Identification of biomarkers in macrophages of atherosclerosis by microarray analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) refers to a series of diseases caused by atherosclerosis (AS). It is one of the most important causes of death worldwide. According to the inflammatory response theory, macrophages play a critical role in AS. However, the potential targets associated with macrophages in the development of AS are still obscure. This study aimed to use bioinformatics tools for screening and identifying molecular targets in AS macrophages. METHODS: Two expression profiling datasets (GSE7074 and GSE9874) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between non-AS macrophages and AS macrophages were identified. Functional annotation of the DEGs was performed by analyzing the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases. STRING and Cytoscape were employed for constructing a protein-protein interaction network and analyzing hub genes. RESULTS: A total of 98 DEGs were distinguished between non-AS macrophages and AS macrophages. The functional variations in DEGs were mainly enriched in response to hypoxia, respiratory gaseous exchange, protein binding, and intracellular, ciliary tip, early endosome membrane, and Lys63-specific deubiquitinase activities. Three genes were identified as hub genes, including KDELR3, CD55, and DYNC2H1. CONCLUSION: Hub genes and DEGs identified by using microarray techniques can be used as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for AS.

Rapid predictors for the occurrence of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction between LAD and non-LAD related ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUNDS: Reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which implies the occurrence of cardiac dysfunction, impacts cardiac prognosis, even after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study was designed to clarify the difference of clinical and angiographic predictors for reduced LVEF in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with left anterior descending artery (LAD) or non-LAD vessel as culprit artery. METHODS: This was a retrospective study to review a total of 553 patients of STEMI underwent primary PCI in our hospital. All patients underwent echocardiography. Univariate analysis, multivariate analysis and classification and regression tree (CART) were performed between LAD related AMI and non-LAD related STEMI. The primary outcome was the occurrence of reduced LVEF 4-6 days after PCI. RESULTS: In this study, culprit arteries of STEMI were 315 in LAD system (6 in left main artery, 309 in LAD) and 238 in non-LAD system (63 in left circumflex and 175 in right coronary artery). Compared with non-LAD group, post-MI LVEF was significantly reduced in LAD related STEMI group (52.4 ± 9.3% vs. 57.1 ± 7.8%, P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis indicated that elder (>65 years), time to hospital and proximal occlusion were associated with reduced LVEF (<55%) in LAD related STEMI patients. However, in non-LAD patients, time to hospital, multivessel stenosis and post-PCI blood pressure predicted the occurrence of reduced LVEF. Furthermore, CART analysis also obtained similar findings. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with LAD or non-LAD related STEMI could suffer reduced LVEF, while the clinical and angiographic predictors for the occurrence were different.

Autoimmune pancreatitis associated with inflammatory bowel diseases: A retrospectively bidirectional case-control study in China.

OBJECTIVES: Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is a rare and enigmatic immune-mediated inflammatory disease. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and associated factors of AIP-inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in China. METHODS: A retrospective bidirectional case-control study was performed. The diagnoses of IBD and AIP were made based on the European Crohn's and Colitis Organization guidelines and the International Consensus Diagnostic Criteria. IBD controls were matched by age, sex, and IBD type at a ratio of 1:4, while AIP controls were matched by AIP types. RESULTS: The age-standardized prevalence of AIP-IBD patients in the IBD and AIP population were 292.0 and 8151.93 per 100 000 population, respectively. IBD patients had a higher risk of AIP compared to non-IBD patients (odds ratio 8.4, 95% confidence interval 4.7-14.9, P < 0.0001), and AIP patients had a higher risk of developing IBD compared to the general population in China. The mean age at diagnosis of IBD and AIP was 34.83 years and 40.42 years. IBD was diagnosed before AIP in seven cases. The median total IBD and AIP duration was 43.5 months and 13.5 months. Use of mesalamine and tuberculosis were associated with AIP in IBD patients (P = 0.031). And fecal occult blood test was associated with IBD in AIP patients (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: Most AIP-IBD patients had ulcerative colitis and type 2 AIP. IBD patients are more likely to develop AIP compared to the general population, and vice versa. Use of mesalamine and tuberculosis infection were associated with AIP, and fecal occult blood test was associated with IBD.