Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Atorvastatin on Primary Human Endothelial Cells Incubated under Genotoxic Load.

The level of cytokine expression was measured in human coronary artery (HCAEC) and internal thoracic artery (HITAEC) endothelial cells exposed to 500 ng/ml alkylating mutagen mitomycin C (MMC) and 5 µM atorvastatin. It was found that treatment of MMC-exposed HCAEC with atorvastatin decreased secretion of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), IL-8, and IL8 gene expression, but increased the expression of SERPINE1 gene encoding the PAI-1 protein. In atorvastatin-treated HITAEC, the concentration of MIF protein and the expression of the IL8 and SERPINE1 genes were reduced. We can conclude that atorvastatin prevents proinflammatory activation of endothelial cells cultured under conditions of genotoxic load. However, the molecular mechanisms of this effect require further research.

The cytokine response of human coronary artery endothelial cells treated with doxorubicin: results of an in vitro experiment.

The cytokine profile of primary coronary artery endothelial cells cultivated in the presence of doxorubicin (2 µg/ml and 6 µg/ml) was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and qPCR. Cultivation of cells in the presence of these concentrations of doxorubicin for 24 h, upregulated expression of the following genes: IL6 (by 2.30 and 2.66 times, respectively), IL1B (by 1.25 and 3.44 times), and CXCL8 (by 6.47 times and 6.42 times), MIF (2.34 and 2.28 times), CCL2 (4.22 and 3.98 times). Under these conditions the following genes were downregulated: IL10, IL1R2, TNF. Cultivation of cells in the presence of doxorubicin (2 µg/ml and 6 µg/ml) for 24 h also increased the secretion of IL-6.

Endothelial Dysfunction in the Context of Blood-Brain Barrier Modeling.

Here, we discuss pathophysiological approaches to the defining of endothelial dysfunction criteria (i.e., endothelial activation, impaired endothelial mechanotransduction, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, reduced nitric oxide release, compromised endothelial integrity, and loss of anti-thrombogenic properties) in different in vitro and in vivo models. The canonical definition of endothelial dysfunction includes insufficient production of vasodilators, pro-thrombotic and pro-inflammatory activation of endothelial cells, and pathologically increased endothelial permeability. Among the clinical consequences of endothelial dysfunction are arterial hypertension, macro- and microangiopathy, and microalbuminuria. We propose to extend the definition of endothelial dysfunction by adding altered endothelial mechanotransduction and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition to its criteria. Albeit interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and MCP-1/CCL2 dictate the pathogenic paracrine effects of dysfunctional endothelial cells and are therefore reliable endothelial dysfunction biomarkers in vitro, they are non-specific for endothelial cells and cannot be used for the diagnostics of endothelial dysfunction in vivo. Conceptual improvements in the existing methods to model endothelial dysfunction, specifically, in relation to the blood-brain barrier, include endothelial cell culturing under pulsatile flow, collagen IV coating of flow chambers, and endothelial lysate collection from the blood vessels of laboratory animals in situ for the subsequent gene and protein expression profiling. Combined with the simulation of paracrine effects by using conditioned medium from dysfunctional endothelial cells, these flow-sensitive models have a high physiological relevance, bringing the experimental conditions to the physiological scenario.

[Transcription of DNA-Methyltransferases in Endothelial Cells Exposed to Mitomycin C].

DNA-methyltransferases catalyze DNA methylation in the CpG sites, which play an important role in the maintenance of genome stability. The association between DNA methylation and genotoxic stress resulting in the action of various clastogens has been shown. Genotoxic stress is one of the triggers of endothelial dysfunction. In this study, the transcription of DNMT1, DNMT3A and DNMT3B genes in coronary (HCAEC) and internal thoracic (HITAEC) artery endothelial cells exposed to alkylating mutagen mitomycin C was studied using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In HCAEC exposed to mitomycin C, DNMT1 transcription is 1.7-fold higher compared to the unexposed control. After elimination of the mutagen from the cultures followed by 24-hours of cultivation, a 2-fold increase of transcription of DNMT3B in HCAEC exposed to mitomycin C compared to the control was observed. At the same time, no changes in transcription of the studied DNA-methyltransferases were found in HITAEC exposed to the mutagen. Thus, increased transcription of DNA-methyltransferase may be a possible molecular mechanism underlying endothelial dysfunction in response to mutagenic load in an in vitro experiment.

