Combined Effects of Family History of Cardiovascular Disease and Serum C-reactive Protein Level on the Risk of Stroke: A 9.2-year Prospective Study among Mongolians in China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the combined effect of a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and high serum C-reactive protein (CRP) on the stroke incidence in an Inner Mongolian population in China. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted from June 2002 to July 2012, with 2,544 participants aged 20 years and over from Inner Mongolia, China. We categorized participants into four groups based on the family history of CVD and CRP levels. RESULTS: We adjusted for age; sex; smoking; drinking; hypertension; body mass index; waist circumference; and blood glucose, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Compared with the group with no family history of CVD/low CRP levels, the group with family history of CVD/high CRP levels had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.78 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03-3.07; P = 0.039] of stroke, and an HR of 2.14 (95% CI, 1.09-4.20; P = 0.027) of ischemic stroke. The HRs of hemorrhagic stroke for the other three groups were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Participants with both a family history of CVD and high CRP levels had the highest stroke incidence, suggesting that high CRP levels may increase stroke risk, especially of ischemic stroke, among individuals with a family history of CVD.

C-reactive Protein Level, Apolipoprotein B-to-apolipoprotein A-1 Ratio, and Risks of Ischemic Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease among Inner Mongolians in China.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the cumulative effect of high CRP level and apolipoprotein B-to-apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoB/ApoA-1) ratio on the incidence of ischemic stroke (IS) or coronary heart disease (CHD) in a Mongolian population in China. METHODS: From June 2003 to July 2012, 2589 Mongolian participants were followed up for IS and CHD events based on baseline investigation. All the participants were divided into four subgroups according to C-reactive protein (CRP) level and ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the IS and CHD events in all the subgroups. RESULTS: The HRs (95% CI) for IS and CHD were 1.33 (0.84-2.12), 1.14 (0.69-1.88), and 1.91 (1.17-3.11) in the 'low CRP level with high ApoB/ApoA-1', 'high CRP level with low ApoB/ApoA-1', and 'high CRP level with high ApoB/ApoA-1' subgroups, respectively, in comparison with the 'low CRP level with low ApoB/ApoA-1' subgroup. The risks of IS and CHD events was highest in the 'high CRP level with high ApoB/ApoA-1' subgroup, with statistical significance. CONCLUSION: High CRP level with high ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio was associated with the highest risks of IS and CHD in the Mongolian population. This study suggests that the combination of high CRP and ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio may improve the assessment of future risk of developing IS and CHD in the general population.

Neuroprotective effect of acute melatonin treatment on hippocampal neurons against irradiation by inhibition of caspase-3.

Neuronal cell apoptosis is associated with various factors that induce neurological damage, including radiation exposure. When administered prior to exposure to radiation, a protective agent may prevent cellular and molecular injury. The present study aimed to investigate whether melatonin exerts a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting the caspase cell death pathway. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered melatonin (100 mg/kg body weight) 30 min prior to radiation exposure in red light during the evening. In order to elucidate whether melatonin has a neuroprotective role, immunohistochemistry, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling, Nissl staining, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, reactive oxygen species analysis and western blotting were performed. At 24 h post-melatonin treatment, caspase-3 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly decreased. These results demonstrated that melatonin may protect hippocampal neurons via the inhibition of caspase-3 when exposed to irradiation. Therefore, caspase-3 inhibition serves a neuroprotective and antioxidant role in the interventional treatment of melatonin. The results of the present study suggested that melatonin may have a potential therapeutic effect against irradiation; however, further studies are required in order to elucidate the underlying antioxidant mechanisms.

[Combined effects of both cardiovascular disease family history and smoking on the incidence of ischemic stroke].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cumulative effect regarding the family history of cardiovascular disease and smoking on ischemic stroke events in population with Mongolian ethnicity. METHODS: Based on data gathered from the baseline investigation, a 10-year prospective cohort follow-up project was conducted among 2 589 participants with Mongolian ethnicity. Ischemic stroke events were defined as the outcomes of the study. All the 2 589 participants were categorized into four subgroups: without family history of cardiovascular disease/nonsmokers, without family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers, with family history of cardiovascular disease/nonsmokers and with family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers, according to family history of cardiovascular disease and smoking status. Cumlative incidence rates of events among the four subgroups was described with Kaplan-Meier curves. Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of ischemic stroke events among the four subgroups. RESULTS: Data from the Kaplan-Meier curves showed that the cumulative incidence rates of ischemic stroke were 1.17% (15/1 278), 3.83% (37/967), 5.70% (9/158) and 8.33% (15/180) for the groups of no family history of cardiovascular disease/nonsmokers, no family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers, with family history of cardiovascular disease/nonsmokers and with family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers, respectively. By cox proportional hazards model, after adjusting for age, male, drinking status, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol factors, the HRs (95% CI) of ischemic stroke were 2.26 (1.19-4.28) and 2.45 (1.13-5.33) in the no family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers group, with family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers group when compared to the no family history of cardiovascular disease/nonsmokers group, respectively. The risk of ischemic stroke appeared the highest in the group with family history of cardiovascular disease/smokers (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Smoking may increase the risk of ischemic stroke events among the population with family history of cardiovascular disease.

