AtheroSpectrum Reveals Novel Macrophage Foam Cell Gene Signatures Associated With Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Cardioprotective effect of Cinnamamide derivative compound 10 against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion through regulating cardiac autophagy via Sirt1

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Our previous research discovered that cinnamamide derivatives are a new type of potential cardioprotective agents myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MIR) injury, among which Compound 10 exhibits wonderful beneficial action in vitro. However, the exact mechanism of Compound 10 still needs to be elucidated.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The protective effect of Compound 10 was determined by detecting the cell viability and LDH leakage rate in H9c2 cells subjected to H2O2. Alterations of electrocardiogram, echocardiography, cardiac infarct area, histopathology and serum myocardial zymogram were tested in MIR rats. Additionally, the potential mechanism of Compound 10 was explored through PCR. Network pharmacology and Western blotting was conducted to monitor levels of proteins related to autophagic flux and mTOR, autophagy regulatory substrate, induced by Compound 10 both in vitro and in vivo, as well as expressions of Sirtuins family members.

KEY RESULTS

Compound 10 significantly ameliorated myocardial injury, as demonstrated by increased cell viability, decreased LDH leakage in vitro, and declined serum myocardial zymogram, ST elevation, cardiac infarct area and improved cardiac function and microstructure of heart tissue in vivo. Importantly, Compound 10 markedly enhanced the obstruction of autophagic flux and inhibited excessive autophagy initiation against MIR by decreased ATG5, Rab7 and increased P-mTOR and LAMP2. Furthermore, Sirt1 knockdown hindered Compound 10's regulation on mTOR, leading to interrupted cardiac autophagic flux.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Compound 10 exerted cardioprotective effects on MIR by reducing excessive autophagy and improving autophgic flux blockage. Our work would take a novel insight in seeking effective prevention and treatment strategies against MIR injury.

Nobiletin alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipid uptake via the PPARG/CD36 pathway

BACKGROUND

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a persistent inflammatory condition triggered and exacerbated by several factors including lipid accumulation, endothelial dysfunction and macrophages infiltration. Nobiletin (NOB) has been reported to alleviate atherosclerosis; however, the underlying mechanism remains incompletely understood.

METHODS

This study involved comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, including multidatabase target prediction; GO and KEGG enrichment analyses for function and pathway exploration; DeepSite and AutoDock for drug binding site prediction; and CIBERSORT for immune cell involvement. In addition, target intervention was verified via cell scratch assays, oil red O staining, ELISA, flow cytometry, qRT‒PCR and Western blotting. In addition, by establishing a mouse model of AS, it was demonstrated that NOB attenuated lipid accumulation and the extent of atherosclerotic lesions.

RESULTS

(1) Altogether, 141 potentially targetable genes were identified through which NOB could intervene in atherosclerosis. (2) Lipid and atherosclerosis, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis may be the dominant pathways and potential mechanisms. (3) ALB, AKT1, CASP3 and 7 other genes were identified as the top 10 target genes. (4) Six genes, including PPARG, MMP9, SRC and 3 other genes, were related to the M0 fraction. (5) CD36 and PPARG were upregulated in atherosclerosis samples compared to the normal control. (6) By inhibiting lipid uptake in RAW264.7 cells, NOB prevents the formation of foam cell. (7) In RAW264.7 cells, the inhibitory effect of oxidized low-density lipoprotein on foam cells formation and lipid accumulation was closely associated with the PPARG signaling pathway. (8) In vivo validation showed that NOB significantly attenuated intra-arterial lipid accumulation and macrophage infiltration and reduced CD36 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Nobiletin alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting lipid uptake via the PPARG/CD36 pathway.

