Ticagrelor alone versus ticagrelor plus aspirin from month 1 to month 12 after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ULTIMATE-DAPT): a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Following percutaneous coronary intervention with stent placement to treat acute coronary syndromes, international clinical guidelines generally recommend dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin plus a P2Y12 receptor inhibitor for 12 months to prevent myocardial infarction and stent thrombosis. However, data on single antiplatelet therapy with a potent P2Y12 inhibitor earlier than 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with an acute coronary syndrome are scarce. The aim of this trial was to assess whether the use of ticagrelor alone, compared with ticagrelor plus aspirin, could reduce the incidence of clinically relevant bleeding events without an accompanying increase in major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events (MACCE). METHODS: In this randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, patients aged 18 years or older with an acute coronary syndrome who completed the IVUS-ACS study and who had no major ischaemic or bleeding events after 1-month treatment with dual antiplatelet therapy were randomly assigned to receive oral ticagrelor (90 mg twice daily) plus oral aspirin (100 mg once daily) or oral ticagrelor (90 mg twice daily) plus a matching oral placebo, beginning 1 month and ending at 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention (11 months in total). Recruitment took place at 58 centres in China, Italy, Pakistan, and the UK. Patients were required to remain event-free for 1 month on dual antiplatelet therapy following percutaneous coronary intervention with contemporary drug-eluting stents. Randomisation was done using a web-based system, stratified by acute coronary syndrome type, diabetes, IVUS-ACS randomisation, and site, using dynamic minimisation. The primary superiority endpoint was clinically relevant bleeding (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium [known as BARC] types 2, 3, or 5). The primary non-inferiority endpoint was MACCE (defined as the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, definite stent thrombosis, or clinically driven target vessel revascularisation), with an expected event rate of 6·2% in the ticagrelor plus aspirin group and an absolute non-inferiority margin of 2·5 percentage points between 1 month and 12 months after percutaneous coronary intervention. The two co-primary endpoints were tested sequentially; the primary superiority endpoint had to be met for hypothesis testing of the MACCE outcome to proceed. All principal analyses were assessed in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03971500, and is completed. FINDINGS: Between Sept 21, 2019, and Oct 27, 2022, 3400 (97·0%) of the 3505 participants in the IVUS-ACS study were randomly assigned (1700 patients to ticagrelor plus aspirin and 1700 patients to ticagrelor plus placebo). 12-month follow-up was completed by 3399 (>99·9%) patients. Between month 1 and month 12 after percutaneous coronary intervention, clinically relevant bleeding occurred in 35 patients (2·1%) in the ticagrelor plus placebo group and in 78 patients (4·6%) in the ticagrelor plus aspirin group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·45 [95% CI 0·30 to 0·66]; p<0·0001). MACCE occurred in 61 patients (3·6%) in the ticagrelor plus placebo group and in 63 patients (3·7%) in the ticagrelor plus aspirin group (absolute difference -0·1% [95% CI -1·4% to 1·2%]; HR 0·98 [95% CI 0·69 to 1·39]; pnon-inferiority<0·0001, psuperiority=0·89). INTERPRETATION: In patients with an acute coronary syndrome who had percutaneous coronary intervention with contemporary drug-eluting stents and remained event-free for 1 month on dual antiplatelet therapy, treatment with ticagrelor alone between month 1 and month 12 after the intervention resulted in a lower rate of clinically relevant bleeding and a similar rate of MACCE compared with ticagrelor plus aspirin. Along with the results from previous studies, these findings show that most patients in this population can benefit from superior clinical outcomes with aspirin discontinuation and maintenance on ticagrelor monotherapy after 1 month of dual antiplatelet therapy. FUNDING: The Chinese Society of Cardiology, the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China, and the Jiangsu Provincial & Nanjing Municipal Clinical Trial Project. TRANSLATION: For the Mandarin translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Intravascular ultrasound-guided versus angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention in acute coronary syndromes (IVUS-ACS): a two-stage, multicentre, randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Intravascular ultrasound-guided percutaneous coronary intervention has been shown to result in superior clinical outcomes compared with angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention. However, insufficient data are available concerning the advantages of intravascular ultrasound guidance for patients with an acute coronary syndrome. This trial aimed to investigate whether