Atherosclerosis is a chronic progressive vascular disease. It starts early in life, has a long asymptomatic phase, and a progression accelerated by various cardiovascular risk factors. The endothelium is an active inner layer of the blood vessel. It generates many factors that regulate vascular tone, the adhesion of circulating blood cells, smooth muscle proliferation, and inflammation, which are the key mechanisms of atherosclerosis and can contribute to the development of cardiovascular events. There is growing evidence that functional impairment of the endothelium is one of the first recognizable signs of development of atherosclerosis and is present long before the occurrence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Therefore, understanding the endothelium's central role provides not only insights into pathophysiology, but also a possible clinical opportunity to detect early disease, stratify cardiovascular risk, and assess response to treatments. In the present review, we will discuss the clinical implications of endothelial function as well as the therapeutic issues for endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular disease as primary and secondary endothelial therapy.
Animals ; Atherosclerosis/*drug therapy/*immunology ; Cytokines/*immunology ; Endothelium, Vascular/*immunology ; Humans ; *Models, Immunological ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/*immunology

The objective of this study is to investigate whether BCG infection before, during or after sensitization suppresses allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats, and to determine the required dose of BCG to induce such an inhibition. Eighty-seven Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were sensitized and provoked with ovalbumin (OA). A pretreatment of 6 x 10(4) or 6 x 10(5) colony forming units (CFUs) of BCG or saline was done at four different times: 3 days before sensitization, at sensitization, 3 days before provocation, or at provocation. The assessment of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) responsiveness to electrical field stimulation or acetylcholine (ACh) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed 1 day after OA provocation. Doses of 6 x 10(4) CFUs inhibited TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but not 3 days before provocation or at provocation. However, doses of 6 x 10(5) CFUs significantly inhibited not only the airway eosinophilia of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but also the TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before provocation or at provocation. In conclusion, BCG infection suppresses the development of sensitivity of airway smooth muscle and airway eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats. Furthermore, a relatively high dose of BCG infection inhibits airway sensitivity, even after allergen sensitization.
Animal ; Asthma/immunology* ; BCG Vaccine/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eosinophils/immunology ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung/immunology* ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors ; Vaccination

The objective of this study is to investigate whether BCG infection before, during or after sensitization suppresses allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats, and to determine the required dose of BCG to induce such an inhibition. Eighty-seven Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were sensitized and provoked with ovalbumin (OA). A pretreatment of 6 x 10(4) or 6 x 10(5) colony forming units (CFUs) of BCG or saline was done at four different times: 3 days before sensitization, at sensitization, 3 days before provocation, or at provocation. The assessment of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) responsiveness to electrical field stimulation or acetylcholine (ACh) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were performed 1 day after OA provocation. Doses of 6 x 10(4) CFUs inhibited TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but not 3 days before provocation or at provocation. However, doses of 6 x 10(5) CFUs significantly inhibited not only the airway eosinophilia of rats infected 3 days before sensitization or at sensitization, but also the TSM sensitivity of rats infected 3 days before provocation or at provocation. In conclusion, BCG infection suppresses the development of sensitivity of airway smooth muscle and airway eosinophilic inflammation in allergic asthma rats. Furthermore, a relatively high dose of BCG infection inhibits airway sensitivity, even after allergen sensitization.
Animal ; Asthma/immunology* ; BCG Vaccine/immunology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eosinophils/immunology ; Leukocyte Count ; Lung/immunology* ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/immunology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors ; Vaccination

BACKGROUNDAutoantibodies against angiotensin AT1 receptor have been discovered in patients with preeclampsia or malignant hypertension. Some studies have demonstrated that the autoantibodies are involved in the immunopathogenesis of hypertension and have an agonist effect similar to angiotensin II.

METHODSAutoantibodies against AT1 receptor were purified from sera of patients with primary hypertension by affinity chromatography. Proliferation of cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells was detected by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and activation of signalling molecules detected by Western blotting and electrophoretic mobility shift assay.

RESULTSThe AT1-RAb caused a significant proliferation similar to the Ang II during first 24 hours. The levels of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), phosphorylated JAK2, phosphorylated STAT1 (pSTAT1) and phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3) molecules were increased in response to the autoantibodies. In contrast, the activations of NF-kappaB and JAK-STAT were blocked by losartan, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (a specific inhibitor of NF-kappaB) and AG490 (a specific inhibitor of the JAK2 tyrosine kinase). The expressions of NF-kappaB, pSTAT1 and pSTAT3 reached peak levels at different times. Moreover, the relative densities of electrophoretic bands showed that activation of pSTAT3 was more significant than STAT1 induced by AT1-RAb.

