Correlation of pre-operative circulating inflammatory cytokines with restenosis and rapid angiographic stenotic progression risk in coronary artery disease patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore the associations of common inflammatory cytokine levels with restenosis and rapid angiographic stenotic progression (RASP) risk in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES). METHODS: Two hundred and ten CAD patients underwent PCI with DES were consecutively recruited, then pre-operative serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A, IL-21, and IL-23 were determined by ELISA. The 12-month in-stent restenosis and RASP of non-intervened lesion were assessed by quantitative coronary angiography analysis. RESULTS: The pre-operative TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A, and IL-23 expressions were increased while IL-4 expression was decreased in restenosis patients compared with non-restenosis patients. Further analysis revealed that IL-6, IL-8, hypercholesteremia, diabetes mellitus, and HsCRP could independently predict restenosis risk, and subsequent ROC curve revealed that their combination was able to differentiate restenosis patients from non-restenosis patients with an AUC of 0.951 (95%CI: 0.925-0.978). Meanwhile, the pre-operative TNF-α, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-21, and IL-23 expressions were increased whereas IL-4 level was decreased in RASP patients compared with non-RASP patients. Further analysis revealed that TNF-α, IL-6, IL-23, hypercholesteremia, SUA, HsCRP, and multivessel artery lesions could independently predict RASP risk, and subsequent ROC curve disclosed that their combination could discriminate RASP patients from non-RASP patients with an AUC of 0.886 (95%CI: 0.841-0.931). CONCLUSIONS: This study unveils the potentiality of pre-operative circulating inflammatory cytokines as markers for predicting restenosis and RASP risk in CAD patients underwent PCI with DES.

Bromodomain-containing protein 7 deficiency augments atherosclerotic lesions in ApoE-/- mice.

Atherosclerotic plaque formation is characterized by the persistence of lipid-laden macrophages on the inner walls of arteries. Chronic inflammation and imbalanced macrophage function are likely to play a critical role. Herein, we investigated whether bromodomain-containing protein 7 (Brd7), a member of the bromodomain-containing protein family, regulates atherosclerosis, and if so, which mechanisms are responsible for the process. We found that Brd7 is expressed in mouse atherosclerotic plaques, and mostly in macrophages. Inhibition of Brd7 accelerates atherosclerotic lesion formation in ApoE-/- mice by promoting NF-κB-mediated inflammation. Furthermore, Brd7 inhibition alters the phenotype of macrophages and promotes plaque instability, at least partly via STAT6 signaling. Our data define a previously undescribed role of Brd7 in the development of atherosclerosis.

[Effect of Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction on myocardial apoptosis and relevant protein expressions in miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model].

There have been very few studies on the effect of Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction in inhibiting apoptosis in myocardial ischemial injury caused by coronary heart disease. In this experiment, Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with-Xuefu Zhuyu decoction were used to intervene the miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model, in order to observe the effect of the combined prescription on the myocardial apoptosis and the expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 in the model. Totally 15 Chinese experimental miniature swine were adopted and randomly divided into the control group, the model group and the phlegm and stasis-treating group. The model group and the stasis-treating group were fed with high fat diets for two weeks, intervened with the coronary artery injury and then given drugs and high fat diets for eight weeks. The control group was fed with ordinary diets for 10 weeks, without the coronary artery injury. After the experiment, myocardia at the juncture of infracted areas were collected and made into formalin-fixed paraffin sections. The TDT-mediate dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay was used to detect the myocardial apoptosis. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique was applied to detect Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9 levels in myocardial tissues. According to the findings, the apoptosis indexes (AI) for the control group, the model group and the phlegm and stasis-treating group were 0.92%, 27.68%, 17.28%, respectively. The AI of the phlegm and stasis-treating group was significantly lower than that of the model group (P < 0.01). Compared with the model group, the phlegm and stasis-treating group showed significantly higher Bcl-2 protein expression (P < 0.01) and lower Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 protein expressions (P < 0.01). In conclusion, Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction combined with Xuefu Zhuyu decoction have a significant protective effect against the myocardial apoptosis in miniature swine phlegm and blood stasis type coronary heart disease model.

