Search

Atherosclerotic ischemic coronary artery disease (CAD) is a significant community health challenge and the principal cause of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries for all ethnic groups. The progressive chronic coronary atherosclerosis is the main underlying cause of CAD. Although enormous progress occurred in the last three decades in the management of cardiovascular diseases, the prevalence of CAD continues to increase worldwide, indicating the need for discovery of deeper molecular insights of CAD mechanisms, biomarkers, and innovative therapeutic targets. Recently, several research groups established that microRNAs essentially regulate various cardiovascular development and functions, and a deregulated cardiac enriched microRNA profile plays a vital role in the pathogenesis of CAD and its biological aging. Numerous studies established that over- or downregulation of a single miRNA gene by ago-miRNA or anti-miRNA is enough to modify the CAD disease process, significantly prevent age-dependent cardiac cell death, and markedly improve cardiac function. In the light of more recent experimental and clinical evidences, we briefly reviewed and discussed the involvement of miRNAs in CAD and their possible diagnostic/therapeutic values. Moreover, we also focused on the role of miRNAs in the initiation and progression of the atherosclerosis plaque as the strongest risk factor for CAD.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. Although much progress has been made for cardiovascular diseases in diagnosis, treatment and prognosis during the past two decades, the clinical need for a novel diagnostic biomarker and new therapeutic interventions to decrease the cardiovascular disease incidence is ongoing. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small (∼22 nucleotides), single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and are detectable in whole blood, serum, plasma, urine and other body fluids in a highly stable form. Accumulating evidence suggests that miRNAs are potential novel biomarkers with high sensitivity for early diagnosis and modern treatment for cardiovascular diseases. Altered circulating miRNAs expressions have been reported in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stable coronary artery disease, heart failure, atherosclerosis, essential hypertension and stroke. In the present review, we examine more recent data regarding circulating miRNAs and their potential roles in diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases. In addition, we briefly present our own recent experience in detecting circulating miRNAs, and the significance of these miRNAs in AMI prognosis.

Heart failure is a major public health problem especially in the aging population (≥65 years old), affecting nearly 5 million Americans and 15 million European people. Effective management of heart failure (HF) depends on a correct and rapid diagnosis. Presently, BNP (brain natriuretic peptide) or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) assay is generally accepted by the international community for diagnostic evaluation and risk stratification of patients with HF. However, regardless of its widespread clinical use, BNP is still encumbered by reduced specificity. As a result, diagnosis of heart failure remains challenging. Although significant improvement happened in the clinical management of HF over the last 2 decades, traditional treatments are ultimately ineffective in many patients who progress to advanced HF. Therefore, a novel diagnostic, prognostic biomarker and new therapeutic approach are required for clinical management of HF patients. Circulating miRNAs seem to be the right choice for novel noninvasive biomarkers as well as new treatment strategies for HF. In this review, we briefly discuss the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic role of circulating miRNAs in heart failure patients. We also mentioned our own technique of extraction of RNA and detection of circulating miRNAs from human plasma and oxidative stress associated miRNAs with HF.

OBJECTIVE: Circulating microRNAs have been recognized as promising biomarkers for various diseases. The present study aimed to explore the potential roles of circulating miR-149, miR-424 and miR-765 as non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease in middle-aged (40–60-year-old) patients. METHODS: Sixty-five stable coronary artery disease patients (49–57 years old), 30 unstable coronary artery disease patients (49–58 years old), and 32 non-coronary artery disease patients (49–-57 years old) who were matched for age, sex, smoking habits, hypertension and diabetes were enrolled in this study. Total RNA was isolated from plasma with TRIzol reagent. Circulating miRNA levels were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Circulating miR-149 levels were decreased 4.49-fold in stable coronary artery disease patients (1.18 ± 0.84) and 5.09-fold in unstable coronary artery disease patients (1.04 ± 0.65) compared with non-coronary artery disease patients (5.30 ± 2.57) (p

The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic value of cardiomyocyte-enriched circulating miR-208b, miR-499, miR-378 and miR-424 in acute coronary syndrome patient. This study a single-center, prospective diagnostic study of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patient. Fifty unstable angina