the use of intravascular ultrasound guidance, as compared with angiography guidance, improves the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention with contemporary drug-eluting stents in patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: In this two-stage, multicentre, randomised trial, patients aged 18 years or older and presenting with an acute coronary syndrome at 58 centres in China, Italy, Pakistan, and the UK were randomly assigned to intravascular ultrasound-guided percutaneous coronary intervention or angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention. Patients, follow-up health-care providers, and assessors were masked to random assignment; however, staff in the catheterisation laboratory were not. The primary endpoint was target vessel failure, a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven target vessel revascularisation at 1 year after randomisation. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03971500, and is completed. FINDINGS: Between Aug 20, 2019 and Oct 27, 2022, 3505 patients with an acute coronary syndrome were randomly assigned to intravascular ultrasound-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (n=1753) or angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (n=1752). 1-year follow-up was completed in 3504 (>99·9%) patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 70 patients in the intravascular ultrasound group and 128 patients in the angiography group (Kaplan-Meier rate 4·0% vs 7·3%; hazard ratio 0·55 [95% CI 0·41-0·74]; p=0·0001), driven by reductions in target vessel myocardial infarction or target vessel revascularisation. There were no significant differences in all-cause death or stent thrombosis between groups. Safety endpoints were also similar in the two groups. INTERPRETATION: In patients with an acute coronary syndrome, intravascular ultrasound-guided implantation of contemporary drug-eluting stents resulted in a lower 1-year rate of the composite outcome of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, or clinically driven revascularisation compared with angiography guidance alone. FUNDING: The Chinese Society of Cardiology, the National Natural Scientific Foundation of China, and Jiangsu Provincial & Nanjing Municipal Clinical Trial Project. TRANSLATION: For the Mandarin translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Extended Clopidogrel Monotherapy vs DAPT in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes at High Ischemic and Bleeding Risk: The OPT-BIRISK Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Purinergic receptor P2Y12 (P2Y12) inhibitor monotherapy after a certain period of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) may be an attractive option of maintenance antiplatelet treatment for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) who are at both high bleeding and ischemic risk (birisk). Objective: To determine if extended P2Y12 inhibitor monotherapy with clopidogrel is superior to ongoing DAPT with aspirin and clopidogrel after 9 to 12 months of DAPT after PCI in birisk patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial including birisk patients with ACS who had completed 9 to 12 months of DAPT after drug-eluting stent implantation and were free from adverse events for at least 6 months at 101 China centers between February 2018 and December 2020. Study data were analyzed from April 2023 to May 2023. Interventions: Patients were randomized either to clopidogrel plus placebo or clopidogrel plus aspirin for an additional 9 months. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding 9 months after randomization. The key secondary end point was major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE; the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stroke or clinically driven revascularization). The primary end point was tested for superiority, and the MACCE end point was tested for sequential noninferiority and superiority. Results: A total of 7758 patients (mean [SD] age, 64.8 [9.0] years; 4575 male [59.0%]) were included in this study. The primary end point of BARC types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding occurred in 95 of 3873 patients (2.5%) assigned to clopidogrel plus placebo and 127 of 3885 patients (3.3%) assigned to clopidogrel plus aspirin (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57-0.97; difference, -0.8%; 95% CI, -1.6% to -0.1%; P = .03). The incidence of MACCE was 2.6% (101 of 3873 patients) in the clopidogrel plus placebo group and 3.5% (136 of 3885 patients) in the clopidogrel plus aspirin group (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.57-0.96; difference, -0.9%; 95% CI, -1.7% to -0.1%; P < .001 for noninferiority; P = .02 for superiority). Conclusions and Relevance: Among birisk patients with ACS who completed 9 to 12 months of DAPT after drug-eluting stent implantation and were free from adverse events for at least 6 months before randomization, an extended 9-month clopidogrel monotherapy regimen was superior to continuing DAPT with clopidogrel in reducing clinically relevant bleeding without increasing ischemic events. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03431142.