Resveratrol relieves ischemia-induced oxidative stress in the hippocampus by activating SIRT1.

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring phytoalexin, acts as an activator of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and has been shown to have a neuroprotective role in various models. Healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to cerebral ischemia in order to study the protective effect of resveratrol on the brain following ischemia, and to investigate the effects of SIRT1 activation on the hippocampus. Untreated and resveratrol-treated rats were anesthetized prior to undergoing surgery to induce middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. SIRT1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and SIRT1 activity was also evaluated. In addition, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) and Nissl staining assays were conducted and the levels of reactive oxygen species were determined. It was observed that resveratrol significantly decreased the number of TUNEL-positive cells and increased the expression of SIRT1 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. This was accompanied by increases in SIRT1 protein expression levels and SIRT1 activity. The results demonstrate the neuroprotective and antioxidant effects of resveratrol against ischemia-induced apoptosis in the rat hippocampus.

N-acetylcysteine relieves oxidative stress and protects hippocampus of rat from radiation-induced apoptosis by inhibiting caspase-3.

It has been recognized that radiation-induced effects remain a significant risk. An accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is considered to be one factor that contributes to neurodegenerative changes. The aim of our study was to investigate the potential radioprotective effects of NAC. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent radiation. Irradiation was performed at room temperature with a 4-Gy dose of radiation. A dose of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was performed 15 min prior to irradiation intraperitoneally. The methods of immunohistochemistry, TUNEL staining, Nissl staining, qRT-PCR, analysis of reactive oxygen species and Western blot were performed. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that NAC inhibits apoptosis induced by irradiation via the inhibition of caspase-3. We demonstrated a decrease in caspase-3 mRNA that was present at 24h of NAC treatment. Such mRNA decrease was accompanied by a decrease of protein. In the present study, NAC effectively antagonized oxidation induced by irradiation. These results provide evidence that the neural protective effect and the antioxidant effect of NAC contribute to metabolic activity.

[Trends of overweight and obesity in aged 7 to 18 Mongolian ethnic children and adolescents from 1985-2010].

OBJECTIVE: To study the overweight and obesity situation among Mongolian ethnic children and adolescents in the last 25 years and to provide a basis on related prevention and control measures. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was used, with 18 366 aged 7 to 18 Mongolian ethnic children and adolescents involved. Surveys on their physical health, in 1985, 2000 and 2010 were carried out. Comparison on the mean of BMI and the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in different years, genders, location of residence (urban or rural) was also made. RESULTS: Over the past 25 years, among the aged 7 to 18 Mongolian ethnic children and adolescents, the overall trend on their means of BMI was increasing. The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in Mongolian ethnic children and adolescents were 2.1%, 0.5% in 1985, and 6.3%, 2.4% in 2000, with an increase of 2 to 4 times during the last 15 years. The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were substantially increasing in the year 2010, to have reached 9.1% and 6.6%, which were 4 to 12 times of the figures in 1985. The detection rates of overweight and obesity in urban boys were 1.2%, 0 in 1985, 7.9%, 3.4% in 2000 and 11.0%, 11.8% in 2010. However, the rate of obesity in the rural boys were 0.6% and 0.6% in 1985, 2.8%, 2.1% in 2000 and 9.0%, 3.4% in 2010. In 1985 the rates of overweight and obesity in urban girls were 1.8%, 0.3%, 8.1%, 4.3% in 2000 and 9.4%, 8.4% in 2010. However, among the rural girls, the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity prevalence was 8.8%, 2.2% in 1985, 4.5%, 0.9%, in 2000 and 10.2%, 4.5% in 2010. The rates of overweight and obesity among groups in different years showed significant differences (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Over the past 25 years, the prevalence rates on overweight and obesity increased significantly in Mongolian ethnic children and adolescents, and continued to rise, which called for reasonable and effective measures to be taken to prevent and control the occurrence of the problem.

Interaction and relationship between angiotensin converting enzyme gene and environmental factors predisposing to essential hypertension in Mongolian population of China.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of specific functional gene ACE (I/D) variants of the renin-angiotensin system with essential hypertension (EH) and interaction between ACE (I/D) gene and risk factors for EH in a genetically homogenous Mongolia rural population of China. METHODS: Individuals (n=1099) were recruited from general population of Kezuohouqi Banner in Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. RESULTS: The association was found between ACE genotype DD plus ID and EH, with an interaction between ACE genotype DD plus ID and cigarette smoking in an additive model. Cigarette smoking index and ACE gene showed a low exposure-gene (LEG) effect on EH, with interaction indices from 7.10 to 1.16. Interaction between ACE genotype DD plus ID and alcohol drinking on EH appeared an additive model. Alcohol drinking index and ACE gene showed a low exposure-gene (LEG) effect on EH, with interaction indices from 1.66 to 1.09. BMI and ACE gene showed a low exposure-gene (LEG) effect on EH, with interaction indices from 6.15 to 2.49. Interactions between ACE genotype and WHR on EH showed a multiplicative model. In a short,there was an interaction between ACE gene and cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and BMI on EH, especially in a low dose-exposure effect CONCLUSION: It is important for individuals who carry ACE D allele gene to prevent EH, and furthermore, to prevent and control coronary heart disease, in a view of population-based prevention.