Dietary nitrate, nitric oxide, and restenosis

Endothelium-derived NO controls the contractility and growth state of the underlying vascular smooth muscle cells and regulates the interaction of the vessel wall with circulating blood elements. Acute injury of the vessel wall denudes the endothelial lining, removing homeostatic regulation and precipitating a wave of events leading to myointimal hyperplasia. In this issue of the JCI, Alef and colleagues provide evidence that in the injured vessel wall, the disruption of the NOS pathway is countered by induction of xanthine oxidoreductase, an enzyme capable of producing NO from nitrite. In addition, they link low dietary nitrite levels to increased severity of myointimal hyperplasia following vessel injury in mice.     

高频彩超在深度电烧伤诊断与治疗中的应用

高频超声可以清楚地显示皮下组织结构及血管血流情况。电烧伤后,皮下组织的形态结构及血管结构、走行、血流动力学等均有不同程度的改变。高频超声可以准确观察烧伤创面的深度、皮下组织的损伤程度、血管形态结构、血管内膜、血栓形成情况、血流速度、阻力指数等,对深度电烧伤的正确诊断及临床治疗具有重要的指导价值,并且可以将治疗前后的观察结果进行对比,以准确评价治疗效果。     

Thromboembolic disorders in cancer

Complex factors, including substances in cancer cells, cancer treatment effects, and venous stasis associated with chronic illness, blood vessel wall injury, and immobility, interact to place patients with cancer at risk for thrombosis. This article describes the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, and treatments for venous and pulmonary emboli associated with cancer. It explores the nurse's role in assessing patients who are at risk, managing symptomatic thrombosis and primary and secondary prevention of emboli, and administering anticoagulant therapy. As growing numbers of patients are treated in outpatient settings, oncology nurses play a critical role in the coordination of care for patients at risk for thrombosis. A nursing care plan summarizes key nursing strategies for assessment and intervention.     

Protease-activated receptors in hemostasis, thrombosis and vascular biology

The coagulation cascade and protease-activated receptors (PARs) together provide an elegant mechanism that links mechanical information in the form of tissue injury to cellular responses. These receptors appear to largely account for the cellular effects of thrombin and can mediate signaling to other trypsin-like proteases. An important role for PARs in hemostasis and thrombosis is established in animal models, and studies in knockout mice and nonhuman primates raise the question of whether PAR inhibition might offer an appealing new approach to the prevention and treatment of thrombosis. PARs may also trigger inflammatory responses to tissue injury. For example, PAR activation on endothelial cells and perhaps sensory afferents can trigger local accumulation of leukocytes and platelets and transudation of plasma. However, panoply of signaling systems and cell types orchestrates inflammatory responses, and efforts to define the relative importance and roles of PARs in various inflammatory processes are just beginning. Lastly, roles for PARs in blood vessel formation and other processes during embryonic development are emerging, and whether these reflect new roles for the coagulation cascade and/or PAR signaling to other proteases remains to be explored.     

Spatiotemporal regulation of coagulation and platelet activation during the hemostatic response in vivo

The hemostatic response requires the tightly regulated interaction of the coagulation system, platelets, other blood cells and components of the vessel wall at a site of vascular injury. The dysregulation of this response may result in excessive bleeding if the response is impaired, and pathologic thrombosis with vessel occlusion and tissue ischemia if the response is overly robust. Extensive studies over the past decade have sought to unravel the regulatory mechanisms that coordinate the multiple biochemical and cellular responses in time and space to ensure that an optimal response to vascular damage is achieved. These studies have relied in part on advances in in vivo imaging techniques in animal models, allowing for the direct visualization of various molecular and cellular events in real time during the hemostatic response. This review summarizes knowledge gained with these in vivo imaging and other approaches that provides new insights into the spatiotemporal regulation of coagulation and platelet activation at a site of vascular injury.     

Vitronectin stabilizes thrombi and vessel occlusion but plays a dual role in platelet aggregation.