Populus euphratica R2R3-MYB transcription factor RAX2 binds ANN1 promoter to increase cadmium enrichment in Arabidopsis.

The expression of R2R3-MYB transcription factor PeRAX2 increased transiently upon CdCl2 exposure (100 µM, 48 h) in leaves and roots of Populus euphratica. We observed that overexpression of PeRAX2 increased Cd2+ concentration in Arabidopsis root cells and Cd2+ amount in whole plant, which was due to the increased Cd2+ influx into root tips. However, the Cd2+ influx facilitated by PeRAX2 overexpression was substantially reduced by LaCl3 (an inhibitor of Ca2+-channels), suggesting that PeRAX2 could promote the Cd2+ entering through PM Ca2+-permeable channels (CaPCs) in the roots. It is noting that the expression of annexin1 (AtANN1), which mediates the influx of divalent cations through the PM calcium channels, was upregulated by Cd2+ in PeRAX2-transgenic Arabidopsis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that the AtANN1 promoter (AtANN1-pro) contains four cis-elements for MYB binding. The PeRAX2 interaction with AtANN1-pro was validated by LUC reporter assay, EMSA, and Y1H assay. Our data showed that PeRAX2 binds to the AtANN1 promoter region to regulate gene transcription and that AtANN1 mediates the Cd2+ entry through CaPCs in the PM, leading to a Cd2+ enrichment in transgenic plants. The PeRAX2-stimulated Cd2+ enrichment consequently resulted in high H2O2 production in root cells of transgenic plants. The expression of AtSOD and AtPOD and activities of CAT, SOD, POD increased in the transgenic lines under Cd2+ stress. However, the Cd2+-upregulated expression and activity of antioxidative enzymes were less pronounced in the PeRAX2-overexpressed lines, compared to the wildtype and vector controls. As a result, root length and plant growth were more suppressed by Cd2+ in the transgenic lines. Our data suggest that transcriptional regulation of AtANN1 by PeRAX2 can be utilized to improve Cd2+ enrichment and phytoremediation, although the enriched Cd2+ affected antioxidant defense system and plant growth in the model species.

Populus euphratica PeNADP-ME interacts with PePLDδ to mediate sodium and ROS homeostasis under salinity stress.

Populus euphratica phospholipase Dδ (PePLDδ) is transcriptionally regulated and mediates reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ion homeostasis under saline conditions. The purpose of this study is to explore the post-transcriptional regulation of PePLDδ in response to salt environment. P. euphratica PePLDδ was shown to interact with the NADP-dependent malic enzyme (NADP-ME) by screening the yeast two-hybrid libraries. The transcription level of PeNADP-ME increased upon salt exposure to NaCl (200 mM) in leaves and roots of P. euphratica. PeNADP-ME had a similar subcellular location with PePLDδ in the cytoplasm, and the interaction between PeNADP-ME and PePLDδ was further verified by GST pull-down and yeast two-hybrid. To clarify whether PeNADP-ME interacts with PePLDδ to enhance salt tolerance, PePLDδ and PeNADP-ME were overexpressed singly or doubly in Arabidopsis thaliana. Dual overexpression of PeNADP-ME and PePLDδ resulted in an even more pronounced improvement in salt tolerance compared with single transformants overexpressing PeNADP-ME or PePLDδ alone. Greater Na+ limitation and Na+ efflux in roots were observed in doubly overexpressed plants compared with singly overexpressed plants with PeNADP-ME or PePLDδ. Furthermore, NaCl stimulation of SOD, APX, and POD activity and transcription were more remarkable in the doubly overexpressed plants. It is noteworthy that the enzymic activity of NADP-ME and PLD, and total phosphatidic acid (PA) concentrations were significantly higher in the double-overexpressed plants than in the single transformants. We conclude that PeNADP-ME interacts with PePLDδ in Arabidopsis to promote PLD-derived PA signaling, conferring Na+ extrusion and ROS scavenging under salt stress.

Differential Impact of Fractional Flow Reserve Measured After Coronary Stent Implantation by Left Ventricular Dysfunction.

Background: Both left ventricular systolic function and fractional flow reserve (FFR) are prognostic factors after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, how these prognostic factors are inter-related in risk stratification of patients after PCI remains unclarified. Objectives: This study evaluated differential prognostic implication of post-PCI FFR according to left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: A total of 2,965 patients with available LVEF were selected from the POST-PCI FLOW (Prognostic Implications of Physiologic Investigation After Revascularization with Stent) international registry of patients with post-PCI FFR measurement. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death or target-vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI) at 2 years. The secondary outcome was target-vessel revascularization (TVR) and target vessel failure, which was a composite of cardiac death, TVMI, or TVR. Results: Post-PCI FFR was independently associated with the risk of target vessel failure (per 0.01 decrease: HRadj: 1.029; 95% CI: 1.009-1.049; P = 0.005). Post-PCI FFR was associated with increased risk of cardiac death or TVMI (HRadj: 1.145; 95% CI: 1.025-1.280; P = 0.017) among patients with LVEF ≤40%, and with that of TVR in patients with LVEF >40% (HRadj: 1.028; 95% CI: 1.005-1.052; P = 0.020). Post-PCI FFR ≤0.80 was associated with increased risk of cardiac death or TVMI in the LVEF ≤40% group and with that of TVR in LVEF >40% group. Prognostic impact of post-PCI FFR for the primary outcome was significantly different according to LVEF (Pinteraction = 0.019). Conclusions: Post-PCI FFR had differential prognostic impact according to LVEF. Residual ischemia by post-PCI FFR ≤0.80 was a prognostic indicator for cardiac death or TVMI among patients with patients with LVEF ≤40%, and it was associated with TVR among patients with patients with LVEF>40%. (Prognostic Implications of Physiologic Investigation After Revascularization with Stent [POST-PCI FLOW]; NCT04684043).

