Is CD36 gene polymorphism in region encoding lipid-binding domain associated with early onset CAD?

CD36 is a fatty acid translocase in striated muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. Some study suggested that alterations in CD36 gene may be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) risk. The aim of the current study was to compare the frequency of CD36 variants in region encoding lipid-binding domain in Caucasian patients with early-onset CAD, no-CAD adult controls and neonates. The study group comprised 100 patients with early onset CAD. The genetic control groups were 306 infants and 40 no-CAD adults aged over 70 years. Exons 4, 5 and 6 including fragments of flanking introns were studied using the denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography technique and direct sequencing. Changes detected in analyzed fragment of CD36: IVS3-6 T/C (rs3173798), IVS4-10 G/A (rs3211892), C311T (Thr104Ile, not described so far) in exon 5, G550A (Asp184Asn, rs138897347), C572T (Pro191Leu, rs143150225), G573A (Pro191Pro, rs5956) and A591T (Thr197Thr, rs141680676) in exon 6. No significant differences in the CD36 genotype, allele and haplotype frequencies were found between the three groups. Only borderline differences (p = 0.066) were found between early onset CAD patients and newborns in the frequencies of 591T allele (2.00% vs 0.50%) and CGCGCGT haplotype (2.00% vs 0.50%) with both IVS3-6C and 591T variant alleles. In conclusion, CD36 variants: rs3173798, rs3211892, rs138897347, rs5956, rs143150225 rs141680676 and C311T do not seem to be involved in the risk of early-onset CAD in Caucasian population.     

Myeloperoxidase G-463A polymorphism and susceptibility to coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis

Published data on the association between the myeloperoxidase (MPO) G-463A polymorphism and coronary artery disease (CAD) are inconclusive. To derive a more precise estimation of the relationship, a meta-analysis on this topic was performed. PubMed, EMBASE and Chinese national knowledge infrastructure were searched for studies regarding the association between the MPO G-463A polymorphism and CAD. A logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the genetic effect and the possible genetic model of action. Summary odds ratios (ORs) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. There was strong evidence for an association between the MPO G-463A polymorphism and CAD. The genetic model of action was most likely to be co-dominant. Overall, the data showed that AA and GA genotypes were significantly associated with reduced risk of CAD (AA vs. GG: OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.17–0.78; GA vs. GG: OR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.57–0.92). In subgroup analyses by study population and sources of controls, statistically significant results were observed in the Chinese population (AA vs. GG: OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.10–0.43; GA vs. GG: OR = 0.57, 95% CI =0.44–0.74) and in hospital-based control studies (AA vs. GG: OR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.10–0.39; GA vs. GG: OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.48–0.77). This meta-analysis suggests that the MPO G-463A variant genotypes may be associated with decreased risk of CAD. However, given the limited number of studies and the potential biases, the influence of this polymorphism on CAD risk needs further investigation.     

Serum albumin acts as a shuttle to enhance cholesterol efflux from cells

An important mechanism contributing to cell cholesterol efflux is aqueous transfer in which cholesterol diffuses from cells into the aqueous phase and becomes incorporated into an acceptor particle. Some compounds can enhance diffusion by acting as shuttles transferring cholesterol to cholesterol acceptors, which act as cholesterol sinks. We have examined whether particles in serum can enhance cholesterol efflux by acting as shuttles. This task was accomplished by incubating radiolabeled J774 cells with increasing concentrations of lipoprotein-depleted sera (LPDS) or components present in serum as shuttles and a constant amount of LDL, small unilamellar vesicles, or red blood cells (RBC) as sinks. Synergistic efflux was measured as the difference in fractional efflux in excess of that predicted by the addition of the individual efflux values of sink and shuttle alone. Synergistic efflux was obtained when LPDS was incubated with cells and LDL. When different components of LPDS were used as shuttles, albumin produced synergistic efflux, while apoA-I did not. A synergistic effect was also obtained when RBC was used as the sink and albumin as shuttle. The previously observed negative association of albumin with coronary artery disease might be linked to reduced cholesterol shuttling that would occur when serum albumin levels are low.     