Adopting artificial intelligence in cardiovascular medicine: a scoping review

Recent years have witnessed significant transformations in cardiovascular medicine, driven by the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI). This scoping review was conducted to capture the breadth of AI applications within cardiovascular science. Employing a structured approach, we sourced relevant articles from PubMed, with an emphasis on journals encompassing general cardiology and digital medicine. We applied filters to highlight cardiovascular articles published in journals focusing on general internal medicine, cardiology and digital medicine, thereby identifying the prevailing trends in the field. Following a comprehensive full-text screening, a total of 140 studies were identified. Over the preceding 5 years, cardiovascular medicine's interplay with AI has seen an over tenfold augmentation. This expansive growth encompasses multiple cardiovascular subspecialties, including but not limited to, general cardiology, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and arrhythmia. Deep learning emerged as the predominant methodology. The majority of AI endeavors in this domain have been channeled toward enhancing diagnostic and prognostic capabilities, utilizing resources such as hospital datasets, electrocardiograms, and echocardiography. A significant uptrend was observed in AI's application for omics data analysis. However, a clear gap persists in AI's full-scale integration into the clinical decision-making framework. AI, particularly deep learning, has demonstrated robust applications across cardiovascular subspecialties, indicating its transformative potential in this field. As we continue on this trajectory, ensuring the alignment of technological progress with medical ethics becomes crucial. The abundant digital health data today further accentuates the need for meticulous systematic reviews, tailoring them to each cardiovascular subspecialty.

LncRNA HOTAIR Inhibits miR-19a-3p to Alleviate Foam Cell Formation and Inflammatory Response in Atherosclerosis

Background: Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease, poses a significant risk for cardiovascular disorders. Meanwhile, emerging evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play pivotal roles in diverse cardiovascular conditions. Nonetheless, the functional implications of lncRNAs in atherosclerosis remain largely unexplored. Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to assess lncRNA HOTAIR and miR-19a-3p expression levels in patients with atherosclerosis and macrophage-derived foam cells. The release of inflammatory factors was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while lipid uptake by foam cells was assessed through Oil Red O staining. Additionally, the targeting relationship between lncRNA HOTAIR and miR-19a-3p was validated via a Luciferase reporter assay. Results: LncRNA HOTAIR exhibited downregulation in the plasma of atherosclerosis patients and was found to be inhibited by ox-LDL in human macrophage-derived foam cells. Overexpression of HOTAIR effectively reduced lipid uptake and suppressed the inflammatory response by downregulating the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 during foam cell formation. Mechanistically, HOTAIR mitigated foam cell formation by repressing the expression of miR-19a-3p. Conclusions: In conclusion, our findings, in conjunction with previous studies, elucidate the role of HOTAIR in atherosclerosis. Specifically, we demonstrate that HOTAIR plays a role in alleviating foam cell formation and suppressing the inflammatory response by inhibiting miR-19a-3p in the context of atherosclerosis. Our results suggest the involvement of the TNF-α/miR-19a/HBP1/MIF pathway in mediating these effects. These findings contribute to a better understanding of atherosclerosis's molecular mechanisms and highlight the potential therapeutic implications of targeting HOTAIR and its associated pathways.

Anti-atherosclerotic effects and molecular targets of ginkgolide B from Ginkgo biloba

Bioactive compounds derived from herbal medicinal plants modulate various therapeutic targets and signaling pathways associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the world's primary cause of death. Ginkgo biloba , a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with notable cardiovascular actions, has been used as a cardio- and cerebrovascular therapeutic drug and nutraceutical in Asian countries for centuries. Preclinical studies have shown that ginkgolide B, a bioactive component in Ginkgo biloba , can ameliorate atherosclerosis in cultured vascular cells and disease models. Of clinical relevance, several clinical trials are ongoing or being completed to examine the efficacy and safety of ginkgolide B-related drug preparations in the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases, such as ischemia stroke. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetic characteristics, and mechanisms of action of ginkgolide B in atherosclerosis prevention and therapy. We highlight new molecular targets of ginkgolide B, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NADPH oxidase), lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), platelet-activating factor (PAF), proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and others. Finally, we provide an overview and discussion of the therapeutic potential of ginkgolide B and highlight the future perspective of developing ginkgolide B as an effective therapeutic agent for treating atherosclerosis.

