17Beta-estradiol effects on human coronaries and grafts employed in myocardial revascularization: a preliminary study

Systems biological understanding of the regulatory network and the possible therapeutic strategies for vascular calcification

Since there is no precise therapy for treating vascular calcification by directly targeting the vascular wall, we aim to unveil novel drug targets through mining the molecular effect of a high phosphate environment on vascular cells through computational methods. Here, we hypothesize that manipulation of the vascular pathogenic network by small molecule therapeutics predicted from prior knowledge might offer great promise. With this, we intend to understand the publicly available transcriptomic data of vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells exposed to the high phosphate induced vascular calcification milieu and to re-examine the above published experiments for reasons different from those examined in the previous studies through multilevel systems biological understanding. Hence, in this study the differentially expressed genes were subjected to both upstream and downstream network analysis through multiple standalone software and web servers. To provide an insight into causal signaling, we simultaneously predicted upstream regulatory layers through transcription factor and kinome enrichment analysis. Moreover the possible systems pharmacological choices were presented in three ways as (1) drug induced expression modulation, (2) drugs that interact with upstream and downstream regulatory targets, (3) possible natural product therapeutics from target-compound relationship. Furthermore for validating the current study we have specifically evaluated the preventive effect of two predicted natural compounds in a bovine aortic calcification model. The overall observation predicts a few novel mechanisms that might be involved in vascular dysfunction and calcification in both cell types. Also, the systems pharmacological investigation provides clues for the possible therapeutic options along with validation. In conclusion, the current study indicates that reanalysis of transcriptomic data propels us to reposition the approved drugs and use natural compounds as novel therapeutic agents for vascular calcification.

Impact of blood circulation on reendothelialization, restenosis and atrovastatin's restenosis prevention effects

BACKGROUND

The independent effects of numerous circulating inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory associated blood cells on reendothelialization and restenosis after PCI has been elucidated, whereas the blood circulation's general effect on restenosis is still pending. Thereby, author investigated the impact of blood circulation on reendothelialization, restenosis and atrovastatin's restenosis prevention effects.

METHODS AND RESULTS

70 SD rats were divided equally in 7 groups: sham operation group, deendothelialization group, atrovastatin treatment group, occlusion group, occlusion and deendothelialization group, atrovastatin treatment after occlusion and deendothelialization group, and immediate sacrifice (after deendothelialization) group. The carotid model of deendothelialization by balloon and (or) thromboembolism occlusion was established, and 4 weeks after balloon injury, the reendothelialization ratio and restenosis ratio of each subjects were observed. The outcomes revealed that there is a natural self-repair phenomenon, featured as low level reendothelialization and restenosis inhibition, which can be significantly augmented under atrovastatin treatment. Yet when the blood circulation discontinued, not only the self-repair process, but also atrovastatin's beneficial effects on reendothelialization and restenosis disappeared. SPSS analysis revealed that there was inverse correlation between reendothelialization and restenosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Blood circulation not only per se generally promote reendothelialization and inhibits restenosis, but also serves as a necessary pathway for atrovastatin exerting therapeutic effects on reendothelialization and restenosis; Accelerating reendothelialization is a promising approach of restenosis prevention.