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Background Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) ranges from asymptomatic disease to respiratory failure and requires invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). Data about the sequelae after infection are scarce. The study aims to describe the prevalence of symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), and radiological changes after four months of follow‐up. Methods A prospective, cross‐sectional, multicentre study was performed. Patients with different illness severities were consecutively included (mild; moderate: hospitalized without IMV; severe: hospitalized with IMV). Clinical variables, health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), PFT (spirometry, diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO)), and (CT) scans of the chest were obtained. The association between the risk of sequelae (DLCO <80%) and altered CT was analysed using logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables. Results 60 patients (18 mild, 17 moderate, and 25 severe) were included. Fatigue was found in 11% of the mild, 47% of the moderate and 36% of the severe group. Altered DLCO (mild: 5.5%, moderate: 41%, severe: 28%, p < .05) and change in HRQoL (mild: 50%, moderate: 94%, severe: 60%), while the severe group showed a higher prevalence of altered CT (88% vs. 64%). Awake prone position (APP) and high‐flow nasal cannula (HFNC) was independently associated with altered DLCO, Odds ratio (OR) 7.28 (CI, 1.10‐47.81; p < .05), and altered CT, OR 9.50 (CI, 1.26‐71.5; p < .05). Besides, prolonged time in IMV was associated with altered CT, OR 1.24 (CI, 1.05‐1.46; p < .05). Discussion It is common to find sequelae in symptoms, radiology, and PFT. In our series, the use of APP+HFNC and days on IMV were associated with an increased risk of sequelae.

High circulating levels of maternal endothelial dysfunction markers present in pre-eclampsia are associated with decreased NO synthesis in fetal endothelium.

Altered expression and function of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) has been associated with several diseases such as endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis and obesity. In these pathologies, oxLDL/LOX-1 activates signaling pathways that promote cell proliferation, cell motility and angiogenesis. Recent studies have indicated that olr1 mRNA is over-expressed in stage III and IV of human prostatic adenocarcinomas. However, the function of LOX-1 in prostate cancer angiogenesis remains to be determined. Our aim was to analyze the contribution of oxLDL and LOX-1 to tumor angiogenesis using C4-2 prostate cancer cells. We analyzed the expression of pro-angiogenic molecules and angiogenesis on prostate cancer tumor xenografts, using prostate cancer cell models with overexpression or knockdown of LOX-1 receptor. Our results demonstrate that the activation of LOX-1 using oxLDL increases cell proliferation, and the expression of the pro-angiogenic molecules VEGF, MMP-2, and MMP-9 in a dose-dependent manner. Noticeably, these effects were prevented in the C4-2 prostate cancer model when LOX-1 expression was knocked down. The angiogenic effect of LOX-1 activated with oxLDL was further demonstrated using the aortic ring assay and the xenograft model of tumor growth on chorioallantoic membrane of chicken embryos. Consequently, we propose that LOX-1 activation by oxLDL is an important event that enhances tumor angiogenesis in human prostate cancer cells.

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BackgroundMesenchymal stem cells have a high capacity for trans-differentiation toward many adult cell types, including endothelial cells. Feto-placental tissue, such as Wharton's jelly is a potential source of mesenchymal stem cells with low immunogenic capacity; make them an excellent source of progenitor cells with a potential use for tissue repair. We evaluated whether administration of endothelial cells derived from mesenchymal stem cells isolated from Wharton's jelly (hWMSCs) can accelerate tissue repair in vivo.MethodsMesenchymal stem cells were isolated from human Wharton's jelly by digestion with collagenase type I. Endothelial trans-differentiation was induced for 14 (hWMSC-End14d) and 30 (hWMSC-End30d) days. Cell phenotyping was performed using mesenchymal (CD90, CD73, CD105) and endothelial (Tie-2, KDR, eNOS, ICAM-1) markers. Endothelial trans-differentiation was demonstrated by the expression of endothelial markers and their ability to synthesize nitric oxide (NO).ResultshWMSCs can be differentiated into adipocytes, osteocytes, chondrocytes and endothelial cells. Moreover, these cells show high expression of CD73, CD90 and CD105 but low expression of endothelial markers prior to differentiation. hWMSCs-End express high levels of endothelial markers at 14 and 30 days of culture, and also they can synthesize NO. Injection of hWMSC-End30d in a mouse model of skin injury significantly accelerated wound healing compared with animals injected with undifferentiated hWMSC or injected with vehicle alone. These effects were also observed in animals that received conditioned media from hWMSC-End30d cultures.ConclusionThese results demonstrate that mesenchymal stem cells isolated from Wharton's jelly can be cultured in vitro and trans-differentiated into endothelial cells. Differentiated hWMSC-End may promote neovascularization and tissue repair in vivo through the secretion of soluble pro-angiogenic factors.