Prioritizing cardiovascular disease-associated variants altering NKX2-5 and TBX5 binding through an integrative computational approach

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide and are heavily influenced by genetic factors. Genome-wide association studies have mapped >90% of CVD-associated variants within the noncoding genome, which can alter the function of regulatory proteins, such as transcription factors (TFs). However, due to the overwhelming number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (>500,000) in genome-wide association studies, prioritizing variants for in vitro analysis remains challenging. In this work, we implemented a computational approach that considers support vector machine (SVM)-based TF binding site classification and cardiac expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis to identify and prioritize potential CVD-causing SNPs. We identified 1535 CVD-associated SNPs within TF footprints and putative cardiac enhancers plus 14,218 variants in linkage disequilibrium with genotype-dependent gene expression in cardiac tissues. Using ChIP-seq data from two cardiac TFs (NKX2-5 and TBX5) in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes, we trained a large-scale gapped k-mer SVM model to identify CVD-associated SNPs that altered NKX2-5 and TBX5 binding. The model was tested by scoring human heart TF genomic footprints within putative enhancers and measuring in vitro binding through electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Five variants predicted to alter NKX2-5 (rs59310144, rs6715570, and rs61872084) and TBX5 (rs7612445 and rs7790964) binding were prioritized for in vitro validation based on the magnitude of the predicted change in binding and are in cardiac tissue eQTLs. All five variants altered NKX2-5 and TBX5 DNA binding. We present a bioinformatic approach that considers tissue-specific eQTL analysis and SVM-based TF binding site classification to prioritize CVD-associated variants for in vitro analysis.

A lipid-associated macrophage lineage rewires the spatial landscape of adipose tissue in early obesity

Adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) infiltration is associated with adipose tissue dysfunction and insulin resistance in mice and humans. Recent single-cell data highlight increased ATM heterogeneity in obesity but do not provide a spatial context for ATM phenotype dynamics. We integrated single-cell RNA-Seq, spatial transcriptomics, and imaging of murine adipose tissue in a time course study of diet-induced obesity. Overall, proinflammatory immune cells were predominant in early obesity, whereas nonresident antiinflammatory ATMs predominated in chronic obesity. A subset of these antiinflammatory ATMs were transcriptomically intermediate between monocytes and mature lipid-associated macrophages (LAMs) and were consistent with a LAM precursor (pre-LAM). Pre-LAMs were spatially associated with early obesity crown-like structures (CLSs), which indicate adipose tissue dysfunction. Spatial data showed colocalization of ligand-receptor transcripts related to lipid signaling among monocytes, pre-LAMs, and LAMs, including Apoe, Lrp1, Lpl, and App. Pre-LAM expression of these ligands in early obesity suggested signaling to LAMs in the CLS microenvironment. Our results refine understanding of ATM diversity and provide insight into the dynamics of the LAM lineage during development of metabolic disease.

Roles of pyroptosis in atherosclerosis pathogenesis

Pyroptosis is a pro-inflammatory type of regulated cell death (RCD) characterized by gasdermin protein-mediated membrane pore formation, cell swelling, and rapid lysis. Recent studies have suggested that pyroptosis is closely related to atherosclerosis (AS). Previous studies reported that pyroptosis involving endothelial cells (ECs), macrophages, and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) plays an important role in the formation and development of AS. Pyroptosis not only causes local inflammation but also amplifies the inflammatory response and it aggravates plaque instability, leading to plaque rupture and thrombosis, eventually resulting in acute cardiovascular events. In this review, we clarified some novel pathways and mechanics and presented some potential drugs.

Prioritizing Cardiovascular Disease-Associated Variants Altering NKX2-5 Binding through an Integrative Computational Approach

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide and are heavily influenced by genetic factors. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have mapped > 90% of CVD-associated variants within the non-coding genome, which can alter the function of regulatory proteins, like transcription factors (TFs). However, due to the overwhelming number of GWAS single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (>500,000), prioritizing variants for in vitro analysis remains challenging. In this work, we implemented a computational approach that considers support vector machine (SVM)-based TF binding site classification and cardiac expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis to identify and prioritize potential CVD-causing SNPs. We identified 1,535 CVD-associated SNPs that occur within human heart footprints/enhancers and 9,309 variants in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with differential gene expression profiles in cardiac tissue. Using hiPSC-CM ChIP-seq data from NKX2-5 and TBX5, two cardiac TFs essential for proper heart development, we trained a large-scale gapped k-mer SVM (LS-GKM-SVM) predictive model that can identify binding sites altered by CVD-associated SNPs. The computational predictive model was tested by scoring human heart footprints and enhancers in vitro through electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Three variants (rs59310144, rs6715570, and rs61872084) were prioritized for in vitro validation based on their eQTL in cardiac tissue and LS-GKM-SVM prediction to alter NKX2-5 DNA binding. All three variants altered NKX2-5 DNA binding. In summary, we present a bioinformatic approach that considers tissue-specific eQTL analysis and SVM-based TF binding site classification to prioritize CVD-associated variants for in vitro experimental analysis.

