Cardiovascular Diseases ; prevention & control ; Consensus ; Humans ; Risk Factors

Coronary Artery Disease ; rehabilitation ; Exercise Therapy ; Humans

Autophagy ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Humans ; MicroRNAs

Atrial Fibrillation ; Atrial Remodeling ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Heart Atria ; Humans

Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency ; congenital ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Heart Valve Diseases ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effects of folic acid, vitamin B(6) and B(12) supplementation on plasma homocysteine level and risk of cardiovascular disease.

METHODSThe databases, including Embase, Pubmed, Ovid, Biosis, China National Knowledge Infra-structure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodical (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CMB), were searched to identify random control trials between February 1994 to February 2014 on the effect of folic acid, vitamin B(6) and B(12) supplementation on plasma homocysteine level and risk of cardiovascular disease. The screening, data extraction and quality assessment were conducted in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria by two reviewers independently. The software Review Manager 5.2 was used. Funnel plots and Egger's regression test were applied to evaluate the publication bias.

RESULTSData from 12 studies including 34 481 patients were analyzed using a fixed-effects model. Funnel plot and Egger's test (P > 0.10) confirmed the absence of publication bias. No statistically significant heterogeneity was detected on testing after excluding the sources of heterogeneity (chi-square test, I < 2 < 50%). Baseline homocysteine levels were similar between the placebo and folic acid, vitamin B(6) and B(12) groups (all P > 0.05). Mean homocysteine levels were significantly lower with folic acid, vitamin B(6) and B(12) therapy compared with placebo during follow-up (all P < 0.05). The pooled relative risks with 95% confidence intervals of outcomes for patients treated with folic acid, vitamin B(6) and B(12) supplementation compared with placebo were 0.98 (0.93-1.03) for cardiovascular event, 0.97 (0.87-1.07) for coronary artery disease, 1.00 (0.92-1.08) for myocardial infarction and 0.92 (0.82-1.03) for cardiovascular death.

CONCLUSIONSFolic aicd combined with vitamin B(6) and B(12) treatment significantly reduced plasma homocysteine level, but did not affect the risk of cardiovascular disease. Thus, folic acid combined with vitamin B(6) and B(12) should not be recommended as secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; China ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Secondary Prevention ; Vitamin B 12 ; Vitamin B 6 ; Vitamin B Complex

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between central obesity and cardiovascular risk factors and their clustering in adults of Jiangsu province.

METHODSMulti-stratified clustering sampling method was used to sample 8 400 residents aged 18 years and over from 14 diseases surveillance units in Jiangsu province from October to December 2010. Information was obtained with face-to-face interview, physical examination and laboratory testing. A total of 8 380 residents finished the study protocol and their data were analyzed. Central obesity was defined as waist circumference ≥ 85 cm in males or ≥ 80 cm in females. Following complex weighting of the samples, level and proportion of cardiovascular risk factors in group with different waist circumference were analyzed.

RESULTSThe prevalence of central obesity among adults in Jiangsu province was 46.2%, the proportion of males and females was 46.4% and 46.1%, respectively (P > 0.05). The prevalence of center obesity varied significantly in residents with different age, area, education and occupation (all P < 0.01). The level of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol was also significantly different in residents with different degree of waist circumference (all P < 0.01). The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and clustering of cardiovascular risk factors increased in proportion to increasing waist circumference (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and clustering of cardiovascular risk factors was 2.2 (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 2.0-2.4) and 4.7 (OR = 4.7, 95% CI: 3.9-5.7); 2.1 (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.7-2.5) and 3.8 (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 3.2-4.5); 2.3 (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.8-2.9) and 4.1 (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 3.2-5.3); 3.4 (OR = 3.4, 95% CI: 2.9-3.9) and 8.0 (OR = 8.0, 95% CI: 6.2-10.2) fold higher in residents with mild and severe central obesity than residents without central obesity.

CONCLUSIONSThe extent of central obesity positively correlates with the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and their clustering in adults of Jiangsu province. Comprehensive interventions on obesity serve as an important tool to reduce the cardiovascular risk in adult Jiangshu residents.

Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Body Weight ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Cluster Analysis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dyslipidemias ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Male ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Physical Examination ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides ; Waist Circumference

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of different concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) on proliferation and apoptosis of cultured cardiac fibroblasts (CFBs) from neonatal mice and to elucidate related mechanisms.

METHODSCFBs of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were isolated and cultured and divided into normal control group and different concentration of NE intervention groups (0.1, 1, 10, 50, and 100 µmol/L). Water soluble tetrazolium-1 (WST-1) assay was carried out to detect the viability of CFBs. Morphology of apoptosis cells was evaluated by fluorescence microscope with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The expressions of collagen I, collagen III, pro-oncogene c-myc in CFBs were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The phospho-mitogen activated protein kinase (p-p38MAPK) and caspase3 protein levels were examined by Western blot.

RESULTSProliferation was significantly increased in 1 µmol/L and 10 µmol/L groups compared with the normal control group (1.05 ± 0.05 and 1.09 ± 0.02 vs. 1.00 ± 0.03, all P < 0.05).CFBs apoptosis was significantly enhanced in 50 µmol/L and 100 µmol/L groups ((22.69 ± 2.18)% and (36.40 ± 6.80)% vs.(4.50 ± 1.08)%, all P < 0.05). Expression of Collagen I peaked in 10 µmol/L group, expression of collagen III and c-myc increased dose-dependently in proportion to increasing NE concentrations (all P < 0.05 vs. control group). The expression of p-p38MAPK and caspase3 was also significantly upregulated in a dose-dependent manner in NE groups (all P < 0.05 vs. control group).

