Effect of Solid-State Phase Transformation and Transverse Restraint on Residual Stress Distribution in Laser-Arc Hybrid Welding Joint of Q345 Steel.

A Q345 steel butt-welded joint was manufactured using laser-arc hybrid welding (LAHW) technology, and its microstructure, microhardness, and residual stress (RS) distribution were measured. Using ABAQUS software, a sequentially coupled thermo-metallurgical-mechanical finite element method was employed to model the welding RS distribution in the LAHW joint made of Q345 steel. The effects of solid-state phase transformation (SSPT) and transverse restraint on the welding RS distribution were explored. The results show that a large number of martensite phase transformations occurred in the fusion zone and heat-affected zone of the LAHW joint. Furthermore, the SSPT had a significant effect on the magnitude and distribution of RS in the LAHW joint made of Q345 steel, which must be taken into account in numerical simulations. Transverse restraints markedly increased the transverse RS on the upper surface, with a comparatively minor impact on the longitudinal RS distribution. After the transverse restraint was released, both the longitudinal and transverse RS distributions in the LAHW joint reverted to a level akin to that of the welded joint under free conditions.

Crocin ameliorates neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in mice with Alzheimer's disease by activating PI3K/AKT pathway.

BACKGROUND: Crocin has a good prospect in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the mechanisms underlying its neuroprotective effects remain elusive. This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of Crocin and its underlying mechanisms in AD. METHODS: AD mice were set up by injecting Aß25-35 solution into the hippocampus. Then, the AD mice were injected intraperitoneally with 40 mg/kg/day of Crocin for 14 days. Following the completion of Crocin treatment, an open-field test, Y-maze test and Morris water maze test were conducted to evaluate the impact of Crocin on spatial learning and memory deficiency in mice. The effects of Crocin on hippocampal neuron injury, proinflammatory cytokine expressions (IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α), and PI3K/AKT signaling-related protein expressions were measured using hematoxylin and eosin staining, Western blot, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) experiments, respectively. RESULTS: Crocin attenuated Aß25-35-induced spatial learning and memory deficiency and hippocampal neuron injury. Furthermore, the Western blot and qRT-PCR results showed that Crocin effectively suppressed inflammation and activated the PI3K/AKT pathway in Aß25-35-induced mice. CONCLUSION: Crocin restrained neuroinflammation via the activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway, thereby ameliorating the cognitive dysfunction of AD mice.

Predictive value of type D personality for cardiac events in Chinese patients with acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to investigate the association between type D personality and adverse cardiac events in chinese patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Patients with AMI admitted to cardiac care unit (CCU) of China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China between January 2016 and December 2017 were enrolled. 257 patients completed psychological questionnaires at enrollment. Type D personality was assessed with 14-item Type D Scale-14 (DS14). Anxiety and depression were quantified using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors of in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACEs), while cox regression analysis was used to evaluate post-discharge endpoints. RESULTS: 54 patients (21%) were classified as Type D personality defined by the combination of a negative affectivity (NA) score ≥ 10 and a social inhibition (SI) score ≥ 10 on the DS14. Patients with Type D personality displayed significantly higher scores of anxiety (7.4 ± 3.1 vs. 4.2 ± 3.1, p < .001) and depression (7.2 ± 3.8 vs. 4.0 ± 3.4, p < .001). AMI patients with Type D personality had higher prevalence rates of anxiety (χ2 = 30.095, P < .001) and depression (χ2 = 27.082, P < .001). Type D group also displayed a significantly higher level of blood lipoprotein(a) (177.2 ± 200.7 vs. 118.1 ± 255.7 mg/L, P = .048). The incidence of in-hospital MACEs was higher in type D than in non-Type D patients (24.1% vs. 11.3%, χ2 = 5.751, P = .026). Multivariable logistic regression showed three significant independent predictors of in-hospital MACEs: age [odds ratio(OR) = 1.055; 95%CI 1.016-1.095, p = .004], type-D personality(OR 3.332; 95% CI 1.149-9.661, p = .014) and killip classification(OR 2.275, 95% CI 1.506-3.437, p < .001). The average follow-up time was 31 (23-37.5) months. Type D patients had higher incidences of post-discharge events(23.1% vs. 11.5%, p = .032). In the analysis of post-discharge events by Cox regression, χ2 of the Cox regression equation was 16.795 (P = .032). Smoking (HR 2.602; 95% CI1.266-5.347, p = .009) and type-D personality (HR 2.265; 95%CI 1.028-4.988, p = .042) were independent predictors of long-term cardiac events. Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant difference in event-free survival between type D and non-type D group (p = .043). CONCLUSIONS: Type D personality is an independent predictor of in-hospital and post-discharge cardiac events after AMI in Chinese patients.

