Article
Biophysics
Sheng-wen Zhou, Jing Wang, Sheng-yu Chen, Ke-feng Ren, You-xiang Wang, Jian Ji
Summary: Changes in cellular microenvironment stiffness play a crucial role in pathological processes of blood vessels. This study constructed hydrogel substrates with physiological stiffness and found that an increase in stiffness within the physiological range significantly enhanced cell adhesion and proliferation behaviors.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Jia-yan Chen, You-xiang Wang, Ke-feng Ren, Yun-bing Wang, Guo-sheng Fu, Jian Ji
Summary: This study found that the osteogenesis of vascular SMCs is influenced by substrate stiffness, with cells on the intermediate substrate stiffness (0.909 MPa) showing the highest extent of osteogenesis. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 and autophagy were involved in this stiffness-dependent process.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zeyu Cai, Ze Gong, Zhiqing Li, Li Li, Wei Kong
Summary: The article summarizes the dynamic changes of ECM during hypertension and after treatment, as well as the unclear mechanism by which ECM remodeling initiates the development of hypertension. Further research on matridomic and degradomic approaches is needed for a more comprehensive understanding of ECM remodeling in hypertension.
ANTIOXIDANTS & REDOX SIGNALING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mingliang Jiang, Raghuveer Lalitha Sridhar, Andrew B. Robbins, Alan D. Freed, Michael R. Moreno
Summary: Uniaxial testing is common for mechanical analysis of biological materials, but biaxial testing offers a more comprehensive understanding. Custom biaxial testing systems can overcome limitations of commercially available systems, providing a wider range of testing capabilities.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Lingfeng Luo, Yujun Cai, Yishuai Zhang, Chia G. Hsu, Vyacheslav A. Korshunov, Xiaochun Long, Peter A. Knight, Bradford C. Berk, Chen Yan
Summary: The study revealed that PDE10A contributes to SMC proliferation and intimal hyperplasia by antagonizing the CNP/NPR2/cGMP/PKG1alpha signaling pathway, suggesting that PDE10A may be a novel drug target for treating vascular occlusive disease.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Transplantation
Noemi Vergara, M. Victoria Pendon-Ruiz de Mier, Cristian Rodelo-Haad, Gonzalo Revilla-Gonzalez, Cristina Membrives, Juan M. Diaz-Tocados, Julio M. Martinez-Moreno, Ana Torralbo, Carmen Herencia, Maria Encarnacion Rodriguez-Ortiz, Rodrigo Lopez-Baltanas, Williams G. Richards, Arnold Felsenfeld, Yolanda Almaden, Alejandro Martin-Malo, Juan Urena, Rafael Santamaria, Sagrario Soriano, Mariano Rodriguez, Juan R. Munoz-Castaneda
Summary: This study found that high levels of FGF23 can cause a change in VSMC phenotype from contractile to synthetic by regulating the expression of miR-221/222. This change increases arterial stiffening and impairs vascular function, which may worsen cardiovascular disease.
NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthias Bosman, Dustin N. Kruger, Kasper Favere, Callan D. Wesley, Cedric H. G. Neutel, Birgit Van Asbroeck, Owen R. Diebels, Bart Faes, Timen J. Schenk, Wim Martinet, Guido R. Y. De Meyer, Emeline M. Van Craenenbroeck, Pieter-Jan D. F. Guns
Summary: Chemotherapeutic doxorubicin has been shown to increase arterial stiffness, possibly by reducing vascular smooth muscle cell contraction and Ca2+ influx through Ca2+ channels. However, the specific mechanism remains unclear and requires further investigation. Interestingly, doxorubicin decreased ex vivo arterial stiffness but had minimal effects in vivo, emphasizing the importance of timing in evaluating arterial stiffness in doxorubicin-treated patients.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Ngoc Luu, Apratim Bajpai, Rui Li, Seojin Park, Mahad Noor, Xiao Ma, Weiqiang Chen
Summary: This study reveals the defective mechanosensation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) during aging, leading to a decline in their ability to sense and adapt to mechanical perturbations. Aged VSMCs exhibit a relatively inert mechanobiological state with altered actin cytoskeletal integrity, resulting in impaired mechanosensitivity and dynamic mechanoresponse. This decline in mechanosensation is mediated by hyperactivity of Piezo1-dependent calcium signaling. Inhibition of Piezo1 can alleviate vascular aging and partially restore the loss in dynamic contractile properties in aged cells.
