Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a widely expressed protein kinase that relate to cellular growth and differentiation. It is most abundant in the heart. Recently, many researches revealed that ILK is highly relevant to cardiac response to biomechanical stresses. Also, ILK plays important roles in regulation of the occurrence and development of cardiac hypertrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy, viral myocarditis and myocardial senescence via correlation to several classical signal transduction pathway. Meanwhile, ILK functions in protection after myocardial infarction. This article will try to summarize the effects and relevant mechanism of ILK in above-mentioned aspects, overall reveals the roles of ILK in heart and its potential clinical significance.

Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that can recognize pathogenic microorganisms and stress -asso-ciated endogenous molecules and play an important role in innate immune system .Inflammasomes cause inflamma-tion response by inducing maturation of inflammatory cytokines interleukin ( IL)-1βand IL-18 through activation of caspase-1 ,and involve in the pathogenesis of various diseases such as cryopyrin-associated periodic syndrome , is-chemia-reperfusion injury and atherosclerosis .

0 05); but the data by catheter photography in PDA were obviously smaller (3 5?2 5 vs 5 2?2 3, P

Clinicians,as the finders of clinical problems,the refiners of scientific questions and the cooperators of basic and clinic research,play key roles in translational medicine.Clinicians' playing an important part in the process will give the promotion of both the development of translational medicine and improvement of the health condition of the people.

Objective To observe the changes of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in plasma and the correlation of ANP and BNP with hemodynamic parameters in patients with sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation after percutanous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV). Methods Thirty-six patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis undergoing first time successful PBMV were enrolled in the study. Among a total of 36 patients, 11 were in sinus rhythm (SR group) and 25 had atrial fibrillation (Af group). The levels of ANP and BNP were assayed before and at 1 day and 3 days after the procedure. Hemodynamic parameters were measured by echocardiography and left atrial pressure (LAP) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) were assessed instantly by cardiac catheter before and after PBMV. Results After PBMV,the ANP levels gradually decreased (216.09?73.84 pg/mL; 188.70?59.22 pg/mL; 140.70?41.53 pg/mL, respectively, before, at one day and three days after procedure, P

BACKGROUND: Coronary angiography is called "the golden standard" for the diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CAD). Foreshortening of vessel segments in angiographic projection images usually caused by the inappropriate projection angles or positions may lead to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the optimal angiographic views of main coronary artery and its branches in different somatotype or heart type patients and to investigate the specific relationships between the optimal angiographic views and the different somatotypes and heart types with computer-assisted techniques.DESIGN: A controlled observation.SETTING: Department of Cardiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University.PARTICIPANTS: Altogether 1 369 patients were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University to undergo coronary angiography from January 2001 to December 2006 and recruited for this study. Written informed consents of coronary angiography were obtained from all the patients. The protocol was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Medical College of Nanchang University.METHODS: All 1 369 inpatients were assigned into 3 groups by body mass index (BMI): fat somatotype group (n =489, BMI: 26-31 kg/m2, transverse heart type), general somatotype group (n =502, BMI: 23-25 kg/m2, general heart type), and thin somatotype group (n =378, BMI: 17-22 kg/m2 vertical heart type). In each group, all arteries including left main coronary artery (LM), proximal segment of the anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), distal-mid segment of LAD, proximal segment of circumflex branch (LCX), distal-mid segment of LCX, proximal-mid and distal segments of right coronary artery (RCA) were properly and carefully analyzed using Compart software, and then we got its optimal angiographic viewing angle. Finally, we arranged these data and induced whether different somatotype group patients have different optimal angiographic viewing angles specifically for some coronary artery or not.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Optimal angiographic viewing angles.RESULTS: All 1369 patients participated in the final analysis. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for LM: left anterior oblique (LAO)(40±5)°/ caudal (CAU)(25±5)° or right left anterior oblique (RAO) 25°/CAU35°. In the fat somatotype group, the angle should be added 10° to its optimal angle, and in the thin somatotype group, the angle should be decreased by 10°, and the differences between the general somatotype group and the fat somatotype group or the thin somatotype group were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Optimal angiographic viewing angle for proximal segment of LAD: RAO (50±8)°/ cranial (CRA)(23±8)°. In the fat somatotype group, the optimal angle should be added 10°, but in the thin somatotype group, it should be decreased by 10°. The differences between the general somatotype group and the fat somatotype group or the thin somatotype group were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Optimal angiographic viewing angle for distal-mid segment of LAD: RAO (40±5)°/CRA (45±5)° or LAO (11±5)°/CRA (45±5)°. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for proximal segment of LCX: LAO (45±5)°/CAU (35±5)° or anteroposterior (AP)/CAU36°. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for distal-mid segmental of LCX: LAO (45±5)°/CAU (35±5)° or RAO (6±4)°/CAU (30±5)°. Optimal angiographic viewing angle for proximal-mid segment of RCA: LAO (35±5)°/CAU (14±5)° or LAO (48±5)°/CRA (15±5)°. For the thin or fat somatotype group, the optimal LAO angle should be increased by 15°, the optimal RAO angle should be decreased by10° for fat somatotype group and should be increased by 10° for thin somatotype group, and the differences between the general somatotype group and the fat somatotype group or the thin somatotype group were statistically significantly (P < 0.05). Optimal angiographic viewing angle for distal segment of RCA: LAO (53±5)°/CAU (17±5)°.CONCLUSION: The message can be got clearly about the whole coronary artery and the accuracy percentage of stenosis by changing angiographic viewing angle regularly to its own optimal angle in different somatotype or heart type patients. It's very important for making the choice of diagnosis and therapy