Curcumin alleviates Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting inflammatory response, oxidative stress and activating the AMPK pathway.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common degenerative brain disorder with limited therapeutic options. Curcumin (Cur) exhibits neuroprotective function in many diseases. We aimed to explore the role and mechanism of Cur in AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Firstly, we established AD mice by injecting amyloid-ß1-42 (Aß1-42) solution into the hippocampus. Then, the AD mice received 150 mg/kg/d Cur for 10 consecutive days. The Morris water maze test was conducted to evaluate the cognitive function of the mice by hidden platform training and probe trials. To assess the spatial memory of the mice, spontaneous alternation behavior, the number of crossing the novel arm and the time spent in the novel arm during the Y-maze test was recorded. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNAL) assay were performed to assess the pathological damage and apoptosis of brain tissues. The number of damaged neurons was inspected by Nissl staining. Immunohistochemical staining was then performed to detect Aß1-42 deposition. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in serum and hippocampus, the contents of super oxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain tissues were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Additionally, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), RelA (p65) protein expressions and Adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation were tested using Western blot. RESULTS: Cur not only improved cognitive function and spatial memory, but also alleviated the pathological damage and apoptosis of brain tissues for AD mice. Meanwhile, upon Cur treatment, the number of damaged neurons in AD mice was decreased, the level of Aß1-42 in AD mice was significantly decreased. Furthermore, the AD mice treated with Cur exhibited lower TNF-a, IL-6, IL-1ß and MDA levels and a higher SOD content. Besides, Cur also downregulated p65 expression and upregulated AMPK phosphorylation. CONCLUSION: Cur may improve AD via suppressing the inflammatory response, oxidative stress and activating the AMPK pathway, suggesting that Cur may be a potential drug for AD.

Ginsenoside Rg2 alleviates neurovascular damage in 3xTg-AD mice with Alzheimer's disease through the MAPK-ERK pathway.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, and ginsenoside Rg2 (Rg2) is proven to inhibit AD's progression. This study investigates the potential benefits of Rg2 treatment on 3xTg-AD mice. Following 6 weeks of gavage treatment, Rg2-treated 3xTg-AD mice exhibited improved spatial recognition memory behaviors, regional cerebral blood flow, and histopathological injury of the hippocampus, which were observed through a Y-maze test, laser Doppler flowmetry, and hematoxylin-eosin staining. Additionally, Rg2 treatment caused a decrease in the levels of amyloid beta 25-35, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6, as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, as well as a reduction in mRNA levels of IL-1ß and IL-6 in 3xTg-AD mouse brains using quantitative real-time PCR. In particular, NeuN and CD31 levels were inhibited and GFAP level was elevated in 3xTg-AD mice that were observed through immunofluorescence, and these levels were all antagonized by Rg2, suggesting the effects of Rg2 on neurovascular damage, astrocyte activation, and neuronal loss. Furthermore, Western blot and qRT-PCR assays showed that Rg2 blocked the expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in 3xTg-AD mice. By Western blot, the ratios of p-ERK/ERK and p-MAPK/MAPK in 3xTg-AD mice were upregulated by Rg2 treatment, suggesting the neuroprotective effects of Rg2 may be related to the MAPK-ERK pathway. In summary, this study demonstrated the potential of Rg2 to improve AD and provided a scientific basis for research on the biological mechanism of AD and the development of Rg2.

