Tissue regeneration therapy with MSCs or cell populations containing MSCs requires a strategy to attenuate the high potential of MSCs to develop intimal hyperplasia on diseased vessels.

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Angiogenesis consists of the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of endothelial cells, although angiogenic factor and integrin-extracellular matrix interaction modulate this process. We report here that a snake venom-derived disintegrin, rhodostomin, inhibited distinct steps in angiogenesis elicited by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and also suppressed in vivo murine melanoma tumor growth. Rhodostomin dose-dependently inhibited bFGF-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation as examined by cell number count, metabolic activity, and BrdU incorporation assays with submicromolar IC 50 values. However, it apparently did not affect the viability of murine B16F10 melanoma cells, even up to 50 M. Rhodostomin also inhibited HUVEC migration and invasion evoked by bFGF, and tube formation of bFGF-treated HUVECs in Matrigel. Moreover, rhodostomin selectively inhibited bFGF-, but not vascular endothelial growth factor-associated angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic membrane model. Furthermore, rhodostomin blocked both bFGF-and B16F10-induced neovascularization in murine Matrigel plug model and suppressed the growth of subcutaneously inoculated B16F10 solid tumor, leading to a prolonged survival of the rhodostomin-treated C57BL/6 mice. The antiangiogenic effect of rhodostomin on bFGF-treated HUVECs is related to the integrin ␣ v ␤ 3 blockade, as evidenced by its selective inhibition on the binding of 7E3, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) raised against ␣ v ␤ 3, but not that of P1F6, an ␣ v ␤ 5 mAb toward both naive and bFGF-primed HUVECs. Moreover, 7E3 specifically blocked fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated rhodostomin binding to HUVEC, whereas P1F6 and anti-integrin ␣ 2 , ␣ 3 , ␣ 4 , or ␣ 5 mAbs did not.

CDGSH iron-sulfur domain-containing protein 2 (Cisd2) is pivotal to mitochondrial integrity and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. In the heart of Cisd2 knockout mice, Cisd2 deficiency causes intercalated disc defects and leads to degeneration of the mitochondria and sarcomeres, thereby impairing its electromechanical functioning. Furthermore, Cisd2 deficiency disrupts Ca2+ homeostasis via dysregulation of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (Serca2a) activity, resulting in an increased level of basal cytosolic Ca2+ and mitochondrial Ca2+ overload in cardiomyocytes. Most strikingly, in Cisd2 transgenic mice, a persistently high level of Cisd2 is sufficient to delay cardiac aging and attenuate age-related structural defects and functional decline. In addition, it results in a younger cardiac transcriptome pattern during old age. Our findings indicate that Cisd2 plays an essential role in cardiac aging and in the heart’s electromechanical functioning. They highlight Cisd2 as a novel drug target when developing therapies to delay cardiac aging and ameliorate age-related cardiac dysfunction.

BackgroundAn incentive spirometer (IS) is a mechanical device that promotes lung expansion. It is commonly used to prevent postoperative lung atelectasis and decrease pulmonary complications after cardiac, lung, or abdominal surgery. This study explored its effect on lung function and pulmonary complication rates in patients with rib fractures.MethodsBetween June 2014 and May 2017, 50 adult patients with traumatic rib fractures were prospectively investigated. Patients who were unconscious, had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, or an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16 were excluded. Patients were randomly divided into a study group (n = 24), who underwent IS therapy, and a control group (n = 26). All patients received the same analgesic protocol. Chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed on the 5th and 7th days after trauma.ResultsThe groups were considered demographically homogeneous. The mean age was 55.2 years and 68% were male. Mean pretreatment ISSs and mean number of ribs fractured were not significantly different (8.23 vs. 8.08 and 4 vs. 4, respectively). Of 50 patients, 28 (56%) developed pulmonary complications, which were more prevalent in the control group (80.7% vs. 29.2%; p = 0.001). Altogether, 25 patients had delayed hemothorax, which was more prevalent in the control group (69.2% vs. 29.2%; p = 0.005). Two patients in the control group developed atelectasis, one patient developed pneumothorax, and five patients required thoracostomy. PFT results showed decreased forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) in the control group. Comparing pre- and posttreatment FVC and FEV1, the study group had significantly greater improvements (p < 0.001).ConclusionsIn conclusion, the use of an IS reduced pulmonary complications and improved PFT results in patients with rib fractures. The IS is a cost-effective device for patients with rib fractures and its use has clinical benefits without harmful effects.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04006587. Registered on 3 July 2019.

Cardioplegic-induced H/R injury results in cardiomyocytic apoptosis. AMPK has been shown to reduce ER stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR). Whether AMPK activation can attenuate cardiomyocytic apoptosis after cardioplegia-induced H/R injury is unknown. Cardiomyocytes were exposed to simulated ischemia by incubation in a hypoxic chamber with intermittent cold cardioplegia solution infusion at 20-minute intervals and subsequently reoxygenated in a normoxic environment. Various doses of AMPK activators (AICAR or metformin) were given 2 days before H/R injury. The cardiomyocytes were harvested after reoxygenation for subsequent examination. With both AMPK activators, the antiapoptotic genes of ER stress and UPR, the subsequent production of proapoptotic proteins was attenuated, and the antiapoptotic proteins were elevated. The activity of the apoptotic effectors of ER stress was also reduced with AMPK activation. Moreover, TUNEL staining showed that AMPK activation significantly reduced the percentage of apoptotic cardiomyocytes after cardioplegia-induced H/R injury. Our results revealed that AMPK activation during cardioplegia-induced H/R injury attenuates cardiomyocytic apoptosis, via enhancement of antiapoptotic and reduction of proapoptotic responses, resulting from lessening ER stress and the UPR. AMPK activation may serve as a future pharmacological target to reduce H/R injury in the clinical setting.

In this study, experiments were designed to determine if peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) alpha agonists could decrease myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury after cardioplegia-induced cardiac arrest under cardiopulmonary bypass, attenuate the appearance of cardiomyocytic apoptosis, and decrease the damage of reactive oxygen species. Cardiomyocytic apoptosis occurs after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Reactive oxygen species and peroxynitrite generated during ischemia/reperfusion initiate the formation of single-strand DNA breaks. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) activators had an important role in alleviating myocardial apoptosis. Four groups of New Zealand white rabbits (10 in each group, each 2.5-3.5 kg) underwent cardiopulmonary bypass. Thirty minutes before surgery, one group received WY14643 (a PPAR-alpha agonist, 1 mg kg(-1)) and another received 15D-PGJ2 (a PPAR-gamma agonist; 0.3 mg kg(-1)). The ascending aorta was cross-clamped for 60 min, whereas intermittent cold crystalloid cardioplegic solution was infused into the aortic root every 20 min. The myocardium of the reperfused hearts and control hearts were harvested and studied in vitro for evidence of apoptosis using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling method and Western blot analyses of cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor. The reactive oxidative insults were checked using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect plasma cytokine levels. The occurrence of cardiomyocytic apoptosis and elevation of plasma cytokines were significantly lower in the group receiving PPAR-alpha agonists than in the other groups. Western blot analysis of apoptosis-inducing factor and cytochrome c revealed similar patterns. PPAR-alpha activation could diminish postischemic cardiomyocytic apoptosis and reactive oxygen species injuries after global cardiac arrest under cardiopulmonary bypass, possibly via prevention of both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptotic pathways.

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