皂苷类成分对血管内皮细胞功能的调节作用研究进展

血管内皮细胞在维持血管生理稳态中发挥了重要的作用,其功能障碍是动脉粥样硬化、冠心病、脑卒中、肿瘤等多种重大疾病发生发展的病理基础,调节血管内皮细胞功能是防治上述疾病的主要途径之一。大量研究表明,皂苷类成分可通过改善血管内皮功能达到治疗疾病的目的。综述了近年来报道的皂苷类成分调节血管内皮功能的研究进展,旨在为皂苷类成分作用机制的阐明和相关重大疾病的防治提供一定参考。     

平滑肌22α蛋白在血管稳态和血管重构中的作用

有关血管稳态和重构的分子机制一直是近年来的研究热点,也被视为治疗血管损伤性疾病的突破点.大量研究证实,血管损伤修复及病理性重构过程与血管平滑肌细胞(vascular smooth muscle cells,VSMCs)的表型转化、异常增殖与迁移、细胞衰老关系密切.平滑肌22α(smooth muscle 22α,SM2...     

内皮联蛋白在血管生成中的调控机制及作用

机体新生血管的形成和稳态的维持是保证组织细胞正常生命活动的重要基础。参与血管生成这一生理过程的因子众多,血管生成机制复杂,该过程的异常与血管疾病、肿瘤和癌症的发生密切相关。内皮联蛋白(endoglin,ENG)是一种主要在内皮细胞上表达的I型跨膜糖蛋白,其作为转化生长因子β家族的辅助受体在调控血管生成与稳态中发挥着重要作用。随着基质金属蛋白酶14(matrix metalloproteinase 14,MMP14)、整合素、血管生成性糖蛋白LRG1(leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein-1,LRG1)、G蛋白信号调节体-G alpha相互作用蛋白C端(GAIP interacting protein C-terminus,GIPC)等越来越多与ENG具有相互作用的蛋白质被鉴定出来,关于ENG调控血管生成的分子机制的研究已有了一定的进展,但各个蛋白质之间错综复杂的调控网络仍有待探究和梳理。阐明ENG及其互作的蛋白质的特征、对信号传导的影响和对血管生成的贡献,对于理解机体在生理、病理条件下如何精细、有序地调控血管生成至关重要,且对于相关疾病的临床治疗手段的研究具有重要意义。本文系统总结了ENG与TGF-β及非TGF-β家族相关蛋白质的互作及在调控血管生成中的作用,并对未来ENG相关研究方向做出展望,以期为研究ENG在相关血管疾病中的机制提供分子层面的指导。     

类器官及其应用的研究进展

类器官弥补了传统研究中细胞简单模型与动物复杂模型的不足,为生命体关键功能研究提供了重要实验基础,已成为当前研究热点,并在疾病机理研究、药物筛选、再生医学、生物材料评价等方面具有重大理论意义和应用前景.本文对近10年类器官研究进行了综述,阐述出类器官研究的发展历程和研究现状,重点综述了类器官的主要研究领域,并解析类器官研究中存在的关键科学问题,为类器官在生物医药、再生医学和疾病精准治疗领域的研究和应用提供新思路.     

自噬对血管功能的影响及与相关疾病的关联研究进展

自噬(autophagy)是细胞利用溶酶体降解自身受损的细胞器和大分子物质的过程,在稳定细胞内环境中发挥着重要作用．研究发现,自噬影响血管功能,与血管疾病的病理生理进程密切相关．本文从自噬对血管功能的影响,与血管相关疾病(如动脉粥样硬化、腹主动脉瘤、肺动脉高压、糖尿病血管并发症等)的关系及药物对血管壁细胞自噬的调控进行综述,希望从自噬的角度来了解血管的功能和病变及一些疾病的发生发展进程,为治疗血管相关疾病提供新的思路．     

解偶联蛋白2在内皮损伤及血管重构中的作用研究进展

心脑血管疾病是全球最主要的致死性疾病。活性氧(Reactive oxygen species,ROS)产生增多诱发血管内皮细胞损伤、平滑肌细胞迁移、增殖,是导致血管功能障碍、血管重构发生的重要机制。因此,氧化应激被认为是心脑血管疾病发生、发展的关键环节。但通过补充外源性抗氧化剂防治心脑血管疾病一直存在较大争议。机体可通过自身防御体系拮抗氧化应激,维持氧化-还原状态,如通过调控线粒体解偶联蛋白2(Uncoupling protein 2,UCP2)调节ROS生成,改善血管功能障碍及血管重构。本文就UCP2在内皮损伤及血管重构中的作用及机制展开综述,为深入探索这一潜在的防治心脑血管疾病的靶点提供信息。     