The Interplay between Immune and Metabolic Pathways in Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is a significant health problem worldwide, affecting an estimated 10% of the global population. Kidney disease encompasses a diverse group of disorders that vary in their underlying pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and outcomes. These disorders include acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, polycystic kidney disease, diabetic kidney disease, and many others. Despite their distinct etiologies, these disorders share a common feature of immune system dysregulation and metabolic disturbances. The immune system and metabolic pathways are intimately connected and interact to modulate the pathogenesis of kidney diseases. The dysregulation of immune responses in kidney diseases includes a complex interplay between various immune cell types, including resident and infiltrating immune cells, cytokines, chemokines, and complement factors. These immune factors can trigger and perpetuate kidney inflammation, causing renal tissue injury and progressive fibrosis. In addition, metabolic pathways play critical roles in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases, including glucose and lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered nutrient sensing. Dysregulation of these metabolic pathways contributes to the progression of kidney disease by inducing renal tubular injury, apoptosis, and fibrosis. Recent studies have provided insights into the intricate interplay between immune and metabolic pathways in kidney diseases, revealing novel therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of kidney diseases. Potential therapeutic strategies include modulating immune responses through targeting key immune factors or inhibiting pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, improving mitochondrial function, and targeting nutrient-sensing pathways, such as mTOR, AMPK, and SIRT1. This review highlights the importance of the interplay between immune and metabolic pathways in kidney diseases and the potential therapeutic implications of targeting these pathways.

Immune heterogeneity in cardiovascular diseases from a single-cell perspective

A variety of immune cell subsets occupy different niches in the cardiovascular system, causing changes in the structure and function of the heart and vascular system, and driving the progress of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The immune cells infiltrating the injury site are highly diverse and integrate into a broad dynamic immune network that controls the dynamic changes of CVDs. Due to technical limitations, the effects and molecular mechanisms of these dynamic immune networks on CVDs have not been fully revealed. With recent advances in single-cell technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, systematic interrogation of the immune cell subsets is feasible and will provide insights into the way we understand the integrative behavior of immune populations. We no longer lightly ignore the role of individual cells, especially certain highly heterogeneous or rare subpopulations. We summarize the phenotypic diversity of immune cell subsets and their significance in three CVDs of atherosclerosis, myocardial ischemia and heart failure. We believe that such a review could enhance our understanding of how immune heterogeneity drives the progression of CVDs, help to elucidate the regulatory roles of immune cell subsets in disease, and thus guide the development of new immunotherapies.

Comprehensive in-silico analysis of deleterious SNPs in APOC2 and APOA5 and their differential expression in cancer and cardiovascular diseases conditions

Genetic variations in APOC2 and APOA5 genes involve activating lipoprotein lipase (LPL), responsible for the hydrolysis of triglycerides (TG) in blood and whose impaired functions affect the TG metabolism and are associated with metabolic diseases. In this study, we investigate the biological significance of genetic variations at the DNA sequence and structural level using various computational tools. Subsequently, 8 (APOC2) and 17 (APOA5) non-synonymous SNPs (nsSNPs) were identified as high-confidence deleterious SNPs based on the effects of the mutations on protein conservation, stability, and solvent accessibility. Furthermore, based on our docking results, the interaction of native and mutant forms of the corresponding proteins with LPL depicts differences in root mean square deviation (RMSD), and binding affinities suggest that these mutations may affect their function. Furthermore, in vivo, and in vitro studies have shown that differential expression of these genes in disease conditions due to the influence of nsSNPs abundance may be associated with promoting the development of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Preliminary screening using computational methods can be a helpful start in understanding the effects of mutations in APOC2 and APOA5 on lipid metabolism; however, further wet-lab experiments would further strengthen the conclusions drawn from the computational study.

