Irbesartan May Ameliorate Ventricular Remodeling by Inhibiting CREB-Mediated Cardiac Aldosterone Synthesis in Rats with Myocardial Infarction.

Irbesartan improves ventricular remodeling (VR) following myocardial infarction (MI). This study investigates whether irbesartan attenuates VR by reducing aldosterone production in the heart and its underlying mechanisms. MI was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats through coronary artery ligation.

Associations of Renal Function Trajectories and Long-Term Cardiovascular Risks Among a Population Without Chronic Kidney Disease.

Background The longitudinal trajectories of renal function have been associated with cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the change pattern of renal function in those without CKD has not yet been reported. We aim to explore patterns of renal function change in a non-CKD population and its associated risks with cardiovascular outcomes.

Phosphorylation of CaMK and CREB-Mediated Cardiac Aldosterone Synthesis Induced by Arginine Vasopressin in Rats with Myocardial Infarction.

Both aldosterone and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are produced in the heart and may participate in cardiac fibrosis. However, their relationship remains unknown. This study aims to demonstrate the regulation and role of AVP in aldosterone synthesis in the heart.

CD51 distinguishes a subpopulation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with distinct migratory potential: a novel cell-based strategy to treat acute myocardial infarction in mice.

Background: Experimental and clinical trials have demonstrated the efficiency of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (bMSCs) in the treatment of myocardial infarction. However, after intravenous injection, the ineffective migration of engrafted bMSCs to the hearts remains an obstacle, which has an undesirable impact on the efficiency of cell-based therapy. Therefore, we attempted to identify a marker that could distinguish a subpopulation of bMSCs with a promising migratory capacity.

Spironolactone suppresses aldosterone-induced Kv1.5 expression by attenuating mineralocorticoid receptor-Nox1/2/4-mediated ROS generation in neonatal rat atrial myocytes.

Our previous investigation indicated that angiotensin II (Ang II) enhances the expression of Kv1.5, a promising target for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), by activating reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent phosphorylation of Smad 2/3 (forming P-Smad 2/3) and ERK 1/2 (forming P-ERK 1/2). A recent study indicated that aldosterone (Aldo) upregulates atrial Kv1.

Inhibition of perivascular mast cell activation is involved in the atheroprotective effect of rosiglitazone in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Activation of perivascular mast cells (MCs) and subsequent release of their abundant inflammatory mediators have been well documented to induce excessive inflammation and subsequent rupture of atherosclerotic plaques. Previous studies have suggested that rosiglitazone affects the stability of plaques, although the precise mechanism of action is not clearly understood. In this study, we evaluated the effects of rosiglitazone on MCs in vivo and in vitro.

Correction to: Development of a new risk nomogram of perioperative major adverse cardiac events for Chinese patients undergoing colorectal carcinoma surgery.

On this article the authors requested to add another affiliation which is Key Laboratory on Assisted Circulation, Ministry of Health, Guangzhou 510,080, China for Juhong Zhang, Xiuren Gao and Zhibin Huang. The new affiliation is now added in this article. The remainder of the article remains unchanged.

Relationship and mechanism of Kv2.1 expression to ADH secretion in rats with heart failure.

Objective: To explore the mechanisms of Kv2.1 on the secretion of ADH in rats with heart failure.

Methods: In the animal study, 70 healthy male SD rats were selected.

Selenium modulates MMP2 expression through the TGFβ1/Smad signalling pathway in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and rabbits following lipid disturbance.

Background: A high-fat diet is a major risk factor for coronary heart diseases. Matrix metalloprotease (MMP) expression is changed in many cardiovascular diseases. Selenium, which is an important trace element in animals, has a close relationship with cardiovascular diseases.

Development of a new risk nomogram of perioperative major adverse cardiac events for Chinese patients undergoing colorectal carcinoma surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to create a new risk nomogram to predict perioperative major adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing colorectal carcinoma surgery.

Methods: A total of 1899 patients who underwent colorectal carcinoma surgery at a tertiary teaching hospital in China between 2007 and 2012 were recruited. Logistic regression analysis was used to define risk factors for major adverse cardiac events.

Hydrochlorothiazide modulates ischemic heart failure-induced cardiac remodeling via inhibiting angiotensin II type 1 receptor pathway in rats.

Aims: Our previous study indicates that hydrochlorothiazide inhibits transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/Smad signaling pathway, improves cardiac function and reduces fibrosis. We determined whether these effects were common among the diuretics and whether angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) signaling pathway played a role in these effects.

Methods: Heart failure was produced by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery in adult male Sprague Dawley rats.

HS inhibits angiotensin II-induced atrial Kv1.5 upregulation by attenuating Nox4-mediated ROS generation during atrial fibrillation.

Our previous study demonstrated that angiotensin II (Ang II) upregulates the expression of Kv1.5, a promising target for atrial fibrillation (AF) therapy, by activating ROS-dependent P-Smad2/3 and P-ERK 1/2. A recent study showed that hydrogen sulfide (HS) may modulate the effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) by inhibiting the NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4)-ROS signaling in the heart.

The Role of the Rho/ROCK Pathway in Ang II and TGF-β1-Induced Atrial Remodeling.

Objectives: To study the role of the Rho/ROCK pathway in Ang II and TGF-β1-induced atrial remodeling.