The role of vitronectin (Vn) in thrombosis is currently controversial; both inhibitory and supportive roles have been reported. To monitor directly the function of Vn in thrombotic events at the site of vascular injury, we studied Vn-deficient (Vn-/-) and wild-type (WT) control mice with two real-time intravital microscopy thrombosis models. In the mesenteric arteriole model, vessel injury was induced by ferric chloride. We observed unstable thrombi and a significantly greater number of emboli in Vn-/- mice. Vessel occlusion was also delayed and frequent vessel re-opening occurred. In the cremaster muscle arteriole model, vessel injury was induced by a nitrogen dye laser. We observed significantly fewer platelets, lower fibrin content, and unstable fibrin within the thrombi of Vn-/- mice. To define further the role of Vn in thrombus growth, we studied platelet aggregation in vitro. Consistent with our in vivo data, the second wave of thrombin-induced aggregation of gel-filtered platelets was abolished at a low concentration of thrombin in Vn-/- platelets. Interestingly, adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation was significantly increased in Vn-/- platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and this effect was attenuated by adding purified plasma Vn. We also observed increased platelet aggregation induced by shear stress in Vn-/- whole blood. These data demonstrate that Vn is a thrombus stabilizer. However, in contrast to released platelet granule Vn which enhances platelet aggregation, plasma Vn inhibits platelet aggregation.     

The effect of surgery and severe injury on blood vessels

This paper evolves from our previous work that developed a blood vessel model based on the way in which the total tension within the blood vessel wall varies with pressure due to the interaction of specific ions. We use the previous outcomes to examine the diameter of rat middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) as a function of pressure. The MCAs were isolated at 2 h, 1 and 5 days following sham injury and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). First, we are able to quantify the diameter versus pressure curve in a way that yields three parameters. One of these parameters is the diameter at zero pressure that incorporates properties of the blood vessel walls and the vascular smooth muscle cells. The other two parameters are associated with the myogenic response and the myogenic tone. These parameters enable us to characterize, from the MCAs as a function of pressure in a calcium buffer, each blood vessel into one of three distinct distributions. One of these distributions reflects the optimum conditions. From our data with our blood vessel model, we demonstrate the effect of sham injury on the way in which blood vessels respond to pressure change that appears to recover over time with a half-life of about 40 h. In contrast, severe TBI greatly affects the blood vessel with no indication of recovery over the five-day monitoring period.     

Protein complexes involving alpha v beta 3 integrins, nonmuscle myosin heavy chain-A, and focal adhesion kinase from in thrombospondin-treated smooth muscle cells.

alpha v beta 3 integrins have been implicated in regulating vascular healing in animal models of arterial injury. Because the specific cellular events mediated by alpha v beta 3 integrins are not completely understood, we examined alpha v beta 3 integrin-dependent cytoplasmic events in cultured human smooth muscle cells (SMC) following treatment with thrombospondin-1 (TSP), a glycoprotein concentrated at sites of blood vessel injury. TSP treatment elicited a time-dependent association of nonmuscle myosin heavy chain-A (NMHC-A) with alpha v beta 3 integrins. NMHC-A also associated with focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in TSP-treated SMC. FAK, a nonreceptor kinase implicated in integrin-mediated signaling, was phosphorylated on tyrosine in growth-arrested SMC, but levels of tyrosine phosphorylation increased following treatment with TSP. To test whether NMHC-A was regulated by vascular injury, we examined expression in baboon brachial arteries. In uninjured arteries, NMHC-A staining was present in the media. In arteries injured by balloon withdrawal, medial NMHC-A expression was increased with intense staining at specific sites. In summary, heteromeric protein complexes involving alpha v beta 3 integrins, NMHC-A, and FAK form following treatment of human SMC with TSP. These results suggest that the formation of protein signaling complexes is one mechanism whereby alpha v beta 3 integrins influence intracellular signaling pathways.     

Platelets secrete stromal cell-derived factor 1alpha and recruit bone marrow-derived progenitor cells to arterial thrombi in vivo

The accumulation of smooth muscle and endothelial cells is essential for remodeling and repair of injured blood vessel walls. Bone marrow-derived progenitor cells have been implicated in vascular repair and remodeling; however, the mechanisms underlying their recruitment to the site of injury remain elusive. Here, using real-time in vivo fluorescence microscopy, we show that platelets provide the critical signal that recruits CD34+ bone marrow cells and c-Kit+ Sca-1+ Lin- bone marrow-derived progenitor cells to sites of vascular injury. Correspondingly, specific inhibition of platelet adhesion virtually abrogated the accumulation of both CD34+ and c-Kit+ Sca-1+ Lin- bone marrow-derived progenitor cells at sites of endothelial disruption. Binding of bone marrow cells to platelets involves both P-selectin and GPIIb integrin on platelets. Unexpectedly, we found that activated platelets secrete the chemokine SDF-1alpha, thereby supporting further primary adhesion and migration of progenitor cells. These findings establish the platelet as a major player in the initiation of vascular remodeling, a process of fundamental importance for vascular repair and pathological remodeling after vascular injury.     

