CXCL2, a new critical factor and therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Previous studies have shown that inflammatory chemokines are involved in the physiological functions of cytoskeletal reorganization, cell migration, adhesion and immune responses. However, in the past decade, there have been studies showing that inflammatory chemokines play a key role in CVD. Importantly, CXC motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. CXCL2 exerts its effects on the cardiovascular system by mediating inflammatory responses, but the specific signaling pathways by which CXCL2 exerts its effects in CVD remain unknown and need to be further investigated. This review aims to investigate the expression changes of CXCL2 in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), atherosclerosis (AS), obesity, diabetes and ischemic stroke (IS) and its potential key role in cardiovascular disease in order to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Morphometric measurement and applicable feature analysis of sacral alar-iliac screw fixation using forward engineering.

PURPOSE: To evaluate S1AI-S4AI screw channels with three-dimensional digital technology simulation analysis and to study the feasibility and applicable features of sacral alar-iliac screw fixation in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty (20 men and 20 women) normal adult's pelvic CT scan data sets were selected to reconstruct the three-dimensional pelvic model. The ideal S1AI-S4AI screw channels were simulated, followed by precise measurement of their parameters. RESULTS: The results showed that there were no significant differences in the transverse angles, sagittal angles, radiuses of the maximal inscribed circles, or lengths of the screw channels in S1AI-S2AI screws between genders (P > 0.05). In contrast, the radiuses of the maximal inscribed circles on the left and right, respectively, were 5.93 ± 1.02 mm and 5.92 ± 1.04 mm in males and 4.64 ± 0.98 mm and 4.59 ± 0.95 mm in females, and there was a significant difference in S3AI screws between genders (P < 0.05). With a radius of 2.50 mm considered to be standard, there were 25 cases (62.5%) with an S4AI screw channel radius ≤ 2.50 mm in 40 adults, and 15 cases (37.5%; 9 males and 6 females) with a radius > 2.50 mm. Furthermore, the transverse angles, the sagittal angles, the lengths of the screw channels, and the radiuses of the maximal inscribed circles were significantly different between genders in 15 cases (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Only one maximum ideal screw can be placed on one side at a time. With a radius of 2.50 mm considered to be standard, it is feasible to place S1AI-S3AI screws with a radius > 2.50 mm in the entire adult population and S4AI screws with a radius > 2.50 mm in some of the adult population. Furthermore, preoperative three-dimensional reconstruction and three-matic research software can effectively simulate the sacral alar-iliac screw channels, and they can provide accurate data for clinical applications.

Reversal of cardiac and renal damage in a teenager with hypertension: A case report.

The authors describe the case of a 16-year-old male who was incidentally found to have a blood pressure of 200/? mmHg 6 months previously due to blurred vision and was diagnosed with "high risk of hypertension grade 3, renal insufficiency, hypertensive encephalopathy, hypertensive heart disease, and fundus hemorrhage" after relevant examinations were performed. His blood pressure fluctuated around 120/90 mmHg after beginning antihypertensive treatment. While the diagnostic work-up of his hypertension was inconclusive, he had severe hypertension with brachydactyly type E and short stature on physical examination. The patient's cardiac damage and renal insufficiency ultimately returned to normal after strict blood pressure control, suggesting that hypertension and brachydactyly syndrome alone do not cause cardiac and renal damage.

eIF2α promotes vascular remodeling via autophagy in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension rats.

PURPOSE: Eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α) plays important roles in the proliferation and survival of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in animal hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension models. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown at large. Autophagy has been reported to play a key role in the vascular remodeling in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The purposes of this study are to determine the functions of eIF2α and autophagy in the vascular remodeling of the monocrotaline-induced PAH rats and to clarify the correlation between eIF2α and autophagy. METHODS: We established a rat model of monocrotaline-induced PAH, and we established a cell model of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced PASMCs proliferation. The vascular morphology and the expression of eIF2α, LC3B, and p62 were assessed in the pulmonary arterial tissue of Sprague-Dawleyrats and PDGF-induced PASMCs. RESULTS: Autophagy was significantly active in monocrotaline model group (MCT)-induced PAH rats, which obviously promotes vascular remodeling in MCT-induced PAH rats. Furthermore, the proliferation of PASMCs was induced by PDGF in vitro. The expression of LC3B, eIF2α was increased in the PDGF-induced PASMCs proliferation, and the expression of p62 was reduced in the PDGF-induced PASMCs proliferation. Moreover, eIF2α siRNA downregulated the expression of eIF2α and LC3B, and upregulated the expression of p62 in PDGF-induced PASMCs proliferation. eIF2α siRNA inhibited the PDGF-induced PASMCs proliferation. Finally, chloroquine can upregulate the protein expression of LC3B and p62, it also can inhibit proliferation in PDGF-induced PASMCs. CONCLUSION: Based on these observations, we conclude that eIF2α promotes the proliferation of PASMCs and vascular remodeling in monocrotaline-induced PAH rats through accelerating autophagy pathway.