Chinese Society of Cardiology guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of adult fulminant myocarditis.

Fulminant myocarditis is an acute diffuse inflammatory disease of myocardium. It is characterized by acute onset, rapid progress and high risk of death. Its pathogenesis involves excessive immune activation of the innate immune system and formation of inflammatory storm. According to China's practical experience, the adoption of the "life support-based comprehensive treatment regimen" (with mechanical circulation support and immunomodulation therapy as the core) can significantly improve the survival rate and long-term prognosis. Special emphasis is placed on very early identification,very early diagnosis,very early prediction and very early treatment.

Low-Shear Stress Promotes Atherosclerosis via Inducing Endothelial Cell Pyroptosis Mediated by IKKε/STAT1/NLRP3 Pathway.

Atherosclerosis is initiated by vascular endothelial dysfunction, and low-shear stress (LSS) of blood flow is a key factor leading to endothelial dysfunction. Growing evidence suggests that endothelial cell pyroptosis plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that low-shear stress can induce endothelial cell pyroptosis, but the exact mechanism remains unclear. Our experiments demonstrated that low-shear stress induced endothelial cell pyroptosis and the phosphorylation of IκB kinase ε (IKKε). IKKε knockdown not only significantly attenuated atherosclerosis lesions of aortic arch areas in ApoE-/- mice fed with high cholesterol diets, but also markedly reduced endothelial cell pyroptosis and NLRP3 expression triggered by low-shear stress. Further mechanism studies showed that IKKε promoted the expression of NLRP3 via activating signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) and the subsequent binding of STAT1 to NLRP3 promoter region. These results suggest that low-shear stress plays a pro-atherosclerotic role by promoting endothelial cell pyroptosis through the IKKε/STAT1/NLRP3 pathway, which provides new insights into the formation of atherosclerosis.

Effect of NaCl on ammonium and nitrate uptake and transport in salt-tolerant and salt-sensitive poplars.

Nitrogen (N) plays an important role in mitigating salt stress in tree species. We investigate the genotypic differences in the uptake of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) and the importance for salt tolerance in two contrasting poplars, salt-tolerant Populus euphratica Oliv. and salt-sensitive P. simonii × (P. pyramidalis ×Salix matsudana) (P. popularis cv. 35-44, P. popularis). Total N content, growth and photosynthesis were significantly reduced in P. popularis after 7 days of exposure to NaCl (100 mM) supplied with 1 mM NH4+ and 1 mM NO3-, while the salt effects were not pronounced in P. euphratica. The 15NH4+ trace and root flux profiles showed that salt-stressed poplars retained ammonium uptake, which was related to the upregulation of ammonium transporters (AMTs) in roots, as two of the four AMTs tested significantly increased in salt-stressed P. euphratica (i.e., AMT1.2, 2.1) and P. popularis (i.e., AMT1.1, 1.6). It should be noted that P. euphratica differs from salt-sensitive poplar in the maintenance of NO3- under salinity. 15NO3- tracing and root flux profiles showed that P. euphratica maintained nitrate uptake and transport, while the capacity to uptake NO3- was limited in salt-sensitive P. popularis. Salt increased the transcription of nitrate transporters (NRTs), NRT1.1, 1.2, 2.4, 3.1, in P. euphratica, while P. popularis showed a decrease in the transcripts of NRT1.1, 2.4, 3.1 after 7 days of salt stress. Furthermore, salt-stimulated transcription of plasmalemma H+-ATPases (HAs), HA2, HA4 and HA11 contributed to H+-pump activation and NO3- uptake in P. euphratica. However, salt stimulation of HAs was less pronounced in P. popularis, where a decrease in HA2 transcripts was observed in the stressed roots. We conclude that the salinity-decreased transcripts of NRTs and HAs reduced the ability to uptake NO3- in P. popularis, resulting in limited nitrogen supply. In comparison, P. euphratica maintains NH4+ and NO3- supply, mitigating the negative effects of salt stress.

Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement with VitaFlowTM valve for pure native aortic regurgitation in patients with high surgical risk: Rationale and design of a prospective, multicenter, and randomized SEASON-AR trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies primarily demonstrated that transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with self-expanding valve appeared to be a safe and feasible treatment for patients with pure native aortic regurgitation (AR). However, the routine application of transfemoral TAVR for pure AR patients lacks support from randomized trials. TRIAL DESIGN: SEASON-AR trial is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled, parallel-group, open-label trial, involving at least 20 sites in China, aiming to enroll 210 patients with pure native severe AR and high surgical risk. All enrolled patients are randomly assigned in a 1:1 fashion to undergo transfemoral TAVR with VitaFlowTM valve and receive guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) or to receive GDMT alone. The primary endpoint is the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at 12 months after the procedure, defined by the composite of all-cause mortality, disabling stroke, and rehospitalization for heart failure. The major secondary endpoints encompass various measures, including procedure-related complications, device success, 6-minute walk distance, and the occurrence of each individual component of the primary endpoint. After hospital discharge, follow-up was conducted through clinical visits or telephone contact at 1, 6, and 12 months. The follow-up will continue annually until 5 years after the index procedure to assess the long-term outcomes. CONCLUSION: SEASON-AR trial is the first study designed to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of transfemoral TAVR with a self-expanding valve in patients with pure native severe AR with inoperable or high-risk, as compared to medical treatment only.

Populus euphratica GRP2 Interacts with Target mRNAs to Negatively Regulate Salt Tolerance by Interfering with Photosynthesis, Na+, and ROS Homeostasis.

The transcription of glycine-rich RNA-binding protein 2 (PeGRP2) transiently increased in the roots and shoots of Populus euphratica (a salt-resistant poplar) upon initial salt exposure and tended to decrease after long-term NaCl stress (100 mM, 12 days). PeGRP2 overexpression in the hybrid Populus tremula × P. alba '717-1B4' (P. × canescens) increased its salt sensitivity, which was reflected in the plant's growth and photosynthesis. PeGRP2 contains a conserved RNA recognition motif domain at the N-terminus, and RNA affinity purification (RAP) sequencing was developed to enrich the target mRNAs that physically interacted with PeGRP2 in P. × canescens. RAP sequencing combined with RT-qPCR revealed that NaCl decreased the transcripts of PeGRP2-interacting mRNAs encoding photosynthetic proteins, antioxidative enzymes, ATPases, and Na+/H+ antiporters in this transgenic poplar. Specifically, PeGRP2 negatively affected the stability of the target mRNAs encoding the photosynthetic proteins PETC and RBCMT; antioxidant enzymes SOD[Mn], CDSP32, and CYB1-2; ATPases AHA11, ACA8, and ACA9; and the Na+/H+ antiporter NHA1. This resulted in (i) a greater reduction in Fv/Fm, YII, ETR, and Pn; (ii) less pronounced activation of antioxidative enzymes; and (iii) a reduced ability to maintain Na+ homeostasis in the transgenic poplars during long-term salt stress, leading to their lowered ability to tolerate salinity stress.

Intravascular Imaging-Guided Versus Angiography-Guided Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

BACKGROUND: Despite the initial evidence supporting the utility of intravascular imaging to guide percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), adoption remains low. Recent new trial data have become available. An updated study-level meta-analysis comparing intravascular imaging to angiography to guide PCI was performed. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of intravascular imaging-guided PCI compared with angiography-guided PCI. METHODS AND RESULTS: A random-effects meta-analysis was performed on the basis of the intention-to-treat principle. The primary outcomes were major adverse cardiac events, cardiac death, and all-cause death. Mixed-effects meta-regression was performed to investigate the impact of complex PCI on the primary outcomes. A total of 16 trials with 7814 patients were included. The weighted mean follow-up duration was 28.8 months. Intravascular imaging led to a lower risk of major adverse cardiac events (relative risk [RR], 0.67 [95% CI, 0.55-0.82]; P<0.001), cardiac death (RR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.34-0.71]; P<0.001), stent thrombosis (RR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.40-0.99]; P=0.046), target-lesion revascularization (RR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.49-0.91]; P=0.01), and target-vessel revascularization (RR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.45-0.80]; P<0.001). In complex lesion subsets, the point estimate for imaging-guided PCI compared with angiography-guided PCI for all-cause death was a RR of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.55-1.02; P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing PCI, intravascular imaging is associated with reductions in major adverse cardiac events, cardiac death, stent thrombosis, target-lesion revascularization, and target-vessel revascularization. The magnitude of benefit is large and consistent across all included studies. There may also be benefits in all-cause death, particularly in complex lesion subsets. These results support the use of intravascular imaging as standard of care and updates of clinical guidelines.