Evaluation of the Feasibility of Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells to Develop Tissue-Engineered Vascular Grafts Based on the Gene Expression Profile Analysis.

The aim of the study was to assess the suitability of endothelial colony-forming cells in the development of tissue engineering constructs based on the study of the gene expression profile compared to mature endothelial cells. Materials and Methods: In the experiment, we used the endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC) obtained from the peripheral blood of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. The cells were isolated on a Histopaque 1077 density gradient (Sigma-Aldrich, USA), and then cultured in EGM-2MV culture medium (Lonza, Switzerland). A commercial culture of primary human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) was used as a control. The cells were unfrozen and cultured according to the manufacturer's recommendations in MesoEndo Cell Growth Medium (Cell Applications, USA).The experiment was carried out in specialized µ-Luer plates in the perfusion system (IBIDI, Germany), which provided a continuous unidirectional flow of the culture medium with a shear stress of 5 dyn/cm2. Control plates were cultured under standard conditions for a similar period of time. Total RNA was isolated from cell samples. The expression of the genes NOTCH4, NRP2, PLAT, PLAU, NOTCH1, FLT1, COL4A2, CD34, SERPINE1, HEY2, MKI67, KLF4, LYVE1, FLT4 was assessed using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of the genes was calculated by the ΔCt method and expressed on a logarithmic (log10) scale as a fold change relating to the control samples. Results: In mature endothelial cells HCAEC when exposed to a laminar flow, only the transcription factor KLF4 and venous differentiation NRP2 marker values increased significantly. ECFC showed statistically significant growth in KLF4, NRP2, CD34, and LYVE1, as well as PLAU expression decrease. In addition, we observed the overexpression of FLT4, LYVE1, NOTCH4, and NRP2 in ECFC in relation to HCAEC and HEY2 hypoexpression. CD34 overexpression characteristic of progenitor cells was also found. An increase in COL4A2 expression associated with type IV collagen synthesis was a characteristic feature of ECFC. Conclusion: The gene expression profile of endothelial colony-forming cells is quite close to that of primary endothelial cells of the human coronary artery, and thus, the cells obtained from patients' peripheral blood can be used to develop personalized tissue-engineered constructs.

[The gene expression signature in endothelial cells exposed to mitomycin C]. / Profil' gennoi ékspressii v éndotelial'nykh kletkakh, kul'tiviruemykh v prisutstvii mitomitsina S.

The expression of DNA repair (DDB1, ERCC4, ERCC5), leukocyte adhesion (VCAM1, ICAM1, SELE, SELP), endothelial mechanotransduction (KLF4), endothelial differentiation (PECAM1, CDH5, CD34, NOS3), endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (SNAI1, SNAI2, TWIST1, GATA4, ZEB1, CDH2), scavenger receptors (LOX1, SCARF1, CD36, LDLR, VLDR), antioxidant system (PXDN, CAT, SOD1) and transcription factor (HEY2) genes in primary human coronary (HCAEC) and internal thoracic (HITAEC) arteries endothelial cells exposed to alkylating mutagen mitomycin C (MMC) was studied at two time points - after 6 h of incubation with MMC and after 6 h of the genotoxic load followed by 24 h of incubation in pure culture medium using the quantitative PCR. Immediately after MMC exposure, in the exposed HCAEC and HITAEC a decreased expression of almost all studied genes was noted excepted SNAI, which demonstrated a 4-told increase in its expression compared to the unexposed control. Elimination of MMC from the cultures, an increased expression of the VCAM1, ICAM1, SELE, SNAI2, KLF4 genes and a decreased the mRNA level of the PECAM1, CDH5, CD34, ZEB1, CAT, PXDN genes were observed in both cell lines. In addition, HITAEC cells were characterized by a decreased expression of the SOD1, SCARF1, CD36 genes and an increased expression of the SNAI1 and TWIST1 genes; in HCAEC, an increased mRNA level of the LDLR and VLDLR genes was noted. Thus, MMC-induced genotoxic stress is associated with the endothelial dysfunction.