[Case constitution and medication intention of bipolar disordered outpatients at two grade IIIa hospitals in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To acquire the case constitution of bipolar disordered (BPD) in mood disordered (MD) outpatients at two local Beijing hospitals to understand the case constitution and medication intention of clinical psychiatrists in terms of differentiation and treatment of BPD. METHODS: All psychiatrists at Anding Hospital and neurological physicians at Xuanwu Hospital were surveyed by self-rated questionnaires and the analysis focused on the composition of proportions of BPD cases out of MD patients. The items included estimated ratio of BPD cases, doctors' intention of drug prescription and clinical therapeutic regimen for treatment of BPD. RESULTS: (1) BPD ratio in MD outpatients of two hospitals were 41.79% and 12.24% respectively; (2) Doctor's ratio who estimated BPD ratio in MD cases < 40% were 60% and 100% respectively; (3) 100% psychiatrists at Beijing Anding Hospital and 72.22% neurological physicians at Beijing Xuanwu Hospital prescribed antidepressant to BPD cases; (4) Doctor's ratio who adopted therapeutic schedule of 'antidepressant + mood stabilizer' or 'antidepressant + mood stabilizer + antipsychotic' agents for BPD were 100% and 66.67% respectively. CONCLUSION: Regardless of mental specialized hospital or general hospital, the physicians should pay great attention to the differentiation of BPD and the rationality of drug prescription.

[Effect of Jiangtang Xiaozhi capsule on morphological changes of islet and liver in rat model [corrected] of type 2 diabetes [corrected] mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Jiangtang Xiaozhi capsule (JXC) on morphological changes of islets and liver at rat model of type 2 diabetic mellitus and provide the experimental basis for the clinical therapy of type 2 diabetic mellitus. METHOD: Wister rats were fed on a diet enriched in fat and glucose to induce insulin resistan, the rats were injected intrapertoneally with a low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) twice (25 mg x kg(-1)) to induce hyperglycemia, so the successful rat model of type 2 diabetes were established. The experimental rats were divided into model group, high dose JXC group, middle dose JXC group, low dose JXC group, Erjiashuanggua group, Jinqijiangtang group and normal control group. After all the treatment groups received their own medicine for two months, all the rats were sacrificed and morphological examination on their islets and livers were performed. RESULT: Fatty liver in various degrees was seen in the model group and all the treatment groups, but the liver steatosis in middle and low dose JXC groups was significantly milder than that in model group (P < 0.05). Islets in the high dose JXC group were significantly more than that in the model group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: JXC can improve significantly the pathological change in islets and liver steatosis at rat model of type 2 diabetic mellitus.

[Protective effects of Shuangshen Ningxin capsule on miniature swine after myocardial ischemia by intervention].

OBJECTIVE: To study the therapeutical effects of Shuangshen Ningxin capsule on miniature swine after myocardial ischemia by intervention. METHOD: Myocardial ischemic model miniature swine induced by self-thrombus via cardiac catheter in left anteriar descending coronary artery (LAD), were administrated Shuangshen Ningxin capsule for 6 days. The changes of coronary arteriography, hemodynamics, biochemistry and pathohistology were observed. RESULT: 6 days after modeling, LAD in myocardial ischemic miniature swine was basically embolized, cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), left cardiac work (LCW) and left cardiac work index (LCWI) obviously lowed, and pathohistological analysis revealed myocardial degeneration, necrosis, fibrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration. After being administered with shuangshen Ningxin capsule 6 days, the degree of self-thrombus blocked LAD reduced, hemodynamic indexes of CO, CI, LCW, LCWI and blood plasm superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased, and systemic vascular resistance (SVR), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were lowed. on the same time, pathohistological degeneration and necrosis reduced. CONCLUSION: Shuangshen Ningxin capsule has anti-myocardial ischemia effect by improving cardiac muscle systolic function, increasing left cardiac work, inhibiting cardiac muscle cellular membrane lipid peroxidation.

