[Autologous mononuclear bone marrow cell transplantation by intracoronary route for patients with ischemic heart disease: observation of 2-years follow-up].

Objective: To investigate the long-term effect and safety of intracoronary autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMC) transplantation in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Methods: Seventy-six patients with IHD, 26 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 26 patients with chronic ischemic heart failure (CIHF), underwent routine treatment plus intracoronary autologous BMMC transplantation, and 24 patients, including 10 patients with AMI and 14 patients with CIHF underwent routine treatment as controls. Autologous BMMC transplantation was performed via a balloon catheter placed into the infarct-related artery during balloon dilatation by high pressure infusion to occlude the artery, which was performed 6 - 8 times for 2 minutes each with 2-minute interval or via a balloon catheter without occluding the infarct-related artery.

[Relationship between abdominal obesity and left ventricular weight/function].

Objective: To observe the relationship between abdominal obesity and left ventricular weight/function.

Methods: A total of 495 patients [265 males, mean age (55 +/- 12) years] with hypertension (139), diabetes (65), metabolic syndrome (285), diabetes complicated with hypertension (11) were enrolled in this study. Visceral adipose area (VA), the subcutaneous adipose (SA), the total abdominal adipose (TA) were measured by computerized tomography (CT) and left ventricular weight and function were obtained by echocardiography.

[Effects of angiotensin II receptor antagonism on matrix metalloproteinases and fibronectin in rats with experimental myocardial infarction].

Objective: To investigate the effects of angiotensin II (AngII) receptor (AT(1), AT(2)) antagonists on myocardial matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and fibronectin (FN) in rats with myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Rat MI was induced by permanent ligation of the left coronary artery. Placebo, AT(1) receptor antagonist valsartan (10 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)) or AT(2) receptor antagonist PD123319 (30 mgxkg(-1)xd(-1)) were given 7 days prior MI surgery.

[Renin-angiotensin system in mesenteric adipose tissues in rats with metabolic syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in mesenteric adipose tissues and effect of angiotensin II on adipocyte differentiation.

Methods: Thirty normal 8-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into groups on normal diet and high-fat diet. The rats on high-fat diet for 24 weeks developed the metabolic syndrome respectively.

[The autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation by intracoronary route treat patients with severe heart failure after myocardial infarction].

Objective: To investigate the chronic effects of intracoronary autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell (BM-MNCs) transplantation in patients with refractory heart failure (RIHF) after myocardial infarction.

Methods: Thirty patients with RIHF (LVEF < 40%) were enrolled in this nonrandomized study, autologous BM-MNCs (5.0 +/- 0.

[Relationship between visceral adipose tissue and prevalence of metabolic syndrome MS in patients with MS, and hypertension and/or diabetes].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the visceral adipose (VA) accumulation and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with MS, and hypertension and/or diabetes.

Methods: VA area was measured by computed tomography (CT) in 564 patients with with MS, and hypertension and/or diabetes, 308 males and 256 females. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were assessed.

[Angiotensin II induced cardiac hypertrophy is blocked by PTEN via suppressing Ca2+/Calcineurin pathway].

Objective: To investigate the effects of PTEN on Ang II induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and subsequent Ca(2+)/Calcineurin pathway changes.

Methods: Primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured and were treated with phosphate-buffered saline, empty adenovirus (Ad-GFP), or adenovirus encoding for PTEN (Ad-PTEN-GFP) for 48 h and Ang II (10(-7) mol/L) was added to the medium for another 24 h. Cells were harvested and intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)] i) was determined by Fura-2/AM ratio imaging analysis; PTEN, ANF, beta-MHC and CaNAbeta mRNA evaluated with RT-PCR; PTEN and CaNAbeta protein by Western blot; CaN phosphatase activity by CaN detecting kits.

Transient receptor potential channels in essential hypertension.

Objective: The role of nonselective cation channels of the transient receptor potential channel (TRPC) family in essential hypertension has not yet been investigated.

Methods: We studied TRPCs in 51 patients with essential hypertension and 51 age-matched and sex-matched normotensive control subjects. Calcium and gadolinium influx into human monocytes was determined using the fluorescent dye technique.

Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 gene A/G polymorphism and elevated blood pressure in Chinese patients with metabolic syndrome.

To establish whether angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene A/G single nucleotide polymorphism is associated with hypertension in Chinese patients with metabolic syndrome. The study was conducted in 353 patients with metabolic syndrome. The alleles of the ACE2 A/G polymorphism, which is located on the X chromosome, were detected using polymerase chain reaction and subsequent cleavage by Alu I restriction endonuclease.

Increased transient receptor potential channel TRPC3 expression in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Background: Disturbances in the regulation of cytosolic calcium concentration have been attributed to primary hypertension, but the role of calcium-permeable transient receptor potential canonical channel 3 (TRPC3) has not yet been evaluated in primary hypertension.

Methods: Expression of TRPC3 was determined using in-cell Western assay. Evaluation of RNA interference for the downregulation of a specific gene in cells by small interfering RNA was performed.

