherapy by inducing oral tolerance to atherogenic self-antigens is gaining importance as an alternative treatment modality for atherosclerosis. The use of live bacterial vectors to express the recombinant antigen in vivo will obviate the need for large-scale purification of recombinant protein and may also augment the efficacy of oral tolerance induction.

Aim: The objective of the study was to explore the use of recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis as a live vector for oral delivery of antigens to induce immune tolerance.

Impact of Macrophages in Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is driven by inflammation, with a strong involvement of innate immunity, and involves an expansion of the arterial intima, a normally small area composed of several cell types including smooth muscle cells, lipids, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, and extracellular matrix. Macrophages derived from recruited monocytes are predominant innate immune cells that play crucial roles in the formation of atherosclerotic lesions. Human atherosclerotic plaques have shown that macrophage subsets within a plaque might be more useful for explaining plaque phenotype than just simply giving the total number of macrophages.

Regulating Inflammatory Immune Response to Atherogenic Antigens Prevents Development and Progression of Atherosclerosis in New Zealand White Rabbits.

Background: Inflammatory immune response to atherogenic self-antigens plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. We evaluated the role of oral tolerance to three peptides in controlling atherosclerosis in New Zealand white rabbits.

Methods: Peptides derived from apolipoprotein B (ApoB), heat shock protein 60, and outer membrane protein from Chlamydia pneumoniae were expressed as part of the dendroaspin protein scaffold (AHC).

Essential Roles of Toll-Like Receptors in Atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is driven by inflammation with an involvement of innate and adaptive immune responses. Toll-like receptors, the well-defined pattern recognition receptors of the immune system, play a central role in macrophage activation. Toll-like receptors recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns expressed by a wide range of infectious agents and provide a strong link between local innate and adaptive immunity.