Review
Cell Biology
Genmao Cao, Xuezhen Xuan, Jie Hu, Ruijing Zhang, Haijiang Jin, Honglin Dong
Summary: Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are highly plastic and can switch into synthetic VSMCs to repair vascular injury. Multiple phenotypes of VSMCs have been discovered in vascular aging, atherosclerosis, and aortic aneurysm. The transformation of VSMCs is regulated by various factors such as transcription factors, growth factors, and non-coding RNAs.
CELL COMMUNICATION AND SIGNALING
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chihiro Sakai, Mei Mikawa, Takeshi Yamamoto, Tomoyuki Uchida, Yoshihide Nakamura, Hideaki Akase, Takeshi Suetomi, Naoomi Tominaga, Masako Inamitsu, Tetsuro Oda, Takayuki Okamura, Shigeki Kobayashi, Masafumi Yano
Summary: This study investigated the inhibitory effect of Dantrolene on smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration, and found that Dantrolene effectively suppressed vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, migration, and neointimal formation.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Deborah D. Chin, Christopher Poon, Jonathan Wang, Johan Joo, Victor Ong, Zhangjingyi Jiang, Kayley Cheng, Anastasia Plotkin, Gregory A. Magee, Eun Ji Chung
Summary: The delivery of miR-145 micelles to VSMCs shows promise in mitigating atherosclerosis progression by altering cell phenotypes and reducing plaque growth. In mouse experiments, miR-145 micelles significantly inhibited the advancement of atherosclerosis.
Article
Physiology
Sofie De Moudt, Jhana O. Hendrickx, Guido R. Y. De Meyer, Wim Martinet, Paul Fransen
Summary: eNOS knockout mice exhibit a slower progression of arterial disease compared to C57Bl/6 control mice, with significant regulation of aortic biomechanical parameters by cyclic stretch amplitudes.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu Jiang, Hai-Yan Qian
Summary: Atherosclerosis (AS) is the accumulation of lipids and inflammatory debris in the arterial wall, leading to gradual occlusion of the arterial lumen. Despite therapeutic advances, AS remains the most common cause of cardiovascular diseases and the main mechanism of death and disability worldwide. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a crucial role in AS, with remarkable plasticity and involvement in various processes such as phenotypic transformation, proliferation, migration, calcification, and apoptosis. Transcription factors and complex interactions of conserved cis-regulatory elements are key in the transcriptional regulation of VSMC genes, and manipulating transcription factors can regulate the development of atherosclerotic lesions.
MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Gabriel Hoi-Huen Chan, Enoch Chan, Carsten Tsun-Ka Kwok, George Pak-Heng Leung, Simon Ming-Yuen Lee, Sai-Wang Seto
Summary: Ageing is a risk factor for degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. The tumor suppressor gene p53 may play a regulatory role in vascular remodeling, atherosclerosis, and pulmonary hypertension. Further studies are needed to fully understand the effects of p53 in cardiovascular function and its therapeutic potential.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Christine Veith, Ipek Varturk-Ozcan, Magdalena Wujak, Stefan Hadzic, Cheng-Yu Wu, Fenja Knoepp, Simone Kraut, Aleksandar Petrovic, Marija Gredic, Oleg Pak, Monika Brosien, Marie Heimbrodt, Jochen Wilhelm, Friederike C. Weisel, Kathrin Malkmus, Katharina Schaefer, Henning Gall, Khodr Tello, Djuro Kosanovic, Akylbek Sydykov, Akpay Sarybaev, Andreas Guenther, Ralf P. Brandes, Werner Seeger, Friedrich Grimminger, Hossein A. Ghofrani, Ralph T. Schermuly, Grazyna Kwapiszewska, Natascha Sommer, Norbert Weissmann
Summary: This study provides evidence for the involvement of SPARC in the pathogenesis of human PH and chronic hypoxia-induced PH in mice, most likely by affecting vascular cell function.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Alexander Emmott, Haitham Alzahrani, Mohammed Alreshidan, Judith Therrien, Richard L. Leask, Kevin Lachapelle
JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2018)
Article
Polymer Science
Hanno C. Erythropel, Aurelie Bormann, Jim A. Nicell, Richard L. Leask, Milan Maric
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Scott Cooper, Alexander Emmott, Karli K. McDonald, Marc-Antoine Campeau, Richard L. Leask
Review
Polymer Science
Roya Jamarani, Hanno C. Erythropel, James A. Nicell, Richard L. Leask, Milan Maric
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wontae Lee, Nikita Kalashnikov, Stephanie Mok, Ruba Halaoui, Elena Kuzmin, Andrew J. Putnam, Shuichi Takayama, Morag Park, Luke McCaffrey, Ruogang Zhao, Richard L. Leask, Christopher Moraes
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2019)
Article
Cell Biology
Scott Cooper, Hwee Teoh, Marc Antoine Campeau, Subodh Verma, Richard L. Leask
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY
(2019)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Alexander Emmott, Vanessa Hertig, Alexandre Bergeron, Louis Villeneuve, Laurence Lefebvre, Richard L. Leask, Angelino Calderone, Ismail El-Hamamsy
Summary: This study found that despite similar morphological and biomechanical properties of the pulmonary artery (PA) in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and aortic insufficiency (AI), the differential expression of nonmuscle myosin IIB protein distinguishes the two groups. This may have implications for pulmonary autograft dilation in a subset of AI patients after the Ross procedure.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Basant M. Elsiwi, Omar Garcia-Valdez, Hanno C. Erythropel, Richard L. Leask, Jim A. Nicell, Milan Maric
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2020)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Roya Jamarani, Matthew W. Halloran, Kushal Panchal, Omar Garcia-Valdez, Roozbeh Mafi, James A. Nicell, Richard L. Leask, Milan Maric
Summary: Gas checks are visible defects on PVC films during industrial calendering, currently controlled by low film gauge and trial-and-error modifications. A series of PCL-based compounds with diester linkers and alkyl chain cappers were effective at preventing gas check defects, with higher melt viscosities playing an important role.
POLYMER ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Matthew W. Halloran, Jim A. Nicell, Richard L. Leask, M. Milan
Summary: A series of glycerol-based compounds were investigated as plasticizers for flexible PVC blends, and were found to have better performance and migration behavior compared to the commercial plasticizer DOTP, showing better incorporation into the PVC matrix.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Gabrielle Godbille-Cardona, Jim A. Nicell, Milan Maric, Richard L. Leask
Summary: A new family of succinate-based plasticizers, with varying alkyl chain lengths, was evaluated for their potential use in stiff polymers. The central chain length was found to have the greatest influence on the plasticizer's performance, affecting properties such as stress at break, surface hardness, compatibility, and migration behavior. The succinate-based plasticizers showed comparable or improved properties compared to a commercial plasticizer.
JOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Wontae Lee, Christina-Marie Boghdady, Virginie Lelarge, Richard L. Leask, Luke McCaffrey, Christopher Moraes
Summary: Measuring internal mechanical stresses within 3D tissues is important for understanding morphogenesis and disease progression. Cell-sized hydrogel microspheres can deform within remodelling tissues and be imaged to measure internal stresses. However, ultrasoft hydrogel formulations are challenging to label with fluorescent materials for repeated measurements in optically dense tissues. Here, edge-labelled ultrasoft hydrogel microdroplets with bright and stable fluorescent nanoparticles are created for long-term experiments in cancer tumor models.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adam Schwendt, Joey-Bahige Chammas, Milan Maric, Jim A. A. Nicell, Richard Leask, Lorraine E. E. Chalifour
Summary: Phthalate plasticizers leach out of plastics and can have detrimental effects on human and ecological health. The replacement of toxic phthalate plasticizers with alternatives, such as TOTM, DHPS, and DOS, may improve patient recovery. DHPS is a promising non-toxic biocompatible plasticizer.