CONCLUSIONSLow concentration NE induces CFBs proliferation and high concentration NE promotes CFBs apoptosis. p38MAPK phosphorylation may be a major mediator of NE-induced effects on CFBs.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; Cell Proliferation ; Collagen ; Fibroblasts ; Heart ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Norepinephrine ; Phosphorylation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) on the migration of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) and related mechanisms.

METHODSThe MSC and VSMC were isolated from rats and cultured, CGRP was transfected to MSC with the high expression lentivirus vector, VSMC was transfected with high expression lentivirus vector of receptor activity modifying protein 1 (RAMP1) and the silence expression lentivirus vector of RAMP1. Then MSC was co-cultured with VSMC. Experimental groups were as follows: (1) Ang II group (MSC + VSMC + Ang II); (2) MSC(CGRP+) group (MSC(CGRP+) + VSMC + Ang II); (3) MSC(CGRP+) RAMP1(-) group (MSC(CGRP+) + VSMC(RAMP1-) + Ang II); (4) MSC(CGRP+) RAMP1(+) group (MSC(CGRP+) + VSMC(RAMP1+) + Ang II); (5) RAMP1(+) group (MSC + VSMC(RAMP1+) + Ang II). Transwell assay was applied to detect the migration of smooth muscle cells, Western blot was applied to detect the protein expression of cells in various groups.

RESULTSVSMC migration number was significantly lower in MSC(CGRP+) group compared with Ang II group (50.8 ± 2.6 vs. 71.4 ± 2.3, P < 0.05), but higher than in MSC(CGRP+) RAMP1(+) group (50.8 ± 2.6 vs. 30.4 ± 3.0, P < 0.05). When RAMP1 expression reduced in VSMC, compared with MSC(CGRP+) RAMP1(+) group, VSMC migration increased in the MSC(CGRP+) RAMP1(-) group compared to MSC(CGRP+)RAMP1(+) (69.0 ± 5.6 vs. 30.4 ± 3.0, P < 0.05) and was similar to Ang II group (69.0 ± 5.6 vs. 71.4 ± 2.3, P > 0.05) and RAMP1(+) group (71.6 ± 3.4). According to the result of Western blot, P-P65 protein expression in MSC(CGRP+) group was lower than that in Ang II group (0.475 ± 0.022 vs.0.642 ± 0.035, P < 0.05). P-P65 protein expression in MSC(CGRP+)RAMP1(-) group was higher than that in MSC(CGRP+) RAMP1(+) group (0.670 ± 0.030 vs. 0.373 ± 0.041, P < 0.05), and there was no difference between MSC(CGRP+)RAMP1(-) group and Ang II group (P > 0.05). P-P65 protein expression was similar between RAMP1(+) group (0.643 ± 0.039) and Ang II group (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCGRP inhibits VSMC migration through RAMP1. NF-κB and RAMP1 play crucial role in the inhibiting effects of CGRP on VSMC migration. Thus, RAMP1-CGRP signaling inhibits VSMC migration through NF-κB signal pathways.

Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Cell Movement ; Coculture Techniques ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; In Vitro Techniques ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; NF-kappa B ; Rats ; Receptor Activity-Modifying Protein 1 ; Signal Transduction ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo observe the impact of mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) transplantation on myocardial myocardin-related transcription factor-A (MRTF-A) and bcl-2 expression in rats with experimental myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODSThirty rats were randomly divided into sham, MI and MI + BMSCs (1 × 10(6) injected into 4 infarct points immediately post coronary artery ligation) groups (n = 10 each).One week later, TUNEL was used to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis, the myocardial expression of MRTF-A and bcl-2 was detected by laser scanning confocal microscope and Western blot. In vitro plasmid of MRTF-A and co-transfection with plasmids of MRTF-A and bcl-2 or mutated bcl-2 transfection into cardiomyocyte was applied to evaluate the relationship between MRTF-A and bcl-2.

RESULTSThe number of apoptotic cardiomyocytes in the sham group, MI group and MI + BMSCs group were (4.05 ± 1.56)%, (62.38 ± 8.41)% and (22.36 ± 6.17)%, respectively (P < 0.05). The protein expression of MRTF-A and bcl-2 in the MI group were significantly lower than those in sham group, while significantly upregulated in MI + BMSCs group (P < 0.05 vs. MI). In cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocyte, the expression of bcl-2 protein was significantly upregulated after transfection with MRTF-A plasmid, and bcl-2-luciferase activity significantly increased after co-transfection with plasmids of MRTF-A and bcl-2-luciferase, however, the positive regulatory effect of MRTF-A was abolished after transfection with mutated bcl-2.

CONCLUSIONMesenchymal stem cells transplantation can effectively reduce cardiomyocyte apoptosis in this rat MI model, and upregulate the expression of MRTF-A. Consequent up-regulated bcl-2 expression might be involved in the beneficial effects of BMSCs transplantation in this model.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Heart ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardium ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; Nuclear Proteins ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Trans-Activators ; Transcription Factors ; Transfection