Publications by authors named "Ze-mu Wang"
Background: Previous studies report that Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) may be associated with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM); However, the causal relationship remains to be elucidated. Here, we aimed to investigate the causal relationship between HT and NICM through Mendelian randomization (MR) and explore the potential mediating role of inflammatory cytokines within this association.
Methods: The bidirectional two-sample MR, multivariable MR and mediation MR analyses were conducted based on genome-wide association study summary datasets, and MR results were further supported by multiple sensitivity analysis methods.
Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) could facilitate cardiomyocyte proliferation, however, its role on mitochondrial function in I/R injury remains unknown.
Methods: To investigate the role of CHK1 on mitochondrial function following I/R injury, cardiomyocyte-specific knockout/overexpression mouse models were generated.
Article Synopsis
- Heart failure (HF) and kidney failure (KF) are linked conditions that complicate treatment, making it important to understand their shared biological mechanisms for developing therapies.
- A study identified 2869 genes that are differentially expressed in patients with HF and KF, using various analytical methods to pinpoint key genes and their diagnostic potential.
- The research found key processes like inflammation and cellular communication affected by these conditions, identifying CDK2 and CCND1 as important genes, which could also be targeted for drug development.
Article Synopsis
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs), particularly circIGF1R, are identified as crucial for cardiac regeneration and show potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in heart disease.
- circIGF1R expression is higher in neonatal hearts but decreases with maturation; it is up-regulated after cardiac injury and linked to improved outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction.
- Mechanistically, circIGF1R promotes heart cell proliferation and reduces heart damage by interacting with DDX5, triggering the β-catenin signaling pathway, which enhances levels of growth-related proteins cyclin D1 and c-Myc.
Symptom-to-balloon time and risk of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with STEMI undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: The VERY-STEMI study.
Int J Cardiol Cardiovasc Risk Prev
June 2024
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the link between the total time from symptom onset to balloon treatment (S2BT) and the risk of developing new ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) in patients who suffered a heart attack (STEMI) and underwent a procedure called PCI.
- A total of 517 patients were examined, revealing that those with a shorter S2BT (≤ 24 hours) had a lower risk of VAs and better heart function after treatment, while those with an S2BT of 24 hours to 7 days had a higher risk.
- The findings suggest that S2BT has a complex relationship with VAs, with the highest risk occurring at around 68.4 hours after symptom onset.
Ischemia‒reperfusion (I/R) is a common complication in the clinical treatment of acute myocardial infarction (MI), in which cardiomyocytes play a pivotal role in the recovery of cardiac function after reperfusion injury. The expression of numerous circular ribonucleic acids (circRNAs) is disrupted in I/R-induced cardiac damage, but the potential role of circRNAs in I/R damage has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the biological action and molecular mechanism of circRNA 002166 (also termed circCL2L13) in postmyocardial I/R.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SIMD) has become one of the most lethal complications of sepsis, while the treatment was limited by a shortage of pertinent drugs. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the highest content of active substances in green tea, and its application in cardiovascular diseases has broad prospects. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that EGCG was able to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced myocardial dysfunction and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Tirofiban is a nonpeptide glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist used widely in patients subjected to percutaneous coronary intervention. While the usage of tirofiban sets an important clinical benefit, severe thrombocytopenia can occur with use of this agent.
Case Presentation: A 76-year-old Chinese man was admitted with 1-month history of sudden onset of chest tightness.
Article Synopsis
- Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful heavy metal associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but its effects on subclinical myocardial injury (SC-MI) in older adults without CVD were not well understood.
- A study analyzed 4,269 participants aged 50 and older from the NHANES III, revealing a significant association between urinary cadmium (U-Cd) levels and cardiac injury scores.
- Results indicated that individuals with the highest U-Cd levels had a significantly greater chance of SC-MI, particularly among those with hypertension, suggesting that U-Cd might be a new risk factor for SC-MI.
Dietary calcium intake and the risk of stroke: Meta-analysis of cohort studies.
Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis
May 2023
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the relationship between dietary calcium intake and stroke risk through a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.
- A total of 18 studies with nearly 882,181 participants and 19,557 stroke cases were analyzed, revealing a nonlinear association where calcium intake may reduce stroke risk up to a certain level, particularly in Asian populations.
- The findings suggest that higher calcium intake could potentially aid in stroke prevention, especially in Asia, highlighting the need for further research to understand causality.
Background And Aims: Conflicting evidence exists regarding the association between green tea consumption and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether an association exists between them in cohort studies.
Methods And Results: We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies conducted until September 2022.
Association of obesity with headache among US children and adolescents: Evidence from NHANES 1999-2004.
Front Endocrinol (Lausanne)
January 2023
Background: Children and adolescents increasingly commonly suffer from obesity and headache. It has been confirmed that there is an association between obesity and headache in adults; however, evidence of such an association in paediatric populations is still controversial. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between obesity and headache among children and adolescents in the US.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Epidemiologic studies are inconsistent regarding the association between green tea consumption and the risk of stroke. We performed a meta-analysis to determine whether an association exists between them in cohort studies.