高血压血管重构的力学调控机制研究进展

血流动力学紊乱是高血压病理过程中促进血管重构发生发展的重要原因。由其引起的异常剪切力和环形张力可以被细胞表面的力学感受器识别,并转化为细胞内生物学信号,引起血管结构和功能上的改变,介导血管的重构,增加心血管疾病的发生风险。因此,明确血管重构过程中的力学调控机制,对预防和改善高血压所致的心血管疾病具有重要意义。本文就高血压病理生理过程中血管重构的力学调控机制进展予以简要阐述。     

BMP9/ALK1/Endoglin信号通路参与调节血管形成与稳态维持

在发育过程中,新生血管的形成与稳态维持是机体生命活动的重要基础.而血管生成机制复杂,参与并促进血管生成的因子众多.此过程发生异常直接与血管类疾病、炎症、癌症等疾病密切相关.除了VEGF/VEGFR,Ang-Tie2,DLL4-Notch和PDGF-BB/PDGFRβ等主要调节血管形成的传导通路外,BMP9/ALK1/Endoglin通路在其中也起着重要的作用.此通路中二聚化配体BMP9作为信号分子,与受体ALK1和Endoglin结合后激活受体,进而调控下游靶基因的表达.本文旨在对此信号通路中关键节点的分子结构和作用机制进行阐述,并对未来的机制研究与药物开发进行展望.     

血管内皮细胞衰老与血管疾病

细胞衰老是指细胞在各种应激条件下出现周期阻滞,不可逆地丧失增殖能力,其形态、基因表达和功能都发生特定变化的过程。研究表明,血管内皮细胞衰老可以通过削弱血管功能,促进衰老相关血管疾病的发生发展。然而,有关内皮细胞衰老的发生机制以及内皮细胞衰老影响血管功能及衰老相关血管疾病的潜在机制尚待挖掘。本文从血管内皮细胞衰老相关的信号通路,以及血管内皮细胞衰老与血管功能和血管相关疾病（动脉粥样硬化、高血压和糖尿病血管并发症）的最新研究进展进行综述,为进一步认识血管疾病的发病机制,延缓血管衰老提供新的思路。     

糖尿病血管平滑肌细胞增殖与线粒体关系的研究进展

糖尿病(diabetes mellitus,DM)是严重危害人类健康的全身性代谢疾病,常发生血液流变学、微循环和细胞代谢的紊乱,导致缺血、缺氧和组织水肿,进而引起血管和神经病变。血管病变常常是糖尿病病人致死、致残的主要原因。血管平滑肌细胞的增殖及表型改变是糖尿病引发动脉粥样硬化性疾病的显著特征,而线粒体在血管平滑肌细胞的增殖过程中起重要作用。因此,探讨糖尿病血管平滑肌细胞与线粒体的关系及机制为糖尿病血管性疾病的治疗提供重要的理论基础,有利于基础研究向临床试用药物研究的转化。     

血管重构及其药物治疗

血管重构是血管为适应内外环境变化而发生的结构和功能改变。这个过程包括血管壁细胞的增生、肥大、凋亡、细胞迁移、细胞外基质的产生及降解等细胞生物学变化。血管重构可分为肥厚性血管重构与非肥厚性血管重构,两者以一定比例共存于同一血管上。非肥厚性血管重构的主要特征是血管外径明显减少、内径明显减少,中膜横截面积不变,血管平滑肌细胞发生重排;肥厚性血管重构的主要特征是内径明显减少,中膜横截面积增加,血管平滑肌细胞增生。血管重构既是高血压和动脉粥样硬化等相关疾病恶化的重要病理基础或也是此类疾病发生发展的病因。药物治疗不仅要缓解或消除相关疾病的症状,更重要的是逆转或减轻血管重构,保护靶器官。     

