Predictive and protective role of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in acute myocardial infarction

Background: It is unclear whether high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level predicts cardiovascular events and has a protective effect in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergo- ing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and statin treatment. Methods: A total of 15,290 AMI patients receiving statins were selected from the Korean Myocardial Infarction Registry. Baseline HDL-C level was used to identify patients with low (group A), normal (group B), and high (group C) HDL-C levels according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Clinical outcomes were compared in propensity-adjusted and matched cohorts. The primary endpoint was a composite of cardiovascular death and recurrent myocardial infarction.  Results: At the median follow-up of 11.5 months, the primary endpoint occurred in 2.7% (112/4098), 1.4% (54/3910), and 1.2% (8/661) of patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively. In the propensity- -adjusted cohort, low HDL-C level increased the risk of primary endpoint (hazard ratio [HR] 1.755, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.274–2.417, p = 0.001), whereas high HDL-C level did not reduce this risk (HR 0.562, 95% CI 0.275–1.146, p = 0.113). In the propensity-matched cohort, low HDL-C level increased the risk of primary endpoint (HR 1.716, 95% CI 1.210–2.434, p = 0.002), whereas high HDL-C level reduced this risk (HR 0.449, 95% CI 0.214–0.946, p = 0.035).  Conclusions: In AMI patients treated with PCI and statins, low HDL-C level increases the risk of cardiovascular death and recurrent myocardial infarction, whereas high HDL-C level likely reduces the risk of cardiovascular events, especially for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Characteristics of primary and immortalized fibroblast cells derived from the miniature and domestic pigs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The pig, <it>Sus scrofa domestica </it>includes both the miniature and commercial domestic breed. These animals have influenced the human life and economies and have been studied throughout history. Although the miniature breeds are more recent and have increasingly been used in a variety of biomedical studies, their cell lines have rarely been established. Therefore, we sought to establish primary and immortal cell lines derived from both the miniature and domestic pig to better enable insight into possible <it>in vivo </it>growth differences.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>in vitro </it>lifespan of primary domestic pig fibroblast (PF) and miniature pig fibroblast (MPF) cells using a standard 3T3 protocol was determined. Both of the primary PF and MPF cells were shown to have a two-step replicative senescence barrier. Primary MPF cells exhibited a relatively shorter lifespan and slower proliferation rate compared to those of primary PF cells. Beyond senescence barriers, lifespan-extended PF and MPF cells were eventually established and indicated spontaneous cellular immortalization. In contrast to the immortalized PF cells, immortal MPF cells showed a transformed phenotype and possessed more frequent chromosomal abnormalities and loss of p53 regulatory function. The lifespan of primary MPF and PF cells was extended by inactivation of the p53 function using transduction by SV40LT without any detectable senescent phenotype.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that p53 signaling might be a major determinant for the replicative senescence in the MPF cells that have the shorter lifespan and slower growth rate compared to PF cells <it>in vitro</it>.</p

Impact of the Metabolic Syndrome on the Clinical Outcome of Patients with Acute ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

We sought to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with acute myocardial infarction and its effect on clinical outcomes. Employing data from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry, a total of 1,990 patients suffered from acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) between November 2005 and December 2006 were categorized according to the National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria of MS. Primary study outcomes included major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during one-year follow-up. Patients were grouped based on existence of MS: group I: MS (n=1,182, 777 men, 62.8±12.3 yr); group II: Non-MS (n=808, 675 men, 64.2±13.1 yr). Group I showed lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P=0.005). There were no differences between two groups in the coronary angiographic findings except for multivessel involvement (P=0.01). The incidence of in-hospital death was higher in group I than in group II (P=0.047), but the rates of composite MACE during one-year clinical follow-up showed no significant differences. Multivariate analysis showed that low LVEF, old age, MS, low high density lipoprotein cholesterol and multivessel involvement were associated with high in-hospital death rate. In conclusion, MS is an important predictor for in-hospital death in patients with STEMI

Cytoprotective Effect of Phloroglucinol on Oxidative Stress Induced Cell Damage via Catalase Activation

Abstract We investigated the cytoprotective effect of phloroglucinol, which was isolated from Ecklonia cava (brown alga), against oxidative stress induced cell damage in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79-4) cells. Phloroglucinol was found to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), hydroxy radical, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and thus prevented lipid peroxidation. As a result, phloroglucinol reduced H 2 O 2 induced apoptotic cells formation in V79-4 cells. In addition, phloroglucinol inhibited cell damage induced by serum starvation and radiation through scavenging ROS. Phloroglucinol increased the catalase activity and its protein expression. In addition, catalase inhibitor abolished the protective effect of phloroglucinol from H 2 O 2 induced cell damage. Furthermore, phloroglucinol increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK). Taken together, the results suggest that phloroglucinol protects V79-4 cells against oxidative damage by enhancing the cellular catalase activity and modulating ERK signal pathway

HIGH-DOSE CLOPIDOGREL LOADING IS SAFE AND EFFECTIVE IN PATIENTS WITH ST-ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION UNDERGOING PRIMARY PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION

OBJECTIVE: The two- to fourfold higher risk of cardiovascular disease in diabetes mellitus is more strongly predicted by the postprandial than by the fasting blood glucose and lipids. We aimed to investigate the impact of postprandial changes in serum lipoprotein fractions on lipid peroxidation in type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM). DESIGN: This was a prospective observational study. SETTING: The study was performed at Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium.Subjects:Twenty-three well-controlled T1DM patients were included. INTERVENTION: Patients received a standard breakfast and lunch (&gt;50% energy as fat). Blood was sampled at fasting (F), after the post-breakfast hyperglycemic peak (BP), just before lunch (B), after the post-lunch hyperglycemic peak (LP), after the post-lunch dale (LD) and 5 h after lunch (L) for the measurement of serum lipids, lipoprotein subfraction composition, alpha-tocopherol and lipid peroxidation in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Serum triacylglycerols (Tgs) increased (from 1.03+/-0.40 at F to 1.60+/-0.87 mmol/l at LP, P=0.001), but cholesterol decreased by 12% in parallel with alpha-tocopherol (from 4.43+/-0.76 at F to 4.12+/-0.82 micromol/mmol total lipid at B, P=0.006). Although plasma malondialdehyde increased from 1.02+/-0.36 at F to 1.14+/-0.40 micromol/L at LP, P=0.03, copper-induced in vitro peroxidation decreased in the low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein fractions. CONCLUSIONS: In well-controlled T1DM patients moderate postprandial increases in serum Tgs are accompanied by a relative deficiency in alpha-tocopherol. Lipid peroxidation in vivo increases but cannot be ascribed to changes in the susceptibility of lipoproteins to copper-induced in vitro peroxidation</p

Extrahepatic Biliary Schwannomas: A Case Report

Benign schwannomas arise in neural crest-derived Schwann cells. They can occur almost anywhere in the body, but their most common locations are the central nervous system, extremities, neck, mediastinum, and retroperitoneum. Schwannomas occurring in the biliary tract are extremely rare and mostly present with obstructive jaundice. We recently experienced a case of extrahepatic biliary schwannomas in a 64-yr-old female patient who presented with intra- and extrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder stones during a screening program. To the best of our knowledge, extrahepatic biliary schwannomas associated with bile duct stones have not been reported previously in the literature