脂肪酸结合蛋白与糖尿病血管病变的研究进展

糖尿病在全球的患病率日益增加,糖尿病血管并发症是目前老龄人群中致死和致残的首要原因。脂肪酸结合蛋白(FABP)是一类脂质伴侣家族,是联结肥胖、糖尿病与血管疾病的关键炎症分子,在糖尿病血管病变中发挥重要作用。本文对FABP家族成员在糖尿病及其血管病变发生发展中的分子机制、作为干预靶点的治疗价值以及成为生物标志物的临床意义进行综述,以期为以FABP为代表的抗糖尿病血管病变的药物研发提供证据与思路。     

Evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis in Turkish patients with acne vulgaris receiving systemic isotretinoin

Studies conducted on isotretinoin have shown that it may indirectly lead to atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of systemic isotretinoin on subclinical atherosclerosis. The present study included 63 patients with acne vulgaris who had used isotretinoin for 6 months. Glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance levels; body mass index; waist circumference; blood pressure; lipid profile; and lectin‐like oxidized low‐density lipoprotein receptor‐1 (LOX‐1), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, and oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (Ox‐LDL) levels were compared in the patients at the initiation and discontinuation of the treatment. At the discontinuation of the treatment, LOX‐1 and Ox‐LDL levels showed a significant increase (P < .001 and P = .040, respectively). Differences in waist circumference were positively correlated with an increase in LOX‐1 levels (r = .274; P = .030). Isotretinoin causes an increase in the levels of subclinical atherosclerosis markers. Although the present study sample size was small, we believe that caution should be exercised considering the risk of atherosclerosis during isotretinoin use in men with high waist circumference and cardiovascular risk factors; further studies are warranted in this regard.     

Telomerase Therapy to Reverse Cardiovascular Senescence

Cellular senescence of endothelial cells plays an important role in the development of vascular lesions that ultimately lead to an atherosclerotic plaque. This review focuses on the age-related changes of endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells that contribute to vascular disease and discusses potential new targets that could rejuvenate the vascular system and thereby prevent or delay atherosclerosis.     

Chinese medicine Tongxinluo reduces atherosclerotic lesion by attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation in microvascular endothelial cells

Oxidative stress and inflammation are the important pathological basis of atherogenesis. So, attenuating oxidative stress and inflammation has a very important significance in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. The aim of present study was to investigate whether anti-atherosclerotic effect of Tongxinluo (TXL), a compound traditional Chinese medicine, is related to its anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation in human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMEC). We found that TXL treatment significantly reduced serum lipid levels and atherosclerotic plaque formation of apoE-deficient mice, and improved endothelial cell function as evidenced by increased expression of CD31 and eNOS. TXL pretreatment could abrogate the up-regulation of ROS and MDA induced by C16. Further experiments showed that the anti-oxidative effect of TXL may be related to inhibiting the expression of p22^phox, p47^phox and HO-1 in HCMECs. We also found that TXL could inhibit the release of IL-1β and TNFα induced by C16, which is mediated by inhibiting the expression and activation of NF-κB. In conclusion, TXL decreases atherosclerotic plaque formation and improves endothelial cell function by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammation in HCMECs. This finding provides a new molecular mechanism for the anti-atherosclerotic effect of TXL.     

Inflammation-regulatory microRNAs: Valuable targets for intracranial atherosclerosis

Intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) is the most common etiology of ischemic stroke with the highest rate of stroke recurrence. Little is currently known of the association of circulating inflammation-regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) with ICAS. In this review, we briefly discuss that ICAS is characterized as a dynamic and unstable inflammatory process within intracranial arteries. Then, as a topic of discussion, we mainly concentrate on the following crucial miRNAs (miR-155, miR-27a/b, miR-342-5p, miR-21, miR-124, and miR-223) by virtue of their multiple roles in regulating the progression of atherosclerosis involved with systemic and local inflammatory activities in cerebral arteries. Clinical perspectives of other miRNAs (miR-146a, miR-181b, miR-126, miR-143, and let-7b) in ICAS are also mentioned. In relevance to the inflammatory mechanisms of ICAS, the in-depth knowledge of miRNAs engaged in the progression of intracranial atherosclerotic plaques may provide an approach to a more precise exploration of diagnostic and therapeutic targets for ICAS.