Integrative analysis of DNA methylome and transcriptome reveals epigenetic regulation of bisphenols-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Cardiac hypertrophy, a kind of cardiomyopathic abnormality, might trigger heart contractile and diastolic dysfunction, and even heart failure. Currently, bisphenols (BPs) including bisphenol A (BPA), and its alternatives bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol F (BPF) and bisphenol S (BPS) are ubiquitously applied in various products and potentially possess high cardiovascular risks for humans. However, the substantial experimental evidences of BPs on heart function, and their structure-related effects on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy are still urgently needed. DNA methylation, a typical epigenetics, play key roles in BPs-induced transcription dysregulation, thereby affecting human health including cardiovascular system. Thus, in this study, we performed RNA-seq and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) to profile the landscapes of BPs-induced cardiotoxicity and to determine the key roles of DNA methylation in the transcription. Further, the capabilities of three BPA analogues, together with BPA, in impacting heart function and changing DNA methylation and transcription were compared. We concluded that similar to BPA, BPAF, BPF and BPS exposure deteriorated heart function in a mouse model, and induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in a H9c2 cell line. BPAF, BPF and BPS all played BPA-like roles in both transcriptive and methylated hierarchies. Moreover, we validated the expression levels of four cardiomyocyte hypertrophy related candidate genes, Psmc1, Piptnm2, Maz and Dusp18, which were all upregulated and with DNA hypomethylation. The findings on the induction of BPA analogues on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and DNA methylation revealed their potential detrimental risks in heart function of humans.

Comparison of co-administration of amiodarone and rivaroxaban to co-administration of dronedarone and rivaroxaban for hemorrhage risks after atrial fibrillation ablation.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether co-administration of antiarrhythmic dronedarone and anticoagulant rivaroxaban would increase the risks of hemorrhage after atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with AF who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation (CA) in the Department of Cardiology, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from 2019-12 to 2020-11 were included. Patients were divided into an oral dronedarone and rivaroxaban group (D-R group, N = 50) and an oral amiodarone and rivaroxaban group (A-R group, N = 50) according to the postoperative antiarrhythmic and anticoagulation strategies. Patients in 2 groups were given propensity score matching (PSM) to obtain a sample with balanced inter-group covariates. A retrospective observational study was conducted. After 3 months of follow-up, the incidence of clinically relevant non-major bleeding (CRNMB), major hemorrhages, and early AF recurrence was observed. RESULTS: After PSM, 41 patients were included in each group. With similarly distributed baseline characteristics and ablation characteristics after PSM, the CRNMB rate after AF ablation was significantly higher in the D-R group than in the A-R group (26.8% versus 7.3%, P = 0.02), and no major hemorrhages were detected in both groups. No significant difference was observed in the sinus rhythm maintenance rate between the D-R group and the A-R group (26.8% vs. 22.0%, P = 0.43). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to co-administration of amiodarone and rivaroxaban, co-administration of dronedarone and rivaroxaban increases the risk of CRNMB but it does not increase the risk of major hemorrhages in blanking period after AF ablation.

Comparison of Efficacy between Clopidogrel and Ticagrelor in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome after Interventional Treatment and Their Effects on IL-6.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the efficacy between clopidogrel and ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and their effects on IL-6. METHODS: A retrospective analysis and collection of 200 ACS patients diagnosed by the Department of Cardiology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China in 2016 were performed. Patients were randomly divided into clopidogrel group and ticagrelor group. Data of left ventricular ejection fraction and ACS clinical classification before PCI, PCI treatment, IL-6, platelet aggregation status, maximum platelet aggregation rate (MPAR), P2Y12 response unit (PRU) and adverse reaction of patients were collected. After PCI, patients were followed up for 1 year to compare the ischemia after treatment between clopidogrel group and tigravilol group. RESULTS: MPAR and PRU after PCI of clopidogrel group were significantly higher than those of ticagrelor group (P<0.05). The expression of IL-6 in two groups peaked at 1 day after PCI and then decreased. That of ticagrelor group was consistently lower than that of clopidogrel group (P<0.05). The incidence of ischemic events after treatment in clopidogrel group was significantly higher than that in ticagrelor group (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Compared with clopidogrel, tigerrilol had more significant inhibition of platelet aggregation after PCI in ACS patients, and tigerrilol had better effect after interventional treatment in ACS patients. In addition, compared with clopidogrel, tegrel can significantly inhibit the expression of IL-6 in patients with ACS and better alleviate the inflammatory response after PCI.