A phase II study of concurrent involved-field radiotherapy and intrathecal chemotherapy for leptomeningeal metastasis from solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: The role of involved-field radiation therapy (IFRT) and intrathecal chemotherapy (IC) in leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) from solid tumors was gradually underestimated in the era of targeted therapy. This study was aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of concurrent IFRT and intrathecal methotrexate (MTX)/cytarabine (Ara-C) for LM, particularly for those who developed LM while receiving targeted therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Enrolled patients were given induction IC first and then concurrent treatment, which consisted of IFRT (40 Gy total; 2 Gy/f) and IC (MTX 15 mg or Ara-C 50 mg, once per week). Primary endpoint was clinical response rate (RR). Secondary endpoints were safety and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Fifty-three patients received induction intrathecal MTX (n = 27) or Ara-C (n = 26). Forty-two patients completed concurrent therapy. Total RR was 34% (18/53). The improvement rate of neurological symptoms and KPS scores were 72% (38/53) and 66% (35/53) respectively. Adverse events (AEs) rate was 28% (15/53). Eight patients (15%, 8/53) showed grade 3-4 AEs, including myelosuppression (n = 4) and radiculitis (n = 5). Median OS was 6.5 months (95% CI, 5.3-7.7 months). Median survival for 18 patients who had clinical response was 7.9 months (95% CI, 4.4-11.4 months), and 0.8 months (95% CI, 0.08-1.5 months) for 6 patients who had LM progression. The median survival in 22 patients who received prior targeted therapy was 6.3 months (95% CI, 4.5-8.1 months). CONCLUSION: Concurrent IFRT and intrathecal MTX or Ara-C was proved to be a feasible treatment option with an acceptable safety profile for LM from a common tumor entity.

A novel method for spine ultrasound and X-ray radiograph registration.

Ultrasound is a promising imaging method for scoliosis evaluation because it is radiation free and provide real-time images. However, it cannot provide bony details because ultrasound cannot penetrate the bony structure. Therefore, registration of real-time ultrasound images with the previous X-ray radiograph can help physicians understand the spinal deformity of patients. In this study, an improved free-from deformation registration method based on mutual registration and hierarchical adaptive grid (MRHA-FFD) was developed. The method first performed registration grid preprocessing and then optimized control points and conducted mutual registration. Finally, a Blur-aware Attention Network was adopted for image deblurring. The performance of each step was verified by ablation experiments. Comparison experiment between the proposed method and traditional registration methods was also conducted. The qualitative and quantitative results suggested that MRHA-FFD is a promising approach for registering spine ultrasound image and X-ray radiograph.

Preoperative excessive lateral anterior tibial subluxation is related to posterior tibial tunnel insertion with worse sagittal alignment after anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions.

Objective: To investigate whether preoperative lateral anterior tibial subluxation (LATS) measured from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can influence tibial insertion and postoperative sagittal alignment after anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (ACLRs). Methods: 84 patients who underwent single-bundle ACLRs were retrospectively investigated. Among them, 39 patients (LATS of <6 mm) 23 patients (LATS of ≥6 mm and <10 mm) and 22 patients (excessive LATS of ≥10 mm) were defined as group 1, 2 and 3, respectively. LATS, the position of graft insertion into tibia as ratio of anterior-posterior width (AP ratio) and the sagittal graft angle (SGA) were postoperatively assessed from MRI at 2-year follow-up. Following linear regression analyses were employed. Results: The group 3 exhibited the largest preoperative LATS and remained the most postoperative LATS. Moreover, the group 3 possessed the most posteriorly located tunnel insertion with the largest AP ratio and the most vertical graft orientation. Of all included patients, a moderate correlation was demonstrated between pre- and postoperative LATS (r = 0.635). A low correlation was observed between preoperative LATS and AP ratio (r = 0.300) and a moderate correlation was displayed between AP ratio and SGA (r = 0.656). Conclusion: For ACL injuries with excessive LATS (≥10 mm), most posteriorly located tibial insertion was found out, and worse sagittal alignment containing high residual LATS was associated with more vertical graft orientation following ACLRs.