[The expression level of cytokine genes in the cases of native heart valves in infectious endocarditis]. / Otsenka urovnia ékspressii genov tsitokinov v stvorkakh nativnykh klapanov serdtsa pri infektsionnom éndokardite.

The expression level of IL1B, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12A, IL12B, IL18, IL23, IL33, CCL2, and IL1RL1 has been investigated using biopsies of native mitral, aortic, and tricuspid valves obtained during surgical correction of acquired defect from 25 patients with infectious endocarditis. Biopsies of native mitral and aortic valve cusps from 12 patients who underwent surgical correction of acquired heart disease of non-infectious etiology were used as control. We used quantitative PCR with fluorescent dye SYBR Green for determination of the cytokine gene expression level. This study revealed that genes could be subdivided into three groups: (i) genes with increased expression (IL1B, IL6, and IL8); (ii) genes with reduced expression (IL33 and IL1RL1); (iii) genes with unchanged expression (IL12A, IL18, IL23, and CCL2). The IL8 gene expression was characterized by the most pronounced increase (9.83 times versus control), while the IL1RL1 gene demonstrated the most pronounced decrease in its expression (4.17 times). Expression of IL10 and IL12B genes was negligible in all samples.

[Expression of gene and content of adiponectin in fatty tissue in patients with ischemic heart disease]. / Ékspressiia gena i soderzhanie adiponektina v zhirovoi tkani u patsientov s ishemicheskoi bolezn'iu serdtsa.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the features of expression and adiponectin content in the adipocyte culture of subcutaneous, epicardial, and perivascular adipose tissue and the effect of various doses of rosuvastatin on these processes. 29 patients with coronary artery disease were examined. Adipocytes were isolated from the samples of SAT, EAT and PVAT which were taken during coronary artery bypass surgery, followed by cultivation in the presence of rosuvastatin and evaluation of gene expression and adiponectin concentration. Adipocytes SAT, EAT and PVAT differed in the level of adiponectin secretion and expression of its gene. On day 1 of cultivation the expression of the adiponectin gene in the EAT was 2.3 times lower than in the PVAT. On day 2 of cultivation the expression of the adiponectin gene was reduced both in the EAT and the PVAT as compared to the SAT. When rosuvastatin was added at a concentration of 1 mmol/L, adiponectin gene expression in PVAT was higher than when rosuvastatin was added at a concentration of 5 mmol/L, in the adipocyte culture of SAT effect was opposite. Thus, the adipocytes of EZhT and, to a greater extent, PAS, can be a therapeutic target for statins in the case of the pathological activation of adipose tissue.

[Microflora of peripheral blood obtained from patients with infective endocarditis.]

Infective endocarditis is a serious inflammatory disease associated with damage of heart valves and other parts of endocardium. This study included 91 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of «infectious endocarditis¼ and hospitalized at the Research Institute of Complex Problems of Cardiovascular Disease (Kemerovo, Russia) from 2010 to 2015. The determination of the spectrum of microorganisms in the samples of patients' peripheral blood was carried out using the PCR method using reagents produced by Lyteh Ltd. (Moscow, Russia) allowing detect Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalacticae, Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Haemophilus influenza, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium in the samples of biological material. Statistical analysis was performed in the StatSoft STATISTICA 10 software. 83.5% of patients were characterized by presence Staphylococcus spp. in the peripheral blood; the other pathogens were detected much less often (from six cases of enterococci detection to one case of Streptococcus agalacticae and Proteus spp.). In nine patients, none of the analyzed pathogens was detected, and a number of patients were characterized by the simultaneous presence of several pathogens. There was no reliable data on the difference in microflora structure depending on sex, drug addiction, the type of infective endocarditis and the damaged valve. It was established that the results of PCR of peripheral blood samples and microbiological examination of the tissues of damaged valves that were removed during cardiac surgery, differ significantly. The obtained results testify to the need for more in-depth studies including PCR analysis of peripheral blood samples, flushing from damaged valves, and also homogenized valve tissue samples, which will allow us to obtain more detailed data and conclude that PCR can be used as a diagnostic test for early detection microbiological agent as causative.