scholarly journals The “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” of Endothelial Dysfunction Markers in Human Fertility

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 2584
Author(s):  
Daniele Santi ◽  
Giorgia Spaggiari ◽  
Carla Greco ◽  
Clara Lazzaretti ◽  
Elia Paradiso ◽  
...  

Endothelial dysfunction is an early event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and represents the first step in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The evaluation of endothelial health is fundamental in clinical practice and several direct and indirect markers have been suggested so far to identify any alterations in endothelial homeostasis. Alongside the known endothelial role on vascular health, several pieces of evidence have demonstrated that proper endothelial functioning plays a key role in human fertility and reproduction. Therefore, this state-of-the-art review updates the endothelial health markers discriminating between those available for clinical practice or for research purposes and their application in human fertility. Moreover, new molecules potentially helpful to clarify the link between endothelial and reproductive health are evaluated herein.

2013 ◽  
Vol 59 (8) ◽  
pp. 1166-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fina Lovren ◽  
Subodh Verma

BACKGROUND Endothelial dysfunction is an early event in the development and progression of a wide range of cardiovascular diseases. Various human studies have identified that measures of endothelial dysfunction may offer prognostic information with respect to vascular events. Microparticles (MPs) are a heterogeneous population of small membrane fragments shed from various cell types. The endothelium is one of the primary targets of circulating MPs, and MPs isolated from blood have been considered biomarkers of vascular injury and inflammation. CONTENT This review summarizes current knowledge of the potential functional role of circulating MPs in promoting endothelial dysfunction. Cells exposed to different stimuli such as shear stress, physiological agonists, proapoptotic stimulation, or damage release MPs, which contribute to endothelial dysfunction and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Numerous studies indicate that MPs may trigger endothelial dysfunction by disrupting production of nitric oxide release from vascular endothelial cells and subsequently modifying vascular tone. Circulating MPs affect both proinflammatory and proatherosclerotic processes in endothelial cells. In addition, MPs can promote coagulation and inflammation or alter angiogenesis and apoptosis in endothelial cells. SUMMARY MPs play an important role in promoting endothelial dysfunction and may prove to be true biomarkers of disease state and progression.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 5005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Bragança ◽  
Paulo Correia-de-Sá

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a primordial versatile autacoid that changes its role from an intracellular energy saver to a signaling molecule once released to the extracellular milieu. Extracellular ATP and its adenosine metabolite are the main activators of the P2 and P1 purinoceptor families, respectively. Mounting evidence suggests that the ionotropic P2X4 receptor (P2X4R) plays pivotal roles in the regulation of the cardiovascular system, yet further therapeutic advances have been hampered by the lack of selective P2X4R agonists. In this review, we provide the state of the art of the P2X4R activity in the cardiovascular system. We also discuss the role of P2X4R activation in kidney and lungs vis a vis their interplay to control cardiovascular functions and dysfunctions, including putative adverse effects emerging from P2X4R activation. Gathering this information may prompt further development of selective P2X4R agonists and its translation to the clinical practice.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 155798831989388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevket Balta ◽  
Dimitri P. Mikhailidis

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) occurs early in the development of atherosclerosis. Predictors of vascular risk including obesity, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension are associated with both vascular endothelial and ED. Endocan is a novel marker of endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. Raised endocan levels (usually measured by ELISA assays) were reported in some cardiovascular diseases and related conditions. Increased endocan levels may represent the endothelial and inflammatory components of the pathogenesis of ED and may, therefore, prove useful in clinical practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuping Chen ◽  
Wenwen Zhao ◽  
Xuenong Zhang ◽  
Chuanhong Wu

