Metabolic syndrome influences cardiac gene expression pattern at the transcript level in male ZDF rats

Background: Metabolic syndrome (coexisting visceral obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, and hypertension) is a prominent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, however, its effect on cardiac gene expression pattern is unclear. Therefore, we examined the possible alterations in cardiac gene expression pattern in male Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats, a model of metabolic syndrome. Methods: Fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were measured at 6, 16, and 25 wk of age in male ZDF and lean control rats. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed at 16 and 25 wk of age. At week 25, total RNA was isolated from the myocardium and assayed by rat oligonucleotide microarray for 14921 genes. Expression of selected genes was confirmed by qRT-PCR. Results: Fasting blood glucose, serum insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly increased, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity were impaired in ZDF rats compared to leans. In hearts of ZDF rats, 36 genes showed significant up-regulation and 49 genes showed down-regulation as compared to lean controls. Genes with significantly altered expression in the heart due to metabolic syndrome includes functional clusters of metabolism (e.g. 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A synthase 2; argininosuccinate synthetase; 2-amino-3ketobutyrate-coenzyme A ligase), structural proteins (e.g. myosin IXA; aggrecan1), signal transduction (e. g. activating transcription factor 3; phospholipase A2; insulin responsive sequence DNA binding protein-1) stress response (e.g. heat shock 70kD protein 1A; heat shock protein 60; glutathione S-transferase Yc2 subunit), ion channels and receptors (e.g. ATPase, (Na+)/K+ transporting, beta 4 polypeptide; ATPase, H+/K+ transporting, nongastric, alpha polypeptide). Moreover some other genes with no definite functional clusters were also changed such as e. g. S100 calcium binding protein A3; ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1; interleukin 18. Gene ontology analysis revealed several significantly enriched functional inter-relationships between genes influenced by metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: Metabolic syndrome significantly alters cardiac gene expression profile which may be involved in development of cardiac pathologies in the presence of metabolic syndrome

Landing together: how flocks arrive at a coherent action in time and space in the presence of perturbations

Collective motion is abundant in nature, producing a vast amount of phenomena which have been studied in recent years, including the landing of flocks of birds. We investigate the collective decision making scenario where a flock of birds decides the optimal time of landing in the absence of a global leader. We introduce a simple phenomenological model in the spirit of the statistical mechanics-based self-propelled particles (SPP-s) approach to interpret this process. We expect that our model is applicable to a larger class of spatiotemporal decision making situations than just the landing of flocks (which process is used as a paradigmatic case). In the model birds are only influenced by observable variables, like position and velocity. Heterogeneity is introduced in the flock in terms of a depletion time after which a bird feels increasing bias to move towards the ground. Our model demonstrates a possible mechanism by which animals in a large group can arrive at an egalitarian decision about the time of switching from one activity to another in the absence of a leader. In particular, we show the existence of a paradoxical effect where noise enhances the coherence of the landing process.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

A szívizom sztressz-adaptációja: a peroxinitrit, a mátrix metalloproteinázok, és a hiperlipidémia szerepe = Stress adaptation of the myocardium: role of peroxynitrite, matrix metalloproteinases, and hyperlipidemia