Negative regulators of platelet activation and adhesion

Summary

Platelets are small anucleated cells that constantly patrol the cardiovascular system to preserve its integrity and prevent excessive blood loss where the vessel lining is breached. Their key challenge is to form a hemostatic plug under conditions of high shear forces. To do so, platelets have evolved a molecular machinery that enables them to sense trace amounts of signals at the site of damage and to rapidly shift from a non‐adhesive to a pro‐adhesive state. However, this highly efficient molecular machinery can also lead to unintended platelet activation and cause clinical complications such as thrombocytopenia and thrombosis. Thus, several checkpoints are in place to tightly control platelet activation and adhesiveness in space and time. In this review, we will discuss select negative regulators of platelet activation, which are critical to maintain patrolling platelets in a quiescent, non‐adhesive state and/or to limit platelet adhesion to sites of injury.

     

四肢血管损伤的彩色多普勒超声诊断及误诊漏诊原因分析

目的研究彩色多普勒超声在四肢血管损伤诊断中的应用价值及误诊漏诊原因。方法选取76例高度怀疑四肢血管损伤的患者,彩色多普勒超声重点观察四肢血管走行、管壁连续性、血流方向及连续性、管腔通畅程度。脉冲多普勒(PW)测量四肢血管血流流速(Vmax)、收缩期峰值流速(Vmax)、频谱形态、阻力指数(RI),并与数字减影血管造影(DSA)或手术探查结果对比。结果 76例患者中有60例动脉损伤,包括15例部分动脉胁迫征,13例完全动脉胁迫征,4例动脉管壁部分断裂,9例管壁完全断裂,11例动脉内膜挫伤并血栓形成,5例管壁部分破裂合并假性动脉瘤和3例管壁部分破裂合并动静脉瘘。5例合并静脉损伤全部漏诊。血流中断型动脉损伤中,远端动脉出现侧支循环供血,其特点为双向、低速、低阻、呈小慢波或低阻型动脉样频谱。彩色多普勒超声诊断血管损伤的结果与DSA或手术探查结果对比,准确性为72.3%。结论彩色多普勒超声对于四肢血管损伤诊断具有较高的准确性,可作为四肢血管损伤的首选影像学检查手段。     

Bile salt-dependent lipase interacts with platelet CXCR4 and modulates thrombus formation in mice and humans

Bile salt-dependent lipase (BSDL) is an enzyme involved in the duodenal hydrolysis and absorption of cholesteryl esters. Although some BSDL is transported to blood, the role of circulating BSDL is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that BSDL is stored in platelets and released upon platelet activation. Because BSDL contains a region that is structurally homologous to the V3 loop of HIV-1, which binds to CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), we hypothesized that BSDL might bind to CXCR4 present on platelets. In human platelets in vitro, both BSDL and a peptide corresponding to its V3-like loop induced calcium mobilization and enhanced thrombin-mediated platelet aggregation, spreading, and activated alpha(IIb)beta(3) levels. These effects were abolished by CXCR4 inhibition. BSDL also increased the production of prostacyclin by human endothelial cells. In a mouse thrombosis model, BSDL accumulated at sites of vessel wall injury. When CXCR4 was antagonized, the accumulation of BSDL was inhibited and thrombus size was reduced. In BSDL(-/-) mice, calcium mobilization in platelets and thrombus formation were attenuated and tail bleeding times were increased in comparison with those of wild-type mice. We conclude that BSDL plays a role in optimal platelet activation and thrombus formation by interacting with CXCR4 on platelets.     

Complement and its implications in cardiac ischemia/reperfusion: strategies to inhibit complement

Although reperfusion of the ischemic myocardium is an absolute necessity to salvage tissue from eventual death, it is also associated with pathologic changes that represent either an acceleration of processes initiated during ischemia or new pathophysiological changes that were initiated after reperfusion. This so-called "reperfusion injury" is accompanied by a marked inflammatory reaction, which contributes to tissue injury. In addition to the well known role of oxygen free radicals and white blood cells, activation of the complement system probably represents one of the major contributors of the inflammatory reaction upon reperfusion. The complement may be activated through three different pathways: the classical, the alternative, and the lectin pathway. During reperfusion, complement may be activated by exposure to intracellular components such as mitochondrial membranes or intermediate filaments. Two elements of the activated complement contribute directly or indirectly to damages: anaphylatoxins (C3a and C5a) and the membrane attack complex (MAC). C5a, the most potent chemotactic anaphylatoxin, may attract neutrophils to the site of inflammation, leading to superoxide production, while MAC is deposited over endothelial cells and smooth vessel cells, leading to cell injury. Experimental evidence suggests that tissue salvage may be achieved by inhibition of the complement pathway. As the complement is composed of a cascade of proteins, it provides numerous sites for pharmacological interventions during acute myocardial infarction. Although various strategies aimed at modulating the complement system have been tested, the ideal approach probably consists of maintaining the activity of C3 (a central protein of the complement cascade) and inhibiting the later events implicated in ischemia/reperfusion and also in targeting inhibition in a tissue-specific manner.     