PD-1 inhibitor therapy causes multisystem immune adverse reactions: a case report and literature review.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs), including cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein 1 and its ligand (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors, have been shown to have antitumor activity in various solid tumors. Their mechanism of action is to selectively restore and normalize the body's immune reponses by disrupting the immunosuppressive signals mediated by PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in the tumor microenvironment. With the increase in clinical applications of ICIs, reports of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have also increased. This article reports a case of a lung cancer patient who developed multisystemic adverse effects after PD-1 inhibitor application: myocarditis, myositis and thrombocytopenia, and analyzes the role of Interleukin 6(IL-6)in the management of irAEs. Despite the patient's eventual discontinuation of antitumor therapy due to severe irAEs, a significant and durable therapeutic response was observed.

Successful first-line treatment of simultaneous multiple primary malignancies of lung adenocarcinoma and renal clear cell carcinoma: A case report.

Background: Multiple Primary Malignancies (MPMs) refer to the occurrence of two or more primary malignancies in the same organ or multiple organs and tissues of the same patient simultaneously or sequentially, with an incidence rate ranging from 2-17%. According to the difference in the time of occurrence of each primary tumor, MPMs can be classified as simultaneous malignancies and heterochronic malignancies. The former refers to the occurrence of two or more malignancies one after another within 6 months, while the latter refers to the occurrence of two malignancies at an interval of more than 6 months. Currently, there is a lack of effective treatment options for MPMs both nationally and internationally. Case presentation: The patient was a 65-year-old male smoker with a definite diagnosis of advanced lung adenocarcinoma with kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene (KRAS) mutation, concomitant with primary renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC), who had a progression-free survival (PFS) for 7 months after first-line treatment with albumin-bound paclitaxel and cisplatin in combination with sintilimab. Conclusion: In this paper, we report a case of advanced lung adenocarcinoma combined with RCCC as a concurrent double primary malignancy, which achieved a satisfactory outcome after first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, with the aim of exploring effective treatment modalities for this type of MPMs, in order to improve the survival and prognosis of the patient.

Case Report: First-Line Immunotherapy for Esophageal Squamous Carcinoma Combined With Hypopharyngeal Squamous Carcinoma Yields Sustained Survival Benefit.

Esophageal cancer, as one of the most common malignant tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract, is highly invasive, with poor prognosis and low 5-year survival rate. Hypopharyngeal cancer has a low incidence among head and neck malignant tumors, but its prognosis is poor and it is prone to recurrence, and because the upper respiratory tract has similar tissue types as the upper gastrointestinal tract, it is prone to the second primary tumor of the upper gastrointestinal tract, however, such patients with double primary carcinoma are uncommon in the clinic, and most of them are already advanced at the time of diagnosis, losing the chance of surgical resection, with poor results and poor prognosis after radiotherapy treatment, therefore, the choice of treatment strategy for such inoperable resectable patients is still a great challenge for clinicians.In this case, we report a patient with a double primary esophageal squamous carcinoma combined with hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma without family history of tumor, who achieved complete remission after first-line chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy, with both lesions shrinking and the hypopharyngeal tumor disappearing. The survival benefit was ensured at the same time.

Role and potential clinical utility of ARID1A in gastrointestinal malignancy.