Angiogenesis and Vascular Remodeling in Chronic Airway Diseases

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remain a global health problem, with increasing morbidity and mortality. Despite differences in the causal agents, both diseases exhibit various degrees of inflammatory changes, structural alterations of the airways leading to airflow limitation. The existence of transient disease phenotypes which overlap both diseases and which progressively decline the lung function has complicated the search for an effective therapy. Important characteristics of chronic airway diseases include airway and vascular remodeling, of which the molecular mechanisms are complex and poorly understood. Recently, we and others have shown that airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells are not only structural and contractile components of airways, rather they bear capabilities of producing large number of pro-inflammatory and mitogenic factors. Increase in size and number of blood vessels both inside and outside the smooth muscle layer as well as hyperemia of bronchial vasculature are contributing factors in airway wall remodeling in patients with chronic airway diseases, proposing for the ongoing mechanisms like angiogenesis and vascular dilatation. We believe that vascular changes directly add to the airway narrowing and hyper-responsiveness by exudation and transudation of proinflammatory mediators, cytokines and growth factors; facilitating trafficking of inflammatory cells; causing oedema of the airway wall and promoting ASM accumulation. One of the key regulators of angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor in concerted action with other endothelial mitogens play pivotal role in regulating bronchial angiogenesis. In this review article we address recent advances in pulmonary angiogenesis and remodelling that contribute in the pathogenesis of chronic airway diseases.     

Ang-Tie轴在血管和淋巴系统相关疾病中作用的研究进展

形成血管和淋巴管内层的内皮细胞是脉管系统的重要组成部分,并参与血管和淋巴系统疾病的发病机制。内皮细胞上的血管生成素(Angiopoietin,Ang)-具有免疫球蛋白和表皮生长因子同源性结构域的酪氨酸蛋白激酶(Tyrosine kinase receptors with immunoglobulin and EGF homology domains,Tie)轴是除了血管内皮生长因子受体途径外胚胎心血管和淋巴发育所必需的第二种内皮细胞特异性配体-受体信号传导系统。Ang-Tie轴参与调节产后血管生成与重塑、血管通透性和炎症,以维持血管平衡,因此,该系统在许多血管和淋巴系统疾病中发挥重要的作用。针对近年来Ang-Tie轴在血管和淋巴系统相关疾病中作用的研究进展,文中系统论述了Ang-Tie轴在炎症诱导的血管通透性、血管重塑、眼部新生脉管、剪切应力反应、动脉粥样硬化和肿瘤血管生成和转移中的作用,并总结了涉及Ang-Tie轴的相关治疗性抗体、重组蛋白和小分子药物。     

Eosinophil Granule Proteins: Form and Function

Experimental and clinical data strongly support a role for the eosinophil in the pathogenesis of asthma, allergic and parasitic diseases, and hypereosinophilic syndromes, in addition to more recently identified immunomodulatory roles in shaping innate host defense, adaptive immunity, tissue repair/remodeling, and maintenance of normal tissue homeostasis. A seminal finding was the dependence of allergic airway inflammation on eosinophil-induced recruitment of Th2-polarized effector T-cells to the lung, providing a missing link between these innate immune effectors (eosinophils) and adaptive T-cell responses. Eosinophils come equipped with preformed enzymatic and nonenzymatic cationic proteins, stored in and selectively secreted from their large secondary (specific) granules. These proteins contribute to the functions of the eosinophil in airway inflammation, tissue damage, and remodeling in the asthmatic diathesis. Studies using eosinophil-deficient mouse models, including eosinophil-derived granule protein double knock-out mice (major basic protein-1/eosinophil peroxidase dual gene deletion) show that eosinophils are required for all major hallmarks of asthma pathophysiology: airway epithelial damage and hyperreactivity, and airway remodeling including smooth muscle hyperplasia and subepithelial fibrosis. Here we review key molecular aspects of these eosinophil-derived granule proteins in terms of structure-function relationships to advance understanding of their roles in eosinophil cell biology, molecular biology, and immunobiology in health and disease.     