Apelin-36, a potent peptide,protects against ischemic brain injury by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway

Apelin is an endogenous ligand of G protein-coupled receptor-apelin and angiotensin-1-like receptor (APJ). The biological effects of apelin–APJ system are reported in multiple systems including cardiovascular, endocrinal, and gastrointestinal system. Previous studies had shown that apelin-13 is a potential protective agent on cardiac ischemia; however, the role of apelin in the central nervous system remained unknown. In this study, we investigated therapeutic effects of apelin-36, a long form of apelin, in ischemic brain injury models. We found that apelin-36 reduced cerebral infarct volume in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model and the neonatal hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) injury model. Apelin-36 improved neurological deficits in the MCAO model and promoted long-term functional recovery after H/I brain injury. We further explored the protective mechanisms of apelin-36 on H/I brain injury. We clearly demonstrated that apelin-36 significantly reduced the levels of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax, two well-established apoptotic markers after H/I injury, indicating the anti-apoptotic activity of apelin-36 in ischemic injury. Since apelin-36 increased the level of phosphorylated Akt after H/I injury, we treated neonates with a specific PI3K inhibitor LY294002. We found that LY294002 decreased the phosphorylated Akt level and attenuated protective effects of apelin-36 on apoptosis. These suggested that the PI3K/Akt pathway was at least in part involved in the anti-apoptotic mechanisms of apelin-36. Our findings demonstrated that apelin-36 was a promising therapeutic agent on the treatment of ischemic brain injury.     

Purification and Some properties of Endo-β-1,6-Glucanase from Acinetobacter sp.

A kind of endo-β-1, 6-glucanase has been purified from the culture filtrate of Acinetobacter sp. grown in the medium containing baker’s yeast cells as a carbon source. A 100-fold purified preparation was obtained by DEAE-Sephadex A–50 column chromatography. The enzyme hydrolyzed pustulan giving a series of gentio-oligosaccharides and glucose. Gentiotriose and gentiotetraose were hydrolyzed by this enzyme yielding glucose and gentiobiose, and glucose, gentiobiose and gentiotriose, respectively. Gentiobiose was not hydrolyzed. Baker’s yeast glucans obtained from the isolated cell walls were also hydrolyzed by this enzyme giving a series of oligosaccharides and glucose. From the action patterns on these carbohydrates, we concluded the present enzyme being endo-β-1, 6-glucanase.     

Endothelin regulates neural crest deployment and fate to form great vessels through Dlx5/Dlx6-independent mechanisms

Endothelin-1 (Edn1), originally identified as a vasoconstrictor peptide, is involved in the development of cranial/cardiac neural crest-derived tissues and organs. In craniofacial development, Edn1 binds to Endothelin type-A receptor (Ednra) to induce homeobox genes Dlx5/Dlx6 and determines the mandibular identity in the first pharyngeal arch. However, it remains unsolved whether this pathway is also critical for pharyngeal arch artery development to form thoracic arteries. Here, we show that the Edn1/Ednra signaling is involved in pharyngeal artery development by controlling the fate of neural crest cells through a Dlx5/Dlx6-independent mechanism. Edn1 and Ednra knock-out mice demonstrate abnormalities in pharyngeal arch artery patterning, which include persistent first and second pharyngeal arteries, resulting in additional branches from common carotid arteries. Neural crest cell labeling with Wnt1-Cre transgene and immunostaining for smooth muscle cell markers revealed that neural crest cells abnormally differentiate into smooth muscle cells at the first and second pharyngeal arteries of Ednra knock-out embryos. By contrast, Dlx5/Dlx6 knockout little affect the development of pharyngeal arch arteries and coronary arteries, the latter of which is also contributed by neural crest cells through an Edn-dependent mechanism. These findings indicate that the Edn1/Ednra signaling regulates neural crest differentiation to ensure the proper patterning of pharyngeal arch arteries, which is independent of the regional identification of the pharyngeal arches along the dorsoventral axis mediated by Dlx5/Dlx6.     

中国汉族人群CXCR2基因＋1235C/T多态与急性冠脉综合征的关联研究

目的：炎症反应在动脉粥样斑块变化的病理过程中发挥着重要的作用。本研究探讨CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T单核苷酸多态与中国汉族人群急性冠脉综合征发病的相关关系。方法：本研究采用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性方法对675例急性冠脉综合征的患者和636例对照组进行检测,分析CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T单核苷酸多态的基因型和等位基因频率的分布情况,同时收集济南军区总医院心内科经冠脉造影证实为阳性的急性冠脉综合征患者360例及对照者360例,对上述关联分析的结果进行复制实验的印证。结果：CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T单核苷酸多态三种基因型（CC型,CT型和TT型）在急性冠脉综合征组分布频率分别为39.3%,45.3%和15.1%,在对照组分别为41.7%,47.2%和11.1%,CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T基因型和等位基因频率对照组和急性冠脉综合征组之间存在统计学差异（P〈0.05）。Logistic回归校正性别、年龄、体重指数、吸烟、高血压、高脂血症、糖尿病等冠心病的易患因素后,CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T多态与急性冠脉综合征的发病存在相关关系（P〈0.05）。结论：CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T多态与急性冠脉综合征发病存在相关关系,CXCR2基因＋1235 C/T多态可能是中国汉族人群急性冠脉综合征发病的独立危险因子。     