ARID1A (AT-rich interactive domain 1A) is a newly discovered tumor suppressor gene, and its encoded product is an important component of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex. ARID1A plays an important role in cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis, apoptosis, cell cycle regulation, epithelial mesenchymal transition, and the regulation of other of biological behaviors. Recently, ARID1A mutations have been increasingly reported in esophageal adenocarcinoma, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, and other malignant tumors of the digestive system. This article reviews the relationship between ARID1A mutation and the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis, including microsatellite instability and the PI3K/ATK signaling pathway, and relates these mechanisms to the prognostic assessment of digestive malignancy. Further, this review describes the potential for molecular pathologic epidemiology (MPE) to provide new insights into environment-tumor-host interactions.

Current research progress in the role of reactive oxygen species in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

In the past few decades, the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has increased by six-fold in western countries, as the proton pump inhibitor targeting the gastric acid reflux has failed to control the disease. It is currently suggested that deoxycholic acid reflux leads to esophageal adenocarcinoma. As an inflammation-related cancer, the formation and progression of esophageal adenocarcinoma are closely related to the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, the critical developmental stage of esophageal adenocarcinoma involves characteristic pathological changes in which the distal esophageal squamous epithelial cells are replaced by intestinal columnar epithelial cells, suggesting the involvement of cancer stem cells. Thus, esophageal adenocarcinoma is a good model to study the interplay between ROS and stem cells in cancer. Until now, some important questions related to ROS in esophageal adenocarcinoma remain unanswered. For example, the molecular mechanism by which deoxycholic acid induces malignant transformation in esophageal adenocarcinoma remains unclear. In addition, whether ROS are involved in the induction of cancer stem cell formation by chemotherapeutic drugs and deoxycholic acid stimulation in esophageal adenocarcinoma remains to be further explored. This review summarizes current research progress on ROS and stemness activity, regulation of ROS by stanniocalcin-1 (STC1)/uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), and inspiration for ROS in esophageal adenocarcinoma to guide further research and provide insight into the clinical treatment of esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Research progress of cancer stem cells and IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway in esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Esophageal epithelial malignancy can be divided into esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and adenocarcinoma (EAC). EAC is currently the seventh leading cause of death in US. Although ESCC occurs frequently in China and the population of EAC is mostly distributed in the western countries, with the change of lifestyle, diabetes, smoking, gastroesophageal exhalation disease, Barrett's esophagus (BE) and obesity have been confirmed as high-risk factors of EAC. The number of those high-risk groups in China is increasing, and the incidence of EAC in China is likely to increase in the future. At present, there is no clear epidemiological data of EAC in China. Attention should be paid to the pathogenesis, treatment plan and prognosis of EAC. In 2018, updated epidemiological data from the national institutes of health showed that the mortality rate of EAC patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2015 was as high as 91.6%. Currently, it is believed that the causes of poor prognosis, low survival rate, recurrence, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance and radiation resistance of malignant tumors may be closely related to the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). This paper reviews the source of BE, the CSC markers of EAC, the correlation among bile acid, IL-6/STAT3 signaling pathway and EAC, as well as the possible source of CSCs.

Effect of Intensive Blood Pressure Control on Carotid Morphology and Hemodynamics in Chinese Patients with Hyperhomocysteinemia-Type Hypertension and High Risk of Stroke.