Effect of microRNA-133a-3p/matrix metalloproteinase-9 axis on the growth of atherosclerotic vascular smooth muscle cells.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and poses a threat to human health. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are a group of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that have been identified to serve important roles in AS. However, the expression and role of miR-133a-3p in AS remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate miR-133a-3p in AS and to determine its underlying mechanism. The level of miR-133a-3p expression in the blood and vascular plaque tissue of patients with AS was detected via reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The role of miR-133a-3p in human vascular smooth muscle cells (hVSMCs) was investigated, following upregulation and downregulation of this miR in hVSMCs. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined using a Cell Counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The results demonstrated the downregulation of miR-133a-3p in the blood and vascular plaque tissue of patients with AS. Matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9) was revealed to be a direct target gene of miR-133a-3p, which was upregulated in the blood and vascular plaque tissue of patients with AS. Furthermore, MMP-9 was determined to be negatively regulated by miR-133a-3p in hVSMCs. In addition, significant inhibition of hVSMC proliferation and induction of cell apoptosis were observed following MMP-9 downregulation and following transfection with the miR-133a-3p mimic. The effects of the miR-133a-3p mimic on hVSMC proliferation and apoptosis were reversed by MMP-9 over-expression. Overall, the results indicated that miR-133a-3p was downregulated in AS, which results in the inhibition of hVSMC proliferation and the induction of cell apoptosis via MMP-9. miR-133a-3p may therefore be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of AS.

Rho GTPase­activating protein 1 promotes apoptosis of myocardial cells in an ischemic cardiomyopathy model.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) leads to heart failure by causing apoptosis of cardiac myocytes. It is generally believed that a therapy targeting apoptosis of cardiac myocytes would improve the prognosis of patients with ischemic heart disease. AIMS: We aimed to investigate the role of Rho GTPase­activating protein 1 (ARHGAP1) in ICM. METHODS: The cellular model of myocardial ischemia (H9c2 cell model) and a rat model of ICM were established to explore the expression of ARHGAP1. The overexpression of ARHGAP1 was induced in H9c2 myocardial cells to assess protein function. RESULTS: The expression of ARHGAP1 as a result of hypoxic conditions in the cellular and rat models was observed. Its overexpression induced apoptosis of cultured H9c2 cells under normal atmospheric conditions. ARHGAP1 was also shown to initiate the apoptosis pathway by regulating the cell death modulators B­cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl­2) and Bcl­2­associated X protein. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the ARHGAP1 expression is closely associated with apoptosis of myocardial cells, which in turn leads to ICM. Thus, ARHGAP1 may become a novel molecular marker of the hypoxia­induced apoptosis pathway and serve as a potential therapeutic target in patients with ICM.

Cardio-protective effects of salvianolic acid B on oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)-treated H9c2 cells.

The morphological feature of apoptosis is induced by oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in cardiomyocytes H9c2 cells. Salvianolic acid B (Sal-B) has been studied in several pathological progresses, whereas it is still unclear whether maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) is an intermediate regulator during this progress. After pre-incubation with Sal-B and stimulation with OGD, viability and apoptosis of were examined in MEG3-overexpressed H9c2 cells. Cyclin D1, apoptosis-correlated proteins and regulators of signalling pathways were quantified with Western blot assay. MEG3 was detected by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Sal-B was implicated in the enhancement of cell viability and suppression of apoptosis in OGD-treated H9c2 cells by repressing MEG3. In addition, MEG3 overexpression exerted an inhibitory effect on murine double minute 2 (MDM2) expression while aggrandized p53 expression in OGD-treated H9c2 cells which were pre-incubated with Sal-B. Furthermore, MEG3 overexpression abolished the up-regulative effect of Sal-B on phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in OGD-treated H9c2 cells. These results indicated that cardio-protective function of Sal-B might be ascribed to its down-regulatory property on MEG3 expression which hence blocks p53 and triggers AMPK activation in OGD-treated cells.

A risk score to predict postdischarge bleeding among acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: BRIC-ACS study.

