Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kajetan Kielbowski, Estera Bakinowska, Andrzej Pawlik
Summary: Connexins are involved in intercellular communication through hemichannels and gap junctions, playing a crucial role in regulating cell homeostasis, proliferation, and differentiation. Changes in Cx distribution, degradation, and post-translational modifications have been linked to cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. Depending on the isoform, Cx can either promote or suppress the development of atherosclerosis by affecting endothelial dysfunction, monocyte recruitment, vascular smooth muscle cell activation, or autophagy inhibition. Inhibition or modulation of specific Cx isoforms could potentially serve as therapeutic targets in atherosclerosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Fabrizio Buffolo, Silvia Monticone, Giovanni Camussi, Elena Aikawa
Summary: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures released by cells that play a pathological role in vascular damage. They facilitate cell-to-cell communication by transferring nucleic acids, protein cargos, and metabolites. EVs promote endothelial dysfunction, vascular inflammation, and contribute to plaque formation and vascular calcification.
Article
Cell Biology
Abdulhadi I. Bima, Abdullah S. Mahdi, Fayza F. Al Fayez, Taghreed M. Khawaja, Salwa M. Abo El-Khair, Ayman Z. Elsamanoudy
Summary: Obesity is associated with vitamin D deficiency and enhanced cellular senescence, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity-associated subclinical atherosclerosis. Vitamin D supplementation could potentially play a protective role against obesity-related comorbidities, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Steven R. Botts, Jason E. Fish, Kathryn L. Howe
Summary: Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease associated with a spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, prevalent in both high-income countries and low- to middle-income regions worldwide. The vascular endothelium plays a crucial role in atherogenesis by influencing plaque formation and intercellular communication. Future directions in preclinical atherosclerosis research include epigenetic and targeted therapies to halt disease progression in at-risk or affected individuals.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Siarhei A. Dabravolski, Vasily N. Sukhorukov, Alexandra A. Melnichenko, Victoria A. Khotina, Alexander N. Orekhov
Summary: Selenium is a vital trace element necessary for metabolic processes, protection against oxidative stress, and cardiovascular system functioning. Deficiency in selenium has been linked to various cardiovascular diseases including Keshan's disease, heart failure, coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, and atherosclerosis. Through selenoenzymes and selenoproteins, selenium is involved in important processes such as regulation of redox homeostasis, oxidative stress, calcium flux, and thyroid hormone metabolism; an imbalance in selenium supply may disrupt these processes.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xiong Piao, Lie Ma, Qinqi Xu, Xiaomin Zhang, Chengzhu Jin
Summary: Noncoding RNAs play versatile roles in the regulation of endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis, including inflammation, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Understanding these regulatory roles may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhuqing Li, Qi Li, Li Wang, Chao Li, Mengping Xu, Yajun Duan, Likun Ma, Tingting Li, Qiao Chen, Yilin Wang, Yanxin Wang, Jiaxin Feng, Xuemei Yin, Xiaolin Wang, Jihong Han, Chengzhi Lu
Summary: Chronic sympathetic hyperactivity can lead to oxidative stress and inflammation in endothelial cells, contributing to atherosclerosis development. Renal denervation (RDN) may protect endothelial cells by reducing oxidative stress-induced inflammation, thus reducing atherosclerosis.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Aleksandra Klisic, Dimitrios Patoulias
Summary: Discovered twenty years ago, endocan is still an intriguing biomarker associated with inflammation. It is a soluble dermatan sulphate proteoglycan secreted by endothelial cells and expressed in tissues related to enhanced proliferation. Endocan has been extensively studied in various cardiometabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, kidney disease, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease. Understanding the role of endocan in these disorders is important for developing potential therapeutic strategies to delay or prevent related complications.
Review
Cell Biology
Shuo Feng, Jia Wei Chen, Xin Yi Shu, Muladili Aihemaiti, Jin Wei Quan, Lin Lu, Rui Yan Zhang, Chen Die Yang, Xiao Qun Wang
Summary: Hemodynamic shear stress (SS) regulates vascular homeostasis and injury through the release of endothelial microparticles (EMP), affecting physiological function of endothelial cells, inflammatory response, vascular permeability, and the coagulation system.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vanessa Desantis, Maria Assunta Potenza, Luca Sgarra, Carmela Nacci, Antonietta Scaringella, Sebastiano Cicco, Antonio Giovanni Solimando, Angelo Vacca, Monica Montagnani
Summary: The pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) may involve atrial fibrosis/remodeling and dysfunctional endothelial activities. miRNAs regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and may represent novel and attractive biomarker candidates in AF due to their ease of accessibility in biofluids and prognostic and diagnostic properties.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Janae Gonzales, Kelsey Holbert, Kamryn Czysz, Joseph George, Caroline Fernandes, Dustin R. Fraidenburg
Summary: Pulmonary hypertension in sickle cell disease is an independent predictor of mortality. This study explores the direct effects of hemin on pulmonary artery endothelium and found that it leads to endothelial dysfunction through endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndoMT).
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Stephani Correia Brazao, Gabriel Ferreira Lima, Lis Jappour Autran, Ana Beatriz Araujo Mendes, Beatriz Alexandre dos Santos, Dangelo Carlo Magliano, Fernanda Carla Ferreira de Brito, Nadia Alice Vieira Motta
Summary: Cilostazol exhibits important anti-inflammatory and vasculoprotective effects on the aortas of hypercholesterolemic rats, possibly through inhibition of the PLC-gamma / PKC-alpha / p38-MAPK / I kappa B-alpha / NF-kB pathway and activation of the PKA / eNOS / PKG pathway.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael Poledniczek, Christoph Neumayer, Christoph W. Kopp, Oliver Schlager, Thomas Gremmel, Alicja Jozkowicz, Michael E. Gschwandtner, Renate Koppensteiner, Patricia P. Wadowski
Summary: Inflammation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. It negatively affects endothelial barrier properties, glycocalyx, and extracellular matrix composition, leading to vascular remodeling, aneurysm formation, and reduced tissue perfusion. This review discusses the molecular and clinical effects of inflammatory processes on micro- and macrovasculature, with a focus on peripheral artery disease.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoyun Cao, Yalan Wu, Huiling Hong, Xiao Yu Tian
Summary: Atherosclerosis is linked to endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation, and SIRT3 and NAD(+) play critical roles in maintaining normal mitochondrial function and improving endothelial function. The deletion of SIRT3 in endothelial cells accelerates atherosclerosis and amplifies vascular inflammation and oxidative stress. Treatment with NAD(+) attenuates these effects. The study also shows that NAD(+) supplementation improves endothelial function and reduces plaque formation in mouse models of atherosclerosis.
Article
Biology
Hui Zheng, Robert E. Gerszten, Kathleen E. Corey
Summary: The visualization approach presented in this study allows for rapid identification of biomarkers and marker clusters that are more closely associated with clinical outcomes. The method effectively reduces the dimensionality of the data and presents it in 2-D plots, showing the inter-correlations of biomarkers and their relationships with clinical outcomes.
COMPUTERS IN BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2022)