Heterogeneity of macrophages in atherosclerosis revealed by single-cell RNA sequencing

Technology at the single-cell level has advanced dramatically in characterizing molecular heterogeneity. These technologies have enabled cell subtype diversity to be seen in all tissues, including atherosclerotic plaques. Critical in atherosclerosis pathogenesis and progression are macrophages. Previous studies have only determined macrophage phenotypes within the plaque, mainly by bulk analysis. However, recent progress in single-cell technologies now enables the comprehensive mapping of macrophage subsets and phenotypes present in plaques. In this review, we have updated and discussed the definition and classification of macrophage subsets in mice and humans using single-cell RNA sequencing. We summarized the different classification methods and perspectives: traditional classification with an updated scoring system, inflammatory macrophages, foamy macrophages, and atherosclerotic-resident macrophages. In addition, some special types of macrophages were identified by specific markers, including IFN-inducible and cavity macrophages. Furthermore, we discussed macrophage subset-specific markers and their functions. In the future, these novel insights into the characteristics and phenotypes of these macrophage subsets within atherosclerotic plaques can provide additional therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases.

Capturing the multifaceted function of adipose tissue macrophages

Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) bolster obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction and represent a targetable population to lessen obesity-associated health risks. However, ATMs also facilitate adipose tissue function through multiple actions, including adipocyte clearance, lipid scavenging and metabolism, extracellular remodeling, and supporting angiogenesis and adipogenesis. Thus, high-resolution methods are needed to capture macrophages' dynamic and multifaceted functions in adipose tissue. Herein, we review current knowledge on regulatory networks critical to macrophage plasticity and their multifaceted response in the complex adipose tissue microenvironment.

The development of COVID-19 treatment

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a pandemic named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that has become the greatest worldwide public health threat of this century. Recent studies have unraveled numerous mysteries of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and thus largely improved the studies of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutic strategies. However, important questions remain regarding its therapy. In this review, the recent research advances on COVID-19 mechanism are quickly summarized. We mainly discuss current therapy strategies for COVID-19, with an emphasis on antiviral agents, neutralizing antibody therapies, Janus kinase inhibitors, and steroids. When necessary, specific mechanisms and the history of therapy are present, and representative strategies are described in detail. Finally, we discuss key outstanding questions regarding future directions of the development of COVID-19 treatment.

High-Phosphate-Stimulated Macrophage-Derived Exosomes Promote Vascular Calcification via let-7b-5p/TGFBR1 Axis in Chronic Kidney Disease

Although macrophage infiltration has been proven to increase calcified artery media in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, the mechanism by which macrophages are involved in vascular calcification (VC) progression remains unclear. Taking advantage of miRNA-seq, RNA-seq, dual-luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and arteries from CKD patients as well as CKD mouse models, we identified that high-phosphate-stimulated macrophage-derived exosomes (Mexo-P) suppressed let-7b-5p expression in VSMCs, which further upregulated TGFBR1. Moreover, gain-and-loss-of-function assays were used to determine the regulatory effects and downstream mechanism of let-7b-5p and TGFBR1 on VC. Mechanically, Mexo-P induced VSMC TGFBR1 upregulation by suppressing let-7b-5p, which further amplifies SMAD3/RUNX2 signaling and thereby contributes to VC. Our findings indicate that macrophage-derived exosomes promote CKD-associated VC through the let-7b-5p/TGFBR1 axis in high-phosphate conditions. Our study provides insight into macrophages associated with VC, which might be potential therapeutical targets for VC.

CCL3 aggravates intestinal damage in NEC by promoting macrophage chemotaxis and M1 macrophage polarization

BACKGROUND

NEC is a life-threatening gastrointestinal disease in neonates, the pathogenesis of which remains poorly understood.

METHODS

CCL3 levels in intestinal tissue of mice were measured and analyzed. HE staining was used to assess pathological changes in intestinal tissue. FCM was used to detect the proportion and phenotype of macrophages. RNA-seq and RT-PCR were used to evaluate the effect of CCL3 on macrophages.