BACKGROUND: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) prevents ischemic events while increasing bleeding risk. Real-world-based metrics to accurately predict postdischarge bleeding (PDB) occurrence and its potential impact on postdischarge major cardiovascular event (MACE) remain undefined. This study sought to evaluate the impact of PDB on MACE occurrence, and to develop a score to predict PDB risk among Chinese acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients after PCI. METHODS AND RESULTS: From May 2014 to January 2016, 2496 ACS patients who underwent PCI were recruited consecutively from 29 nationally representative Chinese tertiary hospitals. Among 2,381 patients (95.4%, 2,381/2,496) who completed 1-year follow-up, the cumulative incidence of PDB (bleeding academic research consortium type [BARC] ≥2) and postdischarge MACE (a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or urgent revascularization) was 4.9% (n = 117) and 3.3% (n = 79), respectively. The association between PDB and MACE during 1-year follow-up, as well as the impact of DAPT with ticagrelor or clopidogrel on PDB were evaluated. PDB was associated with higher risk of postdischarge MACE (7.7 vs. 3.1%; adjusted hazard ratio: 2.59 [95% confidence interval: 1.17-5.74]; p = .02). For ticagrelor versus clopidogrel, PDB risk was higher (8.0 vs. 4.4%; 2.05 [1.17-3.60]; p = .01), while MACE risk was similar (2.0 vs. 3.4%; 0.70 [0.25-1.93]; p = .49). Based on identified PDB predictors, the constructed bleeding risk in real world Chinese acute coronary syndrome patients (BRIC-ACS) score for PDB was established. C-statistic for the score for PDB was 0.67 (95% CI: 0.62-0.73) in the overall cohort, and >0.70 in subgroups with non-ST- and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, diabetes and receiving more than two drug eluting stents. CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese ACS patients, PDB with BARC ≥2 was associated with higher risk for MACE after PCI. The constructed BRIC-ACS risk score provides a useful tool for PDB discrimination, particularly among high ischemic and bleeding risk patients.

Emodin protects H9c2 cells from hypoxia-induced injury by up-regulating miR-138 expression.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common presentation for ischemic heart disease, which is a leading cause of death. Emodin is a Chinese herbal anthraquinone used in several diseases. However, the effect of emodin in hypoxia-induced injury in cardiomyocytes has not been clearly elucidated. Our study aimed to clarify the functions of emodin in hypoxia-induced injury in rat cardiomyocytes H9c2 and explore the underlying mechanism. The effects of emodin on cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed by the Cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry assay, respectively. The cell proliferation- and cell apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blot. qRT-PCR was used to determine the relative expression of miR-138. Cell transfection was performed to alter miR-138 and MLK3 expression. miR-138 target was performed by dual luciferase activity assay. Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways-related factors phosphorylation were analyzed by western blot. Emodin inhibited hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells by promoting cell viability and reducing cell apoptosis. miR-138 was down-regulated by hypoxia treatment but up-regulated by emodin. Up-regulation of miR-138 alleviated hypoxia-induced cell injury. Down-regulation of miR-138 attenuated the growth-promoting effect of emodin on hypoxia-induced injury, whereas up-regulation of miR-138 enhanced the growth-promoting effects of emodin. The underlying mechanism might be by inactivating Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways. MLK3 was negatively regulated by miR-138 expression and inactivated Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways. Emodin alleviated hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells via up-regulation of miR-138 modulated by MLK3, as well as by activating Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/ß-catenin pathways.

Ablation alleviates atrial fibrillation by regulating the signaling pathways of endothelial nitric oxide synthase/nitric oxide via miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the microRNAs implicated in atrial fibrillation (AF) to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of microRNAs in ablation-based AF treatment. METHODS: Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and microRNA microarrays were utilized to measure the profiles of microRNA expression in AF to identify differentially expressed microRNAs. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry assays were also performed to investigate the regulatory relationships among various factors implicated in AF. Finally, bioinformatic tools and luciferase assays were used to confirm the roles of miR-155-5p, miR-24-3p, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of AF. RESULTS: We demonstrated that the levels of miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p were greatly reduced in postablation AF patients compared with those AF patients not treated by ablation. Furthermore, the NO level in the AF+ group was much lower than that of the AF- group. Finally, in a swine model of AF, evident upregulation of miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p was found in AF pigs, whereas the ablation treatment reduced the levels of miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p in AF pigs. On contrary, as targets of miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p, the levels of eNOS and NO increased when the expression of miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p decreased. CONCLUSION: MiR-155-5p and miR-24-3p are involved in the pathogenesis of AF via regulating the expression of eNOS and the production of NO. In addition, ablation treatment helps the recovery from AF by reducing the expression of miR-155-5p and miR-24-3p.

