Fluorescence, birefringence and confocal microscopy of the abdominal aorta from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice

In this study, nonenzymatic glycosylation was assessed in aorta extracellular matrix (ECM) from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice, using nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT). Molecular and structural changes were investigated in elastic lamellae and collagen fibers of diabetic mice aortas after staining with dansyl chloride and anilinonaphthalene sulfonate (ANS). Alterations in arterial autofluorescence and birefringence of collagen fibers were investigated in unstained aortas. Proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) was also investigated by Feulgen reaction staining assessed by confocal microscopy and image analysis. Assessment of nonenzymatic glycosylation demonstrated glycosylation products in the aorta ECM of NOD mice. Elastic lamellae and collagen fibers from NOD mouse aortas presented less intense fluorescence after staining with dansyl chloride and ANS when compared to aortas of control nondiabetic mice. However, unstained NOD aortas showed more intense autofluorescence when compared to controls. Birefringence analysis suggests alterations in the higher molecular packing of the arterial collagen fibers in NOD aortas. In aortas stained by Feulgen reaction, no evidence of SMC proliferation was observed in diabetic aortas.     

Ultrafine particulate matter exposure impairs vasorelaxant response in superoxide dismutase 2-deficient murine aortic rings

Studies have linked exposure to ultrafine particulate matter (PM) and adverse cardiovascular events. PM-induced oxidative stress is believed to be a key mechanism underlying observed adverse vascular effects. Advanced age is one factor known to decrease antioxidant defenses and confer susceptibility to the detrimental vascular effects seen following PM exposure. The present study was designed to investigate the vasomotor responses following ultrafine PM exposure in wild type (WT) and superoxide dismutase 2-deficient (SOD2^+/–) mice that possess decreased antioxidant defense. Thoracic aortic rings isolated from young and aged WT and SOD2^+/– mice were exposed to ultrafine PM in a tissue bath system. Aortic rings were then constricted with increasing concentrations of phenylephrine, followed by relaxation with rising amounts of nitroglycerin (NTG). Data demonstrated that ultrafine PM decreased the relaxation response in both young WT and young SOD2^+/– mouse aortas, and relaxation was significantly reduced in young SOD2^+/– compared to WT mice. Ultrafine PM significantly diminished the NTG-induced relaxation response in aged compared to young mouse aortas. After ultrafine PM exposure, the relaxation response did not differ markedly between aged WT and aged SOD2^+/– mice. Data demonstrated that the greater vascular effect in aortic rings in aged mice ex vivo after ultrafine PM exposure may be attributed to ultrafine PM-induced oxidative stress and loss of antioxidant defenses in aged vascular tissue. Consistent with this conclusion is the attenuation of NTG-induced relaxation response in young SOD2^+/– mice.

Abbreviations: H₂O₂: hydrogen peroxide; NTG: nitroglycerin; PAH: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; PE: l-phenylephrine; PM: particulate matter; ROS: reactive oxygen species; SOD2: superoxide dismutase 2 deficient; WT: wild type     

开放手术治疗近肾腹主动脉闭塞的临床分析

背景与目的 近肾腹主动脉闭塞属于主髂动脉闭塞的极端情况,治疗相对棘手。尽管腔内治疗适用于此类患者,开放手术治疗仍有其适应证所在。本研究分析近肾腹主动脉闭塞患者行开放手术治疗的效果,并总结经验及其治疗策略。方法 收集首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院血管外科2018年7月—2022年5月期间行开放手术治疗的10例近肾腹主动脉闭塞患者的临床资料。回顾性分析患者的一般资料、手术方式、手术时间、术中出血量、腹主动脉阻断方式、肾上腹主动脉阻断时间、手术并发症、症状缓解程度及随访结果。结果 10例患者手术均顺利完成。手术时间210~420 min,中位手术时间为265 min;术中出血200~1 200 mL,中位出血量375 mL。3例行膈下腹主动脉-双股动脉人工血管搭桥术,其中1例同时行右膝上截肢术;1例行膈下腹主动脉-双髂总动脉人工血管搭桥术,同时重建肠系膜下动脉;5例行肾下腹主动脉-双股动脉人工血管搭桥术;1例行腋动脉-双股动脉人工血管搭桥术并左颈动脉内膜剥脱术。膈下腹主动脉阻断4例,肾上肾下序贯腹主动脉阻断1例,肾下腹主动脉阻断4例。肾上腹主动脉阻断时间14~20 min,中位阻断时间20 min。围手术期无心脑血管意外、死亡、肾功能障碍及人工血管感染发生。10例患者术后双下肢间歇性跛行或静息痛症状均消失,双侧足背或胫后动脉搏动均可扪及。10例患者获随访4~40个月,中位随访时间27个月,随访期间桥血管均通畅、吻合口无狭窄、无下肢及肠道缺血表现。结论 近肾腹主动脉闭塞患者行开放手术治疗效果确切,桥血管远期通畅率高,需根据患者不同情况采取个体化的治疗方式。     