Adipose‐derived stem cells induce vascular tube formation of outgrowth endothelial cells in a fibrin matrix

Vascularization of engineered tissues is one of the current challenges in tissue engineering. Several strategies aim to generate a prevascularized scaffold which can be implanted at sites of injury or trauma. Endothelial cells derived from peripheral blood (outgrowth endothelial cells, OECs) display promising features for vascular tissue engineering, including their autologous nature, capacity for proliferation and ability to form mature vessels. In this study we investigated the ability of OECs to form vascular structures in co‐culture with adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs) in a fibrin matrix. Using microcarrier beads coated with OECs, we showed ingrowth of endothelial cells in the fibrin scaffold. Furthermore, co‐cultures with ASCs induced vessel formation, as evidenced by immunostaining for CD31. The degradation of fibrin is at least in part mediated by expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐14. Moreover, we showed OEC/ASC‐induced vessel‐like structure formation even in the absence of microcarrier beads, where increasing amounts of ASCs resulted in a denser tubular network. Our data add new insights into co‐culture‐induced vessel formation of outgrowth endothelial cells within a fibrin matrix in an autologous system. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三七消肿合剂活血抗炎作用的临床研究

目的观察三七消肿合剂的活血化淤、抗炎作用。方法观察三七消肿合剂对家兔全血黏度、血浆黏度、血小板聚集、血栓形成的影响以及对大鼠足肿胀、小鼠毛细血管通透性的影响。结果三七消肿合剂明显降低血淤家兔血黏度、抑制血小板聚集和体外血栓形成,抑制大鼠足肿胀和小鼠毛细血管通透性。结论三七消肿合剂具有活血化淤和抗炎作用。     

Reversal of shortened platelet survival in rats by the antifibrinolytic agent, epsilon aminocaproic acid.

Platelet survival in rabbits and rats is shortened by placing indwelling catheters in the aorta; this shortening appears to be at least partly related to the extent of vessel wall injury and platelet interaction with the repeatedly damaged wall. Treatment of rabbit platelets with plasmin and other proteolytic enzymes in vitro shortens their survival when they are returned to the circulation. Because platelets may be exposed to plasmin and other proteolytic enzymes in rabbits and rats with indwelling aortic catheters, we examined the effect of epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) on platelet survival in rats. At a dose of 1 g/kg every 4 h, EACA significantly reduced whole blood fibrinolytic activity and prolonged the shortened platelet survival in rats with indwelling aortic catheters. Mean platelet survival for untreated rats with indwelling aortic catheters was 38.6 +/- 1.9 h, and for rats treated with EACA, 53.8 +/- 3.8 h. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the injured vessel wall of these animals was mainly covered with platelets and fibrin, whereas in control animals that did not receive EACA, the injured surface was mainly covered with platelets and little fibrin was observed. Thus shortened platelet survival during continuous vessel wall injury may result from the local generation of plasmin or the release of proteolytic enzymes at sites where platelets (and possibly leukocytes) interact with the vessel wall.     

Newly emerging concepts in blood vessel growth: recent discovery of endothelial progenitor cells and their function in tissue regeneration.

It has recently been established that bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are recruited to the systemic circulation and, in response to various cytokines, pharmacologic agents, and/or tissue ischemia, incorporate into sites of new blood vessel growth (neovascularization). These findings have changed our understanding of adult neovascularization by demonstrating that both preexisting endothelial cells and EPCs contribute to blood vessel formation during adult life. The following review article highlights the discovery of EPCs, their relationship to various clinical diseases, and their therapeutic potential for augmenting blood vessel formation.     

