Purpose Ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury is the principal mechanism during Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD). The key modulator of I/R injury is dysregulation of mitochondria function. Germinated Brown Rice (GBR) has been recommended as a bio-functional food and has clarified the potential properties in several effects. However, the effect of GBR mediated cardioprotective properties, focusing on mitochondrial function’s role, remains unexplored. Thus, this study aims to investigate the cardioprotective effects of GBR pretreatment against simulated I/R injury. Methods H9c2 cardiomyocytes were incubated with GBR at a five ƞg/mL concentration for 24 hours and simulated I/R (sI/R) for 40 minutes. Cell viability and cell apoptosis were assessed by 7-AAD staining and Annexin V/PI staining, respectively. The mitochondrial membrane potential was determined by JC-1 staining and mitochondrial respiration represented by oxygen consumption rate (OCR) using Seahorse Flux analyzer. Results The results revealed that the administration of GBR before sI/R significantly decreased the percentage of cell death and total cell apoptosis in H9c2 during stimulation of ischemic/reperfusion. Besides, pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with GBR remarkably stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential and improved impaired mitochondrial respiration in simulated-H9c2 injury. Conclusion The present research is the first study to report the effective cardioprotection of GBR. Pretreatment of GBR potentially protects H9c2 cardiomyocytes against sI/R injury through mitochondrial function. The underlying therapeutic activities are possibly associated with its bio-functional compounds. However, the underlying mechanism on the cardioprotective effects of GBR needs further studies.

The potential cardio-protective property of germinated brown rice (GBR) has been revealed by ameliorating risk factors related to cardiovascular diseases. This study hypothesized that the combination of GBR and cardioplegic solution could protect the cardiomyocytes exposed to simulated ischemic reperfusion injury in vitro study and preserve cardiac function during cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in animal models. Methods: Primary porcine cardiomyocytes were isolated and experimented cell viability against simulated ischemic reperfusion injury. In a cardiac surgical animal model, six pigs were randomly assigned to receive the two types of cardioplegic solution: i) St. Thomas cardioplegic solution (20 cc/kg); and ii) St. Thomas cardioplegic solution plus GBR (1 mg/ kg). During open-heart surgery, the aorta was cross-clamped for 20 minutes, followed by reperfusion for 1 hour. Cardiopulmonary bypass parameters were recorded until the end of the procedure. Furthermore, hemodynamic parameters and arterial blood gas characteristics of animals among groups were monitored at different time points, including baseline before cardiopulmonary bypass (T1), during cardiopulmonary bypass (T2), during aortic clamp on (T3), and aortic clamp off (T4). Results: Primarily, GBR cotreatment with cardioplegic solution essentially resulted in the improvement of cell viability in primary porcine cardiomyocytes against simulated ischemic reperfusion induction. The findings from cardiac surgery demonstrated that mean arterial pressure and heart rate are constantly stable in cardioplegic solution combined with the GBR group, while the trend of potassium and lactase concentration was decreased in the animals receiving GBR group. Consistently, all parameters from arterial blood gas showed better outcomes in animals receiving GBR; however, there were no statistically significant differences between groups, except hepatic enzymes. Conclusion: Therefore, GBR might exert cardio-protective effects against ischemic reperfusion injury in the porcine cardiac surgery model due to anti-inflammatory response. These protective actions of GBR may explain the benefits gained from applying GBR products as a possible therapeutic supplement on cardiac diseases.

BackgroundMyosin-binding protein C3 A31P (MYBPC3-A31P) missense mutation is a genetic deviation associated with the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Maine Coon cats. The standard detection of the MYBPC3-A31P mutation is complicated, time-consuming, and expensive. Currently, there has been a focus on the speed and reliability of diagnostic tools. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (LAMP) coupled with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) test to detect MYBPC3-A31P mutations in Maine Coon cats.Materials and MethodsFifty-five Maine Coon cats were enrolled in this study, and blood samples were collected. MYBPC3-A31P was genotyped by DNA sequencing. Primers for LAMP with a LFD test were designed. The optimal conditions were determined, including temperature and time to completion for the reaction. The sensitivity of A31P-LAMP detection was compared between agarose gel electrophoresis (the standard method) and the LFD test. The A31P-LAMP-LFD test was randomly performed on seven cats (four with the A31P mutation and three wild-type cats).ResultsThe A31P-LAMP procedure was able to distinguish between cats with MYBPC3-A31P wild-type cats and MYBPC3-A31P mutant cats. The LAMP reactions were able to be completed in 60 min at a single temperature of 64◦C. Moreover, this study demonstrated that A31P-LAMP coupled with the LFD test allowed for A31P genotype detection at a lower DNA concentration than agarose gel electrophoresis.DiscussionsThis new A31P-LAMP with a LFD test is a successful and reliable assay with a rapid method, cost-effectiveness, and low requirements for sophisticated equipment for the detection of MYBPC3-A31P mutations. Thus, this assay has excellent potential and can be recognized as a novel screening test for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associated with MYBPC3-A31P mutations in felines.

