Prohibitin 1 inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis the p53-mediated mitochondrial pathway .

Background: Prohibitin 1 (PHB1) has been identified as an antiproliferative protein that is highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed, and it participates in a variety of essential cellular functions, including apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, proliferation, and survival. Emerging evidence indicates that PHB1 may play an important role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the role of PHB1 in HCC is controversial.

Effectiveness of enhanced recovery after surgery in the perioperative management of patients with bone surgery in China.

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) was introduced in China in 2007. Over time, the scope of ERAS has expanded from abdominal surgery to orthopedics, urology and other fields. Continuous development and research has contributed to progress of ERAS in China.

Irisin attenuates angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis via Nrf2 mediated inhibition of ROS/ TGFβ1/Smad2/3 signaling axis.

Angiotensin II-related cardiac fibrosis is one of the key pathological changes of the hypertrophied left ventricle in various heart disease. Irisin was recently reported to confer cardio-protective and anti-oxidative effects, while whether it can reverse the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system(RAAS) activation related(angiotensin II-induced) cardiac fibrosis is unknown. In this study, we found that angiotensin II-induced cardiac dysfunction and fibrotic responses were dampened by irisin treatment in mice.

Cilostazol suppresses angiotensin II-induced apoptosis in endothelial cells.

Patients with essential hypertension undergo endothelial dysfunction, particularly in the conduit arteries. Cilostazol, a type III phosphodiesterase inhibitor, serves a role in the inhibition of platelet aggregation and it is widely used in the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases. Previous studies have suggested that cilostazol suppresses endothelial dysfunction; however, it remains unknown whether cilostazol protects the endothelial function in essential hypertension.

Low-Level Electrical Stimulation of Aortic Root Ventricular Ganglionated Plexi Attenuates Autonomic Nervous System-Mediated Atrial Fibrillation.

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of electrical stimulation of aortic root ventricular ganglionated plexi (GP) on atrial fibrillation (AF) inducibility.

Background: The ventricular GP are interconnected with atrial GP to govern heart function, although the effect of ventricular GP modification on control of AF remains unknown.

Methods: Effective refractory periods (ERPs) of test pulmonary veins (PVs) were measured at baseline and during high-level (HL-ES) and low-level (LL-ES) electrical stimulation of the aortic root GP.

Three-dimensional poly-(ε-caprolactone) nanofibrous scaffolds directly promote the cardiomyocyte differentiation of murine-induced pluripotent stem cells through Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Background: Environmental factors are important for stem cell lineage specification, and increasing evidence indicates that the nanoscale geometry/topography of the extracellular matrix (ECM) directs stem cell fate. Recently, many three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic nanofibrous scaffolds resembling many characteristics of the native ECM have been used in stem cell-based myocardial tissue engineering. However, the biophysical role and underlying mechanism of 3D nanofibrous scaffolds in cardiomyocyte differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) remain unclear.

The long-term differentiation of embryonic stem cells into cardiomyocytes: an indirect co-culture model.

Background: Embryonic Stem Cells (ESCs) can differentiate into cardiomyocytes (CMs) in vitro but the differentiation level from ESCs is low. Here we describe a simple co-culture model by commercially available Millicell™ hanging cell culture inserts to control the long-term differentiation of ESCs into CMs.

Methodology/principal Findings: Mouse ESCs were cultured in hanging drops to form embryoid bodies (EBs) and treated with 0.

Collagen/β(1) integrin interaction is required for embryoid body formation during cardiogenesis from murine induced pluripotent stem cells.

Background: The interactions between stem cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) mediated by integrins play important roles in the processes that determine stem cell fate. However, the role of ECM/integrin interaction in the formation of embryoid bodies (EBs) during cardiogenesis from murine induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs) remains unclear.

Results: In the present study, collagen type I and β(1) integrin were expressed and upregulated synergistically during the formation of miPSC-derived EBs, with a peak expression at day 3 of differentiation.

High-mobility group box 1 induces calcineurin-mediated cell hypertrophy in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes.

Cardiac hypertrophy is an independent predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In recent years, evidences suggest that high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein, an inflammatory cytokine, participates in cardiac remodeling; however, the involvement of HMGB1 in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether HMGB1 is sufficient to induce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and to identify the possible mechanisms underlying the hypertrophic response.

Serum omentin-1 levels are inversely associated with the presence and severity of coronary artery disease in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Context: Omentin-1, an adipokine secreted from visceral adipose tissue, has been reported to be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and metabolic disorders.