Pharmacological interruption of acute thrombus formation with minimal hemorrhagic complications by a small molecule tissue factor/factor VIIa inhibitor: comparison to factor Xa and thrombin inhibition in a nonhuman primate thrombosis model

This study was designed to evaluate the antithrombotic efficacy and bleeding propensity of a selective, small-molecule inhibitor of tissue factor/factor VIIa (TF/VIIa) in comparison to small-molecule, selective inhibitors of factor Xa and thrombin in a nonhuman primate model of thrombosis. Acute, spontaneous thrombus formation was induced by electrolytic injury to the intimal surface of a femoral blood vessel, which results in thrombus propagation at the injured site. The TF/FVIIa inhibitor 3-amino-5-[1-[2-([4-[amino(imino)methyl]benzyl]amino)-2-oxoethyl]-3-chloro-5-(isopropylamino)-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyrazin-2-yl]benzoic acid dihydrochloride (PHA-927F) was fully effective in prevention of thrombosis-induced vessel occlusion at a dose of 400 microg/kg/min, i.v., in the arterial vasculature (femoral artery). Neither the effective dose nor multiples up to 4.4-fold the effective arterial plasma concentration elicited any significant effect on bleeding time or blood loss from either the bleeding time site or the surgical (femoral isolation) site. Small-molecule inhibitors of factor Xa or thrombin were effective arterial antithrombotic agents; however, in contrast to the TF/FVIIa inhibitor, they both elicited substantial increases in bleeding propensity at the effective dose and at multiples of the effective plasma concentration. These data indicate that TF/VIIa inhibition effectively prevented arterial thrombosis with less impact on bleeding parameters than equivalent doses of factor Xa and thrombin inhibitors.     

血栓前状态的评估指标与临床进展

Prethrombotic status(PS) is a pathological process of imbalance of hemostasis and blood coagulation system caused by multiple factors easily causes hematological changes of thrombosis .A large amount of experiments and clinical researched have shown that thrombosis occurs under the comprehensive effect of changes of endothelia of blood vessel, platelets, blood coagulation and fibrolytic system.There have been many changes in these factors before thrombosis occurs.The later advance of experimental and clinical research of prethrombotic status was presented in this paper.     

脱细胞支架复合兔骨髓间充质干细胞构建组织工程血管

背景:目前临床使用的小口径(<6 mm)人工血管因生物相容性差、远期通畅率低,效果并不理想.因此,学术界一直致力于寻找具有正常血管生物学功能的血管代用品,组织工程血管的构建与功能研究已成为目前热门研究课题.目的:将兔骨髓间充质干细胞与脱细-胞血管支架动态复合培养体外构建组织工程血管,通过体内移植实验,探讨该组织工程血管的组织相容性及通畅率.设计、时间及地点:随机对照实验,细胞学、组织病理学观察,于2006-01/2008-06在南京大学医学院附属鼓楼医院实验室完成.材料:通过去污剂-酶消化法制备兔腹主动脉脱细胞支架;采用密度梯度离心法结合贴壁分离培养法,分离扩增兔骨髓间充质干细胞,将扩增后的干细胞静态种植于脱细胞支架后置于生物反应器中动态培养构建组织工程血管.方法:60只兔随机均分为3组,剪取一段腹主动脉长约1.0 cm,再将移植血管以8/0聚丙烯线间断外翻吻合到腹主动脉上.组织工程血管组:受体为对应抽取骨髓干细胞的实验兔,以组织工程血管为移植血管;脱细胞血管支架组:以脱细胞处理的同种异体腹主动脉为移植血管;同种异体血管组:以同种异体新鲜腹主动脉作为移植血管.主要观察指标:对培养的骨髓间充质干细胞进行免疫组化鉴定;血管移植后3个月行数字减影血管造影、病理切片、扫描电镜等观察移植效果.结果:兔骨髓间充质干细胞在体外培养8 d后形成漩涡状排列,免疫组化结果符合间充质干细胞表型特征:将间充质干细胞与脱细胞支架置于生物反应器培养12 d后,种子细胞在血管腔内黏附生长;血管移植3个月后,组织工程血管组、脱细胞血管支架组通畅率分别为90%,80%,均优于同种异体血管组(25%).移植3个月后苏木精一伊红染色及扫描电镜结果显示,组织工程血管组形成清晰的内、中、外膜3层结构,形态接近正常动脉,内皮细胞覆盖完整;脱细胞血管支架组血管内表面内皮细胞覆盖不完整,伴有附擘血栓形成,内膜轻度增生,伴炎性细胞浸润:同种异体血管组内膜极度增厚、坏死,管腔明显狭窄,伴不同程度的血栓机化.结论:将兔骨髓间充质干细胞复合脱细胞血管支架上,可获得一种具有良好生物相容性和通畅率的生物人工血管.