A five-miRNA expression signature predicts survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to identify a microRNA (miRNA) expression signature for predicting HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) survival. A total of 322 HCC patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were randomly divided into training and testing set. miRNAs, associated with survival time in the training set, were identified by using univariate Cox regression analysis. The risk score was formulated based on the expression levels of these miRNAs. Then the miRNA signature was validated in testing set through Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. hsa-miR-301a, hsa-miR-132, hsa-miR-212, hsa-miR-489, and hsa-miR-1468 were identified to formulate risk score in training set and used to calculate the risk score of each patients in testing set. About 161 patients in testing set were segregated into high- and low-risk group according to the median risk score. The survival time of high-risk group was significantly shorter (p = 0.0248) than low-risk group in testing test. The target genes of five miRNAs were significantly enriched in valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation pathway and PPAR signaling pathway. hsa-miR-1468 had an up-regulated tendency in HCC tissues compared to adjacent tumor tissues. The expression of hsa-miR-301a, hsa-miR-132, hsa-miR-212, hsa-miR-489, and hsa-miR-1468, which might be potential biomarkers to evaluate HCC patients' prognosis.

[Fast determination of adenosine and cordycepin in Cordyceps and its deserted solid medium].

A fast analytical method for adenosine and cordycepin in Cordyceps and its deserted solid medium was developed by using a normal-phase cyan-group chromatographic column. The sample was extracted for 1.5 min using a microwave-assisted extraction system. The extraction was repeated twice. The analysis of adenosine and cordycepin was performed on an Eclipse XDB-CN column. The mobile phase was composed of methanol and water with a ratio of 7:93 (v/v) for isocratic elution. The detection wavelength was 260 nm. The composition and pH value of the mobile phase were investigated. The results showed that adenosine and cordycepin could be completely separated without matrix interference in 4.5 min. The linearity of the method was good with a linear correlation coefficient (r2) of 0. 999 8 for adenosine and 0.999 5 for cordycepin. The limits of quantification (LOQs, S/N = 10) of adenosine and cordycepin were 0.21 and 0.083 mg/L, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of peak areas of six replicate injections were less than 2% both for intra-day and inter-day analysis. The average recoveries of adenosine and cordycepin ranged from 93.8% to 102.9% with the RSD not more than 3.62% (n = 5). The developed method is simple, fast, accurate and low-cost, and it can be used in the fast detection of adenosine and cordycepin in Cordyceps, carpohole, the deserted solid medium and its praeparatum.

Cardioprotective effects of diltiazem reevaluated by a novel myocardial ischemic model in Chinese miniature swine.

AIM: To develop a new model of myocardial ischemia in Chinese miniature swine and reevaluate the cardioprotective effects of diltiazem. METHODS: Myocardial ischemia was induced by injecting self-embolus into the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery in qualified miniature swine. Diltiazem (5 mg. kg(-1). d(-1)) was orally administered to the swine by mixing into normal pig diet from 1 to 6 d after self-embolus injection. The coronary angiography, 30 point body surface electrocardiogram (BS-ECG), hemodynamics, biochemistry, quantitative histology and pathohistology were determined 6 d after self-embolus injection. RESULTS: Embolization occurred in the LAD coronary artery of the Chinese miniature swine injected by self-embolus. There were significant myocardial ischemia and large cardiac muscle infarction in the Chinese miniature swine, which were accompanied with increased BS-ECG, decreased hemodynamic indexes of the cardiac output, cardiac index, left cardiac work and left cardiac work index, and increased systemic vascular resistance index. Pathohistological analysis revealed myocardial degeneration, necrosis, fibrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and granulation tissue hyperblastosis (n=6). Diltiazem diminished the extent of the LAD embolism, ameliorated myocardial ischemia, improved the hemodynamic indexes, increased the plasma superoxide dismutase activity, decreased the plasma malondialdehyde content, narrowed the myocardial ischemic area and weakened the pathohistological damage in the cardiac muscle (n=6). CONCLUSION: Myocardial ischemia induced by injecting self-embolus into the LAD coronary artery in Chinese miniature swine is quite close to clinical pathophysiological conditions. Diltiazem is effective to inhibit the myocardial ischemia and restore the heart function in this novel model.