The abnormal origin of the left circumflex artery from the proximal right coronary artery (RCA) is considered a coronary artery anomaly. Most of the coronary artery anomalies are diagnosed incidentally by coronary artery angiography, and several considerations are needed to avoid fatal complications in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). We report a case of AVR with anomalous origin of the left circumflex artery from a common ostium of the RCA, and discuss the use of a smaller prosthesis to avoid compression of the anomalous left circumflex artery.
Decellularized biological scaffolds have been used for the tissue engineering of heart valves with good results in the pulmonary circulation. However, little information is available on the recellularization of plain decellularized biological scaffolds in the systemic circulation. The aim of this study was to determine whether plain decellularized xenografts (PDXs) can recellularize with specific cell characterization in the systemic circulation. The xenogenic aortic valved conduit grafts of rabbits were implanted in the abdominal aorta of dogs after decellularization. The grafts were explanted at 4, 12, or 24 weeks after implantation for histological, immunohistochemical examination, scanning electron microscope, and Western blot analysis. Although the valvular structures were completely lost after implantation, supravalvular conduits showed normal shapes and endothelialization. The PDXs were repopulated with basic vascular cell components in approximate natural proportions without immunological responses. The PDXs had been recellularized with specific cell characterization in the systemic circulation.
Objective
: Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal disease that is caused by the rapid destruction of the aortic wall. Although recent studies in animal models indicate an important relationship between inflammation and tissue destruction, activation status of inflammatory signaling and its relation to the inflammatory cell infiltration are poorly characterized in human AD.
Materials and Methods
: We examined the activation of inflammatory signaling molecules NFκB and STAT3, and neutrophil infiltration in AD tissue samples that were obtained during the surgical repair within 24 h after AD onset.
Results
: Activation of NFκB was observed mainly in the intima both in AD samples and in aortic samples without AD. Activation of STAT3 was observed in AD samples, but not in the aortic sample without AD. Neutrophil infiltration was observed predominantly in the adventitial layer of AD samples. Histological analysis revealed that STAT3 was activated in cells other than neutrophils. Notably, STAT3 activation and neutrophil infiltration showed positive correlation in adventitial layer of AD tissue.
Conclusion
: These findings demonstrated that adventitial STAT3 activation was associated with neutrophil infiltration, suggesting their importance in AD pathogenesis.
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