This study aimed to identify the potential peptide candidates and expected proteins associated with MYBPC3-A74T gene mutations in Bengal cats and determine if peptidome profiles differ between healthy controls and cats with MYBPC3-A74T gene mutations. All animals were evaluated using echocardiography. DNA was isolated and followed by the screening test of MYBPC3 gene mutation. The MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was conducted for analyzing the targeted peptide and protein patterns. The expected protein candidates were searched for within the NCBI database. Our results demonstrated that the MYBPC3-A74T gene mutation was dominant in Bengal cats but not in domestic shorthair cats. Correlations between baseline characteristics and echocardiographic parameters were discovered in Bengal cats. Mass spectrometry profiles of the candidate proteins were suspected to accompany the cat with the MYBPC3-A74T gene mutation, involving integral protein–membrane, organization of nucleus, DNA replication, and ATP-binding protein. Therefore, MYBPC3-A74T gene mutations occur frequently in Bengal cat populations. The high incidence of homozygotes for the mutation supports the causal nature of the MYBPC3-A74T mutation. In addition, peptidomics analysis was established for the first time under this condition to promise a complementary technique for the future clinical diagnosis of the MYBPC3-A74T mutation associated with physiological variables and cardiac morphology in cats.

Background Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is the major mechanism during Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD). The key modulator of I/R injury is dysregulation of mitochondria function. Germinated Brown Rice (GBR) has recommended as a bio-functional food and has clarified the potential properties in several effects. However, the effect of GBR mediated cardioprotective properties, focusing on the role of mitochondrial function, remains unexplored. Thus, this study aims to investigate the cardioprotective effects of GBR pretreatment against simulated I/R injury. Results H9c2 cardiomyocytes were incubated with GBR at a concentration of 5 ƞg/ml for 24 hours and/or simulated I/R (sI/R) for 40 minutes. Cell viability and cell apoptosis were assessed by 7-AAD staining and AnnexinV/PI staining, respectively. For evaluation of mitochondrial functions, not only mitochondrial membrane potential was determined by JC-1 staining but also mitochondrial respiration was represented by oxygen consumption rate (OCR) using Seahorse Flux analyzer. The results revealed that administration of GBR prior to sI/R significantly decreased the percentage of cell death and total cell apoptosis in H9c2 during stimulation of ischemic/reperfusion. In addition, pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with GBR remarkably stabilized mitochondrial membrane potential and improved impaired mitochondrial respiration in simulated-H9c2 injury. Conclusion the present research is the first study to report the effective cardioprotection of GBR. Pretreatment of GBR potentially protects H9c2 cardiomyocytes against sI/R injury through mitochondrial function. The underlying therapeutic activities are possibly associated with its bio-functional compounds. However, the underlying mechanism on cardioprotective effects of GBR needs further studies.

Background: Obesity and overweight are a risk factors and related to the arteriosclerosis mechanism. However, it has not been fully elucidated whether cardio ankle vascular index (CAVI) is closely associated with body mass index (BMI) and pressure parameters. Objectives: This study aimed to compare CAVI and BMI with normal weight and overweight/obesity group, and to investigate the correlation between CAVI, ankle brachial index (ABI), BMI and pressure parameters. Materials and methods: One hundred and twenty-four participants were divided into normal weight group (n=52), aged 47±12 years and overweight/obesity group (n=72), aged 48.50±13 years. Both CAVI and ABI were measured with a VaSera VS-1500N®; blood pressures were measured with an Omron M7®. Results: Average ABI and mean arterial pressure (MAP) of overweight/obesity group was higher than the normal weight group. In the univariable analysis, there was a significant negative correlation between BMI and the average CAVI (r=-0.194; p=0.031), and the association between the average CAVI and ABI were positively significant (r=0.225, p=0.012). Using a multivariate regression analysis, the average CAVI was negatively associated with BMI (β=-0.217, p=0.014), while the association between the average CAVI and ABI was positively correlated (β=0.246, p=0.005). Conclusion: The average CAVI and BMI were negatively correlated, while the average CAVI and average ABI were positively related. Using a multivariate regression analysis, the average CAVI is strongly associated with the average ABI and BMI.