Progress of Clinical Evaluation for Vascular Aging in Humans.

Human society is experiencing a serious aging process. Age-related arteriosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) are the most common cause of deaths around the world and bring a huge burden on the whole society. Vascular aging-related pathological alterations of the vasculature play an important role in the pathogenesis of ASCVD and morbidity and mortality of older adults. In this review, we describe the progress of clinical evaluation of vascular aging in humans, including functional evaluation, structural assessment, and cellular molecular markers. The significance of detection for vascular aging is highlighted, and we call for close attention to the evaluation for a better quality of life in the elderly population.

Xinkeshu Improves Endothelial Function and Augments Reendothelialization Capacity in Coronary Artery Disease with Anxiety/Depression.

The disruption of endothelial homeostasis is the hallmark of coronary artery disease (CAD) and psychological disorders such as anxiety/depression. Xinkeshu (XKS), a traditional Chinese patent medicine, plays an essential role in CAD and psychological condition; however, the mechanisms underlying the effects of XKS on the endothelial function and endogenous endothelium-repair capacity in CAD patients with anxiety/depression remain elusive. In this study, endothelial function and endothelial progenitor cell- (EPC-) mediated reendothelialization capacity were compared among age-matched healthy subjects, CAD patients with or without anxiety/depression. Besides, CAD patients with anxiety/depression received 1-month XKS treatment. Anxiety/depression symptoms were evaluated by Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7)/Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score, endothelial function was tested by flow mediated dilation (FMD) measurement, and EPC-mediated reendothelialization capacity was evaluated by a carotid artery injury model in nude mouse (n = 6) with the injection of XKS-incubated EPCs from CAD patients with anxiety/depression. The results showed that FMD and EPC-mediated reendothelialization capacity of CAD patients with anxiety/depression were compromised compared to healthy subjects and CAD patients without anxiety/depression. After 1 month of XKS treatment, FMD increased from 4.29 ± 1.65 to 4.87 ± 1.58% (P < 0.05) in CAD patients with anxiety/depression, whereas it remained unchanged in the controls. Moreover, XKS decreased GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores. Meanwhile, incubating XKS enhanced in vivo reendothelialization capacity and in vitro apoptosis of EPCs from CAD patients with anxiety/depression, which was associated with the upregulation of CXC-chemokine receptor 7 (CXCR7) and inhibition of phosphorylation of p38 signaling. CXCR7 knockdown abolished the beneficial effects of XKS, which was rescued by p38 inhibitor SB203580. Our data demonstrate for the first time that XKS improves endothelial function and enhances EPC-mediated reendothelialization through CXCR7/p38/cleaved casepase-3 signaling and provides novel insight into the detailed mechanism of XKS in maintaining endothelial homeostasis in CAD patients with anxiety/depression.

Circulating senescent angiogenic T cells are linked with endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation in hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: Angiogenic T cells (Tang cells), a recently discovered T-cell subset, have been reported involved in the repair of endothelial injury. The purpose of this study was to explore the correlation of immunologic senescence and pro-inflammatory capacity of Tang cells with endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive patients. METHODS: Immunological characteristics of Tang cells (CD3+CD31+CXCR4+) from hypertensive patients with or without endothelial dysfunction were elucidated by surface immunophenotyping and intracellular cytokine staining. Endothelial function was measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD). RESULTS: The frequency of CD28null subset in CD4+ Tang cells was notably elevated in hypertensive patients with endothelial dysfunction, which was negatively associated with FMD. The high frequency of CD28nullCD4+ Tang cells was an independent risk factor of endothelial dysfunction with good diagnostic performance in ROC curve analysis. Immunophenotyping revealed that this specific subset of Tang cells exhibited senescent profile and has low hTERT expression. CD28nullCD4+ Tang cells produced high levels of inflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IFN-γ and TNF-α, and significantly correlated with the systemic inflammation in hypertensive patients with endothelial dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings demonstrate for the first time that CD28null subset in CD4+ Tang cells with senescent and pro-inflammatory phenotype is dependently correlated with impaired FMD and systemic inflammation, which might contribute to the immunopathologic mechanism of endothelial dysfunction. Identification of a pathogenic CD4+ Tang-cell subset lacking CD28 may offer opportunities for the evaluation and management of endothelial dysfunction in hypertension.

Novel update of interventional strategies of vascular aging in humans.

China is the country with the largest elderly population in the world. Age-related ischemic vascular disease is on a rapidly increasing trend and has brought a huge burden on the whole society. Vascular aging, characterized by vascular dysfunction and aging of the vasculature, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of ischemic vascular disease, morbidity, and mortality of the elderly. This review describes mechanisms and depicts the novel interventional strategies of vascular aging. We propose the significance of vascular aging for early detection, early prevention, and early treatment of age-related ischemic disease and effective improvement of the quality of life in the elderly population. Finally, future directions to develop novel interventions targeting ischemic disease are presented to prevent age-related vascular pathologies.

Allisartan Isoproxil Improves Endothelial Function and Vascular Damage in Patients with Essential Hypertension: A Single-Center, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Allisartan isoproxil is a novel angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist that has been confirmed to lower blood pressure and protect target organs effectively. However, its role in improving endothelial function and vascular damage has not been investigated yet. METHODS: Patients with initially diagnosed mild essential hypertension (BP ranging from 140/90 to 159/99 mmHg) with age from 25-75 years were randomly assigned 1:1 to either the allisartan group (allisartan 240 mg/day and lifestyle modification) or the lifestyle modification group and were followed up for 30 days. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and endothelial microparticles (EMPs) were measured for evaluation of endothelial function and vascular damage. In addition, we enrolled 36 normotensive individuals as healthy control. RESULTS: Seventy-two mildly hypertensive patients were enrolled in this study. After 30 days of treatment, a significant increase in FMD was observed in the allisartan group (0.9 ± 0.7%, p < 0.001) and remained unchanged in the lifestyle modification group, but the difference between the two groups did not reach statistical significance (p = ns). EMPs, baPWV, SBP and DBP decreased by 251.0 ± 255.9 counts/µl (p < 0.001), 102.8 ± 84.2 cm/s (p < 0.001), 13.20 ± 3.9 mmHg (p < 0.001) and 9.35 ± 2.5 mmHg (p < 0.001), respectively, in the allisartan group, while by 21.3 ± 84.3 counts/µl (p = ns), 0.4 ± 22.0 cm/s (p = ns), 3.2 ± 6.0 mmHg (p < 0.01) and 1.0 ± 2.5 mmHg (p = ns), respectively, in the lifestyle modification group. All of the indexes above achieved statistical significance between the allisartan and lifestyle modification groups (p < 0.05). Besides, after 30 days of allisartan administration baPWV and EMPs were comparable to those measured in the healthy control group, while the difference in SBP, DBP and FMD remained significant between the allisartan and healthy control groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates for the first time that allisartan isoproxil exerts a favorable effect on improving endothelial function and vascular damage in patients with mild EH, making it a promising drug for management of EH. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2000032332.