Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), synthesized by endothelial cells, is a marker of placental vascular remodeling. Ang-2 is expressed in the first trimester, and levels may therefore correlate to other parameters of placental vascular development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between Ang-2 and other maternal/placental factors in the first trimester. This was a prospective observational study of women presenting for first-trimester screening at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks. Consenting women underwent an ultrasound, physical examination, and blood draw. Maternal serum Ang-2 levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results were evaluated with relation to maternal age, parity, race, body mass index (BMI), mean arterial pressure (MAP), smoking/caffeine use, and parameters of placental blood flow resistance. In 111 consecutive patients, serum Ang-2 ranged from 0.6 to 10.9 ng/mL. Ang-2 levels were unrelated to maternal age, race, parity, smoking, and caffeine intake. Significant negative correlations were observed with BMI (Pearson's R = -0.325; P < 0.0001) and MAP (Pearson's R = -0.287; P = 0.002). Ang-2 levels did not correlate with gestational age (Spearman's rho, 0.064; P = 0.5058), but a significant positive correlation with the crown-rump length was observed (Spearman's rho, 0.261; P = 0.006). Neither uterine artery notching nor umbilical artery Doppler parameters correlated with Ang-2 levels. We concluded that Ang-2 as a marker of placental angiogenesis has significant relationships with maternal risk factors associated with abnormal placental development.
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Curr Res Toxicol
December 2024
Henan Key Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry (Xinxiang Medical University), The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University (Henan Mental Hospital), Xinxiang 453002, Henan, China.
Exposure to alcohol can induce different degrees of damage to various tissues and organs, and brain is the most vulnerable part affected by alcohol. However, there is no detailed report on whether intermittent alcohol exposure can result in pathological changes in the hypothalamus of adolescent rats and the detailed mechanism. This study investigated pathological changes in the hypothalamus, probed the levels of inflammatory factors, and detected the expression of proteins related to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) to determine whether ERS is involved in the injury process of the hypothalamus and the protective mechanism of L-3-n-butylphthalide (L-NBP).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
December 2024
Department III Functional Sciences-Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, "Victor Babeș" University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Timișoara, E. Murgu Sq., No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Black chokeberry (
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis
January 2025
Department of Gerontology, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China. Electronic address:
Objective: Hirudin has shown potential in promoting angiogenesis and providing neuroprotection in ischemic stroke; however, its therapeutic role in promoting cerebrovascular angiogenesis remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether hirudin exerts neuroprotective effects by promoting angiogenesis through the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Methods: An in vitro model of glucose and oxygen deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) was established using rat brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs).
Front Mol Biosci
December 2024
Department of Microbiology, Biochemistry and Immunology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.
World J Hepatol
December 2024
Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University and Department of Immunology, Medical School of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China.
Background: Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) level is related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the dynamic expression and regulatory mechanism of Ang-2 remain unclear.
Aim: To investigate Ang-2 levels in chronic liver diseases and validate early monitoring value with a dynamic model in hepatocarcinogenesis.
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