A hiperlipidémia talaján kialakuló iszkémiás szívbetegség a leggyakoribb halálokok közé tartozik. A 4 éves project során a szívizom iszkémiának és az iszkémiás stressz adaptációs képességének (iszkémiás pre- és posztkondíció) celluláris mechanizmusait vizsgáltuk állatkísérletekben, különösképpen a peroxinitrit és celluláris targetjének, az MMP2-nek a szerepét. Új eredményeink közül néhányat emelünk ki. Kimutattuk, hogy hiperlipidemiában a szívben a peroxitrit képződés és ezáltal az MMP-2 aktivitása fokozódik, ami különösen hiperlipidmémiában jelentős, és ezt a folyamatot a prékondíció gátolja. DNA-chip vizsgálattal feltérképeztük hiperlipidémia hatására a génkifejeződés változásait a szívizomban. Kimutattuk, hogy az alacsony mértékű peroxinitrit képződés a stessz adaptáció kiváltásában igen fontos szerepet tölt be, hiszen olyan mechanizmusokat aktivál, melyek az iszkémiás stressz során túlzott mértékű peroxinitrit-MMP aktivitást csökkenti. Leírtuk, hogy nemspecifikus MMP gátlókkal az infarktus területe csökkenthető még hiperlipidémiás állatban is. Humán ApoB100 transzgenetikus eger modelleken megfigyeltük, hogy az oxidatív/nitrozatív stressz oka a hiperkoleszterinémia, és nem a hipertrigliceridémia. Kimutattuk továbbá, hogy a fiziológiás peroxinitrit szint, melyet a szívizom kapszaicin-érzékeny neuronjai szabályoznak, a normális szívizom relaxációt tartja fent. A project futamideje alatt az adott témában összesen 16 nemzetközi cikket (impakt faktor >70) közöltünk. | Ischemic heart disease developing due to hyperlipidemia is the number one killer in civilized societies. The present 4-year project was aiming at exploration of cellular mechanisms underlying stress adaptation of the myocardium, i.e. pre- and postconditioning, focusing on the role of peroxynitrite and its cellular target matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2). Here we emphasize only some of the most important results of the project. We have shown that in hyperlipidemia, myocardial peroxynitrite formation and thereby MMP2 activity is increased, which is attenuated by preconditioning. We have mapped the changes in gene expression due to hyperlipidemia by the use of DNA-microarray assay. We have observed that moderate peroxynitrite formation is necessary to trigger the stress adaptation mechanisms, which in turn will decrease the pathological activation of the peroxynitrite-MMP2 signaling. We have shown that nonspecific MMP inhibitors are able to reduce infarct size even in the presence of hyperlipidemia. In human ApoB-100 transgene mice, we have observed that oxidative/nitrosative stress is due to hypercholesterolemia and not hypertriglyceridemia. Furthermore, we have shown that baseline physiological peroxynitrite formation, which is regulated by myocardial capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves, plays an important role in the maintenance of normal relaxation of the myocardium. The present project yielded altogether 16 peer-reviewed papers (impact factor >70)

Carotis bifurcatio stenosisok kezelése percután transluminaris angioplasticával (PTA) és / vagy stent behelyezéssel. = Carotid bifurcation stenosis: treatment by percutaneous transluminar angioplasty (PTA) and / or stent implantation.

Az új többszeletes CT készülékekkel végzett carotis CT-angiographiával a hagyományos diagnosztikus digitalis subtractios angiographia (DSA) vizsgálat gyakorlatilag kiváltható, ezzel csökkentve a betegek orvosi beavatkozások általi veszélyeztetettségét, és a betegellátás költségeit. A betegeket lényegesen kevésbé terhelő, postoperatív intenzív ellátás nem igénylő, 1 napos lábadozási idővel járó Carotis Artéria Stentelése (CAS) a Carotis Endarterectomia (CEA) biztonságos és hatásos alternatívája, s a legtöbb atheroscleroticus eredetű carotis interna szűkülettel rendelkező betegnél az ACAS tanulmányhoz hasonlóan alacsony szövődményrátával kivitelezhető. Ennek egyik alapfeltétele az elérhető leginkább atraumatikus végződésű, megfelelő fizikai paraméterekkel rendelkező eszközök alkalmazása. Elengedhetetlen az aneszteziológus segítsége, s a megfelelő klinikai háttér. | Diagnostic digital subtraction angiography for the carotid arteries can successfully be substituted by multislice CT angiography. Carotid Artery Stenting, this one-day-care procedure is a safe alternative to carotid endarterectomy for most patients with primary atherosclerotic stenosis, as it can be carried out with clinical complication rate as low as published in the ACAS trial. Prerequisite are stents with atraumatic ending and excellent physical properties. The aid of an anesthesiologist and proper clinical background is inevitable