Emodin protects H9c2 cells from hypoxia-induced injury by up-regulating miR-138 expression

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a common presentation for ischemic heart disease, which is a leading cause of death. Emodin is a Chinese herbal anthraquinone used in several diseases. However, the effect of emodin in hypoxia-induced injury in cardiomyocytes has not been clearly elucidated. Our study aimed to clarify the functions of emodin in hypoxia-induced injury in rat cardiomyocytes H9c2 and explore the underlying mechanism. The effects of emodin on cell viability and apoptosis were analyzed by the Cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry assay, respectively. The cell proliferation- and cell apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blot. qRT-PCR was used to determine the relative expression of miR-138. Cell transfection was performed to alter miR-138 and MLK3 expression. miR-138 target was performed by dual luciferase activity assay. Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways-related factors phosphorylation were analyzed by western blot. Emodin inhibited hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells by promoting cell viability and reducing cell apoptosis. miR-138 was down-regulated by hypoxia treatment but up-regulated by emodin. Up-regulation of miR-138 alleviated hypoxia-induced cell injury. Down-regulation of miR-138 attenuated the growth-promoting effect of emodin on hypoxia-induced injury, whereas up-regulation of miR-138 enhanced the growth-promoting effects of emodin. The underlying mechanism might be by inactivating Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. MLK3 was negatively regulated by miR-138 expression and inactivated Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Emodin alleviated hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells via up-regulation of miR-138 modulated by MLK3, as well as by activating Sirt1/AKT and Wnt/β-catenin pathways.

Comparison of Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel for Patients Undergoing Emergency Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

BACKGROUND: We compared treatments with the antiplatelets ticagrelor and clopidogrel used in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) during the perioperative period for emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 120 patients were selected and randomly divided into control and observation groups (60 patients in each) from 2014-2016 at The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. The patients in the control group received 300 mg clopidogrel and 300 mg aspirin for oral administration, while those in the observation group were given 180 mg ticagrelor and 300 mg aspirin orally prior to the PCI. During the operation, heparinization and a tirofiban micro-pump were used continuously. RESULTS: Coronary artery and peripheral venous blood were extracted from each patient to obtain various parameters of thrombelastogram (TEG), and the maximum platelet aggregation rates in order to compare antiplatelet effects. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were recorded during the following 6-month follow-up. Analysis of the data showed no differences in terms of the time span between medication intake and stent implantation, or the dosage of heparin and tirofiban used between the two groups. Before stent implantation, and 24 and 48 h after the procedure the average R and K values of TEG in coronary artery blood and peripheral venous blood samples in the observation group were longer than those in the control group, while the α angle, MA, CI, MARAA and MARADP values were lower (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Ticagrelor can improve antiplatelet treatment for patients with AMI during the perioperative period of emergency PCI.

Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) n379519 Promotes Cardiac Fibrosis in Post-Infarct Myocardium by Targeting miR-30.

BACKGROUND Abnormally expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recognized as one of the key causes of cardiac diseases. However, the role of lncRNA in cardiac fibrosis remains largely unknown. MATERIAL AND METHODS The experiment was divided into 4 groups: a sham operation group, a myocardial infarction (MI) group, a lentivirus group (LV-si-n379519), and a lentivirus control (LV-NC) group. The adenovirus expression vectors LV-si-n379519 and LV-NC were constructed and transfected into mice. Echocardiography, HE staining, and Masson staining were performed to detect the heart function and collagen volume fraction in each group. RT-PCR was used to detect the expression level of n379519, miR-30, collagen I, and collagen III. In vitro, cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) were cultured and the relationship between n379519 and miR-30 was verified using luciferase reporter vector, n379519 siRNA, and miR-30 inhibitor. RESULTS The expression of n379519 was markedly upregulated in the hearts of mice with MI and in the fibrotic CFs. Knockdown of endogenous n379519 by its siRNA improved the heart function and reduced collagen deposition and the process of cardiac fibrosis. Further experiments showed the opposite trend of expression between n379519 and miR-30. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay indicated that n379519 directly binds to miR-30. Moreover, miR-30 inhibitor abrogated the collagen synthesis inhibition induced by n379519. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal a novel function of n379519-miR-30 axis as a negative regulator for the treatment of MI-induced cardiac fibrosis and the associated cardiac dysfunction.

