Soluble HLA-DR serum levels are associated with smoking but not with acute coronary syndrome

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High relative amount of nodular calcification in femoral plaques is associated with milder lower extremity arterial disease.

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Alterations of Cardiac Protein Kinases in Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Signaling Pathways in Human Ischemic Heart Failure

ObjectivesImpaired protein kinase signaling is a hallmark of ischemic heart disease (IHD). Inadequate understanding of the pathological mechanisms limits the development of therapeutic approaches. We aimed to identify the key cardiac kinases and signaling pathways in patients with IHD with an effort to discover potential therapeutic strategies.MethodsCardiac kinase activity in IHD left ventricle (LV) and the related signaling pathways were investigated by kinomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and integrated multi-omics approach.ResultsProtein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase G (PKG) ranked on top in the activity shift among the cardiac kinases. In the IHD LVs, PKA activity decreased markedly compared with that of controls (62% reduction, p = 0.0034), whereas PKG activity remained stable, although the amount of PKG protein increased remarkably (65%, p = 0.003). mRNA levels of adenylate cyclases (ADCY 1, 3, 5, 9) and cAMP-hydrolysing phosphodiesterases (PDE4A, PDE4D) decreased significantly, although no statistically significant alterations were observed in that of PKGs (PRKG1 and PRKG2) and guanylate cyclases (GUCYs). The gene expression of natriuretic peptide CNP decreased remarkably, whereas those of BNP, ANP, and neprilysin increased significantly in the IHD LVs. Proteomics analysis revealed a significant reduction in protein levels of “Energy metabolism” and “Muscle contraction” in the patients. Multi-omics integration highlighted intracellular signaling by second messengers as the top enriched Reactome pathway.ConclusionThe deficiency in cAMP/PKA signaling pathway is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of IHD. Natriuretic peptide CNP could be a potential therapeutic target for the modulation of cGMP/PKG signaling.Peer reviewe

Tankyrase Inhibition Attenuates Cardiac Dilatation and Dysfunction in Ischemic Heart Failure

Hyperactive poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP) promote ischemic heart failure (IHF) after myocardial infarction (MI). However, the role of tankyrases (TNKSs), members of the PARP family, in pathogenesis of IHF remains unknown. We investigated the expression and activation of TNKSs in myocardium of IHF patients and MI rats. We explored the cardioprotective effect of TNKS inhibition in an isoproterenol-induced zebrafish HF model. In IHF patients, we observed elevated TNKS2 and DICER and concomitant upregulation of miR-34a-5p and miR-21-5p in non-infarcted myocardium. In a rat MI model, we found augmented TNKS2 and DICER in the border and infarct areas at the early stage of post-MI. We also observed consistently increased TNKS1 in the border and infarct areas and destabilized AXIN in the infarct area from 4 weeks onward, which in turn triggered Wnt/β-catenin signaling. In an isoproterenol-induced HF zebrafish model, inhibition of TNKS activity with XAV939, a TNKSs-specific inhibitor, protected against ventricular dilatation and cardiac dysfunction and abrogated overactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and dysregulation of miR-34a-5p induced by isoproterenol. Our study unravels a potential role of TNKSs in the pathogenesis of IHF by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling and possibly modulating miRNAs and highlights the pharmacotherapeutic potential of TNKS inhibition for prevention of IHF

MiR-185-5p regulates the development of myocardial fibrosis

Background: Cardiac fibrosis stiffens the ventricular wall, predisposes to cardiac arrhythmias and contributes to the development of heart failure. In the present study, our aim was to identify novel miRNAs that regulate the development of cardiac fibrosis and could serve as potential therapeutic targets for myocardial fibrosis. Methods and results: Analysis for cardiac samples from sudden cardiac death victims with extensive myocardial fibrosis as the primary cause of death identified dysregulation of miR-185-5p. Analysis of resident cardiac cells from mice subjected to experimental cardiac fibrosis model showed induction of miR-185-5p expression specifically in cardiac fibroblasts. In vitro, augmenting miR-185-5p induced collagen production and profibrotic activation in cardiac fibroblasts, whereas inhibition of miR-185-5p attenuated collagen production. In vivo, targeting miR-185-5p in mice abolished pressure overload induced cardiac interstitial fibrosis. Mechanistically, miR-185-5p targets apelin receptor and inhibits the anti-fibrotic effects of apelin. Finally, analysis of left ventricular tissue from patients with severe cardiomyopathy showed an increase in miR-185-5p expression together with pro-fibrotic TGF-beta 1 and collagen I. Conclusions: Our data show that miR-185-5p targets apelin receptor and promotes myocardial fibrosis.Peer reviewe

Amiodarone accumulates two cholesterol precursors in myocardium : A controlled clinical study

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Osteoid Metaplasia in Femoral Artery Plaques Is Associated With the Clinical Severity of Lower Extremity Artery Disease in Men

Lamellar metaplastic bone, osteoid metaplasia (OM), is found in atherosclerotic plaques, especially in the femoral arteries. In the carotid arteries, OM has been documented to be associated with plaque stability. This study investigated the clinical impact of OM load in femoral artery plaques of patients with lower extremity artery disease (LEAD) by using a deep learning-based image analysis algorithm. Plaques from 90 patients undergoing endarterectomy of the common femoral artery were collected and analyzed. After decalcification and fixation, 4-μm-thick longitudinal sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, digitized, and uploaded as whole-slide images on a cloud-based platform. A deep learning-based image analysis algorithm was trained to analyze the area percentage of OM in whole-slide images. Clinical data were extracted from electronic patient records, and the association with OM was analyzed. Fifty-one (56.7%) sections had OM. Females with diabetes had a higher area percentage of OM than females without diabetes. In male patients, the area percentage of OM inversely correlated with toe pressure and was significantly associated with severe symptoms of LEAD including rest pain, ulcer, or gangrene. According to our results, OM is a typical feature of femoral artery plaques and can be quantified using a deep learning-based image analysis method. The association of OM load with clinical features of LEAD appears to differ between male and female patients, highlighting the need for a gender-specific approach in the study of the mechanisms of atherosclerotic disease. In addition, the role of plaque characteristics in the treatment of atherosclerotic lesions warrants further consideration in the future.Peer reviewe