Role of MEG3 in Cellular Physiology of Atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of the lncRNA MEG3 (MEG3) in opposing the biochemical processes thought to be involved in the development of atherosclerosis (AS). METHODS: Thirty patients with AS and thirty healthy control subjects were enrolled in this study. The expression of MEG3, miR-200b-3p and ABCA1 was analyzed by RT-qPCR in the individuals and the macrophages-derived foam cells. Lipid accumulation was detected by oil red O staining. Cholesterol efflux was measured by ELISA assay in the foam cells. Expression of miR-200b-3p was identified by sequencing. Targeting relationships were determined by dual luciferase assay between MEG3 and miR-200b-3p, miR-200b-3p and ABCA1. RESULTS: In the patients with AS, MEG3 and ABCA1 expression were decreased and miR-200b-3p expression was upregulated. Foam cells transfected with an expression vector (pcDNA3.1) containing MEG3 (pcDNA3.1-MEG3) induced decrease of lipid accumulation and increase of cholesterol efflux compared to cells transfected with control plasmid alone. Foam cells transfected by pcDNA3.1-MEG3 also showed decreased miR-200b-3p and increased ABCA1 expression. Interestingly, co-expression of miR-200b-3p partially prevented these effects of MEG3 expression. CONCLUSION: Expression of MEG3 is downregulated in the patients with AS and foam cells. Overexpressed MEG3 may act as an anti-atherosclerotic factor by reducing lipid accumulation and accelerating cholesterol efflux through the miR-200b-3p/ABCA1 axis.

Influence of shengmai capsule on recovery of living capacity in patients after myocardial infarction / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of long-term application of Shengmai Capsule (SMC) on recovery of patients after myocardial infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 120 myocardial infarction patients were: assigned into two groups. Changes of angina pectoris, electrocardiogram (ECG), living capacity and heart function in patients were observed after 6-month treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate in alleviating angina: pectoris was 90.0% and that in improving ECG figure was 93.3% in the treatment group, both were significantly higher than those in the control group, 73.4% and 70.0% respectively (P<0.05). The Karnofsky Performance Status scores of heart function were increased and the Activity of Daily Living scores in living capacity decreased in both groups, but the improvements were better in the treatment group (P<0.01 and P<0.05). The parameters of cardiac function, including cardiac output, stroke volume, cardiac index and ejection fraction, were increased in both groups, but the increments in the treatment group were more significant (P<0.01 or P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Long-term application of SMC could effectively prevent and treat angina pectoris, improve the living capacity and accelerate the recovery of heart function in patients after myocardial infarction.</p>

Effect of Shengmai injection on vascular endothelial and heart functions in patients with coronary heart disease complicated with diabetes mellitus / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of Shengmai injection (, SMI) on vascular endothelial and heart functions in coronary heart disease patients complicated with diabetes mellitus (CHD-DM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty patients with CHD-DM, their diagnosis confirmed by coronary arteriography, were equally randomized into a control group treated with conventional treatment and a treated group treated with conventional treatment plus SMI. The changes in blood levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and angiotensin II (Ang II), as well as endothelium-dependent vascular dilating function and heart function in the patients were observed before treatment and after the 3-week treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After being treated with SMI for 3 weeks, in the treated group, blood level of NO was raised significantly from 69.8 + or - 33.1 micro mol/L to 120.1 + or - 50.8 micro mol/L, and ET-1 was lowered from 70.1 + or - 32.1 ng/L to 46.2 + or - 21.3 ng/L, respectively (P<0.01); that of Ang II was lowered from 81.3 + or - 24.3 ng/L to 50.2 + or - 27.3 ng/L (P<0.01); brachial arterial post-congestion blood flow increasing rate was raised from 389.4 + or - 26.3% to 459.3 + or - 27.8% (P<0.01); and the improvement in heart function as seen through the ejection fraction (EF) was increased from 44 + or - 5% to 68 + or - 6% (P<0.01), all the changes being more significant than those in the control group (all P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SMI can improve not only the endothelial function in CHD-DM patients, but also heart contraction significantly.</p>

Effect of Shengmai Injection on cardiac function and inflammatory reaction in patients with acute coronary syndrome / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To confirm the effect of Shengmai Injection (, SMI) in improving cardiac function in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to explore its influence on inflammatory reaction in patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety ACS patients were randomized into two groups, the control group treated with conventional therapy and the SMI group treated with SMI. The patients' cardiac function was noted and the content of high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in venous blood was measured before treatment and 1 week and 3 weeks after treatment, so as to observe and compare their changes between the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cardiac output, stroke volume and ejection fraction in the SMI group after 3 weeks of treatment were all higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The serum content of hs-CRP was reduced in both groups (P<0.05), but the reduction in the SMI group was more significant than that in the control group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SMI could improve the cardiac function and further inhibit the inflammatory reaction in patients with ACS.</p>