Isolation of Exosomes from Blood Plasma: Qualitative and Quantitative Comparison of Ultracentrifugation and Size Exclusion Chromatography Methods

BACKGROUND: Exosomes are emerging targets for biomedical research. However, suitable methods for the isolation of blood plasma-derived exosomes without impurities have not yet been described. AIM: Therefore, we investigated the efficiency and purity of exosomes isolated with potentially suitable methods; differential ultracentrifugation (UC) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Exosomes were isolated from rat and human blood plasma by various UC and SEC conditions. Efficiency was investigated at serial UC of the supernatant, while in case of SEC by comparing the content of exosomal markers of various fractions. Purity was assessed based on the presence of albumin. We found that the diameter of the majority of isolated particles fell into the size range of exosomes, however, albumin was also present in the preparations, when 1h UC at 4 degrees C was applied. Furthermore, with this method only a minor fraction of total exosomes could be isolated from blood as deduced from the constant amount of exosomal markers CD63 and TSG101 detected after serial UC of rat blood plasma samples. By using UC for longer time or with shorter sedimentation distance at 4 degrees C, or UC performed at 37 degrees C, exosomal yield increased, but albumin impurity was still observed in the isolates, as assessed by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering and immunoblotting against CD63, TSG101 and albumin. Efficiency and purity were not different in case of using further diluted samples. By using SEC with different columns, we have found that although a minor fraction of exosomes can be isolated without significant albumin content on Sepharose CL-4B or Sephacryl S-400 columns, but not on Sepharose 2B columns, the majority of exosomes co-eluted with albumin. CONCLUSION: Here we show that it is feasible to isolate exosomes from blood plasma by SEC without significant albumin contamination albeit with low vesicle yield

Stresszválasz: membrántól membránig = Stress response: from membrane to membrane

A 2005-ben befejezett munka során széles kisérleti háttere, különböző sejtes modellekre alapozva szisztematikus munkával igazoltuk az un "membrán szenzor" hipotézis univerzális érvényességét. A stresszfehérje (molekuláris chaperon) válasz sejt- és molekuláris hátterének egy teljesen új aspektusát tártuk fel, amikor is a stresszválasz primér jelképző funkcióját nem a proteotoxicitás, hanem a membránok lipidfázisa által kontrolált állapotváltozások látják el. A membránok lipid-lipid ill. lipid-fehérje kölcsönhatásaiban ("molekuláris kapcsolók") stressz (pld. magashőmérséklet) által kiváltott változásokat a membránok fehérje és lipidösszetételének ill. mikrodomén szintű finomszerveződésének szintjén követtük. Igazoltuk a stresszfehérjék lipidmediálta kölcsönhatásait. Kutatásaink újgenerációs gyógyszerek (pld. hidroximsavszármazékok) kifejlesztését alapozták meg. Ezek a stresszfehérje szintézis megfelelő kontrolljával olyan patológiás állapotok gyógyítását teszik lehetővé, mint a 2. típusú diabétesz, vagy a neurodegeneratív betegségek. | Based on broad experimental approaches and different cellular models in the course of the realization of this OTKA project we provided evidences on the universal validity of the ?membrane sensor? hypothesis. We explored a novel aspect of stress protein response by highlighting those conditions (mild heat stress, membrane defects in disease states, aging, etc.) under which the primary cellular stress sensing mechanism operates by subtle, lipid-phase controlled membrane alterations, rather than by massive proteotoxicity (severe stress). Membrane changes induced by various stress conditions (likely governed by lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions) were systematically monitored by real-time single molecule microscopy and coupled to the downstream signaling pathways, leading ultimately to hsp transcription. We have shown, that stress proteins are capable to transport and translocate to the lipid phase of membranes. Our investigations opened the door for the development of a new-generation of drugs. There mode of action is linked to the normalization of dysregulated stress protein response in disease states, like type2 diabetes or neurodegenerative diseases

Stem Cell Aging and Age-Related Cardiovascular Disease: Perspectives of Treatment by Ex-vivo Stem Cell Rejuvenation.