Methods And Results: A canine atrial fibrillation (AF) model was established by rapid atrial pacing (RAP) of the left atrium. The roles of TGF-β1, the RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in atrial remodeling were studied via both in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Neuroprotective effect of lidocaine: is there clinical potential?

Local anesthetic lidocaine has been shown to be protective in animal models of focal and global ischemia as well as in in vitro hypoxic models. Lidocaine has been tested in patients for its potential protective effect on postoperative cognitive dysfunction. This mini-review summarizes the laboratory and clinical evidences and discusses its clinical applications as neuroprotective agent.

Rapid atrial pacing induces myocardial fibrosis by down-regulating Smad7 via microRNA-21 in rabbit.

Tachycardia-induced atrial fibrosis is a hallmark of the structural remodeling of atrial fibrillation (AF). The mechanisms underlying tachycardia-induced atrial fibrosis remain unclear. In our previous study, we found that Smad7-downregulation promoted the development of atrial fibrosis in AF.

Downregulation of VEGF and upregulation of TL1A expression induce HUVEC apoptosis in response to high glucose stimuli.

High glucose‑induced endothelial cell apoptosis is considered to be the initiator of diabetes‑associated vascular complications. Experiments in vivo and in vitro have demonstrated that high glucose levels contribute to the apoptosis of endothelial cells by mediating cellular dysfunction and metabolic disorder via the production of various cytokines. As the most important endogenous vascular regulators, the balance between pro‑proliferative effector vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and anti‑proliferative effector tumor necrosis factor‑like cytokine 1A (TL1A) is important in the modulation of endothelial cell survival and proliferation, and neovascularization.

Atorvastatin Ameliorates Radiation-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis in Rats.

Radiation-induced heart injury is one of the major side effects of radiotherapy for thoracic malignancies. Previous studies have shown that radiotherapy induced myocardial fibrosis and intensified myocardial remodeling. In this study, we investigated whether atorvastatin could inhibit radiation-induced heart fibrosis in Sprague-Dawley rats, which were randomly divided into six groups: control; radiation only; and four treatment groups receiving atorvastatin plus radiation (E1, E2, E3 and E4).

Zinc Regulates Lipid Metabolism and MMPs Expression in Lipid Disturbance Rabbits.

Lipid disturbance induced by high-fat diet is a worldwide problem, and it can induce inflammation and oxidative stress in vivo. Zinc is considered as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory agent. Since matrix metalloprotease 2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloprotease 9 (MMP9)'s expressions are changed under many pathological conditions, we would like to know how zinc affects lipid metabolism and MMP2, MMP9's expressions in the lipid disturbance rabbits.

The secretion patterns and roles of cardiac and circulating arginine vasopressin during the development of heart failure.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate local cardiac and circulating AVP secretion during heart failure and to determine whether AVP mediates ventricular remodeling.

Methods: We assessed cardiac function and AVP levels of post-myocardial infarction (MI) heart-failure rats 3 weeks (n = 10), 4 weeks (n = 10), 6 weeks (n = 10), 9 weeks (n = 15) after the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. Ten sham-operated rats were used as the control group.

Angiotensin II upregulates Kv1.5 expression through ROS-dependent transforming growth factor-beta1 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signalings in neonatal rat atrial myocytes.

Kv1.5 potassium channel represents a promising target for atrial fibrillation (AF) therapy. During AF, the renin-angiotensin system is markedly activated.

Thermodilution-derived coronary microvascular resistance and flow reserve in patients with cardiac syndrome X.

Background: Although increased coronary microvascular resistance (CMR), resulting in coronary microvascular dysfunction, is speculated to be responsible for myocardial ischemia in patients with cardiac syndrome X (CSX), it has never been directly demonstrated, and the correlation between CMR and severity of myocardial ischemia has not been elucidated in this setting. This study aimed to ascertain the increased CMR directly and to explore the relationship between CMR and severity of ischemia in patients with CSX.

Methods And Results: We studied 18 patients with CSX and 18 age- and sex-matched control subjects.

Role of TRPM7 channels in hyperglycemia-mediated injury of vascular endothelial cells.

This study investigated the change of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) expression by high glucose and its role in hyperglycemia induced injury of vascular endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were incubated in the presence or absence of high concentrations of D-glucose (HG) for 72 h. RT-PCR, Real-time PCR, Western blotting, Immunofluorescence staining and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed that TRPM7 mRNA, TRPM7 protein expression and TRPM7-like currents were increased in HUVECs following exposure to HG.

Alphaxalone inhibits growth, migration and invasion of rat C6 malignant glioma cells.

Malignant gliomas are the most devastating and aggressive brain tumors affecting the central nervous system. The insidious growth and infiltration are the most prominent characteristics of malignant gliomas, which render the current therapies for malignant gliomas including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy unsuccessful. Inhibition of infiltration as well as proliferation in combination with surgery might be more effective in the treatment of malignant gliomas.

Changes in cell autophagy and apoptosis during age-related left ventricular remodeling in mice and their potential mechanisms.

Cardiac structures and functions change with advanced age, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Autophagy and apoptosis play important roles in the process of cardiac remodeling. This study was designed to explore changes in cell autophagy and apoptosis during age-related left ventricular remodeling and to determine whether the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is an underlying mechanism.