x线断层容积成像技术在肺动脉畸形中的应用

目的：通过与常规x线胸片比较,探讨胸部x线断层容积成像技术在肺动脉畸形中的应用价值。方法：对20例临床及x线平片怀疑肺动脉畸形者,进一步进行胸部x线断层容积成像检查。其中11例被明确诊断为肺动脉畸形。以CT或超声心动结果为标准,对比两种图像对肺动脉畸形的明确诊断率,分析对比该11例患者的胸部x线断层容积成像图片和普通x线胸片,评价两种方法所获得的图像质量和图片优秀率。结果：20例疑似患者中,11例被CT或超声心动确诊为肺动脉畸形,其x线断层容积成像图片和普通x线胸片经主管技师和副主任医师双盲判读,x线断层容积成像11例均获明确诊断（100％）,普通x线胸片明确诊断2例（18％）,诊断准确率有明显差异（P=0．O001）。容积断层成像优质图像为10例,占总数的90．91％;良好1例,差为0例。11例x片中优秀7例,占总数的63．63％,其中良好3例,差1例。两种图像优秀率比较差异有统计学意义（P=0．0001）。结论：x线断层容积成像技术对肺动脉畸形的图像优秀率和诊断准确率均高于x线平片,对病变的显示更加清晰、立体,提高诊断准确率和客观性,具有重要的临床诊断价值。     

SPA患者循环EPCs及SDF-1-alpha与冠状动脉侧支循环的相关性分析

目的：研究冠状动脉严重狭窄稳定型心绞痛(Stable angina pectoris, SPA)患者循环内皮祖细胞（endothelial progenitor cells, EPCs）及基质细胞衍生因子（SDF）-1-alpha与冠状动脉侧支循环（CCC）形成的相关性,以期为治疗冠心病提供新的思路。方法：选择 2012 年8 月到2014 年12月在我院就诊的88 例冠状动脉严重狭窄的稳定型心绞痛患者（CCC 良好40 例、不良48 例）,均采集 外周血测定EPC 数量、体外生成血管能力,并用ELISA 法检测其血浆SDF-1alpha 水平,采用直线相关和Pearson 检验分析CCC良好 与不良者各指标间及与CCC 分级的相关性;将所有入选病例随机分为6 组,并分离外周血单个核细胞并分别加入不同的培养 液,培养7 天后体外测定EPCs 数量以及生成血管的能力,并通过ELISA 法检测培养液上清中VEGF 的蛋白水平。结果：CCC 不 良组EPCs 数量、体外生成血管能力及SDF-1-alpha水平均明显低于CCC 良好组（P<0.05）。体外生成血管能力、循环EPCs 数量以及 SDF-1alpha水平均与CCC分级呈现显著的正相关性（r =0.72、0.67、0.79,均P<0.05）;循环EPCs 数量、SDF-1alpha水平以及体外生成血 管能力亦均呈现显著正相关性（r =0.78、0.62,均P<0.05）。与PBS、SDF-1alpha+ AMD3100 及SDF-1alpha+ KI8751 干预物质比较,SDF-1琢 能够呈剂量依赖性的明显提高EPCs 数量、增强其体外生成血管的能力及VEGF水平（P<0.05）。结论：冠状动脉严重狭窄稳定型 心绞痛患者循环EPCs及SDF-1琢与CCC 形成有关,VEGF可能参与该过程。     

肺癌患者肺动脉和支气管动脉CTA的临床研究

目的:对比分析肺癌患者和肺部非癌性病变肺动脉和主支气管动脉CTA特点。方法:回顾性统计分析82例行高度怀疑肺癌患者的肺部CTA,经病理证实肺癌54例,肺结核球28例,同时选择对照组22例。对比分析肺动脉(Pulmonary artery,PA)内径、主支气管动脉(Bronchial artery,BA)显影率和及其各级分支显影率。结果:肺癌组、肺结核球组和对照组左主支气管动脉显影率分别为83.3%、77.7%和72.7%。右主支气管动脉显影率87.0%、83.3%和68.1%。肺癌组左右主支气管动脉清晰显影率高于肺结核球组和对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。左右两侧肺癌组PA内径明显大于结核球和对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。左右侧肺癌组PA显影分级明显高于结核球和对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。左右双侧PA主干内径差异无统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:肺部癌性病灶动脉供血增加,肺动脉和支气管动脉CTA能够显示肺癌病灶供血情况,可用于临床辅助鉴别诊断影像学不能确诊的肺部病变。