GATA4-mediated cardiac hypertrophy induced by d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate.

We evaluated the effects of d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate on cardiac hypertrophy. d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate augmented cardiac hypertrophy as evidenced by its effects on DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and expression of immediate-early genes c-myc and c-fos, beta-myosin heavy chain, and alpha-actin. The administration of d-myo-inositol 1,4,5-tris-phosphate increased the expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells and cardiac-restricted zinc finger transcription factor (GATA4).

[PPARdelta + 294T/C gene polymorphism related to plasma lipid, obesity and left ventricular hypertrophy in subjects with metabolic syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between PPARdelta + 294T/C gene polymorphism and lipid profile, obesity and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Methods: This study was conducted in 300 patients with MS and 174 patients with essential hypertension (EH) and 143 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MS was diagnosed according to 1999 WHO criteria.

[PTEN/PI3K pathways are involved in the signal transduction of myocardial remodeling in patients with congestive heart failure].

Objective: To investigate the roles of PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten)/PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase) signal transduction pathways in myocardium remodeling in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

Methods: A small amount of papillary muscle tissue was collected during mitral valve displacement from 39 patients of mitral valve disease with CHF, 12 cases with grade II, 15 cases with grade III, and 12 cases with grade IV cardiac function. 30 cases of healthy persons and 8 cases of heart donors who died of accident were included as controls.

[Calpain involved in signal transduction of myocardial remodeling in patients with congestive heart failure].

Objective: To investigate the regulation of calcium sensitive signal substance calpain in signal transduction of myocardial remodeling in patients with congestive heart failure.

Methods: All 39 congestive heart failure (CHF) patients with rheumatic mitral valve stenosis disease were selected and 38 cases of healthy persons were included as controls. Cardiac function parameters were measured by echocardiography.

[Obesity and diseases in the elderly inpatient].

Objective: To explore the obesity distribution in old people and the relation between senile obesity and health.

Methods: First, a questionnaire was designed which included chronic disease history, body mass index (BMI), physiological value, biochemistry index, anti-oxidation index, diagnosis of diseases, etc. Second, the measure and detection methods were unified; and the last, the investigation was made along with daily clinical work by clinicians.

[Correlation of thrombospondin-1 G1678A polymorphism to stroke: a study in Chinese population].

Objective: To assess whether thrombospondin-1 (THBS-1) gene G1678A polymorphism is associated with stroke.

Methods: Samples of venous blood were collected from 1634 patients with stroke, including cerebral thrombosis, lacunar cerebral infarction, and cerebral hemorrhage confirmed by CT or MRI, and sex-, and age-matched 1171 controls without cerebrovascular diseases. Genotypes were determined with polymerase chain reaction and allele-specific restriction enzyme analysis.

Thiazide-like diuretics attenuate agonist-induced vasoconstriction by calcium desensitization linked to Rho kinase.

Lowering blood pressure using thiazide-like diuretics, including chlorthalidone and hydrochlorothiazide, has been proven to be effective in clinical studies. However, the mechanisms by which thiazide-like diuretics lower blood pressure are still poorly understood. To evaluate whether thiazide-like diuretics cause calcium desensitization in smooth muscle cells, we measured their effects on agonist-induced increase of blood pressure in Wistar rats in vivo and on agonist-induced vasoconstriction of aortic rings, DNA synthesis, and protein synthesis, RhoA, Rho kinase, and intracellular calcium in vascular smooth muscle cells in vitro.

Effect of sodium on vasoconstriction and angiotensin II type 1 receptor mRNA expression in cold-induced hypertensive rats.

Angiotensin II and sodium play an important pathogenetic role in several models of hypertension. Now, we investigated the effects of sodium on vasoconstriction and angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptor mRNA expression in aortic vessels from cold-induced hypertensive rats. Wistar rats on low sodium and high sodium diet were exposed to cold-stress for 8 weeks.

[Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma C-161T polymorphism and carotid artery atherosclerosis in metabolic syndrome].

Objective: To assess the relationship between PPAR gamma C161-T polymorphism and Carotid Atherosclerosis in metabolic Syndrome (MS).

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragments length polymorphism was used to study the distribution of the PPAR gamma C161-T polymorphism in 248 metabolism syndrome, 163 essential hypertension (EH) and 115 type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and 121 normal controls. Fasting insulin (FINS), fasting blood glucose (FBG), uric Acid (UA), plasma lipids and ultrasonography for carotid artery were examined.

[Metabolic syndrome strongly linked to stroke in Chinese].

Objective: To assess the association of the metabolic syndrome with stroke in Chinese using the definition of ATP III, and revised definition according to Chinese criteria for abdominal obesity.

Methods: Multi-center case control study, 1934 first-ever-stroke patients (Atherothrombosis, lacunar infarction, and intracerebral hemorrhage) aged 30 to 74 years were sequentially recruited. And 1839 age, gender and geographically matched subjects were included as controls.