CONCLUSIONSThese results suggest that the autoantibodies against AT1 receptor have an agonist effect similar to Ang II in proliferation of VSMCs and the NF-kappaB and JAK-STAT proteins play essential roles. The effect is different from Ang II in that STAT3 is the main downstream activating molecule in JAK-STAT signalling pathway.

Animals ; Autoantibodies ; immunology ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Hypertension ; immunology ; Janus Kinase 2 ; physiology ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; NF-kappa B ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 ; immunology ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; physiology ; Signal Transduction ; physiology

Recent epidemiologic studies clearly showed that early intensive glucose control has a legacy effect for preventing diabetic macrovascular complications. However, the cellular and molecular processes by which high glucose leads to macrovascular complications are poorly understood. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dysfunction due to high glucose is a characteristic of diabetic vascular complications. Activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) may play a key role in the regulation of inflammation and proliferation of VSMCs. We examined whether VSMC proliferation and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) expression induced by high glucose were mediated by NF-kappaB activation. Also, we determined whether selective inhibition of NF-kappaB would inhibit proliferation and PAI-1 expression in VSMCs. VSMCs of the aorta of male SD rats were treated with various concentrations of glucose (5.6, 11.1, 16.7, and 22.2 mM) with or without an inhibitor of NF-kappaB or expression of a recombinant adenovirus vector encoding an IkappaB-alpha mutant (Ad-IkappaBalphaM). VSMC proliferation was examined using an MTT assay. PAI-1 expression was assayed by real-time PCR and PAI-1 protein in the media was measured by ELISA. NF-kappaB activation was determined by immunohistochemical staining, NF-kappaB reporter assay, and immunoblotting. We found that glucose stimulated VSMC proliferation and PAI-1 expression in a dose-dependent manner up to 22.2 mM. High glucose (22.2 mM) alone induced an increase in NF-kappaB activity. Treatment with inhibitors of NF-kappaB such as MG132, PDTC or expression of Ad-IkappaB-alphaM in VSMCs prevented VSMC proliferation and PAI-1 expression induced by high glucose. In conclusion, inhibition of NF-kappaB activity prevented high glucose-induced VSMC proliferation and PAI-1 expression.
Animals ; Aorta/cytology ; Cardiovascular Diseases/prevention & control ; Cell Proliferation/*drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Diabetes Complications/prevention & control ; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects ; Glucose/immunology/*metabolism ; Leupeptins/pharmacology ; Male ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/*cytology ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/cytology/*drug effects/immunology/metabolism ; NF-kappa B/*antagonists & inhibitors/immunology ; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1/*genetics ; Proline/analogs & derivatives/pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Thiocarbamates/pharmacology

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary ; C-Reactive Protein ; analysis ; Coronary Restenosis ; prevention & control ; Drug-Eluting Stents ; Humans ; Inflammation ; complications ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; immunology ; Sirolimus ; administration & dosage ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; biosynthesis ; blood ; Tunica Intima ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the possibility of using an endovascular microcoil as a gene delivery system.

METHODSAnti-adenoviral monoclonal antibodies were covalently attached to the collagen-coated surface of platinum microcoil. These antibodies were used to tether adenovirus encoding green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP). Cell culture studies with rat arterial smooth muscle cells (A10) assessed transduction on or near the coil. Platinum coils coated with Ad-GFP were implanted into the ligated common carotid artery (CCA) of adult rats in a model of arterial stasis and pressurization. After 7 days, CCA segments were harvested, and coils were removed for histopathology and GFP expression studies, while organs were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction to assess viral biodistribution.

RESULTSIn cell culture studies, GFP-positive smooth muscle cells were detected only on the platinum coil surface. After 7 days, GFP was detected on the harvested platinum coil and in the organizing thrombus within the CCA according to fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Morphometric analyses revealed that (13.3 +/- 2.0)% of cells within the organized thrombus were transduced with Ad-GFP via the gene delivery system. Ad-GFP was not detectable by polymerase chain reaction in lung, liver, or kidney.

CONCLUSIONSGene delivery endovascular microcoils represents an interventional device-based gene therapy system that can serve as a suitable platform for either single or multiple gene therapy vectors.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; immunology ; Aneurysm ; surgery ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Biological Availability ; Carotid Artery, Common ; drug effects ; metabolism ; surgery ; Cells, Cultured ; Drug Delivery Systems ; instrumentation ; Embolization, Therapeutic ; methods ; Endothelial Growth Factors ; therapeutic use ; Genetic Therapy ; instrumentation ; methods ; Genetic Vectors ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Green Fluorescent Proteins ; analysis ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; cytology ; Platinum ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Transduction, Genetic ; instrumentation ; methods