Objective To investigate the effect of the Senlm of patients with congestive heart failure(CHF) on the apoptosis of endothelial progentior eelts(EPCs)and protective role of carvedil01.Method Totally 20 patientswithCHF、^mre enrolledfromDepartment ofCardiology ofthe FirstHospital Affdiated ofNanchangUniversity between June and August 2007.Serum WflflL isolatedfrom blood ofthe patients.1lononuelear cells were isolated from blood of20 healthy volunteers by density gradient centrifugation.Attaching cells wel-e harvested after culture for 7 relays and the EPCs were anyzea by flow cytometry and immunofluorescenee method.EPCs were divided into 4 groups:group A,cultured in sE-of volunteers;group B,cultured in serum of CHF;group C,cultured in leNlm of CFIF and Carvedilol;group D,cultured in,erum of CI-IF and metoproM,After euhure for 24 hours,annex.inV/PI wss used to investigate the apoptosis rate ofEPCs and the activity ofcllspafle 3 were exanlilled.ELISA Wills used to detect the level of flerum TNF-a of patients with CHF.Multiple group compalrion Wills conducted with variance analvsis and q test.Results The apoptosis rate and easpase 3 activity of EPCs in group B[(7.5 4-0.9)%v8.(3.0 4-0.25)]were significantly ineased compared with group A[(3.4±0.7)%VS.(1.37±0.2),P

BACKGROUND:The benefit of cell therapy may be partly due to the secretion of angiogenic and antiapoptotic growth factors.Whether amniotic fluid stem cells (AFS) could secrete some growth factors requires further studies.OBJECTIVE:To isolate and culture AFS cells,and explore the angiogenic or antiapoptotic effect of cytokines secreted by AFS on endothelial cells.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING:A in vitro cytological experiment was performed at the Institute of Hypertensive Disease,First Affiliated Hospital,Nanchang University from December 2008 to June 2009.MATERIALS:Term amniotic fluid of ten samples,50 mL/case,was obtained following caesarean delivery.The umbilical vein was used to isolate endothelial cells.Written informed content was obtained from all women.METHODS:AFS isolated from human amniotic fluid was cultured and digested by trypsin at confluence of 80%.The third passage of cells at a density of 5×10~8/L were divided into two groups:hypoxia group:the cells were cultured in 2% O_2 + 5% CO_2 +93% N_2;normal group:the cells were cultured in 5% CO_2 + 95% air.Two groups were cultured at 37 ℃ for 24 hours.The supematant of two groups was collected.The second passage of human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in vitro was collected and seeded onto 12-well culture plate at a density of 2×10~4 cells/well,and divided into 3 groups:control group was cultured in 2 mL EBM-2 containing 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS);normal group was cultured in 1 mL EBM-2 containing 5% FBS and 1 mL AFS cell culture solution;hypoxia group was cultured in 1 mL EBM-2 containing 5% FBS and 1 mL hypoxia AFS cell culture solution for 3 days,followed by incubation with 10 μg/L tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:AFS surface phenotype was examined by flow cytometry;the secretion level and mRNA expression of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were examined by ELISA or RT-PCR.The proliferation and apoptotic rates of endothelial cells were examined.RESULTS:AFS cells were long fusiform-shaped and arranged radially after 7 days of culture.The third passage of AFS cells expressed CD29 and CD105 while did not express CD34.AFS cells of normal culture secreted VEGF and HGF;AFS cells of hypoxia condition significantly increased secrete of VEGF (P＜0.01),and VEGF mRNA expression was significantly upregulated (P＜0.05),while HGF and mRNA expression remained unchanged (P＞0.05).Compared with control group,the number of endothelial cells was significantly increased in normal and hypoxia AFS cell groups after 3 days of culture (P＜0.05).After cocultured with TNF-α for 24 hours,the apoptosis rates of endothelial cells in AFS-conditioned medium was significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05),and the change degree of hypoxia AFS cell group was greater than normal AFS cell group (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION:AFS can secrete cytokines such as VEGF and HGF.Moreover,it significantly promotes endothelial cells proliferation and inhibits apoptosis.Under hypoxia condition,the secretion of VEGF from AFS cells is increased,and the effects on endothelial cells proliferation and apeptosis are enhanced.

AIM: To investigate the effect and the mechanism of apolipoprotein (a) [apo (a) ] on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells ( VSMCs). METHODS: All VSMCs used in experiments were serial subcultured from primary cells and were identified by immunohistochemistry staining of a - actin. Cell growth assay was observed as cell counting and MTT assay. Western blotting was also employed to detect the related mechanism. RESULTS: All cells used in experiments were confirmed as VSMCs. Although apo (a) enhanced VSMCs proliferation, this effect was attenuated by anti -integrin α_vβ_3, LM609.Use these reagents alone had no effect on VSMCs growth. The results of Western blotting demonstrated that focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was activated by apo (a) and the expression of total or phosphorylated transforming growth factor β_1 (TGF -β_1) was also decreased. However, these effects described above were all blocked by LM609.CONCLUSION: Apolipoprotein (a) enhances VSMCs proliferation and this effect is mediated by integrin α_vβ_3, which activates FAK and attenuates TGF - β_1 and phospho -TGF - β_1 expression.

Objective To investigate the association between plasma lipoprotein (a) [LP (a)] concentra-tion and in-stent restenosis after coronary stent implantation. Methods 152 patients with successful elective coro-nary stont implantation and percutancous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PICA) undergoing foUow-up angiogra-phy were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into restenosis group( n = 29) and no-restenosis group (n = 123 ). The serum LP (a) levels of all patients were also investigated. The general clinical data were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. Results We compared the serum Lap (a) levels, smoking and diabet in the two groups, and there was a statisticaLly significant difference between the restenosis group and no-restenosis group(P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the elevation of Lap (a) level re-mained as an independent predictor of restenosis (RR =2. 648,95% CI 1. 066-6. 575,P <0. 05). Other risk fac-tors,such as smoking(P =0.023) ,diabet(P =0. 036) and the type of stent(P = 0.011 ) were also correlated with restenosis. Conclusions High plasma LP (a) concentration is an independent predictor of stent restenosis after stent implantation.