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- Andersen, Grethe Neumann, et al.
(författare)
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Assessment of vascular function in systemic sclerosis : indications of the development of nitrate tolerance as a result of enhanced endothelial nitric oxide production
- 2002
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Ingår i: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - : Wiley. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 46:5, s. 1324-1332
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent functions and the stiffness of conduit arteries as well as levels of endothelial activation markers in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Endothelium-dependent (i.e., flow-mediated) and endothelium-independent (i.e., nitroglycerin-induced) dilation of the brachial artery was measured as the percentage of change from baseline (FMD% and NTG%, respectively) in 24 SSc patients and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls by high-resolution ultrasound imaging. The maximum increase in systolic pressure per unit of time (dP/dt(max)), as a measure of arterial wall stiffness, was assessed in the radial artery by pulse applanation tonometry. Plasma nitrate, the most important metabolite of nitric oxide, and 24-hour urinary excretion of nitrate were measured by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Soluble E-selectin and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Brachial artery FMD% and NTG% did not differ between SSc patients and controls. Radial artery dP/dt(max) was significantly increased in the patients and correlated significantly with elevated levels of plasma nitrate and sVCAM-1. Twenty-four-hour urinary nitrate excretion tended to be elevated. Brachial artery NTG% was significantly inversely correlated with levels of plasma nitrate and soluble endothelial adhesion molecules. CONCLUSION: The ability of the brachial arteries to dilate in response to hyperemia and nitroglycerin challenge is preserved in SSc. Stiffness of the radial artery is increased, however. Endothelial activation seems to determine the extent of the brachial artery NTG% and the radial artery dP/dt(max). The data are compatible with the hypothesis that nitrate tolerance is present in the vascular smooth muscle cells of the brachial artery wall in SSc.
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| 2. |
- Andersen, Grethe Neumann, et al.
(författare)
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Correlation between increased nitric oxide production and markers of endothelial activation in systemic sclerosis : findings with the soluble adhesion molecules E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and vascular adhesion molecule 1
- 2000
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Ingår i: Arthritis and Rheumatism. - 0004-3591 .- 1529-0131. ; 43:5, s. 1085-1093
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To determine the relationship between vascular function and the inflammatory response in systemic sclerosis (SSc), and to investigate whether production of endothelial-derived nitric oxide (NO) is disturbed in this disease. Methods We measured plasma nitrate, urinary excretion of both nitrate and cGMP, and soluble adhesion molecules of endothelial origin in patients with SSc and in age- and sex-matched controls and compared these levels between groups. Additionally, we performed correlation analysis to determine how these variables were related to one another. Plasma nitrate and 24-hour-urinary excretion of nitrate in patients and controls were measured after a 72-hour nitrate-free-diet, using a gas chromatography/mass spectrometric method. Soluble adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1), and E-selectin and cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of E-selectin was further investigated in skin biopsy specimens by immunoperoxidase staining, and the presence of inducible NO synthase by immunoblotting. Results Plasma nitrate and 24-hour-urinary-excretion of cGMP were significantly elevated in patients compared with controls, while 24-hour-urinary-excretion of nitrate tended to be elevated in SSc patients. Levels of sICAM-1, sVCAM-1, and sE-selectin were significantly elevated in the patients. Levels of plasma nitrate in the patients correlated significantly with levels of sVCAM-1 (P = 0.020) and sE-selectin (P = 0.018) and approached a significant correlation with sICAM-1 (P = 0.055), suggesting that activated endothelial cells may produce plasma nitrate. Conclusion NO synthesis is elevated in SSc patients, and the activated endothelial cell is a likely site of its production.
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| 3. |
- Banér, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Parallel gene analysis with allele-specific padlock probes and tag microarrays
- 2003
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Ingår i: Nucleic Acids Research. - 0305-1048 .- 1362-4962. ; 31:17, s. e103-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parallel, highly specific analysis methods are required to take advantage of the extensive information about DNA sequence variation and of expressed sequences. We present a scalable laboratory technique suitable to analyze numerous target sequences in multiplexed assays. Sets of padlock probes were applied to analyze single nucleotide variation directly in total genomic DNA or cDNA for parallel genotyping or gene expression analysis. All reacted probes were then co-amplified and identified by hybridization to a standard tag oligonucleotide array. The technique was illustrated by analyzing normal and pathogenic variation within the Wilson disease-related ATP7B gene, both at the level of DNA and RNA, using allele-specific padlock probes.
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| 7. |
- Glader, C A, et al.
(författare)
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Lipoprotein(a), Chlamydia pneumoniae, leptin and tissue plasminogen activator as risk markers for valvular aortic stenosis.
- 2003
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - 0195-668X .- 1522-9645. ; 24:2, s. 198-208
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIMS: The aim of the present study was to identify risk markers for the development of valvular aortic stenosis (AS). Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) and Chlamydia pneumoniae IgG antibody titres in plasma and in circulating immune complexes as well as leptin and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) in plasma were studied.METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and one patients (41 women and 60 men, mean age 71+/-8 years) with significant AS and 101 age- and sex-matched controls were included in this study. All patients underwent aortic valve replacement at the University Hospital in Umeå, Sweden. The controls had no symptoms of cardiovascular disease and they were examined echocardiographically. An Lp(a) level >or=480 mg x l(-1), a C. pneumoniae-specific IgG titre >or=1/128, a high leptin level and a high t-PA mass concentration in plasma were identified as risk markers for AS. A strong synergism between Lp(a) and C. pneumoniae IgG antibodies in circulating immune complexes was found.CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that a chronic C. pneumoniae infection and a high plasma Lp(a) level might influence and aggravate aortic heart valve sclerosis via the formation of circulating immune complexes. The present study also strongly suggests an association between high plasma leptin, t-PA mass concentration and AS.
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