Methods: We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for studies conducted from 1966 through September 2022.
Association between energy intake patterns and outcome in US heart failure patients.
Front Cardiovasc Med
November 2022
Background: The association between dietary energy patterns, calories, and the outcomes of heart failure (HF) is still unclear.
Objectives: To evaluate the proper energy intake patterns and daily calorie intake in patients with heart failure among US adults.
Methods: The data were derived from the 2001-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence, distribution, and risk factors for constipation in peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients in our center. In this cross-sectional study, 858 dialysis patients over 18 years of age (681 HD cases and 177 PD cases from our hospital) were enrolled. A constipation assessment scale (CAS) questionnaire was used to evaluate constipation status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFmiR-155 was synthesized and loaded into exosomes in increased infiltration of macrophages in a uremic heart. The released exosomal fusion with the plasma membrane leads to the release of miR-155 into the cytosol and translational repression of forkhead transcription factors of the O class (FoxO3a) in cardiomyocytes. Finally, macrophage-derived miR-155-containing exosomes promoted cardiomyocyte pyroptosis and uremic cardiomyopathy changes (cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis) by directly targeting FoxO3a in uremic mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUremic cardiomyopathy and muscle atrophy are associated with insulin resistance and contribute to chronic kidney disease (CKD)-induced morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that restoration of levels would enhance exosome-mediated microRNA transfer to improve muscle wasting and cardiomyopathy that occur in CKD. Using next generation sequencing and qPCR, we found that CKD mice had a decreased level of in heart and skeletal muscle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cardiac surgical procedures produce iatrogenic myocardial cell injury with necrosis that result in an obligatory release of biomarkers. Cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) has recently emerged as a specific and sensitive biomarker in patients with acute myocardial injury. We therefore aimed to investigate the release profiles of cMyBP-C after cardiac surgical procedures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is linked to reduced potassium current (I), leading to longer action potentials (APs) and increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias, although the precise mechanisms are not fully understood.
- Research found that in rats with CHF, Kcna2 mRNA was reduced by 43%, and knocking down Kcna2 exacerbated AP prolongation and arrhythmias, while its overexpression had protective effects.
- Kcna2 antisense RNA (AS) levels increased in CHF, suggesting that targeting Kcna2 AS could help prevent or treat ventricular arrhythmias by restoring potassium current and normalizing AP durations.
Article Synopsis
- EGCG, a compound in green tea, has protective effects against cardiovascular diseases by influencing key proteins involved in atherosclerosis and plaque instability.
- The study found that EGCG (at 1 µM concentration) reduces the expression of MMP-9 and MCP-1 in macrophages exposed to LPS, while also inhibiting the MAPK and NF-κB pathways.
- These effects are mediated through the TLR4 receptor and its regulator Tollip, with EGCG potentially binding to a specific cellular receptor to exert its influence.
Article Synopsis
- A study conducted in Nanjing, China, examined the link between pet ownership and coronary artery disease (CAD) in 561 patients from October 2015 to May 2016.
- *Results indicated that pet ownership is associated with a reduced risk of CAD, with dog owners showing a particularly lower risk compared to cat owners.
- *Moreover, longer duration of pet ownership and increased time spent playing with pets were linked to even lower CAD risk, highlighting pet ownership as a potential protective factor in cardiovascular health.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how EGCG, a polyphenol found in green tea, affects the expression of EMMPRIN and MMP-9 in macrophages, which are important in atherosclerosis.
- Results show that EGCG significantly inhibits both EMMPRIN and MMP-9 expression, as well as key signaling pathways involved in this process.
- The research suggests that the 67-kD laminin receptor is crucial for EGCG's effects, indicating its potential as a therapeutic agent for stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques.
Article Synopsis
- The study examined the link between green tea consumption and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) among a Chinese population, involving 801 participants (401 with AF, 400 controls).
- Results indicated that green tea intake serves as a protective factor against AF, with a significantly lower odds ratio (0.349) for those who drank green tea.
- Even low levels of green tea consumption were found to reduce the incidence of both paroxysmal and persistent AF, suggesting that drinking green tea can be beneficial for heart health.
Objectives: To investigate the association between pre-existing microalbuminuria among patients with preserved renal function and contrast- induced acute kidney injury (AKI) following coronary angiography.
Material And Methods: 612 consecutive patients with preserved renal function (eGFR≥60ml/min and without macroalbuminuria) undergoing scheduled coronary angiography were stratified into microalbuminuria group (107 patients) and normal-albuminuria group (505 patients) according to the urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) levels. Microalbuminuria was defined as ACR in the range of 30-300mg/g and normal-albuminuria was defined as ACR<30mg/g.
Objective: Findings from epidemiologic studies of coffee consumption and risk for cognitive decline or dementia are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of prospective studies to assess the association between coffee consumption and the risk for cognitive decline and dementia.
Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed and Embase databases between 1966 and December 2014.