Search results for "Vascular system"
showing 10 items of 4322 documents
Increased expression of interleukin-22 in patients with giant cell arteritis
2017
Objectives GCA is characterized by arterial remodelling driven by inflammation. IL-22 is an attractive cytokine which acts at the crosstalk between immune and stromal cells. We hypothesized that IL-22 might be induced in GCA and might be involved in disease pathogenesis. Methods Patients subjected to temporal artery biopsies (TABs) naive from therapy were enrolled: 27 biopsy-proven GCA, 8 biopsy-negative GCA, 21 biopsy-negative non-GCA patients. Expression of IL-22 was determined in TABs by immunohystochemistry, in plasma by ELISA, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by real-time PCR and flow cytometry. Effects of IL-22 on viability and gene expression of primary cultures obtained from TA…
Incomplete Timothy syndrome secondary to a mosaic mutation of the CACNA1C gene diagnosed using next-generation sequencing.
2016
Autosomal dominant genetic diseases can occur de novo and in the form of somatic mosaicism, which can give rise to a less severe phenotype, and make diagnosis more difficult given the sensitivity limits of the methods used. We report the case of female child with a history of surgery for syndactyly of the hands and feet, who was admitted at 6 years of age to a pediatric intensive care unit following cardiac arrest. The electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a long QT interval that on occasions reached 500 ms. Despite the absence of facial dysmorphism and the presence of normal psychomotor development, a diagnosis of Timothy syndrome was made given the association of syndactyly and the ECG features.…
Bacitracin and Rutin Regulate Tissue Factor Production in Inflammatory Monocytes and Acute Myeloid Leukemia Blasts
2021
Simple Summary Aberrant tissue factor (TF) expression by transformed myeloblasts and inflammatory monocytes contributes to coagulation activation in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). TF procoagulant activity (PCA) is regulated by protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), an oxidoreductase with chaperone activity, but its specific role in AML-associated TF biology is unclear. Here, we provide novel mechanistic insights into this interrelation. We show that bacitracin and rutin, two pan-inhibitors of the PDI family, prevent lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced monocyte TF production under inflammatory conditions and constitutive TF expression by THP1 cells and AML blasts, thus exerting promising anticoagula…
Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer in families from southern Italy (Sicily)—Prevalence and geographic distribution of pathogenic variants in BRCA1/…
2020
Recent advances in the detection of germline pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1/2 genes have allowed a deeper understanding of the BRCA-related cancer risk. Several studies showed a significant heterogeneity in the prevalence of PVs across different populations. Because little is known about this in the Sicilian population, our study was aimed at investigating the prevalence and geographic distribution of inherited BRCA1/2 PVs in families from this specific geographical area of Southern Italy. We retrospectively collected and analyzed all clinical information of 1346 hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer patients genetically tested for germline BRCA1/2 PVs at University Hospital Policlini…
Familial hypercholesterolemia: The Italian Atherosclerosis Society Network (LIPIGEN)
2017
Background and aims: Primary dyslipidemias are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by abnormal levels of circulating lipoproteins. Among them, familial hypercholesterolemia is the most common lipid disorder that predisposes for premature cardiovascular disease. We set up an Italian nationwide network aimed at facilitating the clinical and genetic diagnosis of genetic dyslipidemias named LIPIGEN (LIpid TransPort Disorders Italian GEnetic Network). Methods: Observational, multicenter, retrospective and prospective study involving about 40 Italian clinical centers. Genetic testing of the appropriate candidate genes at one of six molecular diagnostic laboratories serving as nationw…
Cardiomyocyte proliferation prevents failure in pressure overload but not volume overload
2017
Induction of the cell cycle is emerging as an intervention to treat heart failure. Here, we tested the hypothesis that enhanced cardiomyocyte renewal in transgenic mice expressing cyclin D2 would be beneficial during hemodynamic overload. We induced pressure overload by transthoracic aortic constriction (TAC) or volume overload by aortocaval shunt in cyclin D2-expressing and WT mice. Although cyclin D2 expression dramatically improved survival following TAC, it did not confer a survival advantage to mice following aortocaval shunt. Cardiac function decreased following TAC in WT mice, but was preserved in cyclin D2-expressing mice. On the other hand, cardiac structure and function were compr…
Guanxin Danshen Formulation Protects against Myocardial Ischemia Reperfusion Injury-Induced Left Ventricular Remodeling by Upregulating Estrogen Rece…
2017
Background: Guanxin Danshen formulation (GXDSF) is a traditional Chinese herbal recipe recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia since 1995 edition, which consists of Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Dalbergiae odoriferae Lignum. Our previous research suggested GXDSF had positive effect on cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of GXDSF on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury-induced left ventricular remodelling (MIRI-LVR). Methods: The effects of GXDSF on cardiac function were detected by haemodynamics and echocardiograms. The effects of GXDSF on biochemical parameters (AST, LDH and CK-MB) were analysed. H…
Protective Role for LPA3 in Cardiac Hypertrophy Induced by Myocardial Infarction but Not by Isoproterenol
2017
Background: We previously reported that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) promoted cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in vitro via one of its G protein-coupled receptor subtypes, LPA3. In this study, we examined the role of LPA3 in cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol (ISO) and myocardial infarction. Methods: In vitro, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) were subjected to LPA3 knocked-down, or pretreated with a β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) antagonist (propranolol) before LPA/ISO treatment. Cardiomyocyte size and hypertrophic gene (ANP, BNP) mRNA levels were determined. In vivo, LPA3-/- and wild-type mice were implanted subcutaneously with an osmotic mini-pump containing ISO or vehicle for 2 weeks;…
Cardioprotection and natural polyphenols: An update of clinical and experimental studies
2018
Myocardial ischemia is the leading cause of death worldwide. Despite better outcomes with early coronary artery reperfusion strategies, morbidity and mortality remain significant. The principal myocardial hallmark of myocardial ischemia is cell death and the associated impairment of cardiac contractility. In this way, the use of extracts from medicinal plants versus synthetic drugs to mitigate post-ischemic damage constitutes an alternative. Despite their proven beneficial effects in cardiovascular disorders, the use of many plants is questioned. Our aim is to update the clinical and experimental studies about the actions of medicinal plants and polyphenol-enriched extracts against ischemia…
Pathophysiology of Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD): A Review on Oxidative Disorders
2020
Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is an atherosclerotic disease that affects a wide range of the world’s population, reaching up to 200 million individuals worldwide. PAD particularly affects elderly individuals (>65 years old). PAD is often underdiagnosed or underestimated, although specificity in diagnosis is shown by an ankle/brachial approach, and the high cardiovascular event risk that affected the PAD patients. A number of pathophysiologic pathways operate in chronic arterial ischemia of lower limbs, giving the possibility to improve therapeutic strategies and the outcome of patients. This review aims to provide a well detailed description of such fundamental issues as physical exe…