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is considered an early event of cardiovascular diseases including hypertension, atherosclerosis and so on. Inflammation participates centrally in all stages of cardiovascular diseases and is considered as a hallmark of endothelial dysfunction. In this study, the effect of adiponectin (APN), an adipocytokine derived mainly from adipocytes, on palmitate acid (PA)-induced inflammation in endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with PA with or without APN pretreatment. The mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and ICAM-1 were measured with RT-PCR. The protein expression of ICAM-1, NOX1, NOX2, NOX4, and phosphorylation of MAPKs (JNK, ERK, and p38MAPK), IKKβ, p65 NF-κB were determined by Western blotting. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) formation were determined with DCFH2-DA and DAF-FM respectively. APN significantly ameliorated PA-induced mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and ICAM-1 and protein expression of ICAM-1, NOX2, and phosphorylation of IKKβ, p65 NF-κB, p38MAPK, without affecting NOX2 and phosphorylation of JNK and ERK. APN also partly reversed PA induced ROS formation and NO decrease. NAC, a ROS scavenger, showed similar activities. The p38MAK inhibitor, SB203580, also reversed PA induced protein expression of ICAM-1 and mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 and ICAM-1. Taken together, these results showed that APN improved PA induced endothelial dysfunction by regulating ROS/p38MAK/NF-κB pathways. Acknowledgement: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81160048) and the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macau Special Administrative Region (No. 021/2012/A1).


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lungwani Muungo

Despite major improvements in diagnostics and interventional therapies, cardiovascular diseases remain a major healthcare and socio-economic burden both in western and developing countries, in which this burden is increasing in closecorrelation to economic growth. Health authorities and the general population have started to recognize that the fightagainst these diseases can only be won if their burden is faced by increasing our investment on interventions in lifestylechanges and prevention. There is an overwhelming evidence of the efficacy of secondary prevention initiatives includingcardiac rehabilitation in terms of reduction in morbidity and mortality. However, secondary prevention is still too poorlyimplemented in clinical practice, often only on selected populations and over a limited period of time. The developmentof systematic and full comprehensive preventive programmes is warranted, integrated in the organization ofnational health systems. Furthermore, systematic monitoring of the process of delivery and outcomes is a necessity.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 755
Author(s):  
Yoana Rabanal-Ruiz ◽  
Emilio Llanos-González ◽  
Francisco J. Alcain

CoQ10 is an endogenous antioxidant produced in all cells that plays an essential role in energy metabolism and antioxidant protection. CoQ10 distribution is not uniform among different organs, and the highest concentration is observed in the heart, though its levels decrease with age. Advanced age is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and endothelial dysfunction triggered by oxidative stress that impairs mitochondrial bioenergetic and reduces NO bioavailability, thus affecting vasodilatation. The rationale of the use of CoQ10 in cardiovascular diseases is that the loss of contractile function due to an energy depletion status in the mitochondria and reduced levels of NO for vasodilatation has been associated with low endogenous CoQ10 levels. Clinical evidence shows that CoQ10 supplementation for prolonged periods is safe, well-tolerated and significantly increases the concentration of CoQ10 in plasma up to 3–5 µg/mL. CoQ10 supplementation reduces oxidative stress and mortality from cardiovascular causes and improves clinical outcome in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery, prevents the accumulation of oxLDL in arteries, decreases vascular stiffness and hypertension, improves endothelial dysfunction by reducing the source of ROS in the vascular system and increases the NO levels for vasodilation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Aerts ◽  
D. Le Goff ◽  
M. Odorico ◽  
J. Y. Le Reste ◽  
P. Van Bogaert ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s leading cause of morbidity and mortality. An active lifestyle is one of the cornerstones in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. An initial step in guiding primary prevention programs is to refer to clinical guidelines. We aimed to systematically review clinical practice guidelines on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and their recommendations regarding physical activity. Methods We systematically searched Trip Medical Database, PubMed and Guidelines International Network from January 2012 up to December 2020 using the following search strings: ‘cardiovascular disease’, ‘prevention’, combined with specific cardiovascular disease risk factors. The identified records were screened for relevance and content. We methodologically assessed the selected guidelines using the AGREE II tool. Recommendations were summarized using a consensus-developed extraction form. Results After screening, 27 clinical practice guidelines were included, all of which were developed in Western countries and showed consistent rigor of development. Guidelines were consistent about the benefit of regular, moderate-intensity, aerobic physical activity. However, recommendations on strategies to achieve and sustain behavior change varied. Multicomponent interventions, comprising education, counseling and self-management support, are recommended to be delivered by various providers in primary health care or community settings. Guidelines advise to embed patient-centered care and behavioral change techniques in prevention programs. Conclusions Current clinical practice guidelines recommend similar PA lifestyle advice and propose various delivery models to be considered in the design of such interventions. Guidelines identify a gap in evidence on the implementation of these recommendations into practice.