GRK2-YAP signaling is implicated in pulmonary arterial hypertension development.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by excessive proliferation of small pulmonary arterial vascular smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), endothelial dysfunction, and extracellular matrix remodeling. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) plays an important role in the maintenance of vascular tone and blood flow. However, the role of GRK2 in the pathogenesis of PAH is unknown. METHODS: GRK2 levels were detected in lung tissues from healthy people and PAH patients. C57BL/6 mice, vascular smooth muscle cell-specific Grk2 -knockout mice ( Grk2ΔSM22 ), and littermate controls ( Grk2flox/flox ) were grouped into control and hypoxia mice ( n  = 8). Pulmonary hypertension (PH) was induced by exposure to chronic hypoxia (10%) combined with injection of the SU5416 (cHx/SU). The expression levels of GRK2 and Yes-associated protein (YAP) in pulmonary arteries and PASMCs were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. The mRNA expression levels of Grk2 and Yes-associated protein ( YAP ) in PASMCs were quantified with real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Wound-healing assay, 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assay, and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining were performed to evaluate the proliferation and migration of PASMCs. Meanwhile, the interaction among proteins was detected by immunoprecipitation assays. RESULTS: The expression levels of GRK2 were upregulated in the pulmonary arteries of patients with PAH and the lungs of PH mice. Moreover, cHx/SU-induced PH was attenuated in Grk2ΔSM22 mice compared with littermate controls. The amelioration of PH in Grk2ΔSM22 mice was accompanied by reduced pulmonary vascular remodeling. In vitro study further confirmed that GRK2 knock-down significantly altered hypoxia-induced PASMCs proliferation and migration, whereas this effect was severely intensified by overexpression of GRK2 . We also identified that GRK2 promoted YAP expression and nuclear translocation in PASMCs, resulting in excessive PASMCs proliferation and migration. Furthermore, GRK2 is stabilized by inhibiting phosphorylating GRK2 on Tyr86 and subsequently activating ubiquitylation under hypoxic conditions. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that GRK2 plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of PAH, via regulating YAP expression and nuclear translocation. Therefore, GRK2 serves as a novel therapeutic target for PAH treatment.

The first reported case of intravascular ultrasound-guided reverse overlapping stenting of a long calcified lesion using ultra-low contrast and metallic roadmaps: case report.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a long calcified coronary lesion in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is challenging and can lead to stent under-expansion and contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). We described the first case of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided reverse overlapping stenting of long calcified left anterior descending (LAD) coronary lesion using ultra-low contrast and the metallic roadmaps to prevent CI-AKI after PCI. Case summary: A 77-year-old man with a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and CKD was admitted with angina class 4 and ruled in for non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. His ejection fraction was 40%. He was referred for cardiac catheterization and PCI. Coronary angiography showed a long calcified stenosis of the LAD. IVUS catheter was advanced at least 10 mm distal to the lesion or stent edge. IVUS images were obtained with automated pullback (1 mm/s) using a commercially available IVUS system with a 60-MHz mechanical transducer (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts). IVUS showed calcified plaque fractures after balloon angioplasty and intracoronary lithotripsy. The first stent was deployed proximally using the guidewire in the diagonal branch as a metallic roadmap, and the second stent was deployed distally overlapping at the distal edge of the first stent as a roadmap with no contrast injection. Percutaneous coronary intervention was completed successfully using only 12 mL contrast. Glomerular filtration rate remained stable after PCI. Glomerular filtration rate and ejection fraction improved at 12-month follow-up. Discussion: We described the first case of the reverse overlapping stenting technique guided by IVUS with no contrast in a patient with CKD and a long calcified LAD lesion. Conventionally, in long lesions, the first stent is deployed distally and the second stent proximally, which requires contrast injection for stent deployment. We demonstrated that the above technique resulted in preventing CI-AKI and improving creatinine as well as ejection fraction at follow-up.