Talos远端打孔型胸主动脉覆膜支架治疗Stanford B型主动脉夹层首例报告（附视频）

背景与目的 主动脉腔内修复术（TEVAR）已成为B型主动脉夹层的一线治疗方式,如何能够最大程度覆盖主动脉夹层破口,促进主动脉重塑,而又不增加截瘫风险成为临床关注的难点。本文主要介绍新型Talos远端打孔型胸主动脉覆膜支架（以下简称“Talos支架”）在中南大学湘雅医院成功完成上市后国内首例支架置入术情况并进行相关分析。方法 报道Talos支架上市后国内首例置入病例的临床资料,并分析Talos支架的优缺点及进行相关文献回顾。结果 72岁男性Stanford B型主动脉夹层患者,因主动脉夹层累及范围广泛,需使用支架长度较长,经本人及家属同意后采用新上市的Talos支架行TEVAR。术中支架轻松到达病变部位,同时定位精准。患者完成支架置入后主动脉破口隔绝完全,假腔完全血栓化,而远端打孔段肋间动脉完整保留,同时无主动脉相关不良事件的发生。结论 Talos支架性能优良,长段的支架主体能够最大程度完成主动脉夹层的破口修复,促进主动脉重塑;同时远端的打孔设计能够在修复夹层破口的同时,保留肋间动脉,预防脊髓缺血所致截瘫。     

The effects of Vigna unguiculata on cardiac oxidative stress and aorta estrogen receptor-β expression of ovariectomized rats

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Vigna unguiculata (V. Unguiculata, VU) able to reduced oxidative stress in cardiac and modulate the aorta estrogen receptor-β of ovariectomized rats.MethodsThirty female Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups (n=6); control (sham) group; ovariectomy group (OVX); OVX + VU₁ (0.5 mg/kg); OVX + VU₂ (2.5 mg/kg); and OVX + VU₃ (5 mg/kg). The administration VU was started 28 days after surgery following 30 days later. Cardiac malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels were measured colorimetrically. Estrogen receptor-β in the aorta was analyzed immunohistochemically.ResultsLevel of MDA was significantly higher in the OVX group compared to the control group (P< 0.05), but the level of SOD was significantly lower. The level of MDA was significantly lower in OVX + VU compared with OVX group (P<0.05), to reach the level at a control group in OVX + VU₂. Administration of VU significantly increases the level of SOD compared with OVX group (P<0.05), to reach the level at a control group in third dose of VU (P>0.05). The level of estrogen receptor-β was significantly decreased in the OVX group compared to the control group (P<0.05). OVX + VU₃ could significantly increase the level of estrogen receptor-β compared to OVX group (P<0.05), to reach a level in the control group (P>0.05).ConclusionsV. unguiculata is an alternative therapy in decreasing cardiac oxidative stress in ovariectomized rats. Besides, high dose of V. unguiculata also able to increase aorta estrogen receptor-β expression in ovariectomized rats.     

When the Blood Pressure Misleads You: A Diagnostic Conundrum in an Unusual Case of Coarctation

A 4-month-old previously healthy baby was found to be in congestive heart failure with LV dysfunction and a right aortic arch with severe coarctation, undetectable by blood pressure measurements. A cardiac CT and central blood pressure led to the diagnosis of a unique anatomic variant of aortic coarctation. Once diagnosed the patient underwent surgery with an uncomplicated recovery.     

Endovascular stent-graft placement in aortic dissection: a meta-analysis.