Objective: To explore the regulative role of extracellular regulated protein kinase-5 (ERK5)/Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (Bim) pathway in hypothermal stimulation induced neonatal rat’s cardiomyocytes (CMs) damage and apoptosis.
Methods: CMs were cultured for hypothermal stimulation and the speciifc siRNA was used to down-regulate the ERK5 or Bim in CMs. The cell apoptosis was detected by lfow cytometry, protein expression was examined by Western blot analysis, the intracellular Ca2+, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were evaluated by lfuorescent labeling and lfow cytometry.
Results: In hypothermal stimulated CMs, ERK5 siRNA could promote Bim protein expression, but Bim siRNA could not inlfuence ERK5, while attenuated p-ERK5 expression. ERK5 siRNA induced higher apoptosis rate, while Bim siRNA could decrease such effect. ERK5 siRNA increased the intracellular Ca2+overloading, ROS activation andΔΨm damage, while Bim siRNA played the role to against those effects in hypothermal stimulated CMs.
Conclusion: Our study revealed that ERK5/Bim pathway played the important regulative roll in hypothermal stimulation induced neonatal rat’s CMs damage and apoptosis.

AIM:To establish a rat hyperlipidemia model for studying the aortic expression of heat shock protein 22 (HSP22), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and the effect of atorvasta-tin intervention.METHODS:Hyperlipidemia model was established in SD rats.Afterwards, the rats were divided into nor-mal control group, high fat group and high fat+atorvastatin intervention group.The expression of HSP22 and TNF-αin the rat aortas was detected by immunohistochemical assay and the expression of eNOS was assessed by Western blotting.RE-SULTS:No detectable expression of HSP22 and TNF-αin the normal control group was observed.However, the expression of HSP22 and TNF-αwas positive in the high fat group and the atorvastatin intervention group.The mean densities of HSP22 and TNF-αpositive particles were significant lower in the atorvastatin intervention group as compared with high fat group ( both P<0.05) .The expression of eNOS protein in the high fat group and atorvastatin intervention group was significantly lower than that in normal control group (P<0.01).However, no marked difference of eNOS protein expression between high fat group and atorvastatins intervention group was observed.CONCLUSION:The expression of HSP22 and TNF-αin the rat aortas is increased in the hyperlipidemia rat model.This effect can be restored by atorvastatin treatment.The expression of eNOS in the rat aortas is decreased in the hyperlipidemia rat model, but this tendency could not be attenuated by atorvastatin.

Objective: To study the effects of acute cold stress on connexin43 (Cx43) protein expression with drug intervention, and cell to cell conduction with its mechanism in neonatal rats’ myocardial cells.
Methods: The primary neonatal rats’ myocardial cell culture was conducted in 4 groups. Group① , the cells were normally cultured, Group②, the cells were cultured at 4℃, Group③, the cells were cultured at 0℃and Group④, the anti-arrhythmia peptide (AAP 10) was added in Group②and Group③. The apoptosis rate of myocardial cells was evaluated by lfow cytometry assay, mRNA and protein expressions of CX43 were examined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, and CX43 phosphorylation product (P-CX43) was detected.
Results: Compared with normally cultured cells, the myocardial cell apoptosis rate was obviously increased by acute cold stress at 4℃and 0℃with time extension. The mRNA expression of Cx43 was decreased at varying degrees at 4℃and 0℃stimulation, the protein expression of Cx43 was decreased at varying degrees at 4℃and 0℃stimulation with time extension, and P-Cx43 level was decreased. While the APP 10 intervention may obviously elevate the protein levels of Cx43 and P-Cx43.
Conclusion: Acute cold stress could reduce the protein expression of CX43 and P-CX43, while APP 10 intervention may elevate such expression and improve the cell to cell conduction in neonatal rats’ myocardial cells.

AIM: To investigate the effects of pretreatment of captopril on the infarct size and myocardial cell apoptosis in rabbits. METHODS: Rabbits were randomly divided into sham-operated control group (SO), acute infarct group (AI) and captopril pretreatment group (CP). The rabbits of CP group were treated with captopril (25 mg?kg -1 .d -1 ) for 1 week before harvest. The left circumflex branch of coronary (LCX) was ligated to develop acute ischemic model. The systolic and diastolic function of left ventricle(LV) was measured before and at 15, 30, 60 min after ligating LCX, and the blood viscosity and hematocrit before and at 60 min after ligating LCX were measured also. 6 hours later LCX ligation, the hearts were harvested for determining the infarction size, which was expressed as the ratio of infarct area to the total ischemic area, and evaluating apoptosis index expressed as the percentage of myocardial cells with TUNEL positive staining. RESULTS: 1.Compared with AI group, captopril pretreatment significantly reduced the infarction size (16 60%?0.94% vs 36.24%?1.94%, P