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- Liuba, Petru, et al.
(författare)
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Acute infections in children are accompanied by oxidative modification of LDL and decrease of HDL cholesterol, and are followed by thickening of carotid intima-media.
- 2003
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Ingår i: European Heart Journal. - 1522-9645. ; 24:6, s. 517-523
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Atherosclerosis begins early in life. Infections might contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated whether acute infections in children could alter the carotid wall morphology and the tipid profile. Methods Mean carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured by high-resolution ultrasound in 28 hospitatised children (mean age: 5 2 years), who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of acute infections (body temperature, >38 degreesC; C-reactive protein, >15 mg/ml, and clinical), and in 20 age- and gender-matched controls. Antibodies against oxidised tow-density lipoprotein (anti-oxLDL antibodies), as well as total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were analysed in all children. The infection group was investigated both during the acute illness and 3 months after clinical recovery (post-infection). Results During the acute illness, the infection group had elevated anti-oxLDL antibodies and decreased HDL-C, as compared to those obtained at 3 months and in controls (p<0.05). These changes in the infection group were followed, at 3 months, by thickening of carotid intima-media. Those who received antibiotics during their acute illness had less carotid thickening than those who were not treated with antibiotics (p<0.05). Conclusion Acute infections in children seem to be accompanied by enhanced oxidative modification of LDL and by decrease in HDL-C. These lipid changes may be followed by thickening of carotid artery intima-media. These findings suggest that, in childhood, acute infections could be-associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis, and warrant further studies on this topic. (C) 2003 The European Society of Cardiology.
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- Liuba, Petru, et al.
(författare)
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Co-Infection with CHLAMYDIA PNEUMONIAE and HELICOBACTER PYLORI Results in Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction and Enhanced VCAM-1 Expression in ApoE-Knockout Mice.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of Vascular Research. - : S. Karger AG. - 1423-0135 .- 1018-1172. ; 40:2, s. 115-122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- <i>Background:</i> Upregulation of proinflammatory endothelial cell adhesion molecules and decreased bioactivity of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) are important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We investigated the effects of co-infection with <i>Chlamydia pneumoniae</i> and <i>Helicobacter pylori </i>on these two events in apoE-KO mice. <i>Methods:</i> Thirty-two apoE-KO mice, 8 weeks old, were equally divided into 4 groups. The first 2 groups were infected with either <i>C. pneumoniae</i> or <i>H. pylori,</i> while the 3rd group was infected with both <i>C. pneumoniae</i> and <i>H. pylori</i>. Mice from the 4th group and 4 wild-type mice served as controls. Thoracic and abdominal aortas were harvested after 10 weeks, and staining for vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 was analyzed by immunocytochemistry. The endothelial vasomotor responses of thoracic aortas to methacholine were studied in organ chambers in the absence and presence of <i>L</i>-NAME. The plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite were measured. <i>Results:</i> Staining for VCAM-1 was more intense at the branching sites of aortas from mice with co-infection than in mono-infected or noninfected apoE-KO mice. The relaxation responses to methacholine and the plasma levels of nitrate/nitrite were significantly less in the co-infected group than in the other groups (p < 0.05). <i>Conclusion:</i> Co-infection of apoE-KO mice with <i>C. pneumoniae</i> and <i>H. pylori</i> seems to be associated with impaired bioactivity of endothelial NO and increased expression of VCAM-1 at branching sites. The findings may suggest an additive interaction of these pathogens in atherogenesis.
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- Petrova, Tatiana V, et al.
(författare)
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Lymphatic endothelial reprogramming of vascular endothelial cells by the Prox-1 homeobox transcription factor.
- 2002
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Ingår i: EMBO Journal. - 0261-4189 .- 1460-2075. ; 21:17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lymphatic vessels are essential for fluid homeostasis, immune surveillance and fat adsorption, and also serve as a major route for tumor metastasis in many types of cancer. We found that isolated human primary lymphatic and blood vascular endothelial cells (LECs and BECs, respectively) show interesting differences in gene expression relevant for their distinct functions in vivo. Although these phenotypes are stable in vitro and in vivo, overexpression of the homeobox transcription factor Prox-1 in the BECs was capable of inducing LEC-specific gene transcription in the BECs, and, surprisingly, Prox-1 suppressed the expression of approximately 40% of the BEC-specific genes. Prox-1 did not have global effects on the expression of LEC-specific genes in other cell types, except that it up-regulated cyclin E1 and E2 mRNAs and activated the cyclin e promoter in various cell types. These data suggest that Prox-1 acts as a cell proliferation inducer and a fate determination factor for the LECs. Furthermore, the data provide insights into the phenotypic diversity of endothelial cells and into the possibility of transcriptional reprogramming of differentiated endothelial cells.
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