Chronic cardiopathy (CC)

No abstract

BackgroundChamydophila pneumoniae (CP) and/or Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) are two bacteria detected in vulnerable atheromas. In this study we aimed to analyze whether CP and/or MP aggravates atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-enriched diet in C57BL/6 apoE KO male mice. Thirty male apoE KO mice aged eight weeks fed by a diet containing 1% cholesterol until 32 weeks of age were divided into four groups: the first was inoculated with CP (n = 7), the second with MP (n = 12), the third with both CP + MP (n = 5), and the fourth with saline (sham n = 6). The animals were re-inoculated at 36 weeks of age, and sacrificed at 40 weeks of age. Two ascending aorta and one aortic arch segments were sampled. In the most severely obstructed segment, vessel diameter, plaque height, percentage of luminal obstruction and the degree of adventitial inflammation were analyzed. The plaque area/intimal surface ratio was obtained by measuring all three segments. The adventitial inflammation was semiquantified (0 absent, 1 mild, 2 moderate, and 3 diffuse).ResultsThe mean and standard deviation of plaque height, % luminal obstruction, external diameter, the plaque area/intimal surface ratio and the adventitial inflammation values are the following for each group: MP (0.20 +/- 0.12 mm, 69 +/- 26%, 0.38 +/- 0.11 mm, 0.04 +/- 0.04 and 0.22 +/- 0.67), CP (0.23 +/- 0.08 mm, 90 +/- 26%, 0.37 +/- 0.08 mm, 0.04 +/- 0.03, and 0.44 +/- 0.53), MP + CP (18 +/- 0.08 mm, 84 +/- 4.0%, 0.35 +/- 0.25 mm, 0.03 +/- 0.03 and 1.33 +/- 0.82) and sham (0.08 +/- 0.09 mm, 42 +/- 46%, 0.30 +/- 0.10 mm, 0.02 +/- 0.03 and 0.71 ± 0.76). A wider area of plaque/intimal surface was observed in MP + CP inoculated groups (p = 0.07 and 0.06) as well as an increased plaque height in CP (p = 0.01) in comparison with sham group. There was also an increased luminal obstruction (p = 0.047) in CP inoculated group in comparison to sham group. Adventitial inflammation in MP + CP inoculated group was higher than MP, CP and the sham groups (p = 0.02).ConclusionInoculation of CP, MP or both agents in C57BL/6 apoE KO male mice caused aggravation of experimental atherosclerosis induced by cholesterol-enriched diet, with distinct characteristics. CP inoculation increased the plaque height with positive vessel remodeling and co-inoculation of MP + CP caused the highest adventitial inflammation measures.

Previous studies showed the presence of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae) and membrane-shed microparticles (MPs) in vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. H&S Science and Biotechnology developed PTCTS, composed by natural particles from medicinal plants (PTC) combined with trans-Sialidase (TS), to combat MPs and Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Our aim was to determine the effects of the different components of PTCTS in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis. Rabbits were fed with high cholesterol diet for 12 weeks and treated during the last 6 weeks with either vehicle, PTC, TS, or PTCTS. Lipid profile and quantification of MPs positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and oxidized LDL antigens were carried out. Aortas and organs were then histologically analyzed. PTCTS reduced circulating MPs positive for Mycoplasma pneumoniae and oxidized LDL antigens, reduced the plaque area in the abdominal aorta, and caused positive remodeling of the ascendant aorta. PTC caused positive remodeling and reduced plaque area in the abdominal aorta; however, TS had a lipid lowering effect. PTCTS components combined were more effective against atherosclerosis than individual components. Our data reinforce the infectious theory of atherosclerosis and underscore the potential role of circulating MPs. Therefore, the removal of Mycoplasma-derived MPs could be a new therapeutic approach in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is frequently associated with diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and oxidized low density lipoproteins (oxLDL). Many studies have reported association of infection with such disorders, but with controversial results. In our view, these findings have relationship with technical differences. We showed previously, presence of infectious agents inside of ruptured plaque, using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. More recently, we detected Electron Lucent microparticles (ELMP) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) lipoproteins in vulnerable plaques (VP).However, we have interest to know if ELMPs contain Mp lipoprotein antigens and if they are related to oxLDL and plaque vulnerability. Methods:We studied three groups of coronary arteries: VP (vulnerable plaque; n=13), stable plaques (SP; n=7), and normal arteries (NA; n=7). All cases were studied by immuno electron microscopy, and the mean numbers of ELMPs, oxLDL and Mp antigens, inside and outside ELMP, were obtained. Double colloidal immunogold particles (anti-oxLDL and anti-Mp) allowed the simultaneous localization of both antigens.Results: There was a significant higher amount of ELMPs in VP, with positive dots for both oxLDL and Mp antigens inside them, compared to other two groups (p<0.01). Mp and oxLDL antigens were co-localized in lipidic nanoparticles intra ELMPs, showing positive correlation (r=0.60; P=0.04). High amount of oxLDL and Mp antigens extra ELMPs were seen in VP, but not in stable plaques. Conclusion:Plaque vulnerability in atherosclerosis may be related to presence of ELMPs, containing M. pneumoniae lipoproteins and oxLDL. We hypothesized that M. pneumoniae lipoproteins oxidation could be a mechanism for this association. However, further data are necessary to prove this hypothesis.

