Relationship between carotid artery atherosclerosis and sulfatide in hypertensive patients

Chronic brain damage in HIV-infected individuals under antiretroviral therapy is associated with viral reservoirs, sulfatide release, and compromised cell-to-cell communication

HIV infection has become a chronic and manageable disease due to the effective use of antiretroviral therapies (ART); however, several chronic aging-related comorbidities, including cognitive impairment, remain a major public health issue. However, these mechanisms are unknown. Here, we identified that glial and myeloid viral reservoirs are associated with local myelin damage and the release of several myelin components, including the lipid sulfatide. Soluble sulfatide compromised gap junctional communication and calcium wave coordination, essential for proper cognition. We propose that soluble sulfatide could be a potential biomarker and contributor to white matter compromise observed in HIV-infected individuals even in the current ART era.

Review article: vascular effects of PPARs in the context of NASH

BACKGROUND

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors known to regulate glucose and fatty acid metabolism, inflammation, endothelial function and fibrosis. PPAR isoforms have been extensively studied in metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Recent data extend the key role of PPARs to liver diseases coursing with vascular dysfunction, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

AIM

This review summarises and discusses the pathobiological role of PPARs in cardiovascular diseases with a special focus on their impact and therapeutic potential in NAFLD and NASH.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

PPARs may be attractive for the treatment of NASH due to their liver-specific effects but also because of their efficacy in improving cardiovascular outcomes, which may later impact liver disease. Assessment of cardiovascular disease in the context of NASH trials is, therefore, of the utmost importance, both from a safety and efficacy perspective.

Alpinia zerumbet and Its Potential Use as an Herbal Medication for Atherosclerosis: Mechanistic Insights from Cell and Rodent Studies

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Alpinia zerumbet (Pers.) Burtt. et Smith has been used as a flavor additive in food and a traditional medicine for centuries, especially in Guizhou Province, China, and it prolongs people's lives with multiple beneficial effects. Thus, one of the aims of this review was to expound the chemical constituents of this plant, especially its fruits. Since cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, pose a health threat to humans, another aim was to expound the possible mechanisms of its potential use as an herbal medication for atherosclerosis.

METHODS

In this study, 10 reports are cited to expound the potential bioactive compounds. Moreover, 33 reports explain the antihypertensive and antiatherosclerotic effects of the plant by ameliorating inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, increasing vasodilation, improving hyperlipidemia, downgrading the glucose status, and working as an antioxidant.

RESULTS

A. zerumbetis rich in terpenes, essential oils, flavonoids, polyphenolics, and sterols. Pharmacological experiments showed that A. zerumbet has antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on the NF-κB signaling pathway and can ameliorate oxidative stress in the NOS-NO signaling pathway. Moreover, A. zerumbet demonstrates antihypertensive effects by accelerating vasorelaxant response and increasing 3T3-L1 intracellular cAMP, which has promising antiobesity properties, as well as hypolipidemic and anti-diabetic complication effects.

CONCLUSIONS

A. zerumbet has potential functions and applications in the prevention of atherosclerosis, but further studies are required before clinical trials.

Structure and function of the endothelial surface layer: unraveling the nanoarchitecture of biological surfaces

Among the unsolved mysteries of modern biology is the nature of a lining of blood vessels called the 'endothelial surface layer' or ESL. In venous micro-vessels, it is half a micron in thickness. The ESL is 10 times thicker than the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC) at its base, has been presumed to be comprised mainly of water, yet is rigid enough to exclude red blood cells. How is this possible? Developments in physical chemistry suggest that the venous ESL is actually comprised of nanobubbles of CO2, generated from tissue metabolism, in a foam nucleated in the eGC. For arteries, the ESL is dominated by nanobubbles of O2 and N2 from inspired air. The bubbles of the foam are separated and stabilized by thin layers of serum electrolyte and proteins, and a palisade of charged polymer strands of the eGC. The ESL seems to be a respiratory organ contiguous with the flowing blood, an extension of, and a 'lung' in miniature. This interpretation may have far-reaching consequences for physiology.

Characterization of galactosyl and lactosyl sulfatide species in human serum by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

Background

Sulfatides are found in a variety of tissues and serum lipoproteins. Sulfatide is a molecular species composed of various sphingoid bases, fatty acids and sugar chains; therefore, rapid analysis of the qualitative structure is important in clinical assessment.

Methods

In this study, sulfatide-rich fractions were isolated from serum lipids, and the sulfatide species were analysed by negative ion mode using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS).

Results

Sulfatide species identified in human serum included two different sugar chains, eight sphingoid molecules and various fatty acid side chains including hydroxy fatty acids. In total, 64 galactosyl sulfatides (SM4s) and 49 lactosyl sulfatides (SM3) were identified. Quantitatively, the amount of SM3 was less than 1% of the amount of SM4s. The fatty acids of SM4s of healthy serum ( n = 8) were predominantly C16:0 and a hydroxylation C16:0 (C16:0h), followed by very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) predominant species, and SM3 was a major component of VLCFAs.

Conclusion

This present study described a simple method of human serum sulfatide analysis using MALDI-TOF MS. This method is suitable for clinical laboratories and is likely to increase the understanding of the roles of sulfatide species in both physiological and disease states.

Circulating Sulfatide, A Novel Biomarker for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Aims: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is an acute inflammatory and thrombotic disease due to coronary artery atherosclerotic lesions. Studies have established the correlation of serum sulfatides with inflammation, thrombogenesis, and atherosclerosis. We observed that serum sulfatides level significantly increased in STEMI patients. In this study, we try to identify the relationship of serum sulfatides level on clinical outcomes of patients in STEMI.

Methods: Serum sulfatides level was monitored in 370 inpatients within 24 h of STEMI onset. On the basis of the level of serum sulfatides that was below 10 µmol/L in the normal population, the patients were divided into two groups with the median value of 15.2 µmol/L; low sulfatide group [serum sulfatides level ≤ 15.2 µmol/L (n = 200)] and high sulfatide group [serum sulfatides level > 15.2 µmol/L (n = 170)]. Patients' baseline characteristics, in-hospital outcomes, and late major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were analyzed. Independent incident for in-hospital death and late adverse events were modeled by multivariate logistic and Cox regression analysis.

Results: Between the two groups, there were no differences in the angiographic characteristics, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) results, and in-hospital recovery. However, high serum sulfatides level is positively correlated with increased rate of in-hospital death (OR 0.971; 95% CI 0.926–0.990, p = 0.019). In addition, this group of patients has more cumulative incidences of target vessel revascularization (TVR) (23% vs. 8%, p < 0.05) and increased overall MACE (28% vs. 10%, p < 0.05). Cox regression analysis indicated that high serum sulfatides level contributes to TVR and overall MACE.

Conclusions: Elevated serum sulfatides level positively correlate with in-hospital death and complications (TVR and MACE) in STEMI patients.