BACKGROUND Different blood pressure targets should be formulated for different groups of people. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of intensive blood control in improving the carotid morphology and hemodynamics in Chinese patients with hyperhomocysteinemia-type hypertension and high risk of stroke. MATERIAL AND METHODS Chinese hypertensive patients with high risk of stroke were randomized to intensive (n=187) and standard (n=192; controls) blood pressure management groups. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) targets were 100< SBP ≤120 and 120< SBP ≤140 mmHg, respectively. All patients received folic acid 0.8 mg/d and atorvastatin 20 mg/d. Calcium antagonist was first used. If blood pressure was still uncontrolled, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor antagonist, ß-receptor blocker, and diuretics were added successively. Follow-up was 12 months. Carotid features, hemodynamics, and adverse events were examined. RESULTS There were no differences in sex, age, body mass index, blood lipids, baseline carotid parameters, and histories of smoking, diabetes, statin use, and stroke between the 2 groups. Carotid plaques after 12 months of treatment were 19.4±2.1 and 23.6±3.1 cm² for the intensive and control groups, respectively (P=0.038). Plaque scores were lower in the intensive group (1.75±0.52 vs. 2.45±0.47, P=0.023). Compared with controls, intensive management resulted in relatively higher Vd and significantly lower Vs/Vd, PI, and RI (all P<0.05). Major adverse events such as hypotension (n=5 (2.7%) vs. 3 (1.6%), P=0.020) and dizziness (n=20 (10.7%) vs. 16 (8.3%), P=0.041) were more frequent in the intensive group. CONCLUSIONS Intensive blood pressure management could be beneficial for Chinese patients with hyperhomocysteinemia-type hypertension and high risk of stroke.

Comparison of three common nutritional screening tools with the new European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) criteria for malnutrition among patients with geriatric gastrointestinal cancer: a prospective study in China.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare three common nutritional screening tools with the new European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) diagnostic criteria for malnutrition among elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer. RESEARCH METHODSANDPROCEDURES: Nutritional screening tools, including the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002), the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and the Short Form of Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), were applied to 255 patients with gastrointestinal cancer. We compared the diagnostic values of these tools for malnutrition, using the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria for malnutrition as the 'gold standards'. RESULTS: According to the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria for malnutrition, 20% of the patients were diagnosed as malnourished. With the use of NRS 2002, 52.2% of the patients were found to be at high risk of malnutrition; with the use of MUST, 37.6% of the patients were found to be at moderate/high risk of malnutrition; and according to MNA-SF, 47.8% of the patients were found to be at nutritional risk. MUST was best correlated with the ESPEN diagnostic criteria (К=0.530, p<0.001) compared with NRS 2002 (К=0.312, p<0.001) and MNA-SF (К=0.380, p<0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve of MUST had the highest area under the curve (AUC) compared with NRS 2002 and MNA-SF. CONCLUSIONS: Among the tools, MUST was found to perform the best in identifyingmalnourished elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer distinguished by the new ESPEN diagnostic criteria for malnutrition. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to verify our findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR-RRC-16009831; Pre-results.

Prostaglandin E2 reduces swine myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury via increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase and vascular endothelial growth factor expression levels.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been demonstrated to attenuate cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the underlying mechanism of PGE2 in cardiac I/R injury remains unknown. Upregulated expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were reported in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and were demonstrated to diminish I/R injury. In the current study the involvement of VEGF and eNOS in the myocardial protective effect of PGE2 were investigated in a catheter-based porcine model of AMI. Twenty-two Chinese miniature pigs were randomized into sham-surgery (n=6), control (n=8) and PGE2 (n=8) groups. PGE2 (1 µg/kg) was injected from 10 min prior to left anterior descending occlusion up to 1 h after reperfusion in the PGE2 group. Subsequently, the hemodynamic parameters were evaluated. Thioflavin-S and Evans Blue double staining were performed to evaluate the extent of the myocardial reperfusion area (RA) and no-reflow area (NRA). Immunohistochemical and western blot analysis were used to evaluate protein expression levels of VEGF and eNOS. Left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure significantly improved and LV end-diastolic pressure significantly decreased in the PGE2 group when compared with the control group 2 h after occlusion and 3 h after reperfusion (P<0.05, respectively). The RA and NRA were smaller in the PGE2 group than in the control group (P<0.05, respectively). Furthermore, PGE2 treatment increased the myocardial content of VEGF and eNOS when compared with the control group (P<0.05, respectively). Thus, the results of the present study demonstrate the cardio-protective mechanisms of PGE2, which may protect the heart from I/R injury via enhancement of VEGF and eNOS expression levels.