Background: Archaeal genes present in Trypanosoma cruzi may represent symbionts that would explain development of heart failure in 30% of Chagas disease patients. Extracellular vesicles in peripheral blood, called exosomes (< 0.1 μm) or microvesicles (>0.1 μm), present in larger numbers in heart failure, were analyzed to determine whether they are derived from archaea in heart failure Chagas disease.Methods: Exosomes and microvesicles in serum supernatant from 3 groups were analyzed: heart failure Chagas disease (N = 26), asymptomatic indeterminate form (N = 21) and healthy non-chagasic control (N = 16). Samples were quantified with transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometer immunolabeled with anti-archaemetzincin-1 antibody (AMZ 1, archaea collagenase) and probe anti-archaeal DNA and zymography to determine AMZ1 (Archaeal metalloproteinase) activity.Results: Indeterminate form patients had higher median numbers of exosomes/case vs. heart failure patients (58.5 vs. 25.5, P < 0.001), higher exosome content of AMZ1 antigens (2.0 vs. 0.0; P < 0.001), and lower archaeal DNA content (0.2 vs. 1.5, P = 0.02). A positive correlation between exosomes and AMZ1 content was seen in indeterminate form (r = 0.5, P < 0.001), but not in heart failure patients (r = 0.002, P = 0.98). Higher free archaeal DNA (63.0 vs. 11.1, P < 0.001) in correlation with exosome numbers (r = 0.66, P = 0.01) was seen in heart failure but not in indeterminate form (r = 0.29, P = 0.10). Flow cytometer showed higher numbers of AMZ1 microvesicles in indeterminate form (64 vs. 36, P = 0.02) and higher archaeal DNA microvesicles in heart failure (8.1 vs. 0.9, P < 0.001). Zymography showed strong% collagenase activity in HF group, mild activity in IF compared to non-chagasic healthy group (121 ± 14, 106 ± 13 and 100; P < 0.001).Conclusions: Numerous exosomes, possibly removing and degrading abnormal AMZ1 collagenase, are associated with indeterminate form. Archaeal microvesicles and their exosomes, possibly associated with release of archaeal AMZ1 in heart failure, are future candidates of heart failure biomarkers if confirmed in larger series, and the therapeutic focus in the treatment of Chagas disease.

Background: Previous studies showed that atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability was related with microparticles (MPs)-vesicles larger than 100 nm, which released MMP9 collagenase. In our previous study, intramuscular injection of a new drug (PTCTS) normalized oxidized LDL serum levels and reduced rabbit atherosclerosis. Now, we studied administration of oral PTCTS in order to clarify anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of action, analyzing if the treatment removed MPs containing ox-LDL and Mycoplasma pneumoniae antigens and improved the immune response. Methods: We compared two groups of rabbits. Control group (CG, n = 6)-1% cholesterol enriched diet for 12 weeks; Treated group (TG, n = 8)-1% cholesterol enriched diet for 12 weeks with administration of PTCTS (400 μl/day) during the last 6 weeks of diet. The animals had their blood collected, in three different phases of the protocol before being fed with hypercholesterolemic diet, before being treated with water or PTCTS and at the moment of sacrifice. The serum was submitted to immunofluorescence technique to evaluate the quantity of microparticles marked with antibodies against Mycoplasma pneumoniae and ox-LDL. A fragment of aorta was submitted to immunohistochemical detection of antigens from MMP9, ox-LDL, NF-κB and IL-1β. Results: PTCTS showed sig-S. M. Garavelo et al. 108 nificant reduction in MMP-9 (P = 0.001) and a tendency of reducing IL-1β (P = 0.09) in the aortic plaques compared with CG. In the serum, PTCTS was able to remove microparticles containing antigen of ox-LDL (P = 0.004) and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Oral treatment with PTCTS presented more adequate inflammatory response by reducing levels of ox-LDL, IL-1β and mycoplasma, as well as a better stabilization of the atheromatous plaque by reducing levels of MMP-9, avoiding plaque rupture, without causing mortality or toxicity.

Microbial communities are considered decisive for maintaining a healthy situation or for determining diseases. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important complication of atherosclerosis caused by the rupture of atheroma plaques containing proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL), damaged proteins, lipids, and DNA, a microenvironment compatible with a pathogenic microbial community. Previously, we found that archaeal DNA-positive infectious microvesicles (iMVs) were detected in vulnerable plaques and in the sera of Chagas disease patients with heart failure. Now, we characterize and quantify the levels of serum microbiome extracellular vesicles through their size and content using morphomolecular techniques to differentiate clinical outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD). We detected increased numbers of large iMVs (0.8–1.34 nm) with highly negative surface charge that were positive for archaeal DNA, Mycoplasma pneumoniae antigens and MMP9 in the sera of severe AMI patients, strongly favoring our hypothesis that pathogenic archaea may play a role in the worst outcomes of atherosclerosis. The highest numbers of EVs &lt;100 nm (exosomes) and MVs from 100 to 200 nm in the stable atherosclerotic and control healthy groups compared with the AMI groups were indicative that these EVs are protective, entrapping and degrading infectious antigens and active MMP9 and protect against the development of plaque rupture.Conclusion: A microbiome with pathogenic archaea is associated with high numbers of serum iMVs in AMI with the worst prognosis. This pioneering work demonstrates that the morphomolecular characterization and quantification of iEVs in serum may constitute a promising serum prognostic biomarker in CAD.