AIM:To study the expression of Jagged 2/Notch3 signaling molecules in pulmonary vascular wall of pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by monocrotaline .METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into normal control group (C group,n=15), solvent control group (S group,n=15) and monocrotaline model groups (M group,n=15).The model of pulmonary hypertension was established by a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (50 mg/kg).The rats in S group were given a single subcutaneous injection of the same dose of solvent .After 4 weeks, the pulmonary vascular remodeling was assessed by HE staining , and the mean pulmonary artery pressure ( mPAP) and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) were determined by right heart catheterization .The expression of Jagged2/Notch3 /Hes5 molecules in the pulmonary vascular wall was detected by immunohistochemical method and real -time PCR.RESULTS:Compared with S group and C group , the percentage of medial wall thickness of smaller arteries in model group increased significantly (P<0.01).The levels of mPAP and RVSP in M group were significantly higher than those in S group and C groups (P<0.01).The results of real-time PCR showed that the expression of Jagged 2, Notch3 and Hes5 was significantly increased in M group compared with S group and C group .The data from immunohistochemical detection indicated that Jagged 2 mainly expressed in the intima of small lung artery , Notch3 and Hes5 mainly expressed in the medial smooth muscle cells .Com-pared with S group and C group , the expression of Jagged 2 and Notch3 was significantly increased in the lung small arteries of M group.CONCLUSION:The activation of Jagged2/Notch3 signaling pathway might play an important role in the for-mation of pulmonary hypertension .

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of platelet derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFR-β) transfected endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on vascular regeneration.

METHODSSpleen-derived mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated using density gradient centrifugation and induced with special culture medium. EPCs transfection was performed with Lipofectamine(TM) 2000 reagent according to the instruction manual. Carotid artery injury was induced in splenectomized mice. EPCs were injected by tail vein immediately and at 24 h after endothelial injury of the carotid artery. Evans blue staining was performed to evaluate reendothelialization at 7 days after endothelial injury of the carotid artery.

RESULTSMost adherent cells were LDL and UEA-I double positive. Laser scanning confocal microscopy showed that transfection efficiency was about 50%-60%. The reendothelialized area in the PDGFR-β-EPCs group was significantly larger than that in EGFP-EPCs group.

CONCLUSIONTransplantation of PDGFR-β over-expressed EPCs can promote reendothelialization in the early phase after carotid artery injury.

Animals ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; pathology ; surgery ; Cells, Cultured ; Disease Models, Animal ; Endothelial Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; transplantation ; Endothelium, Vascular ; cytology ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor ; genetics ; metabolism ; Regeneration ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism

Lower extremity chronic total occlusion (CTO) is the most severe manifestation of peripheral artery disease (PAD), with high amputation and mortality rates. As a minimal invasive reconstruction therapy, endovascular therapy (EVT) plays an important role in limb salvage for CTO in current clinical practice. The complexity of CTO lesions leads to a high risk for complications and a low success rate of EVT. Therefore, establishing a grading or scoring system to predict the success rate of revascularization strategy will be helpful in developing appropriate treatment strategies and assessing benefits and risks. This paper summarizes the most popular CTO scoring systems, such as PACSS grading, PARC grading, TAC grading, CTOP classification, Infrapop-CTO scoring, and J-BTK CTO scoring. PACSS grading and PARC grading are suitable for evaluating the severity of vascular calcification including iliofemoral segment, femoral-popliteal segment, and below-the-knee artery segment. TAC grading is suitable for grading calcification below the knee lesions; with low intervention success rate in a high calcification grading. CTOP classification was developed by analyzing the effect of morphological characteristics of proximal and distal fibrous caps of lower extremity CTO lesions on the outcome of EVT. The success rate of antegrade intervention is lower in type IV. The Infrapop-CTO score and J-BTK CTO score can predict successful anterograde crossing of infrapopliteal CTO lesions, with low intervention success rate in high score. Both scoring systems use three variables, namely, shape of proximal stump, calcification, and occlusion length.