Correlation between coronary artery disease and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and analysis of risk factors.

The correlation between coronary artery disease (CAD) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) was investigated to analyze its risk factors. A total of 84 patients with suspected CAD due to chest tightness and pain or nocturnal angina, were selected. They were admitted and received coronary angiography in The Affiliated Hospital of Medical College Qingdao University from March, 2016 to June, 2017. The vital signs were monitored, and the sleep monitoring was performed before and after coronary angiography. Before angiography, the fasting blood was drawn for blood biochemical detection, followed by routine electrocardiogram and echocardiographic examination. In addition, the body mass index was calculated and whether patients suffered from hypertension and diabetes mellitus was observed. The patients were divided into the control group (patients with a negative coronary angiography) and the CAD group (patients with a positive coronary angiography). There were 34 cases in the control group, including 21 cases of OSAS (61.76%), and 50 in the CAD group, including 40 cases of OSAS (80.00%). Statistical analysis revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the apnea hypopnea index (AHI), lowest oxygen saturation, degree of coronary stenosis (Gensini score) and triglyceride level between the two groups (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in the cholesterol level and prevalence rates of hypertension and diabetes mellitus between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking and AHI >20 were the risk factors of CAD (OR=7.036 and 5.377). Thus, CAD is closely correlated with OSAS and AHI >20 is one of the risk factors of CAD.

Effects of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. roots on serum lipid metabolism.

Objective To identify potential genes that may be involved in lipid metabolism in rats after treatment with aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L (burdock). Methods Rats were randomly divided into six groups: (i) control (standard diet); (ii) model group (high-fat diet only); (iii) high-fat diet and low-dose aqueous burdock root extract (2 g/kg); (iv) high-fat diet and moderate-dose aqueous burdock root extract (4 g/kg); (v) high-fat diet and high-dose aqueous burdock root extract (8 g/kg); and (vi) a positive control group exposed to a high-fat diet and simvastatin (10 mg/kg). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was performed to find the potential candidate genes involved in the modulation of blood lipids by treatment with aqueous burdock root extract. Results Burdock root extract reduced body weight and cholesterol levels in rats. KEGG analysis revealed 113 genes that were involved in metabolic pathways. Of these, 27 potential genes associated with blood lipid metabolism were identified. Conclusions Aqueous extract of burdock root reduced body weight and cholesterol in rats, possibly by modulating the differential expression of genes.

Comparison of Direct Current Synchronized Cardioversion to Ibutilide-Guided Catheter Ablation for Long-Term Sinus Rhythm Maintenance After Isolated Pulmonary Vein Isolation of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation.

Use of the antiarrhythmic ibutilide after isolated pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) might distinguish atrial remodeling severity and cases requiring further substrate modification, thereby improving efficacy of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment. Ninety-six consecutive patients with persistent AF were randomized after PVI to either direct current synchronized cardioversion (DCC group, n = 48) or 1 mg of intravenous ibutilide (ibutilide group, n = 48) followed by no further intervention if AF converted to sinus rhythm (SR) within 30 minutes (ibutilide conversion subgroup) or by complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE) ablation until SR recovery or complete CFAE elimination (ibutilide nonconversion subgroup). With similarly distributed baseline characteristics and no serious postablation complications, the primary end point of 12-month SR maintenance rate after PVI was significantly higher for ibutilide versus the DCC group before (75% vs 56%; p = 0.042) or after (83% vs 60%; p = 0.011) reablation at physician's discretion for recurrence beyond 3 months after PVI. After ibutilide administration, 21 of 48 patients (44%) converted to SR at 17 ± 8 minutes (mean ± SD); those in the ibutilide nonconversion subgroup had larger atrial size (47 ± 4 vs 45 ± 4; p = 0.025) and CFAE area (29 ± 8 vs 12 ± 5; p = 0.001) and longer AF duration (27 ± 6 vs 21 ± 10; p = 0.026). Among ibutilide conversion and nonconversion subgroups and DCC group, procedure, ablation, and x-ray exposure times differed significantly, as did 12-month SR maintenance rate before (81% vs 70% vs 56%; p = 0.043) or after reablation (86% vs 81% vs 60%; p = 0.042). In conclusion, in persistent AF treatment, ibutilide-guided ablation after PVI yields higher 1-year SR maintenance rate than PVI only.