Article
Engineering, Manufacturing
Andre Begin-Drolet, Marc-Andre Dussault, Stephanie A. Fernandez, Jeanne Larose-Dutil, Richard L. Leask, Corinne A. Hoesli, Jean Ruel
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
(2017)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jennifer Chung, Kevin Lachapelle, Raymond Cartier, Rosaire Mongrain, Richard L. Leask
CARDIOVASCULAR PATHOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Biophysics
Nathan D. Camarillo, Rafael Jimenez-Silva, Frances T. Sheehan
Summary: This article discusses the statistical dependence between multiple measurements from the same participant and provides recommendations for using these measurements when they are not independent.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
J. Huet, A. -S. Boureau, A. Sarcher, C. Cornu, A. Nordez
Summary: Standard compression in freehand 3D ultrasound induces a bias in volume calculations, but minimal compression and gel pad methods have similar results. With a trained examiner and precautions, the bias can be minimized and become acceptable in clinical applications.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
C. Lariviere, A. H. Eskandari, H. Mecheri, F. Ghezelbash, D. Gagnon, A. Shirazi-Adl
Summary: Recent developments in musculoskeletal modeling have focused on model customization. Personalization of the spine profile may affect estimates of spinal loading and stability. This study investigates the biomechanical consequences of changes in the spinal profile and finds that personalizing the spine profile has medium to large effects on trunk muscle forces and negligible to small effects on spinal loading and stability.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Luke T. Mattar, Arash B. Mahboobin, Adam J. Popchak, William J. Anderst, Volker Musahl, James J. Irrgang, Richard E. Debski
Summary: Exercise therapy fails in about 25.0% of cases for individuals with rotator cuff tears, and one reason for this failure may be the inability to strengthen and balance the muscle forces that keep the humeral head in the correct position. This study developed computational musculoskeletal models to compare the net muscle force before and after exercise therapy between successfully and unsuccessfully treated patients. The study found that unsuccessfully treated patients had less inferiorly oriented net muscle forces, which may increase the risk of impingement.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Natsuki Sado, Takeshi Edagawa, Toshihide Fujimori, Shogo Hashimoto, Yoshikazu Okamoto, Takahito Nakajima
Summary: The existing methods for predicting hip and lumbosacral joint centres in Japanese adults are biased and differ between sexes. We propose new regression equations that consider soft-tissue thickness, sex differences, and a height-directional measure, and validate them using leave-one-out cross-validation.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Peimin Yu, Xuanzhen Cen, Qichang Mei, Alan Wang, Yaodong Gu, Justin Fernandez
Summary: This study aimed to explore the intra-foot biomechanical differences among individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI), copers, and healthy individuals during dynamic tasks. The study found that copers and CAI individuals had smaller dorsiflexion angles and copers presented a more eversion position compared to healthy participants. Copers also had greater dorsiflexion angles in the metatarsophalangeal joint and more inversion moments in the subtalar joint during certain tasks. These findings can help in designing interventions to restore ankle joint functions in CAI individuals.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)
Article
Biophysics
Jon Skovgaard Jensen, Anders Holsgaard-Larsen, Anders Stengaard Sorensen, Per Aagaard, Jens Bojsen-Moller
Summary: This study investigates the biomechanical effects of robot-assisted body weight unloading (BWU) on gait patterns in healthy young adults. The results show that dynamic robot-assisted BWU enables reduced kinetic requirements without distorting biomechanically normal gait patterns during overground walking.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2024)