RESULTS

CCL3 was highly expressed in the intestinal tissues of mice with NEC and induced macrophage infiltration. Transcriptome data showed that CCL3 strongly induced a transition in the phenotype of macrophages into a proinflammatory one. Mechanistically, in vivo experiments confirmed that CCL3 induced M1 macrophage polarization in NEC intestinal tissue, thereby aggravating inflammatory injury of intestinal tissue, which was alleviated by anti-CCL3 treatment. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that CCL3 significantly enhances the expression of M1-related genes in both PMφ and BMDM while inhibiting the expression of M2-related genes, which was also alleviated by anti-CCl3 treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data elucidated the involvement of CCL3 in the pathogenesis of NEC, in which upregulated CCL3 expression exacerbated inflammatory intestinal damage by regulating macrophage chemotaxis and M1 phenotype polarization, suggesting that blocking CCL3 may be a potential strategy for effective intervention in NEC.

IMPACT

Our study represents an important conceptual advancement that CCL3 may be one of the key culprits of intestinal tissue damage in patients with NEC. CCL3 aggravates inflammatory intestinal injury and intestinal mucosal barrier imbalance by regulating the chemotaxis, polarization, and function of macrophages. Blocking CCL3 significantly reduced NEC-mediated intestinal injury, suggesting a new potential therapeutic strategy.

A novel strategy to dissect multifaceted macrophage function in human diseases

Macrophages are widely distributed immune cells that play central roles in a variety of physiologic and pathologic processes, including obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). They are highly plastic cells that execute diverse functions according to a combination of signaling and environmental cues. While macrophages have traditionally been understood to polarize to either proinflammatory M1-like or anti-inflammatory M2-like states, evidence has shown that they exist in a spectrum of states between those 2 phenotypic extremes. In obesity-related disease, M1-like macrophages exacerbate inflammation and promote insulin resistance, while M2-like macrophages reduce inflammation, promoting insulin sensitivity. However, polarization markers are expressed inconsistently in adipose tissue macrophages, and they additionally exhibit phenotypes differing from the M1/M2 paradigm. In atherosclerotic CVD, activated plaque macrophages can also exist in a range of proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory states. Some of these macrophages scavenge lipids, developing into heterogeneous foam cell populations. To better characterize the many actions of macrophages in human disease, we have designed a novel set of computational tools: MacSpectrum and AtheroSpectrum. These tools provide information on the inflammatory polarization status, differentiation, and foaming of macrophages in both human and mouse samples, allowing for better characterization of macrophage subpopulations based on their function. Using these tools, we identified disease-relevant cell states in obesity and CVD, including the novel concept that macrophage-derived foam cell formation can follow homeostatic noninflammatory or pathogenic inflammatory foaming programs.

Macrophages at the Crossroad of Meta-Inflammation and Inflammaging

Macrophages are central players in systemic inflammation associated with obesity and aging, termed meta-inflammation and inflammaging. Activities of macrophages elicited by the two chronic conditions display shared and distinct patterns mechanistically, resulting in multifaceted actions for their pathogenic roles. Drastically expanded tissue macrophage populations under obesity and aging stress attribute to both enhanced recruitment and local expansion. Importantly, molecular networks governing the multifaceted actions of macrophages are directly altered by environmental cues and subsequently contribute to metabolic reprogramming, resulting in meta-inflammation in obesity or inflammaging in aging. In this review, we will summarize how meta-inflammation and inflammaging affect macrophages and the molecular mechanisms involved in these processes.

Characteristics of plaque lipid-associated macrophages and their possible roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Recent findings from single-cell transcriptomic studies prompted us to revisit the role of plaque foamy macrophages in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. In this review, we compared the gene expression profile of plaque foamy macrophages with those of other disease-associated macrophages and discussed their functions in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

RECENT FINDINGS

To understand the phenotypes of macrophages in atherosclerotic aorta, many research groups performed single-cell RNA sequencing analysis and found that there are distinct phenotypic differences among intimal foamy, nonfoamy and adventitial macrophages. Especially, the plaque foamy macrophages express triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), a key common feature of disease-associated macrophages in Alzheimer's disease, obesity, cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. These TREM2 + macrophages seem to be protective against chronic inflammation.

