| 1. |
- Birck, Malene M., et al.
(author)
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Infection-induced coronary dysfunction and systemic inflammation in piglets are dampened in hypercholesterolemic milieu
- 2011
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In: American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology. - : American Physiological Society. - 1522-1539 .- 0363-6135. ; 300:5, s. 1595-1601
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Birck MM, Pesonen E, Odermarsky M, Hansen AK, Persson K, Frikke-Schmidt H, Heegaard PM, Liuba P. Infection-induced coronary dysfunction and systemic inflammation in piglets are dampened in hypercholesterolemic milieu. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 300: H1595-H1601, 2011. First published February 25, 2011; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.01253.2010.-The synergism of infection with conventional cardiovascular risk factors in atherosclerosis is much debated. We hypothesized that coronary arterial injury correlates with infection recurrence and pathogen burden and is further aggravated by hypercholesterolemia. Forty-two Gottingen minipigs were assigned to repeated intratracheal inoculation of PBS, Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn), or both Cpn and influenza virus at 8, 11, and 14 wk of age. Animals were fed either standard or 2% cholesterol diet (chol-diet.). At 19 wk of age coronary vasomotor responses to acetylcholine (ACh) and adenosine were assessed in vivo and blood and tissue samples were collected. Nonparametric tests were used to compare the groups. In cholesterol-fed animals, total cholesterol/HDL was significantly increased in infected animals compared with noninfected animals [3.13 (2.17-3.38) vs. 2.03 (1.53-2.41), respectively; P = 0.01]. C-reactive protein (CRP) rose in infected animals [10.60 (4.96-18.00) vs. 2.47 (1.44-3.01) mu g/ml in noninfected; P < 0.01] without significant difference between the mono- and coinfected groups. Among coinfected animals, both CRP and haptoglobin were lower in those fed chol-diet than in those fed standard diet (P < 0.05). The vasoconstricting response to ACh was most prominent in coinfected animals (769.3 (594-1,129) cm; P = 0.03 vs. noninfected [342 (309-455) cm] and P = 0.07 vs. monoinfected [415 (252.5-9711.8) cm]}. Among monoinfected animals, similar to CRP, a trend for less vasoconstriction was observed in those fed chol-diet (P = 0.08). Coinfection of piglets appears to be associated with more pronounced coronary muscarinic vasomotor dysfunction. In monoinfected animals, use of chol-diet seems to dampen both coronary dysfunction and systemic inflammation induced by infection.
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| 2. |
- Liuba, Petru, et al.
(author)
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Coronary flow and reactivity, but not arrhythmia vulnerability, are affected by cardioplegia during cardiopulmonary bypass in piglets
- 2013
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In: Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1749-8090. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is still associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity in both pediatric and adult patients but the mechanisms are not fully understood. Abnormalities in coronary flow and function have been suggested to play an important role. Prior studies suggest protective effects on coronary and myocardial function by short intravenous (i.v.) infusion of cyclosporine A before CPB. Methods: Barrier-bred piglets (10-12 kg, n=20) underwent CPB for 45 min, with or without antegrade administration of cardioplegic solution. Prior to CPB, half of the animals in each group received an i.v. infusion of 100 mg/kg cyclosporine A. The left anterior descending coronary flow velocity responses to adenosine, serotonin, and atrial pacing, as well as left ventricular function and postsurgical vulnerability to atrial fibrillation (Afib) were assessed by intracoronary Doppler, epicardial echocardiography, and in vivo electrophysiological study, before and 8 hours after surgery. Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen were measured at both time-points. Results: Cyclosporine infusion did not influence any of the studied variables (p>0.4). Coronary peak flow velocity (cPFV) rose significantly after surgery especially in the cardioplegia group (p<0.01 vs. non-cardioplegia group and pre-surgery). cPFV responses to adenosine, but not to serotonin, tended to decrease (p=0.06) after surgery only in cardioplegia group (p=0.06; p=0.8 in non-cardioplegia group vs pre-surgery). Also, cPFV response to atrial pacing was lower in the cardioplegia than in the non-cardioplegia group (p=0.02). Neither vulnerability nor duration of induced Afib after CPB differed between groups (Chi-square p=0.4). Cyclosporine had no significant effect on coronary indexes or arrhythmia vulnerability (p>0.4). There was no difference in systolic myocardial function between groups at any time point. Conclusion: In piglets, CPB with cardioplegia was associated with profound abnormalities in coronary vasomotor tone and receptor-related flow regulation, whereas arrhythmia vulnerability appeared to be comparable with that in non-cardioplegia group. In this study, preconditioning with cyclosporine had no detectable protective effect on coronary circulation or arrhythmia vulnerability after CPB.
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| 3. |
- Pesonen, Erkki, et al.
(author)
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Infections and endothelial cell apoptosis
- 2010
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In: Cardiology in the Young. - 1467-1107. ; 20:Suppl 1, s. 224-224
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Endothelial cells of coronary arteries undergo apoptosis in patients with coronary artery disease. Carotid artery ultrasound studies show that after acute infections intima media thickness is increased. The possible effects of infections on endothelial cell apoptosis and the presence of apoptosis in early life remain unknown. Methods: Chlamydia pneumonia was inoculated three times at three weeks intervals to half of 32 piglets starting at the age of 8 weeks. Half of the piglets received cholesterol feeding. Morphological studies were done at the age of 19 weeks. Right coronary arteries were carefully excised and trimmed for excess tissue. The vessels were cut perpendicular to the long axis and sectioned at 5-μm thickness. TUNEL-assay was based on nick end labelling and staining of internucleosomal DNA fragments that are the biochemical hallmark of apoptosis. The percentage of apoptotic endothelial cells from intact endothe-lial cells was calculated using light microscopy. Results. Endothelial apoptosis appeared in 0.13% (SD 0.30%) of endothelial cells of non-infected piglets but in 0.75% (SD 0.62) of infected piglets (p <0.005, t-test). In piglets fed with normal diet apoptosis appeared in 1.1% but in those on cholesterol rich diet the prevalence of apoptosis was lower 0.43% (SD 0.42). Conclusions: Infections amplify endothelial cell apoptosis. The finding supports the notion that infection has a pro-atherogenic effect particularly in early life. Hypercholesterolemic diet did not further stimulate apoptosis.
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