Phylloquinone improves endothelial function, inhibits cellular senescence, and vascular inflammation.

Phylloquinon (PK) and menaquinones (MK) are both naturally occurring compounds belonging to vitamin K group. Present study aimed to comprehensively analyze the influence of PK in several models of vascular dysfunction to determine whether PK has vasoprotective properties, similar to those previously described for MK. Effects of PK and MK on endothelial dysfunction were studied in ApoE/LDLR-/- mice in vivo, in the isolated aorta incubated with TNF, and in vascular cells as regard inflammation and cell senescence (including replicative and stress-induced models of senescence). Moreover, the vascular conversion of exogenous vitamins to endogenous MK-4 was analyzed. PK, as well as MK, given for 8 weeks in diet (10 mg/kg) resulted in comparable improvement in endothelial function in the ApoE/LDLR-/- mice. Similarly, PK and MK prevented TNF-induced impairment of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the isolated aorta. In in vitro studies in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, we identified that both PK and MK displayed anti-senescence effects via decreasing DNA damage while in endothelial cells anti-inflammatory activity was ascribed to the modulation of NFκB activation. The activity of PK and MK was comparable in terms of their effect on senescence and inflammation. Presence of endogenous synthesis of MK-4 from PK in aorta and endothelial and smooth muscle cells suggests a possible involvement of MK in vascular effects of PK. In conclusion, PK and MK display comparable vasoprotective effects, which may be ascribed, at least in part, to the inhibition of cell senescence and inflammation. The vasoprotective effect of PK in the vessel wall can be related to the direct effects of PK, as well as to the action of MK formed from PK in the vascular wall.

Osteoprotegerin Is Essential for the Development of Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by Angiotensin II in Mice.

Opinions on the effects of osteoprotegerin (OPG) have evolved over the years from a protein protecting the vasculature from calcification to a cardiovascular risk factor contributing to inflammation within the vascular wall. Nowadays, the link between OPG and angiotensin II (Ang II) appears to be particularly important. In this study, the endothelial function was investigated in OPG-knockout mice (B6.129.S4-OPG, OPG-) and wild-type (C57BL/6J, OPG+) mice under basic conditions and after Ang II exposure by assessing the endothelium-dependent diastolic response of aortic rings to acetylcholine in vitro. A further aim of the study was to compare the effect of Ang II on the expression of cytokines in the aortic wall of both groups of mice. Our study shows that rings from OPG- mice had their normal endothelial function preserved after incubation with Ang II, whereas those from OPG+ mice showed significant endothelial dysfunction. We conclude that the absence of OPG, although associated with a pro-inflammatory cytokine profile in the vascular wall, simultaneously protects against Ang II-induced increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the murine vascular wall. Our study also demonstrates that the absence of OPG can result in a decrease in the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the vascular wall after Ang II exposure. The presence of OPG is therefore crucial for the development of Ang II-induced inflammation in the vascular wall and for the development of Ang II-induced endothelial dysfunction.

Vascular protein disulfide isomerase A1 mediates endothelial dysfunction induced by angiotensin II in mice.

AIM: Protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs) are involved in platelet aggregation and intravascular thrombosis, but their role in regulating endothelial function is unclear. Here, we characterized the involvement of vascular PDIA1 in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced endothelial dysfunction in mice. METHODS: Endothelial dysfunction was induced in C57BL/6JCmd male mice via Ang II subcutaneous infusion, and PDIA1 was inhibited with bepristat. Endothelial function was assessed in vivo with magnetic resonance imaging and ex vivo with a myography, while arterial stiffness was measured as pulse wave velocity. Nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability was measured in the aorta (spin-trapping electron paramagnetic resonance) and plasma (NO2 - and NO3 - levels). Oxidative stress, eNOS uncoupling (DHE-based aorta staining), and thrombin activity (thrombin-antithrombin complex; calibrated automated thrombography) were evaluated. RESULTS: The inhibition of PDIA1 by bepristat in Ang II-treated mice prevented the impairment of NO-dependent vasodilation in the aorta as evidenced by the response to acetylcholine in vivo, increased systemic NO bioavailability and the aortic NO production, and decreased vascular stiffness. Bepristat's effect on NO-dependent function was recapitulated ex vivo in Ang II-induced endothelial dysfunction in isolated aorta. Furthermore, bepristat diminished the Ang II-induced eNOS uncoupling and overproduction of ROS without affecting thrombin activity. CONCLUSION: In Ang II-treated mice, the inhibition of PDIA1 normalized the NO-ROS balance, prevented endothelial eNOS uncoupling, and, thereby, improved vascular function. These results indicate the importance of vascular PDIA1 in regulating endothelial function, but further studies are needed to elucidate the details of the mechanisms involved.