Relationship of Coronary Angiography-Derived Radial Wall Strain With Functional Significance, Plaque Morphology, and Clinical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Coronary angiography-derived radial wall strain (RWS) is a newly developed index that can be readily accessed and describes the biomechanical features of a lesion. OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to investigate the association of RWS with fractional flow reserve (FFR) and high-risk plaque (HRP), and their relative prognostic implications. METHODS: We included 484 vessels (351 patients) deferred after FFR measurement with available RWS data and coronary computed tomography angiography. On coronary computed tomography angiography, HRP was defined as a lesion with both minimum lumen area <4 mm2 and plaque burden ≥70%. The primary outcome was target vessel failure (TVF), a composite of target vessel revascularization, target vessel myocardial infarction, or cardiac death. RESULTS: The mean FFR and RWSmax were 0.89 ± 0.07 and 11.2% ± 2.5%, respectively, whereas 27.7% of lesions had HRP, 15.1% had FFR ≤0.80. An increase in RWSmax was associated with a higher risk of FFR ≤0.80 and HRP, which was consistent after adjustment for clinical or angiographic characteristics (all P < 0.05). An increment of RWSmax was related to a higher risk of TVF (HR: 1.23 [95% CI: 1.03-1.47]; P = 0.022) with an optimal cutoff of 14.25%. RWSmax >14% was a predictor of TVF after adjustment for FFR or HRP components (all P < 0.05) and showed a direct prognostic effect on TVF, not mediated by FFR ≤0.80 or HRP in the mediation analysis. When high RWSmax was added to FFR ≤0.80 or HRP, there were increasing outcome trends (all P for trend <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: RWS was associated with coronary physiology and plaque morphology but showed independent prognostic significance.

Estimated Pulse Wave Velocity Predicts All-Cause and Cardiovascular-Cause Mortality in Individuals With Hypertension　- Findings From a National Health and Nutrition Examination Study 1999-2018.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) and mortality outcomes among individuals with hypertension.Methods and Results: Based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2018, a total of 14,396 eligible participants with hypertension were enrolled. The ePWV was calculated using the equation based on blood pressure and age. The mortality outcomes of included participants were directly acquired from the National Death Index database. The multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between ePWV and mortality outcomes. Moreover, the restricted cubic spline (RCS) was also used to explore this relationship. Receiver operating characteristics curves (ROC) were adopted to evaluate the prognostic ability of ePWV for predicting mortality outcomes of patients with hypertension. The median follow-up duration was 10.8 years; individuals with higher an ePWV had higher risks of mortality from both all causes (HR: 2.79, 95% CI: 2.43-3.20) and cardiovascular diseases (HR: 3.41, 95% CI: 2.50-4.64). After adjusting for confounding factors, each 1 m/s increase in ePWV was associated with a 43% increase in all-cause mortality risk (HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.37-1.48) and a 54% increase in cardiovascular mortality risk (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.43-1.66). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that ePWV is a novel prognostic indicator for predicting the risks of mortality among patients with hypertension.

TAX1BP1 downregulation by STAT3 in cardiac fibroblasts contributes to diabetes-induced heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is now the most common form of HF and has been reported to be closely related to diabetes. Accumulating evidence suggests that HFpEF patients exhibit cardiac fibrosis. This study investigates whether direct targeted inhibition of the activation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), the main effector cells in cardiac fibrosis, improves diabetes-induced HFpEF and elucidates the underlying mechanisms. Twenty-week-old db/db mice exhibited HFpEF, as confirmed by echocardiography and hemodynamic measurements. Proteomics was performed on CFs isolated from the hearts of 20-week-old C57BL/6 and db/db mice. Bioinformatic prediction was used to identify target proteins. Experimental validation was performed in both high glucose (HG)-treated neonatal mouse CFs (NMCFs) and diabetic hearts. TAX1 binding protein 1 (TAX1BP1) was identified as the most significantly differentially expressed protein between 20-week-old C57BL/6 and db/db mice. TAX1BP1 mRNA and protein were markedly downregulated in CFs from diabetic hearts and HG-cultured NMCFs. Overexpression of TAX1BP1 profoundly inhibited HG/diabetes-induced NF-κB nuclear translocation and collagen synthesis in CFs, improved cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy, inflammation and HFpEF in diabetic mice. Mechanistically, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), which is phosphorylated and translocated from the cytoplasm into the nucleus under hyperglycemic conditions, bound to TAX1BP1 promoter and blocked TAX1BP1 transcriptional activity, consequently promoting NF-κB nuclear translocation and collagen synthesis in CFs, aggravating cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy and inflammation, leading to HFpEF in db/db mice. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that targeting regulation of STAT3-TAX1BP1-NF-κB signaling in CFs may be a promising therapeutic approach for diabetes-induced HFpEF.

A systematic study to evaluate the safety of ticagrelor combined with aspirin in the treatment of PCI patients in Chinese population: A single nucleotide polymorphisms study.