Objective: To clarify the relationship between serum omentin-1 levels and the presence and severity of CAD in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Methods: We measured serum omentin-1 levels in 175 consecutive patients with MetS and in 46 controls.

Three-dimensional co-culture facilitates the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into mature cardiomyocytes.

The cardiomyocyte (CM) differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) is routinely cultured as two-dimensional (2D) monolayer, which doesn't mimic in vivo physiological environment and may lead to low differentiated level of ESCs. Here, we develop a novel strategy that enhances CM differentiation of ESCs in collagen matrix three-dimensional (3D) culture combined with indirect cardiac fibroblasts co-culture. ESCs were cultured in hanging drops to form embryoid bodies (EBs) and then applied on collagen matrix.

Postprocedural serum sLOX-1 levels are associated with coronary in-stent restenosis in patients with stable coronary artery disease.

Objectives: We tested whether serum soluble lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (sLOX-1) levels are able to predict in-stent restenosis (ISR) after successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: Preprocedural and postprocedural serum sLOX-1 levels were measured in 210 consecutive patients with stable coronary artery disease who underwent successful primary PCI for de novo lesions. The patients were grouped as ISR and non-ISR based on angiographic follow-up results.

[The relationship between reactive oxygen species-dependent activation of p38 MAPK and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-α in cultured cardiomyocytes].

Aim: To investigate the role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) expression in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and to determine the relationship between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and p38 MAPK activation.

Methods: Cardiomyocytes were isolated from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats and cultured by differential adhesion. Expression of TNF-α was determined in culture medium by ELISA.

Serum sLOX-1 levels are associated with the presence and severity of angiographic coronary artery disease in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Purpose: Patients with metabolic syndrome are at high-risk for development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular events. Serum soluble lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1(sLOX-1) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and metabolic disorders. We sought to assess whether serum sLOX-1 levels are correlated with the presence and severity of CAD in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) undergoing coronary angiography.

Controlling the in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells for myocardial tissue engineering applications.

We studied the differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and developed a novel protocol for generating functional cardiomyocytes (CMs) from ESCs by co-culturing these with live cardiac cells. We then evaluated the structural and functional properties of these ESC-derived CMs (ESCMs). An acellular matrix obtained from rabbit heart tissues was used as a scaffold.

Age-related changes in the atrial muscarinic type 2 receptor and their effects on atrial fibrillation vulnerability in rabbits.

Aging plays an important role in increased vulnerability to atrial fibrillation (AF). Mediated by activity at the muscarinic type 2 receptor (M2R), the parasympathetic nerve contributes to the onset of AF. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether aging changes the distribution of M2R in the atrial myocardium and to determine the impact of these changes on AF vulnerability.

Simvastatin inhibits angiotensin II-induced cardiac cell hypertrophy: role of Homer 1a.

1. The scaffolding protein Homer 1a is constitutively expressed in the myocardium, although its function in cardiomyocytes remains poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate Homer 1a expression in hypertrophic cardiac cells and its role in angiotensin (Ang) II-induced cardiac hypertrophy.

Using embryonic stem cells to form a biological pacemaker via tissue engineering technology.

Biological pacemakers can be achieved by various gene-based and cell-based approaches. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs)-derived pacemaker cells might be the most promising way to form biological pacemakers, but there are challenges as to how to control the differentiation of ESCs and to overcome the neoplasia, proarrhythmia, or immunogenicity resulting from the use of ESCs. As a potential approach to solve these difficult problems, tissue-engineering techniques may provide a precise control on the different cell components of multicellular aggregates and the forming of a construct with-defined architectures and functional properties.

Heated lipiodol as an embolization agent for transhepatic arterial embolization in VX2 rabbit liver cancer model.

Purpose: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of heated (60 degrees C) lipiodol via hepatic artery administration in a rabbit model of VX2 liver cancer.

Materials And Methods: Thirty male New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups with 10 rabbits assigned to each group. VX2 carcinoma cells were surgically implanted into the left hepatic lobe.

Effects of autoantibodies against M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors on rabbit atria in vivo.

Background: Evidence has shown that autoantibodies against M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors may play a role in the development of atrial fibrillation. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of anti-M2 receptor autoantibodies on rabbit atria in vivo.

Methods: Rabbits were immunized monthly with a synthetic peptide corresponding to the M2 receptor.