SUMMARY

As the gene expression profile of plaque foamy macrophages is highly comparable to that of lipid-associated macrophages from obesity, we named the plaque foamy macrophages as plaque lipid-associated macrophages (PLAMs). PLAMs have a high level of gene expression related to phago/endocytosis, lysosome, lipid metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation. Considering the protective function of lipid-associated macrophages against adipose tissue inflammation, PLAMs may suppress atherosclerotic inflammation by removing modified lipids and cell debris in the plaque.

Clinical Value of Coagulation Index Changes in Early Diagnosis and Nursing Intervention for PICC-Related Venous Thrombosis in Tumor Patients

Purpose

To explore the clinical value of coagulation index changes in early diagnosis and nursing intervention for PICC-related venous thrombosis in tumor patients. Patients and Methods. A total of 170 tumor patients hospitalized for the first time with catheterization were enrolled from February 2018 to June 2022. According to the diagnostic criteria of venous thromboembolism, high-risk patients with venous thrombosis within 13 days after catheterization were enrolled in the observation group, and those without thromboembolism were enrolled in the control group. Venous blood was taken from all patients on days 1, 5, 9, and 13 after catheterization to measure the change trend of coagulation indexes of patients and to compare the difference of coagulation indexes between the observation group and the control group.

Results

PT values of all patients were within the normal reference range at days 1, 5, 9, and 13 after catheterization. Compared with the control group, the observation group was significantly reduced on days 5, 9, and 13 after catheterization (P < 0.05), and continued to decrease with the prolonging of time(P < 0.05). After catheterization, the values of all patients at each time point were lower than the normal reference range. Compared with the control group, the values of tumor patients in the observation group were significantly decreased on days 5, 9, and 13 (P < 0.05) and continued to decrease at each time point (P < 0.05). DD values in the observation group were all higher than the normal reference range on days 1, 5, 9, and 13 after catheterization. Compared with the control group, DD values in the observation group were significantly higher on days 1, 5, 9, and 13 after catheterization (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

PT and APTT continued to decrease after catheterization, and DD kept fluctuating at a high level, highly suggesting the possibility of venous thrombosis. The nursing staff should keep high vigilance and give appropriate nursing intervention.

PD-L1 rs2890658 Polymorphism Increases Risk for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer in Northern China Population Based on Experimental Data and Meta-Analysis

Purpose

To dig the PD-L1 rs2890658 polymorphism with susceptibility of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in northern China.

Patients and Methods

There were 600 NSCLC patients and 600 age and sex matched controls from the same ethnic origin recruited in the present research. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method genotyped PD-L1 rs2890658 polymorphism. PubMed and Embase were searched to get eligible literature for meta-analysis. The association between PD-L1 rs2890658 polymorphism and NSCLC risk was calculated with odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.

Results

It is more likely that individuals who have CC genotype and C allele are 2.15 and 1.41 times to develop NSCLC compared with individuals with AA genotype and A allele, respectively. Meta-analysis showed that the individuals who have C allele and CA genotype increased the risk of suffering from NSCLC.

Conclusion

PD-L1 rs2890658 polymorphism increased NSCLC risk in northern China population and it might predict the occurrence of NSCLC.

Diagnostic Value of Prostate-Specific Antigen Combined with Plasma miRNA-149 Expression in Patients with Prostate Cancer Based on Experimental Data and Bioinformatics

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore the diagnostic value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) combined with serum miRNA-149 expression in prostate cancer (PCa) by conducting experiments and bioinformatics analysis. Patients and Methods. 50 PCa patients were enrolled on the experimental group from January 2020 to December 2021. 56 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were selected as the control group at the same time. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR was applied to investigate the miRNA-149 expression. PSA was detected by using a chemiluminescence meter using Abbott i4000. Applying bioinformatics analysis, we explored the expression of hsa-miR-149 in PCa in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Kaplan–Meier analyses were used to evaluate the prognostic value, and the ROC curve was applied.

