Effects of Interleukin 17A Inhibition on Myocardial Deformation and Vascular Function in Psoriasis.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-17A activity is implicated in psoriasis. We investigated the effects of IL-17A inhibition on vascular and left ventricular (LV) function in patients with psoriasis.

Methods: A total of 150 patients with psoriasis received either an anti-IL-17A agent (secukinumab, n = 50), cyclosporine (n = 50), or methotrexate treatment (n = 50).

Lowering Interleukin-12 Activity Improves Myocardial and Vascular Function Compared With Tumor Necrosis Factor-a Antagonism or Cyclosporine in Psoriasis.

Background: Interleukin (IL)-12 activity is involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and acute coronary syndromes. We investigated the effects of IL-12 inhibition on vascular and left ventricular (LV) function in psoriasis.

Methods And Results: One hundred fifty psoriasis patients were randomized to receive an anti-IL-12/23 (ustekinumab, n=50), anti-tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α; etanercept, n=50), or cyclosporine treatment (n=50).

Analysis of conserved NCS2 motifs in the Escherichia coli xanthine permease XanQ.

The xanthine permease XanQ of Escherichia coli is a paradigm for transporters of the evolutionarily broad family nucleobase-cation symporter-2 (NCS2) that transport key metabolites or anti-metabolite analogs. Most functionally known members are xanthine/uric acid transporters related to XanQ and belong to a distinct phylogenetic cluster of the family. Here, we present a comprehensive mutagenesis of XanQ based on the identification and Cys-scanning analysis of conserved sequence motifs in this cluster.

Similarities in coronary function and myocardial deformation between psoriasis and coronary artery disease: the role of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Background: Psoriasis has been associated with increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated the presence of vascular and subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with psoriasis compared with patients with CAD.

Methods: We compared 59 patients with psoriasis without evidence of CAD (psoriasis area and severity index [PASI], 11.

Increased benefit of interleukin-1 inhibition on vascular function, myocardial deformation, and twisting in patients with coronary artery disease and coexisting rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: We investigated the effects of anakinra, an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, on coronary and left ventricular function in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods And Results: In a double-blind crossover trial, 80 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (60 with CAD and 20 without) were randomized to a single injection of anakinra or placebo and after 48 hours to the alternative treatment. At baseline and 3 hours after treatment, we assessed (1) flow-mediated dilation of brachial artery; (2) coronary flow reserve, ejection fraction, systemic arterial compliance, and resistance by echocardiography; (3) left ventricular global longitudinal and circumferential strain, peak twisting, untwisting velocity by speckle tracking; and (4) interleukin-1β, nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, and Fas/Fas ligand levels.

Pharmacological postconditioning of the rabbit heart with non-selective, A1 , A2A and A3 adenosine receptor agonists.

Objectives: We investigated the effects of novel selective and non-selective adenosine receptor agonists (ARs) on cardioprotection.

Methods: Male rabbits divided into six groups were subjected to 30-min heart ischaemia and 3-h reperfusion: (1) control group, (2) postconditioning (PostC) group, (3) group A: treated with the non-selective agonist (S)-PHPNECA, (4) group B: treated with the A1 agonist CCPA, (5) group C: treated with the A2A agonist VT 7 and (6) group D: treated with the A3 agonist AR 170. The infarcted (I) and the areas at risk (R) were estimated as %I/R.

Oleuropein prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy interfering with signaling molecules and cardiomyocyte metabolism.

Oleuropein, a natural phenolic compound, prevents acute doxorubicin (DXR)-induced cardiotoxicity but there is no evidence regarding its role in chronic DXR-induced cardiomyopathy (DXR-CM). In the present study, we investigated the role of oleuropein in DXR-CM by addressing cardiac geometry and function (transthoracic echocardiography), cardiac histopathology, nitro-oxidative stress (MDA, PCs, NT), inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, Big ET-1), NO homeostasis (iNOS and eNOS expressions), kinases involved in apoptosis and metabolism (Akt, AMPK) and myocardial metabonomics. Rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: Control, OLEU-1 and OLEU-2 [oleuropein at 1000 and 2000 mg/kg in total, respectively, intraperitoneally (i.

Osteopontin and Osteoprotegerin as Potential Biomarkers in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm before and after Treatment.

Aim. Although osteopontin (OPN) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) have been associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), no association of these two biomarkers with AAA surgical or endovascular treatment has been reported. Material and Methods.

Myocardial protection provided by chronic skeletal muscle ischemia is not further enhanced by ischemic pre- or postconditioning: comparative effects on intracellular signaling.

Chronic skeletal muscle ischemia protects the ischemic heart by preserving coronary flow and inducing arterioangiogenesis. We sought to determine the effect and the underlying molecular mechanisms of preconditioning (PreC) and postconditioning (PostC), applied in a model of chronic skeletal muscle ischemia. Male rabbits were divided into 3 series.

Endothelin-B Receptors and Left Ventricular Dysfunction after Regional versus Global Ischaemia-Reperfusion in Rat Hearts.

Background. Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is implicated in left ventricular dysfunction after ischaemia-reperfusion. ETA and ETB receptors mediate diverse actions, but it is unknown whether these actions depend on ischaemia type and duration.

Short-term statin administration in hypercholesterolaemic rabbits resistant to postconditioning: effects on infarct size, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and nitro-oxidative stress.

Aims: The effectiveness of postconditioning (POC) in hypercholesterolaemia is in dispute. We investigated the effects of 3-day lipophilc (simvastatin) or hydrophilic (pravastatin) statin treatment, without or with POC in normocholesterolaemic (Norm) and hypercholesterolaemic (Chol) rabbits.

Methods And Results: Norm or Chol rabbits were subjected to 30 min ischaemia and randomized in two series of 12 groups each: control, simvastatin (Sim), pravastatin (Prav), POC, Sim-POC, Prav-POC, Chol, Sim-Chol, Prav-Chol, POC-Chol, Sim-POC-Chol, Prav-POC-Chol.