血管损伤的新靶点：干扰素调节因子

内膜增生是血管损伤后动脉重塑过程中普遍存在的现象。血管平滑肌细胞（vascular smooth muscle cells,VSMCs）的增殖、迁移、表型转换是血管损伤性疾病高血压、动脉粥样硬化、血管成形术后再狭窄等的共同病理生理学过程。干扰素调节因子（interferon regulatory factors,IRFs）是一类能对干扰素基因表达起到免疫调节作用的转录因子。近来研究发现,其在血管损伤病理过程具有调节作用,其中IRF1与细胞生长、分化和损伤密切相关,IRF3与IRF7可以抑制新生内膜的形成,而IRF8和IRF9则促进VSMCs增殖、迁移及血管内膜增生。本文重点介绍了IRFs的结构特征、信号途径及在血管重塑过程中作为新型调控因子的功能。     

Binding Energy calculation of GSK-3 protein of Human against some anti-diabetic compounds of Momordica charantia linn (Bitter melon)

Diabetes is one of the major life threatening diseases worldwide. It creates major health problems in urban India. Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3) protein of human is known for phosphorylating and inactivating glycogen synthase which also acts as a negative regulator in the hormonal control of glucose homeostasis. In traditional medicine, Momordica charantia is used as antidiabetic plant because of its hypoglycemic effect. Hence to block the active site of the GSK-3 protein three anti-diabetic compounds namely, charantin, momordenol & momordicilin were taken from Momordica charantia for docking study and calculation of binding energy. The aim of present investigation is to find the binding energy of three major insulin-like active compounds against glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), one of the key proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, with the help of molecular docking using ExomeTM Horizon suite. The study recorded minimum binding energy by momordicilin in comparison to the others.     

Vascular cells contribute to atherosclerosis by cytokine- and innate-immunity-related inflammatory mechanisms

Cardiovascular diseases are the human diseases with the highest death rate and atherosclerosis is one of the major underlying causes of cardiovascular diseases. Inflammatory and innate immune mechanisms, employing monocytes, innate receptors, innate cytokines, or chemokines are suggested to be involved in atherogenesis. Among the inflammatory pathways the cytokines are central players. Plasma levels of cytokines and related proteins, such as CRP, have been investigated in cardiovascular patients, tissue mRNA expression was analyzed and correlations to vascular diseases established. Consistent with these findings the generation of cytokine-deficient animals has provided direct evidence for a role of cytokines in atherosclerosis. In vitro cell culture experiments further support the suggestion that cytokines and other innate mechanisms contribute to atherogenesis. Among the initiation pathways of atherogenesis are innate mechanisms, such as toll-like-receptors (TLRs), including the endotoxin receptor TLR4. On the other hand, innate cytokines, such as IL-1 or TNF, or even autoimmune triggers may activate the cells. Cytokines potently activate multiple functions relevant to maintain or spoil homeostasis within the vessel wall. Vascular cells, not least smooth muscle cells, can actively contribute to the inflammatory cytokine-dependent network in the blood vessel wall by: (i) production of cytokines; (ii) response to these potent cell activators; and (iii) cytokine-mediated interaction with invading cells, such as monocytes, T-cells, or mast cells. Activation of these pathways results in accumulation of cells and increased LDL- and ECM-deposition which may serve as an 'immunovascular memory' resulting in an ever-growing response to subsequent invasions. Thus, vascular cells may potently contribute to the inflammatory pathways involved in development and acceleration of atherosclerosis.     

Vascular wall extracellular matrix proteins and vascular diseases

Extracellular matrix proteins form the basic structure of blood vessels. Along with providing basic structural support to blood vessels, matrix proteins interact with different sets of vascular cells via cell surface integrin or non-integrin receptors. Such interactions induce vascular cell de novo synthesis of new matrix proteins during blood vessel development or remodeling. Under pathological conditions, vascular matrix proteins undergo proteolytic processing, yielding bioactive fragments to influence vascular wall matrix remodeling. Vascular cells also produce alternatively spliced variants that induce vascular cell production of different matrix proteins to interrupt matrix homeostasis, leading to increased blood vessel stiffness; vascular cell migration, proliferation, or death; or vascular wall leakage and rupture. Destruction of vascular matrix proteins leads to vascular cell or blood-borne leukocyte accumulation, proliferation, and neointima formation within the vascular wall; blood vessels prone to uncontrolled enlargement during blood flow diastole; tortuous vein development; and neovascularization from existing pathological tissue microvessels. Here we summarize discoveries related to blood vessel matrix proteins within the past decade from basic and clinical studies in humans and animals — from expression to cross-linking, assembly, and degradation under physiological and vascular pathological conditions, including atherosclerosis, aortic aneurysms, varicose veins, and hypertension.