Efficacy and effects on cardiac function of radiofrequency catheter ablation vs. direct current cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of catheter ablation vs. direct current synchronized cardioversion (DCC) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular systolic dysfunction, and to define baseline features of patients that will get more benefit from ablation. METHODS: From July 2013 to October 2014, 97 consecutive single-center patients with persistent AF and symptomatic heart failure (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50%) underwent DCC followed by amiodarone (n = 40) or circumferential pulmonary vein isolation (PVI; n = 57) according to patient's preference were recruited in the study. Post-ablation recurrence was treated with atrial roof and mitral isthmus lines ablation with or without PVI based on restoration or not of pulmonary vein (PV) potential conduction. Study outcomes were 12-month rate of sustained sinus rhythm (SR) and cardiac function. Baseline characteristics were compared between patients with and without cardiac function improvement post ablation. RESULTS: With similarly distributed characteristics at baseline, ablation (mean 1.8 procedures) relative to DCC yielded significantly higher level of 12-month SR maintenance rate (68.42% vs. 35%, P = 0.001); and better LVEF and New York Heart Association class. with significant effect for DCC only in maintained SR cases. Post ablation LVEF increased (>20% or to over 55%) in 31 (54.39%) patients with worse baseline cardiac function and ventricular rate control. CONCLUSIONS: Catheter ablation relative to cardioversion of persistent AF with symptomatic heart failure yielded better 12-month SR maintenance and cardiac function. Compared with non-responders, patients with improved LVEF post-ablation had poorer ventricular rate control and cardiac function at baseline, suggesting a significant component of tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy in this group.

Role of Jagged1-Hey1 Signal in Angiotensin II-induced Impairment of Myocardial Angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a major contributor to the development of heart failure. However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie this process remain elusive. Inadequate angiogenesis in the myocardium leads to a transition from cardiac hypertrophy to dysfunction, and our previous study showed that Ang II significantly impaired the angiogenesis response. The current study was designed to examine the role of Jagged1-Notch signaling in the effect of Ang II during impaired angiogenesis and cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS: Ang II was subcutaneously infused into 8-week-old male C57BL/6 mice at a dose of 200 ng·kg-1·min-1 for 2 weeks using Alzet micro-osmotic pumps. N-[N-(3, 5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine tert-butyl ester (DAPT), a γ-secretase inhibitor, was injected subcutaneously during Ang II infusion at a dose of 10.0 mg·kg-1·d-1. Forty mice were divided into four groups (n = 10 per group): control group; Ang II group, treated with Ang II; DAPT group, treated with DAPT; and Ang II + DAPT group, treated with both Ang II and DAPT. At the end of experiments, myocardial (left ventricle [LV]) tissue from each experimental group was evaluated using immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance test followed by the least significant difference method or independent samples t-test. RESULTS: Ang II treatment significantly induced cardiac hypertrophy and impaired the angiogenesis response compared to controls, as shown by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry for CD31, a vascular marker (P < 0.05 for both). Meanwhile, Jagged1 protein was significantly increased, but gene expression for both Jag1 and Hey1 was decreased in the LV following Ang II treatment, compared to that in controls (relative ratio for Jag1 gene: 0.45 ± 0.13 vs. 0.84 ± 0.15; relative ratio for Hey1 gene: 0.51 ± 0.08 vs. 0.91 ± 0.09; P < 0.05). All these cellular and molecular effects induced by Ang II in the hearts of mice were reduced by DAPT treatment. Interestingly, Ang II stimulated Hey1, a known Notch target, but did not affect the expression of Hey2, another Notch target gene. CONCLUSIONS: A Jagged1-Hey1 signal might mediate the impairment of angiogenesis induced by Ang II during cardiac hypertrophy.

Immediate increase of cardiac output after percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) determined by echocardiographic and invasive parameters: Patzelt: Increase of cardiac output after PMVR.