Functional deterioration of vascular mitochondrial and glycolytic capacity in the aortic rings of aged mice.

Vascular ageing is associated with increased arterial stiffness and cardiovascular mortality that might be linked to altered vascular energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to establish a Seahorse XFe96 Analyzer-based methodology for the reliable, functional assessment of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis in single murine aortic rings and to validate this functional assay by characterising alterations in vascular energy metabolism in aged mice. Healthy young and old C57BL/6 mice were used for the analyses. An optimised setup consisting of the Seahorse XFe96 Analyzer and Seahorse Spheroid Microplates was applied for the mitochondrial stress test and the glycolysis stress test on the isolated murine aortic rings, supplemented with analysis of NAD content in the aorta. To confirm the age-dependent stiffness of the vasculature, pulse wave velocity was measured in vivo. In addition, the activity of vascular nitric oxide synthase and vascular wall morphology were analysed ex vivo. The vascular ageing phenotype in old mice was confirmed by increased aortic stiffness, vascular wall remodelling, and nitric oxide synthase activity impairment. The rings of the aorta taken from old mice showed changes in vascular energy metabolism, including impaired spare respiratory capacity, maximal respiration, glycolysis, and glycolytic capacity, as well as a fall in the NAD pool. In conclusion, optimised Seahorse XFe96-based analysis to study energy metabolism in single aortic rings of murine aorta revealed a robust impairment of functional vascular respiratory and glycolytic capacity in old mice linked to NAD deficiency that coincided with age-related aortic wall remodelling and stiffness.

Chymase-independent vascular Ang-(1-12)/Ang II pathway and TXA2 generation are involved in endothelial dysfunction in the murine model of heart failure.

The angiotensin (Ang)-(1-12)/Ang II pathway contributes to cardiac pathology. However, its involvement in the development of peripheral endothelial dysfunction associated with heart failure (HF) remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to characterise the effect of exogenous Ang-(1-12) and its conversion to Ang II on endothelial function using the murine model of HF (Tgαq*44 mice), focusing on the role of chymase and vascular-derived thromboxane A2 (TXA2). Ex vivo myographic assessments of isolated aorta showed impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in late-stage HF in 12-month-old Tgαq*44 mice. However, endothelium-dependent vasodilation was fully preserved in the early stage of HF in 4-month-old Tgαq*44 mice and 4- and 12-month-old FVB control mice. Ang-(1-12) impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in 4- and 12-month-old Tgαq*44 mice, that was associated with increased Ang II production. The chymase inhibitor chymostatin did not inhibit this response. Interestingly, TXA2 production reflected by TXB2 measurement was upregulated in response to Ang-(1-12) and Ang II in aortic rings isolated from 12-month-old Tgαq*44 mice but not from 4-month-old Tgαq*44 mice or age-matched FVB mice. Furthermore, in vivo magnetic resonance imaging showed that Ang-(1-12) impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the aorta of Tgαq*44 mice and FVB mice. However, this response was inhibited by angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor; perindopril, angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) antagonist; losartan and TXA2 receptor (TP) antagonist-picotamide in 12-month-old-Tgαq*44 mice only. In conclusion, the chymase-independent vascular Ang-(1-12)/Ang II pathway and subsequent TXA2 overactivity contribute to systemic endothelial dysfunction in the late stage of HF in Tgαq*44 mice. Therefore, the vascular TXA2 receptor represents a pharmacotherapeutic target to improve peripheral endothelial dysfunction in chronic HF.

Direct Thrombin Inhibitor Dabigatran Compromises Pulmonary Endothelial Integrity in a Murine Model of Breast Cancer Metastasis to the Lungs; the Role of Platelets and Inflammation-Associated Haemostasis.