AIMS: This article summarizes all available published data with respect to clinical success, complications, and outcomes of endovascular stent-graft placement among patients with descending aortic dissection (AD). METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a meta-analysis of all published series on retrograde endovascular stent-graft placement encompassing >or=3 patients with AD. Thirty-nine studies, involving a total of 609 patients, were included. Procedural success was reported in 98.2+/-0.5% of patients. Major complications were reported in 11.1+/-1.4%, with the most dreaded neurologic complications in 2.9+/-0.7% patients. Periprocedural stroke was encountered more frequently than paraplegia (1.9+/-0.6% vs. 0.8+/-0.4%). Overall complications were significantly higher in patients undergoing stent-graft placement for acute AD than in patients with chronic AD (21.7+/-2.8% vs. 9.1+/-2.3%, P=0.005). The overall 30-day mortality was 5.3+/-0.9%, and was three-fold higher in patients with acute AD when compared with chronic AD (9.8+/-2.2% vs. 3.2+/-1.4%, P=0.015). In addition, 2.8+/-0.7% of patients died over a mean follow-up period of 19.5+/-7.1 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis yielded overall survival rates of 90.6+/-1.6% at 6 months, 89.9+/-1.7% at 1 year, and 88.8+/-1.9% at 2 years, respectively. CONCLUSION: Endovascular stent-graft placement in type B-AD is technically feasible with success rates of >95% in selected cohort. Although minimally invasive, major complications occurred in 14-18% of patients depending upon the acuity of presentation, with very low incidence of paraplegia. Both, acute and mid-term mortality of this novel treatment strategy appear to favourably compare with surgical treatment but further studies are necessary to compare stent-graft placement with medical treatment in uncomplicated AD.     

番茄红素对兔动脉粥样硬化形成和氧化损伤的影响

目的观察番茄红素对兔实验性动脉粥样硬化形成和氧化损伤的影响。方法采用高胆固醇喂饲模型;将21只新西兰家兔随机分为3组:对照组、高脂组和番茄红素组,分别给予普通饲料和高胆固醇饮食喂养,番茄红素组另加用番茄红素;于实验开始前1天和开始后第4、8、10周末取空腹血,测定血清超氧化物歧化酶活性、丙二醛含量。第10周末,测定血清一氧化氮合酶活性及一氧化氮含量。实验结束后,观察主动脉血管病理变化。结果与高脂组相比,番茄红素组主动脉脂质斑块面积减少;血超氧化物歧化酶活性明显增加;血清丙二醛含量减少,一氧化氮含量增加。结论研究结果提示,番茄红素具有较好的抗动脉粥样硬化作用,抗氧化损伤及保护血管内皮功能可能是番茄红素产生抗动脉粥样硬化作用的重要机制之一。     

Advanced atherosclerosis is associated with increased medial degeneration in sporadic ascending aortic aneurysms

Objective

The pathogenesis of non-familial, sporadic ascending aortic aneurysms (SAAA) is poorly understood, and the relationship between ascending aortic atherosclerosis and medial degeneration is unclear. We evaluated the prevalence and severity of aortic atherosclerosis and its association with medial degeneration in SAAA.

Methods and results

Atherosclerosis was characterized in ascending aortic tissues collected from 68 SAAA patients (mean age, 62.9 ± 12.0 years) and 15 controls (mean age, 56.6 ± 11.4 years [P = 0.07]) by using a modified American Heart Association classification system. Upon histologic examination, 97% of SAAA patients and 73% of controls showed atherosclerotic changes. Most SAAA samples had intermediate (types 2 and 3, 35%) or advanced atherosclerosis (types ≥ 4; 40%), whereas most control samples showed minimal atherosclerosis (none or type 1, 80%; P < 0.001 after adjusting for age). In a separate analysis, we examined the total incidence and grade distribution of medial degenerative changes among SAAA samples according to atherosclerosis grade. Advanced atherosclerosis was associated with higher grades of smooth muscle cell depletion (P < 0.001), elastic fiber depletion (P = 0.02), elastic fiber fragmentation (P < 0.001), and mucopolysaccharide accumulation (P = 0.04). Aortic diameter was larger in SAAA patients with advanced atherosclerosis than in patients with minimal (P = 0.04) or intermediate atherosclerosis (P = 0.04). Immunostaining showed marked CD3+ T-cell and CD68+ macrophage infiltration, MMP-2 and MMP-9 production, and cryopyrin expression in the medial layer adjacent to atherosclerotic plaque.

Conclusions

SAAA tissues exhibited advanced atherosclerosis that was associated with severe medial degeneration and increased aortic diameter. Our findings suggest a role for atherosclerosis in the progression of sporadic ascending aortic aneurysms.