BACKGROUND: Successful percutaneous mitral valve repair (PMVR) in patients with severe mitral regurgitation (MR) causes changes in hemodynamics. Echocardiographic calculation of cardiac output (CO) has not been evaluated in the setting of PMVR, so far. Here we evaluated hemodynamics before and after PMVR with the MitraClip system using pulmonary artery catheterization, transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiography. METHODS: 101 patients with severe MR not eligible for conventional surgery underwent PMVR. Hemodynamic parameters were determined during and after the intervention. We evaluated changes in CO and pulmonary artery systolic pressure before and after PMVR. CO was determined with invasive parameters using the Fick method (COi) and by a combination of TTE and TEE (COe). RESULTS: All patients had successful clip implantation, which was associated with increased COi (from 4.6±1.4l/min to 5.4±1.6l/min, p<0.001). Furthermore, pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) showed a significant decrease after PMVR (47.6±16.1 before, 44.7±15.5mmHg after, p=0.01). In accordance with invasive measurements, COe increased significantly (COe from 4.3±1.7l/min to 4.8±1.7l/min, p=0.003). Comparing both methods to calculate CO, we observed good agreement between COi and COe using Bland Altman plots. CONCLUSIONS: CO increased significantly after PMVR as determined by echocardiography based and invasive calculation of hemodynamics during PMVR. COe shows good agreement with COi before and after the intervention and, thus, represents a potential non-invasive method to determine CO in patients with MR not accessible by conventional surgery.

MiR-206 Suppresses the Progression of Coronary Artery Disease by Modulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Expression.

BACKGROUND We investigated whether microRNA-206 (miR-206) is abnormally expressed in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The potential mechanism by which miR-206 may regulate CAD progression was also studied. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 78 CAD patients in the case group and 65 subjects in the control group were enrolled in this study so that the correlation between miR-206 and CAD could be accurately determined. Serum total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were detected using a biochemistry analyzer. MiR-206 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression levels were tested using either reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Associations between miR-206 expression and different clinicopathological features of CAD patients were also analyzed. CAD cells were transfected with miR-206 mimic (miR-206), its negative control (miR-NC), miR-206 inhibitor (anti-miR-206), and its negative control (anti-miR-NC), respectively. Flow cytometry was conducted to explore the function of miR-206 in CAD cell apoptosis after transfection. Moreover, transwell assay was carried out to study the migratory ability of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in CAD patients. RESULTS MiR-206 expression was enriched in both diseased EPCs and plasma of CAD patients. No significant correlation was found between decrease in miR-206 expression and different clinicopathological features. In addition, miR-206 significantly suppressed the viability and invasion of EPCs in CAD patients, and it promoted the apoptosis of their EPCs. Moreover, we found that miR-206 is able to inhibit VEGF expression. CONCLUSIONS As suggested by our study, MiR-206 can be a novel benign biomarker for CAD because it may regulate VEGF expression.

Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Qinming8631 DR Implantable Cardiac Pacemaker in Chinese Patients: A Prospective, Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial of the First Domestically Developed Pacemaker of China.

BACKGROUND: High cost of imported pacemakers is a main obstacle for Chinese patients suffering from bradyarrhythmia, and a domestically developed pacemaker will help lower the burden. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Qinming8631 DR (Qinming Medical, Baoji, China), the first domestically developed dual-chamber pacemaker of China, compared with a commercially available pacemaker Talos DR (Biotronik, Berlin, Germany) in Chinese patients. METHODS: A prospective randomized trial was conducted at 14 centers in China. Participants were randomized into trial (Qinming8631 DR) and control (Talos DR) groups. Parameters of the pacing systems were collected immediately after device implantation and during follow-ups. The effective pacing rate at 6-month follow-up was recorded as the primary end point. Electrical properties, magnet response, single- and double-pole polarity conversion, rate response function, and adverse events of the pacing system were analyzed. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel Chi-square test, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used for measuring primary qualitative outcomes and comparing normally and abnormally distributed measurement data. RESULTS: A total of 225 patients with a diagnosis of bradyarrhythmia and eligible for this study were randomly enrolled into the trial (n = 113) and control (n = 112) groups. They underwent successful pacemaker implantation with acceptable postoperative pacing threshold and sensitivity. Effective pacing rates of trial and control groups were comparable both in the full analysis set and the per protocol set (81.4% vs. 79.5%, P = 0.712 and 95.4% vs. 89.5%, P = 0.143, respectively). In both data sets, noninferiority of the trial group was above the predefined noninferiority limit(-9.5%). CONCLUSIONS: This study established the noninferiority of Qinming8631 DR to Talos DR. The safety and efficacy of Qinming8631 DR pacemaker were comparable to those of Talos DR in treating patients with cardiac bradyarrhythmia.