Activation of the coagulation cascade favours metastatic spread, but antithrombotic therapy might also have detrimental effects on cancer progression. In this study, we characterized the effects of dabigatran, a direct reversible thrombin inhibitor, on the pulmonary endothelial barrier and metastatic spread in a murine model of breast cancer metastasis. Dabigatran etexilate (100 mg kg-1) was administered to mice twice daily by oral gavage. Pulmonary metastasis, pulmonary endothelium permeability in vivo, and platelet reactivity were evaluated after intravenous injection of 4T1 breast cancer cells into BALB/c mice. The effect of dabigatran on platelet-dependent protection of pulmonary endothelial barrier in the presence of an inflammatory stimulus was also verified in vitro using human lung microvascular endothelial cell (HLMVEC) cultures. Dabigatran-treated mice harbored more metastases in their lungs and displayed increased pulmonary endothelium permeability after cancer cell injection. It was not associated with altered lung fibrin deposition, changes in INFγ, or complement activation. In the in vitro model of the pulmonary endothelial barrier, dabigatran inhibited platelet-mediated protection of pulmonary endothelium. In a murine model of breast cancer metastasis, dabigatran treatment promoted pulmonary metastasis by the inhibition of platelet-dependent protection of pulmonary endothelial barrier integrity.

Systemic Administration of Insulin Receptor Antagonist Results in Endothelial and Perivascular Adipose Tissue Dysfunction in Mice.

Hyperglycemia linked to diabetes results in endothelial dysfunction. In the present work, we comprehensively characterized effects of short-term hyperglycemia induced by administration of an insulin receptor antagonist, the S961 peptide, on endothelium and perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) in mice. Endothelial function of the thoracic and abdominal aorta in 12-week-old male C57Bl/6Jrj mice treated for two weeks with S961 infusion via osmotic pumps was assessed in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging and ex vivo by detection of nitric oxide (NO) production using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Additional methods were used to analyze PVAT, aortic segments and endothelial-specific plasma biomarkers. Systemic disruption of insulin signaling resulted in severe impairment of NO-dependent endothelial function and a loss of vasoprotective function of PVAT affecting the thoracic as well as abdominal parts of the aorta, however a fall in adiponectin expression and decreased uncoupling protein 1-positive area were more pronounced in the thoracic aorta. Results suggest that dysfunctional PVAT contributes to vascular pathology induced by altered insulin signaling in diabetes, in the absence of fat overload and obesity.

Nitric oxide deficiency and endothelial-mesenchymal transition of pulmonary endothelium in the progression of 4T1 metastatic breast cancer in mice.

BACKGROUND: Mesenchymal transformation of pulmonary endothelial cells contributes to the formation of a metastatic microenvironment, but it is not known whether this precedes or follows early metastasis formation. In the present work, we characterize the development of nitric oxide (NO) deficiency and markers of endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) in the lung in relation to the progression of 4T1 metastatic breast cancer injected orthotopically in mice. METHODS: NO production, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation status, markers of EndMT in the lung, pulmonary endothelium permeability, and platelet activation/reactivity were analyzed in relation to the progression of 4T1 breast cancer metastasis to the lung, as well as to lung tissue remodeling, 1-5 weeks after 4T1 cancer cell inoculation in Balb/c mice. RESULTS: Phosphorylation of eNOS and NO production in the lungs of 4T1 breast cancer-bearing mice was compromised prior to the development of pulmonary metastasis, and was associated with overexpression of Snail transcription factor in the pulmonary endothelium. These changes developed prior to the mesenchymal phenotypic switch in the lungs evidenced by a decrease in vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-CAD) and CD31 expression, and the increase in pulmonary endothelial permeability, phenomena which coincided with early pulmonary metastasis. Increased activation of platelets was also detected prior to the early phase of metastasis and persisted to the late phase of metastasis, as evidenced by the higher percentage of unstimulated platelets binding fibrinogen without changes in von Willebrand factor and fibrinogen binding in response to ADP stimulation. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased eNOS activity and phosphorylation resulting in a low NO production state featuring pulmonary endothelial dysfunction was an early event in breast cancer pulmonary metastasis, preceding the onset of its phenotypic switch toward a mesenchymal phenotype (EndMT) evidenced by a decrease in VE-CAD and CD31 expression. The latter coincided with development of the first metastatic nodules in the lungs. These findings suggest that early endothelial dysfunction featured by NO deficiency rather than EndMT, might represent a primary regulatory target to prevent early pulmonary metastasis.

Comparison of Pulmonary and Systemic NO- and PGI2-Dependent Endothelial Function in Diabetic Mice.

