Non-coding RNAs and Ischemic Cardiovascular Diseases.

The Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) is considered a clinical condition characterized by myocardial ischemia causing an imbalance between myocardial blood supply and demand, leading to morbidity and mortality across the worldwide. Prompt diagnostic and prognostic represents key factors for the treatment and reduction of the mortality rate. Therefore, one of the newest frontiers in cardiovascular research is related to non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which prompted a huge interest in exploring ncRNAs candidates for utilization as potential therapeutic targets for diagnostic and prognostic and/or biomarkers in IHD. However, there are undoubtedly many more functional ncRNAs yet to be discovered and characterized. Here we will discuss our current knowledge and we will provide insight on the roles and effects elicited by some ncRNAs related to IHD.

TRPC Channels: Dysregulation and Ca2+ Mishandling in Ischemic Heart Disease.

Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels are ubiquitously expressed in excitable and non-excitable cardiac cells where they sense and respond to a wide variety of physical and chemical stimuli. As other TRP channels, TRPC channels may form homo or heterotetrameric ion channels, and they can associate with other membrane receptors and ion channels to regulate intracellular calcium concentration. Dysfunctions of TRPC channels are involved in many types of cardiovascular diseases. Significant increase in the expression of different TRPC isoforms was observed in different animal models of heart infarcts and in vitro experimental models of ischemia and reperfusion. TRPC channel-mediated increase of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration seems to be required for the activation of the signaling pathway that plays minor roles in the healthy heart, but they are more relevant for cardiac responses to ischemia, such as the activation of different factors of transcription and cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis, and angiogenesis. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge regarding TRPC implication in different cellular processes related to ischemia and reperfusion and to heart infarction.

Oral lichenoid lesions related to contact with dental materials: a literature review.

Oral lichenoid lesions related to contact are defined as oral-cavity eruptions with an identifiable etiology, and are clinically and histologically similar to oral lichen planus. Within this group are found oral lichenoid lesions related to contact with dental materials (OLLC), the most common being those related to silver amalgam. Currently, it remains difficult to diagnose these lesions due to the clinical and histopathological similarity with oral lichen planus and other oral mucosa lesions of lichenoid characteristics. In the present paper, we carry out an updated review of the tests for, and the different characteristics of OLLC, which may aid the diagnosis. For this review, we made searches in the Pubmed(R) and Cochrane(R) databases. Among the literature we found several published papers, from which we have used review papers, case papers, cohort studies, case and control studies, and a meta-analysis study. After carrying out this review, we can conclude that the diagnosis of these lesions is still difficult and controversial. However, there are different aspects in the clinical presentation, pathological study and results obtained when replacing suspect materials, which, when taken together, may be useful when establishing the final diagnosis of OLLC.

Impact of Diabetes on Cardiac and Vascular Disease: Role of Calcium Signaling.

The pathophysiology linking diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is complex and multifactorial. The specific type of cardiomyopathy associated with diabetes, known as diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), is recognized as asymptomatic progression of structural and functional remodeling in the heart of diabetic patients in the absence of coronary atherosclerosis and hypertension. In other words, the presence of heart disease specifically in diabetic patients is also known as diabetic heart disease. This article reviews the impact of diabetes in heart and vascular beds focusing on molecular mechanisms involving the oxidative stress, the inflammation, the endothelium dysfunction and the alteration of the homeostasis of calcium, among others mechanisms. Understanding these mechanisms will help identify and treat CVD in patients with diabetes, as well as to plan efficient strategies to mitigate DCM impact in those patients.

The Complex Role of Store Operated Calcium Entry Pathways and Related Proteins in the Function of Cardiac, Skeletal and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle cells shared the common feature of contraction in response to different stimuli. Agonist-induced muscle's contraction is triggered by a cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration increase due to a rapid Ca2+ release from intracellular stores and a transmembrane Ca2+ influx, mainly through L-type Ca2+ channels. Compelling evidences have demonstrated that Ca2+ might also enter through other cationic channels such as Store-Operated Ca2+ Channels (SOCCs), involved in several physiological functions and pathological conditions. The opening of SOCCs is regulated by the filling state of the intracellular Ca2+ store, the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which communicates to the plasma membrane channels through the Stromal Interaction Molecule 1/2 (STIM1/2) protein. In muscle cells, SOCCs can be mainly non-selective cation channels formed by Orai1 and other members of the Transient Receptor Potential-Canonical (TRPC) channels family, as well as highly selective Ca2+ Release-Activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channels, formed exclusively by subunits of Orai proteins likely organized in macromolecular complexes. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the complex role of Store Operated Calcium Entry (SOCE) pathways and related proteins in the function of cardiac, skeletal, and vascular smooth muscle cells.

Oral lichenoid lesions related to contact with dental materials: A literature review

Oral lichenoid lesions related to contact are defined as oral-cavity eruptions with an identifiable etiology, and areclinically and histologically similar to oral lichen planus. Within this group are found oral lichenoid lesions relatedto contact with dental materials (OLLC), the most common being those related to silver amalgam. Currently, it remainsdifficult to diagnose these lesions due to the clinical and histopathological similarity with oral lichen planusand other oral mucosa lesions of lichenoid characteristics. In the present paper, we carry out an updated reviewof the tests for, and the different characteristics of OLLC, which may aid the diagnosis. For this review, we madesearches in the Pubmed® and Cochrane® databases. Among the literature we found several published papers, fromwhich we have used review papers, case papers, cohort studies, case and control studies, and a meta-analysis study.After carrying out this review, we can conclude that the diagnosis of these lesions is still difficult and controversial.However, there are different aspects in the clinical presentation, pathological study and results obtained whenreplacing suspect materials, which, when taken together, may be useful when establishing the final diagnosis ofOLLC (AU)