The aim of this study was to identify genes and their associated loci related to ticagrelor pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in Chinese patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The study included 1115 patients with ACS who received a drug-eluting stent implantation between October 2019 and January 2021. Among them, 98 cases of adverse reactions were observed; thus, 97 cases without adverse reactions were selected as the comparison group. The steady-state serum drug concentration was determined via high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and 15 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci were genotyped using the SNaPshot SNP Multiplex System. Our results showed that age and sex may affect ticagrelor serum concentration in patients with ACS. In particular, the SNPs CYP3A4∗1 (rs2242480 C > T), IGT2B (rs5911 A > C), P2Y12 (rs6787801) and CYP3A5 (rs776746 C > T) may affect the steady-state blood concentration of ticagrelor after PCI in ACS patients, and CYP3A4∗1 may also be related to adverse events. In addition, we found that the SNPs PEAR1 (rs4661012 T > G) and P2Y12 (rs6787801 A > G) may be associated with dyspnea. These findings can provide a useful reference to establish guidelines for future clinical individualized dosage regimens of ticagrelor after PCI.

Machine-learning-based prediction of fractional flow reserve after percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) fractional flow reserve (FFR) reflects residual atherosclerotic burden and is associated with future events. How much post-PCI FFR can be predicted based on baseline basic information and the clinical relevance have not been investigated. METHODS: We compiled a multicenter registry of patients undergoing pre- and post-PCI FFR. Machine-learning (ML) algorithms were designed to predict post-PCI FFR levels from baseline demographics, quantitative coronary angiography, and pre-PCI FFR. FFR deviation was defined as actual minus ML-predicted post-PCI FFR levels, and its association with incident target vessel failure (TVF) was evaluated. RESULTS: Median (IQR) pre- and post-PCI FFR values were 0.71 (0.61, 0.77) and 0.88 (0.84, 0.93), respectively. The Spearman correlation coefficient of the actual and predicted post-PCI FFR was 0.54 (95% CI: 0.52, 0.57). FFR deviation was non-linearly associated with incident TVF (HR [95% CI] with Q3 as reference: 1.65 [1.14, 2.39] in Q1, 1.42 [0.98, 2.08] in Q2, 0.81 [0.53, 1.26] in Q4, and 1.04 [0.69, 1.56] in Q5). A model with polynomial function of continuous FFR deviation indicated increasing TVF risk for FFR deviation ≤0 but plateau risk with FFR deviation >0. CONCLUSIONS: An ML-based algorithm using baseline data moderately predicted post-PCI FFR. The deviation of post-PCI FFR from the predicted value was associated with higher vessel-oriented event.

Clinical prognostic value of a novel quantitative flow ratio from a single projection in patients with coronary bifurcation lesions treated with the provisional approach.

Background: A novel quantitative flow ratio (µQFR) for bifurcated coronary vessels, derived from a single projection, has been recently reported. Provisional stenting is effective for most bifurcation lesions. However, the clinical value of the side branch (SB) µQFR in patients with coronary bifurcation lesions undergoing provisional stenting remains unclear. Aims: This study aims to determine the clinical predictive value of the SB µQFR after provisional stenting in patients with coronary bifurcation lesions. Methods: Between June 2015 and May 2018, 288 patients with true coronary bifurcation lesions who underwent a provisional approach without SB treatment (including predilation, kissing balloon inflation or stenting) were classified by an SB µQFR <0.8 (n=65) and ≥0.8 (n=223) groups. The primary endpoint was the three-year composite of target vessel failure (TVF), including cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction (TVMI), and revascularisation (TVR). Results: Three years after the procedures, there were 43 (14.9%) TVFs, with 19 (29.2%) in the SB µQFR <0.8 and 24 (10.8%) in the SB µQFR ≥0.8 groups (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-5.54; p=0.003), mainly driven by increased TVMI (16.9% vs 5.4%, adjusted HR 3.29, 95% CI: 1.15-6.09; p=0.030) and TVR (15.4% vs 2.2%, adjusted HR 6.39, 95% CI: 2.04-13.48; p=0.007). Baseline diameter stenosis at the ostial SB and SB lesion length were the two predictors of an SB µQFR <0.8 immediately after stenting the main vessel, whereas previous percutaneous coronary intervention and an SB µQFR <0.8 were the two independent factors of 3-year TVF. Conclusions: An SB µQFR <0.8 immediately after the provisional approach is strongly associated with clinical events. Further randomised studies with large patient populations are warranted.