Diabetes increases the risk of pulmonary hypertension and is associated with alterations in pulmonary vascular function. Still, it is not clear whether alterations in the phenotype of pulmonary endothelium induced by diabetes are distinct, as compared to peripheral endothelium. In the present work, we characterized differences between diabetic complications in the lung and aorta in db/db mice with advanced diabetes. Male, 20-week-old db/db mice displayed increased HbA1c and glucose concentration compatible with advanced diabetes. Diabetic lungs had signs of mild fibrosis, and pulmonary endothelium displayed significantly ultrastructural changes. In the isolated, perfused lung from db/db mice, filtration coefficient (Kf,c) and contractile response to TXA2 analogue were enhanced, while endothelial NO-dependent modulation of pulmonary response to hypoxic ventilation and cumulative production of NO2- were impaired, with no changes in immunostaining for eNOS expression. In turn, 6-keto-PGF1α release from the isolated lung from db/db mice was increased, as well as immunostaining of thrombomodulin (CD141). In contrast to the lung, NO-dependent, acetylcholine-induced vasodilation, ionophore-stimulated NO2- generation, and production of 6-keto-PGF1α were all impaired in aortic rings from db/db mice. Although eNOS immunostaining was not changed, that of CD141 was clearly lowered. Interestingly, diabetes-induced nitration of proteins in aorta was higher than that in the lungs. In summary, diabetes induced marked ultrastructural changes in pulmonary endothelium that were associated with the increased permeability of pulmonary microcirculation, impaired NO-dependent vascular function, with compensatory increase in PGI2 production, and increased CD141 expression. In contrast, endothelial dysfunction in the aorta was featured by impaired NO-, PGI2-dependent function and diminished CD141 expression.

Dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin increases mortality in 4T1 metastatic breast cancer-bearing mice by inducing vascular mimicry in primary tumour.

Platelet inhibition has been considered an effective strategy for combating cancer metastasis and compromising disease malignancy although recent clinical data provided evidence that long-term platelet inhibition might increase incidence of cancer deaths in initially cancer-free patients. In the present study we demonstrated that dual anti-platelet therapy based on aspirin and clopidogrel (ASA+Cl), a routine regiment in cardiovascular patients, when given to cancer-bearing mice injected orthotopically with 4T1 breast cancer cells, promoted progression of the disease and reduced mice survival in association with induction of vascular mimicry (VM) in primary tumour. In contrast, treatment with ASA+Cl or platelet depletion did reduce pulmonary metastasis in mice, if 4T1 cells were injected intravenously. In conclusion, distinct platelet-dependent mechanisms inhibited by ASA+Cl treatment promoted cancer malignancy and VM in the presence of primary tumour and afforded protection against pulmonary metastasis in the absence of primary tumour. In view of our data, long-term inhibition of platelet function by dual anti-platelet therapy (ASA+Cl) might pose a hazard when applied to a patient with undiagnosed and untreated malignant cancer prone to undergo VM.

FT-IR- and Raman-based biochemical profiling of the early stage of pulmonary metastasis of breast cancer in mice.

The combination of FT-IR and Raman spectroscopies allowed the biochemical profiling of lungs in the early stage of pulmonary metastasis in the murine model of breast cancer. Histological staining was used as a reference. Raman spectroscopy was especially useful in the detection and semi-quantitative analysis of the vitamin A content in lung lipofibroblasts, whereas the IR technique provided semi-quantitative information on the contents of nucleic acids, carbohydrates including glycogen, and lipids as well as changes in the secondary structures of tissue proteins. Our spectroscopic results suggest that the early phase of metastasis in the lung is characterized by a decrease in the endogenous retinoid content in combination with a decrease in the content of glycogen and lipids.

A possible Fourier transform infrared-based plasma fingerprint of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-induced reversal of endothelial dysfunction in diabetic mice.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) display vasoprotective activity and represent the cornerstone in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we tested whether Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)-based analysis of blood plasma is sensitive to detect vasoprotective effects of treatment with perindopril including reversal of endothelial dysfunction in diabetes. For this purpose, plasma samples were collected from untreated db/db mice, db/db mice treated with 2 or 10 mg/kg perindopril and db+ mice. The effect of perindopril on endothelial function was examined in ex vivo aortic rings; 10 mg/kg but not 2 mg/kg of perindopril reversed endothelial dysfunction. In plasma of db/db mice, the balance between conformations of plasma proteins was noted, and treatment with perindopril at a high dose but not at a low dose reversed this effect. This was revealed by amide II/amide I ratio attributed to increased ß-sheet formation. Spectral markers at 3010, 1520/1238 cm-1 , representative for unsaturation degree of lipids and phosphorylation of tyrosine, respectively, were also affected by perindopril treatment. In conclusion, although metabolic abnormalities associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus such as hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia strongly affected spectral FTIR profile of diabetic plasma, we identified FTIR features that seem to be associated with the vasoprotective activity of ACE-I.