Results

The expression level of miRNA-149 in the PCa group was significantly higher than that in the BPH group (P < 0.05). The PSA level in the PCa group was also significantly higher than that in the BPH group (P < 0.05). TCGA data analysis revealed that PCa tissues had significantly increased hsa-miR-149 expression. The results of survival analysis showed that patients with high expression of hsa-miR-149 had better prognosis. Additionally, the pathological N stage of PCa correlates with the hsa-miR-149 expression level (P = 0.002). According to ROC curve analysis, the region under the curve was 0.653, 95% CI: 0.576–0.730.

Conclusion

High expression of serum miRNA-149 is associated with PCa patients. Although combined PSA did not improve the diagnostic efficacy, miRNA-149 has high specificity in the diagnosis of PCa. miRNA-149 might be a novel marker for early diagnosis and prognosis assessment for PCa.

Macrophages in Atheromatous Plaque Developmental Stages

Atherosclerosis is the main pathomechanism leading to cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction or stroke. There is consensus that atherosclerosis is not only a metabolic disorder but rather a chronic inflammatory disease influenced by various immune cells of the innate and adaptive immune system. Macrophages constitute the largest population of inflammatory cells in atherosclerotic lesions. They play a critical role in all stages of atherogenesis. The heterogenous macrophage population can be subdivided on the basis of their origins into resident, yolk sac and fetal liver monocyte-derived macrophages and postnatal monocyte-derived, recruited macrophages. Recent transcriptomic analyses revealed that the major macrophage populations in atherosclerosis include resident, inflammatory and foamy macrophages, representing a more functional classification. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the trafficking, fate, and functional aspects of the different macrophage populations in the "life cycle" of an atheromatous plaque. Understanding the chronic inflammatory state in atherosclerotic lesions is an important basis for developing new therapeutic approaches to abolish lesion growth and promote plaque regression in addition to general cholesterol lowering.

High Expression of CISD2 in Relation to Adverse Outcome and Abnormal Immune Cell Infiltration in Glioma

Glioma is a serious disease burden globally, with high mortality and recurrence rates. CDGSH iron sulfur domain 2 (CISD2) is an evolutionarily conserved protein that is involved in several cancers. However, its role in the prognosis and immune infiltration in glioma remains unclear. In our research, RNA-seq matrix and clinicopathological relevant data for CISD2 were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases. Human Protein Atlas was used to verify the CISD2 protein level in glioma, and STRING was used to establish relative coexpression gene network. The Kaplan-Meier plotter was adopted to analyze the effect of CISD2 on prognosis. The connection between CISD2 expression and immune infiltration was analyzed using single-sample GSEA (ssGSEA), TIMER, and GEPIA. In contrast to normal tissues, CISD2 expression was significantly higher in glioma tissues, and CISD2 presented a certain diagnostic value in distinguishing glioma tissues from normal tissues. Furthermore, the CISD2 level was correlated with age, histologic grade, histological type, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) status, 1p/19q codeletion status, and primary therapy outcome of glioma, while high CISD2 mRNA expression was correlated with grave overall survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CISD2 was an independent risk factor for patients with glioma. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that CISD2 could regulate proliferation, immune reaction, and mitochondrial function. The results from the ssGSEA and TIMER databases confirmed that CISD2 acts a prominent role in immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, especially in low-grade glioma (LGG). Furthermore, CISD2 expression was observably correlated to M2 polarization in macrophages with glioma progression. This is the first research to investigate the immune role of CISD2 in glioma. CISD2 may be an innovative prognostic biomarker and can act as a potential target for future therapy for glioma.

Impact of microRNA Regulated Macrophage Actions on Adipose Tissue Function in Obesity

Obesity-induced adipose tissue dysfunction is bolstered by chronic, low-grade inflammation and impairs systemic metabolic health. Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) perpetuate local inflammation but are crucial to adipose tissue homeostasis, exerting heterogeneous, niche-specific functions. Diversified macrophage actions are shaped through finely regulated factors, including microRNAs, which post-transcriptionally alter macrophage activation. Numerous studies have highlighted microRNAs’ importance to immune function and potential as inflammation-modulatory. This review summarizes current knowledge of regulatory networks governed by microRNAs in ATMs in white adipose tissue under obesity stress.