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major public health problem for developed and developing countries and is the single leading cause of death worldwide. Objectives: There is very few evidence regarding changes of both serum Lectin-like oxidized-low density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) and adiponectin in patients with CAD accompanied with metabolic syndrome (MS). Here we aimed to evaluate serum levels of LOX-1 and adiponectin in patients with CAD accompanied with MS. Patients and Methods: Thirty patients with coronary artery disease without metabolic syndrome, 30 patients with coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome, 30 ones with metabolic syndrome and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled. For all subjects, a questionnaire was filled to collect data, and peripheral blood samples were collected aseptically from the antecubital vein to measure serum Lectin-like oxidized-low density lipoprotein receptor-1 and adiponectin levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Serum LOX-1 level was highest in CAD + MS group; the difference between control and disease groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Adiponectin level had the lowest value in CAD + MS group; the difference between control and disease groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in serum Lectin-like oxidized-low density lipoprotein receptor-1and adiponectin in patients with different ages and gender. Serum LOX-1 level was changed negatively and linearly (R2 = 0.721) correlated with adiponectin level in different groups. Conclusions: Patient with CAD and MS had higher risk than those with only CAD because of lipid and glucose metabolism abnormalities. Combination measurements of serum LOX-1 and adiponectin levels may be helpful to evaluate the severity of CAD together with MS.

The primary purpose of this paper is to assess the efficacy of the use of the intrauterine device (IUD) as an adjunctive treatment modality, for intrauterine adhesions (IUAs). All eligible literatures were identified by electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Additional relevant articles were identified from citations in these publications. There were 28 studies included for a systematic review. Of these, 5 studies were eligible for meta-analysis and 23 for qualitative assessment only. Twenty-eight studies related to the use of IUDs as ancillary treatment following adhesiolysis were identified. Of these studies, 25 studies at least one of the following methods were carried out as ancillary treatment: Foley catheter, hyaluronic acid gel, hormonal therapy, or amnion graft in addition to the IUD. There was one study that used IUD therapy as a single ancillary treatment. In 2 studies, no adjunctive therapy was used after adhesiolysis. There was a wide range of reported menstrual and fertility outcomes which were associated with the use of IUD combined with other ancillary treatments. At present, the IUD is beneficial in patients with IUA, regardless of stage of adhesions. However, IUD needs to be combined with other ancillary treatments to obtain maximal outcomes, in particular in patients with moderate to severe IUA.

To examine the plasma adiponectin concentration in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients combined with abnormal glucose metabolism, and to explore the clinical significance of adiponectin.Eighty-seven hospitalized CHD patients confirmed by coronary angiography from August 2009 to April 2010 at Xiangya Hospital were enrolled and divided into 3 groups according to their glucose metabolic state: 31 patients were selected as a simple CHD group, 28 were selected as a CHD combined with impaired glucose tolerance group (CHD+IGT group), and the other 28 as a CHD combined with diabetes mellitus group (CHD+DM group). The 31 healthy subjects who got health checkup at the same time were enrolled as a normal control group (NC group). Plasma adiponectin was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The height, weight,waistline and blood pressure of all the subjects were checked, and the fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, lipids, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), free fatty acids (FFA), the liver function and the renal function were checked as well. The body mass index and the homeostasis model were assessed for insulin resistance.1) Plasma adiponectin in the CHD group, the CHD+IGT group, and the CHD+DM group was all lower than that in the NC group (P0.05); 2) Compared with the CHD group, the plasma adiponectin in the CHD+DM group was the lowest, followed by the CHD+IGT group, and there was significant difference in the 3 groups (P0.05); 3) Plasma adiponectin level was positively related with the high density lipoprotein cholesterol-C (HDL-C) (r=0.483, P0.01), while it was negatively related with the hs-CRP and Gensini score (r=-0.489, P0.05;r=-0.252, P0.05).Plasma adiponectin concentration is reduced in the CHD patients, and significantly reduced in CHD patients combined with abnormal glucose metabolism. Plasma adiponectin concentration decreases significantly with the severity of abnormal glucose metabolism. CHD and the abnormal glucose metabolism are important influence factors for plasma adiponectin. That plasma adiponectin level significantly decreases may be the superimposed results of CHD and abnormal glucose metabolism. Plasma adiponectin combined with HDL-C, hs-CRP and Gensini score may provide the reference in the judgement of the severity of CHD patients with abnormal glucose metabolism.

We aimed to explore the diagnostic value of circulating miRNAs (miR-149, miR-208b, miR-378, miR-424, miR-499 and miR-765) in AMI patients, and protective role of miR-208b or miR-378 or metoprolol during H/R injury in H9c2 cell with their underlying mechanisms. 205 AMI patients and 85 healthy