Breast cancer pulmonary metastasis is increased in mice undertaking spontaneous physical training in the running wheel; a call for revising beneficial effects of exercise on cancer progression.

It has been repeatedly shown that regular aerobic exercise exerts beneficial effects on incidence and progression of cancer. However, the data regarding effects of exercise on metastatic dissemination remain conflicting. Therefore, in the present study the possible preventive effects of voluntary wheel running on primary tumor growth and metastases formation in the model of spontaneous pulmonary metastasis were analyzed after orthotopic injection of 4T1 breast cancer cells into mammary fat pads of female Balb/C mice. This study identified that in the mice injected with 4T1 breast cancer cells and running on the wheels (4T1 ex) the volume and size of the primary tumor were not affected, but the number of secondary nodules formed in the lungs was significantly increased compared to their sedentary counterparts (4T1 sed). This effect was associated with decreased NO production in the isolated aorta of exercising mice (4T1 ex), suggesting deterioration of endothelial function that was associated with lower platelet count without their overactivation. This was evidenced by comparable selectin P, active GPIIb/IIIa expression, fibrinogen and vWF binding on the platelet surface. In conclusion, voluntary wheel running appeared to impair, rather than improve endothelial function, and to promote, but not decrease metastasis in the murine orthotopic model of metastatic breast cancer. These results call for revising the notion of the persistent beneficial effects of voluntary exercise on breast cancer progression, though further studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms involved in pro-metastatic effects of voluntary exercise.

High Levels of Soluble Endoglin Induce a Proinflammatory and Oxidative-Stress Phenotype Associated with Preserved NO-Dependent Vasodilatation in Aortas from Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet.

AIMS: A soluble form of endoglin (sEng) was proposed to participate in the induction of endothelial dysfunction in small blood vessels. Here, we tested the hypothesis that high levels of sEng combined with a high-fat diet induce endothelial dysfunction in an atherosclerosis-prone aorta. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six-month-old female and male transgenic mice overexpressing human sEng (Sol-Eng+) with low (Sol-Eng+low) or high (Sol-Eng+high) levels of plasma sEng were fed a high-fat rodent diet containing 1.25% cholesterol and 40% fat for 3 months. The plasma cholesterol and mouse sEng levels did not differ in the Sol-Eng+high and Sol-Eng+low mice. The expression of proinflammatory (P-selectin, ICAM-1, pNFκB and COX-2) and oxidative-stress-related markers (HO-1, NOX-1 and NOX-2) in the aortas of Sol-Eng+high female mice was significantly higher than in Sol-Eng+low female mice. Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation induced by acetylcholine was preserved better in the Sol-Eng+ high female mice than in the Sol-Eng+low female mice. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that high concentrations of sEng in plasma in combination with a high-fat diet induce the simultaneous activation of proinflammatory, pro-oxidative and vasoprotective mechanisms in mice aorta and the balance of these biological processes determines whether the final endothelial phenotype is adaptive or maladaptive.

3D Raman imaging of systemic endothelial dysfunction in the murine model of metastatic breast cancer.

It was recently reported in the murine model of metastatic breast cancer (4T1) that tumor progression and development of metastasis is associated with systemic endothelial dysfunction characterized by impaired nitric oxide (NO) production. Using Raman 3D confocal imaging with the analysis of the individual layers of the vascular wall combined with AFM endothelial surface imaging, we demonstrated that metastasis-induced systemic endothelial dysfunction resulted in distinct chemical changes in the endothelium of the aorta. These changes, manifested as a significant increase in the protein content (18%) and a slight decrease in the lipid content (4%), were limited to the endothelium and did not occur in the deeper layers of the vascular wall. The altered lipid to protein ratio in the endothelium, although more pronounced in the fixed vascular wall, was also observed in the freshly isolated unfixed vascular wall samples in the aqueous environment (12 and 7% change of protein and lipid content, respectively). Our results support the finding that the metastasis induces systemic endothelial dysfunction that may contribute to cancer progression.

[Headaches in autoimmune diseases].