Aging affects endogenous stem cells in terms of functionality and numbers. In particular, during aging, the stemness property can decrease because of enhanced apoptotic cell death and senescence. In addition, aging and aging-related co-morbidities affect the paracrine activity of stem cells and the efficiency of their transplantation. Collectively, this leads to a reduction of the capacity of organs to repair themselves, possibly due to a reduced functional capability of stem cells. Therefore, major efforts have been invested to improve the repair capability of stem cells in aged individuals by overexpressing antisenescence and antiapoptotic genes. In this review, we describe critical genes and signaling pathways in stem cell aging and discuss ex vivo genetic modification approaches aimed at stem cell rejuvenation that are of interest for the cardiovascular system

The combination of red palm oil and rooibos show anti-inflammatory effects in rats

BACKGROUND: Red palm oil (RPO) and rooibos have been shown to exhibit cardioprotective properties. RPO is rich in essential fatty acids and fat soluble antioxidants while rooibos contains polyphenolic compounds with a unique composition of flavonoids. They exert their biological effects in different cellular compartments. Therefore the combination of these two natural food compounds has the potential to enhance the spectrum of available dietary antioxidants in different cellular compartments, which could result in an enhanced protection against certain pathological conditions such as inflammation. METHODS: Male Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g were supplemented with RPO, rooibos or their combination for 28 days. The Langendorff system and the lipoposaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory model were used to establish if RPO and rooibos, when supplemented alone or in combination, will reverse the negative effects of LPS on cardiac function at baseline. The effect of dietary intervention was also investigated on modulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in plasma and myocardial tissue. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The LPS resulted in induction of systemic inflammation as evidenced by increased levels of IL-1beta in plasma of LPS-treated rats compared to their non-treated control counterparts. Dietary supplementation and LPS treatment did not have an effect on baseline cardiac functional parameters. However, the elevation of IL-1beta levels in plasma of LPS-induced rats consuming either RPO or rooibos alone were paralleled with increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10. The combination of rooibos and RPO was associated with enhanced endogenous production of myocardial IL-10 in LPS-induced rats. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that RPO and rooibos when supplemented individually showed anti-inflammatory effect at systemic level while their combination exhibited an enhanced anti-inflammatory effect in the myocardial tissue. Therefore, the findings in the current study argue that the combination of these two natural food substances could be beneficial in clinically relevant conditions where inflammation plays a role

Preconditioning protects the heart in a prolonged uremic condition

Metabolic diseases such as hyperlipidemia and diabetes attenuate the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning. In the present study, we examined whether another metabolic disease, prolonged uremia, affects ischemia/reperfusion injury and cardioprotection by ischemic preconditioning. Uremia was induced by partial nephrectomy in male Wistar rats. The development of uremia was verified 29 wk after surgery. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed to monitor cardiac function. At week 30, hearts of nephrectomized and sham-operated rats were isolated and subjected to a 30-min coronary occlusion followed by 120 min reperfusion with or without preceding preconditioning induced by three intermittent cycles of brief ischemia and reperfusion. In nephrectomized rats, plasma uric acid, carbamide, and creatinine as well as urine protein levels were increased as compared with sham-operated controls. Systolic anterior and septal wall thicknesses were increased in nephrectomized rats, suggesting the development of a minimal cardiac hypertrophy. Ejection fraction was decreased and isovolumic relaxation time was shortened in nephrectomized rats demonstrating a mild systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Infarct size was not affected significantly by nephrectomy itself. Ischemic preconditioning significantly decreased infarct size from 24.8 ± 5.2% to 6.6 ± 1.3% in the sham-operated group and also in the uremic group from 35.4 ± 9.5% to 11.9 ± 3.1% of the area at risk. Plasma ANG II and nitrotyrosine were significantly increased in the uremic rats. We conclude that although prolonged experimental uremia leads to severe metabolic changes and the development of a mild myocardial dysfunction, the cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning is still preserved