Secretogranin II; a Protein Increased in the Myocardium and Circulation in Heart Failure with Cardioprotective Properties

Background: Several beneficial effects have been demonstrated for secretogranin II (SgII) in non-cardiac tissue. As cardiac production of chromogranin A and B, two related proteins, is increased in heart failure (HF), we hypothesized that SgII could play a role in cardiovascular pathophysiology. Methodology/Principal Findings: SgII production was characterized in a post-myocardial infarction heart failure (HF) mouse model, functional properties explored in experimental models, and circulating levels measured in mice and patients with stable HF of moderate severity. SgII mRNA levels were 10.5 fold upregulated in the left ventricle (LV) of animals with myocardial infarction and HF (p<0.001 vs. sham-operated animals). SgII protein levels were also increased in the LV, but not in other organs investigated. SgII was produced in several cell types in the myocardium and cardiomyocyte synthesis of SgII was potently induced by transforming growth factor-beta and norepinephrine stimulation in vitro. Processing of SgII to shorter peptides was enhanced in the failing myocardium due to increased levels of the proteases PC1/3 and PC2 and circulating SgII levels were increased in mice with HF. Examining a pathophysiological role of SgII in the initial phase of post-infarction HF, the SgII fragment secretoneurin reduced myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and cardiomyocyte apoptosis by 30% and rapidly increased cardiomyocyte Erk1/2 and Stat3 phosphorylation. SgII levels were also higher in patients with stable, chronic HF compared to age-and gender-matched control subjects: median 0.16 (Q1-3 0.14-0.18) vs. 0.12 (0.10-0.14) nmol/L, p<0.001. Conclusions: We demonstrate increased myocardial SgII production and processing in the LV in animals with myocardial infarction and HF, which could be beneficial as the SgII fragment secretoneurin protects from ischemia-reperfusion injury and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Circulating SgII levels are also increased in patients with chronic, stable HF and may represent a new cardiac biomarker

Genes Involved in Systemic and Arterial Bed Dependent Atherosclerosis - Tampere Vascular Study

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis is a complex disease with hundreds of genes influencing its progression. In addition, the phenotype of the disease varies significantly depending on the arterial bed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We characterized the genes generally involved in human advanced atherosclerotic (AHA type V-VI) plaques in carotid and femoral arteries as well as aortas from 24 subjects of Tampere Vascular study and compared the results to non-atherosclerotic internal thoracic arteries (n=6) using genome-wide expression array and QRT-PCR. In addition we determined genes that were typical for each arterial plaque studied. To gain a comprehensive insight into the pathologic processes in the plaques we also analyzed pathways and gene sets dysregulated in this disease using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). According to the selection criteria used (>3.0 fold change and p-value <0.05), 235 genes were up-regulated and 68 genes down-regulated in the carotid plaques, 242 genes up-regulated and 116 down-regulated in the femoral plaques and 256 genes up-regulated and 49 genes down-regulated in the aortic plaques. Nine genes were found to be specifically induced predominantly in aortic plaques, e.g., lactoferrin, and three genes in femoral plaques, e.g., chondroadherin, whereas no gene was found to be specific for carotid plaques. In pathway analysis, a total of 28 pathways or gene sets were found to be significantly dysregulated in atherosclerotic plaques (false discovery rate [FDR] <0.25). CONCLUSIONS: This study describes comprehensively the gene expression changes that generally prevail in human atherosclerotic plaques. In addition, site specific genes induced only in femoral or aortic plaques were found, reflecting that atherosclerotic process has unique features in different vascular beds

Systemic arterial properties during normal pregnancies in healthy women

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Predictors of death in contemporary adult patients with Eisenmenger syndrome: a multicentre study

BACKGROUND: -Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. There is no consensus, however, on mortality risk stratification. We aimed to investigate survival and predictors of death in a large, contemporary cohort of ES patients. METHODS: -We identified in a multicentre approach adults with ES under follow-up between 2000 and 2015. We examined survival and its association with clinical, electrocardiographic, echocardiographic and laboratory parameters. RESULTS: -We studied 1098 patients (median age 34.4years, range 16.1-84.4years, 65.1% female, 31.9% with Down syndrome). The majority had a post-tricuspid defect (n=643, 58.6%), followed by patients with a complex (n=315, 28.7%) and pre-tricuspid lesion (n=, 12.7%). Over a median follow-up of 3.1years [IQR 1.4-5.9], allowing for 4361.6 patient-years observation, 278 patients died and six and six underwent transplantation. Twelve parameters emerged as significant predictors of death on univariable analysis. On multivariable Cox regression analysis only age (HR 1.41/10years, 95%CI 1.24-1.59, P<0.001), pre-tricuspid shunt (HR 1.56, 95%CI 1.02-2.39, P=0.041), oxygen saturation at rest (HR 0.53/10%, 95%CI 0.43-0.65, P<0.001), presence of sinus rhythm (HR 0.53, 95%CI 0.32-0.88, P=0.013) and presence of pericardial effusion (HR 2.41, 95%CI 1.59-3.66, P<0.001) remained significant predictors of death. CONCLUSIONS: -There is significant premature mortality amongst contemporary adults with ES. We report, herewith a multivariable mortality risk stratification model based on five simple, non-invasive predictors of death in this population