Vasculitides in autoimmune diseases are an important cause of secondary headaches. The article discusses the incidence of headache in primary and secondary vasculitides of the central nervous system. The symptoms of primary CNS vasculitis are presented. The occurrence of headache in large-vessel vasculitides, such as Takayasu arteritis and giant cell arteritis; medium-vessel vasculitides, such as polyarteritis nodosa and Kawasaki disease; and small-vessel vasculitides, such as microscopic polyangiitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, are characterized. The occurrence of headache in vasculitides of different blood vessels, such as Behcet's disease and Cogan's syndrome, is presented as well. Systemic autoimmune diseases discussed in the paper are systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, and sarcoidosis. Vasculopathies which can mimic CNS vasculitides were discussed as well. Examples include reversible cerebral vasoconstriction, Susac's symdrome, and cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL).

Individual CLA Isomers, c9t11 and t10c12, Prevent Excess Liver Glycogen Storage and Inhibit Lipogenic Genes Expression Induced by High-Fructose Diet in Rats.

This study assessed the effects of individual conjugated linoleic acid isomers, c9t11-CLA and t10c12-CLA, on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and systemic endothelial dysfunction in rats fed for four weeks with control or high-fructose diet. The high-fructose diet hampered body weight gain (without influencing food intake), increased liver weight and glycogen storage in hepatocytes, upregulated expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1), and increased saturated fatty acid (SFA) content in the liver. Both CLA isomers prevented excessive accumulation of glycogen in the liver. Specifically, t10c12-CLA decreased concentration of serum triacylglycerols and LDL + VLDL cholesterol, increased HDL cholesterol, and affected liver lipid content and fatty acid composition by downregulation of liver SCD-1 and FAS expression. In turn, the c9t11-CLA decreased LDL+VLDL cholesterol in the control group and downregulated liver expression of FAS without significant effects on liver weight, lipid content, and fatty acid composition. In summary, feeding rats with a high-fructose diet resulted in increased liver glycogen storage, indicating the induction of gluconeogenesis despite simultaneous upregulation of genes involved in de novo lipogenesis. Although both CLA isomers (c9t11 and t10c12) display hepatoprotective activity, the hypolipemic action of the t10c12-CLA isomer proved to be more pronounced than that of c9t11-CLA.

Comparative endothelial profiling of doxorubicin and daunorubicin in cultured endothelial cells.

Although anthracycline antibiotics have been successfully used for nearly half a century in the treatment of various malignancies, their use is limited by their cardiac and vascular toxicities, and the mechanisms of these toxicities are still not entirely clear. Herein, we comprehensively characterized cytotoxic effects of two structurally related anthracyclines, doxorubicin and daunorubicin. In nanomolar concentrations, both drugs induced DNA damage and increased nuclear area that were associated with their accumulation in the nucleus (doxorubicin ⩾50 nM and daunorubicin ⩾25 nM) as evidence by Raman microspectroscopy at 3820-4245 cm(-1). At low micromolar concentrations, doxorubicin (⩾5 µM) and daunorubicin (⩾1 µM) increased the generation of reactive oxygen species, decreased intracellular reduced glutathione, induced an alteration in endothelial elasticity and caused a reorganization of the F-actin cytoskeleton. In isolated mouse aortic rings, doxorubicin (⩾50 µM) was less potent than daunorubicin (⩾5 µM) in impairing the endothelium-dependent response. In summary, using a comprehensive endothelial profiling approach, we demonstrated clear-cut differences in the potencies to induce endotheliotoxic responses for two structurally similar chemotherapeutics, at a nuclear, cytosolic and membrane levels. Furthermore, our results suggest that the differences in the endothelial toxicities of doxorubicin and daunorubicin are linked to differences in their nuclear accumulation and the DNA damage-triggered response of the endothelium.

[Headaches and multiple sclerosis]. / Bóle glowy a stwardnienie rozsiane.

The article discusses the possible association between multiple sclerosis (MS) and headache. MS has a broad range of neurological symptoms, but headache is not included among them. Research on the link between MS and headache focuses on primary headaches such as migraine, tension-type headache and cluster headache. Studies on the possible association between MS and migraine have had conflicting results and have found a wide range of prevalence rates for migraine in MS patients. The possible mechanisms proposed linking migraine and MS can be unidirectional, bidirectional or involving a common cause. The prevalence of TTH in MS patients is similar to that observed in the general population. Immunotherapy may play a role in inducing headache.