Author(s):  
Bartosz Krzowski ◽  
Kamila Skoczylas ◽  
Gabriela Osak ◽  
Natalia Żurawska ◽  
Michał Peller ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Mobile, portable ECG-recorders allow the assessment of heart rhythm in out-of-hospital conditions and may prove useful for monitoring patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, the effectiveness of these portable devices has not been tested in everyday practice. Methods and results A group of 98 consecutive cardiology patients (62 males [63%], mean age 69 ± 12.9 years) were included in an academic care centre. For each patient, a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (SE), as well as a Kardia Mobile 6L (KM) and Istel (IS) HR-2000 ECG were performed. Two groups of experienced physycians analyzed obtained recordings. After analyzing ECG tracings from SE, KM, and IS, quality was marked as good in 82%, 80%, and 72% of patients, respectively (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between devices in terms of detecting sinus rhythm (SE [60%, n = 59], KM [58%, n = 56], and IS [61%, n = 60]; SE vs KM p = 0.53; SE vs IS p = 0.76) and atrial fibrillation (SE [22%, n = 22], KM [22%, n = 21], and IS [18%, n = 18]; (SE vs KM p = 0.65; SE vs IS = 0.1). KM had a sensitivity of 88.1% and a specificity of 89.7% for diagnosing sinus rhythm. IS showed 91.5% and 84.6% sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The sensitivity of KM in detecting atrial fibrillation was higher than IS (86.4% vs. 77.3%), but their specificity was comparable (97.4% vs. 98.7%). Conclusion Novel, portable devices are useful in showing sinus rhythm and detecting atrial fibrillation in clinical practice. However, ECG measurements concerning conduction and repolarisation should be clarified with a standard 12-lead electrocardiogram.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 377
Author(s):  
Yunna Lee ◽  
Eunok Im

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The potential benefits of natural antioxidants derived from supplemental nutrients against CVDs are well known. Remarkably, natural antioxidants exert cardioprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress, increasing vasodilation, and normalizing endothelial dysfunction. Recently, considerable evidence has highlighted an important role played by the synergistic interaction between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in the maintenance of endothelial function. To provide a new perspective on the role of natural antioxidants against CVDs, we focused on microRNAs (miRNAs), which are important posttranscriptional modulators in human diseases. Several miRNAs are regulated via the consumption of natural antioxidants and are related to the regulation of oxidative stress by targeting eNOS and/or SIRT1. In this review, we have discussed the specific molecular regulation of eNOS/SIRT1-related endothelial dysfunction and its contribution to CVD pathologies; furthermore, we selected nine different miRNAs that target the expression of eNOS and SIRT1 in CVDs. Additionally, we have summarized the alteration of miRNA expression and regulation of activities of miRNA through natural antioxidant consumption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingming Ma ◽  
Haixia Ma ◽  
Fenglan Xu ◽  
Xinyu Wang ◽  
Wentao Sun

AbstractDue to extremely severe morbidity and mortality worldwide, it is worth achieving a more in-depth and comprehensive understanding of cardiovascular diseases. Tremendous effort has been made to replicate the cardiovascular system and investigate the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Microfluidics can be used as a versatile primary strategy to achieve a holistic picture of cardiovascular disease. Here, a brief review of the application of microfluidics in comprehensive cardiovascular disease research is presented, with specific discussions of the characteristics of microfluidics for investigating cardiovascular diseases integrally, including the study of pathogenetic mechanisms, the development of accurate diagnostic methods and the establishment of therapeutic treatments. Investigations of critical pathogenetic mechanisms for typical cardiovascular diseases by microfluidic-based organ-on-a-chip are categorized and reviewed, followed by a detailed summary of microfluidic-based accurate diagnostic methods. Microfluidic-assisted cardiovascular drug evaluation and screening as well as the fabrication of novel delivery vehicles are also reviewed. Finally, the challenges with and outlook on further advancing the use of microfluidics technology in cardiovascular disease research are highlighted and discussed.


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