Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0004153 (atherosclerosis)
 77,401 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The biochemical and functional changes associated with ligation (40 min) of the left circumflex coronary artery and subsequent reperfusion (60 min) in the rabbit made diabetic with alloxan were studied and compared with those of control animals. Measurement of haemodynamic parameters revealed that both left ventricular pressure and mean arterial pressure were significantly (P less than 0.05) decreased after ligation and reperfusion in the diabetic animals compared with controls. Analysis of subcellular organelle enzyme markers from the ischaemic tissue revealed that sarcolemmal Na+,K+-ATPase, mitochondrial ATPase and sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase activities were decreased after ligation to the same extent in the diabetic and control animals. However, upon reperfusion, the recovery of mitochondrial ATPase activity was significantly (P less than 0.05) less in the diabetic animals than in the controls. Ion measurements revealed a significant (P less than 0.05) depletion of Mg in diabetic hearts before ligation, and this was augmented during reperfusion. In contrast, a significantly (P less than 0.05) higher calcium accumulation was observed upon reperfusion in the hearts of diabetic animals. Similarly, both tissue ATP levels and the ability of the mitochondria to generate ATP were depressed to a greater degree in the diabetic animals. Our results indicate, therefore, a greater susceptibility of the diabetic myocardium to ischaemic/reperfusion injury which in the clinical situation would exacerbate the problems associated with atherosclerosis and possibly contribute to the high mortality from cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients.
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PMID:Coronary artery ligation and reperfusion in rabbits made diabetic with alloxan. 381 32

The development of a model of chronic myocardial ischemic injury (MII) in rabbits by administering increasing doses of isoproterenol (ISO) is described. Repeated s.c. injections of increasing doses of ISO (0.5 mg/kg, on day 1 to 15.5 mg/kg, on day 15) resulted in an increase in serum glucose, free fatty acids and creatine phosphokinase. Examination of hearts from ISO-treated rabbits revealed marked hypertrophy of the left ventricle and an increase in total water content. Biochemical analysis showed an increase in left ventricular hydroxyproline and a decrease in ATP and glycogen content following ISO-treatment. Ion measurements revealed extensive accumulation of Na and Ca, with the Ca being preferentially accumulated in the mitochondria. Measurement of subcellular organelle marker enzymes showed decreases in the sarcolemmal Na+-K+-stimulated (ouabain-sensitive), mitochondrial (azide-sensitive) and sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase activities in the ISO-treated animals. Analysis of lysosomal enzyme activities in myocardial homogenates showed significant decreases in the latency of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and cathepsin D. The above biochemical alterations in ISO-induced MII generally parallel changes previously seen in the rabbit following acute coronary artery ligation. The present model allows the study of MII uncomplicated by some uncertainties arising from the surgical or anesthetic procedures employed in acute "open-chest" preparations and would permit long-term follow-up studies of pharmacological interventions. The susceptibility of the rabbit to experimental atherosclerosis should allow the development of an experimental model of MII which more closely approximates the clinical situation.
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PMID:Myocardial ischemic injury induced by isoproterenol in the rabbit: biochemical and chemical alterations. 385 Jul 74

Oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) has been identified as a potentially important atherogenic factor. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the accumulation of lipid and calcium in the vascular wall. OxLDL plays a significant role in altering calcium homeostasis within different cell types. In our previous study, chronic treatment of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) with oxLDL depressed Ca2+(i) homeostasis and altered two Ca2+ release mechanisms in these cells (IP3 and ryanodine sensitive channels). The purpose of the present study was to further define the effects of chronic treatment with oxLDL on the smooth muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ pump. One of the primary Ca2+ uptake mechanisms in VSMC is through the SERCA2 ATPase calcium pump in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. VSMC were chronically treated with 0.005-0.1 mg/ml oxLDL for up to 6 days in culture. Cells treated with oxLDL showed a significant increase in the total SERCA2 ATPase content. These changes were observed on both Western blot and immunocytochemical analysis. This increase in SERCA2 ATPase is in striking contrast to a significant decrease in the density of IP3 and ryanodine receptors in VSMC as the result of chronic treatment with oxLDL. This response may suggest a specific adaptive mechanism that the pump undergoes to attempt to maintain Ca2+ homeostasis in VSMC chronically exposed to atherogenic oxLDL.
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PMID:Overexpression of SERCA2 Atpase in vascular smooth muscle cells treated with oxidized low density lipoprotein. 1088 39

Macrophages in advanced atherosclerotic lesions accumulate large amounts of unesterified, or "free," cholesterol (FC). FC accumulation induces macrophage apoptosis, which likely contributes to plaque destabilization. Apoptosis is triggered by the enrichment of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) with FC, resulting in depletion of ER calcium stores, and induction of the unfolded protein response. To explain the mechanism of ER calcium depletion, we hypothesized that FC enrichment of the normally cholesterol-poor ER membrane inhibits the macrophage ER calcium pump, sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase-2b (SERCA2b). FC enrichment of ER membranes to a level similar to that occurring in vivo inhibited both the ATPase activity and calcium sequestration function of SERCA2b. Enrichment of ER with ent-cholesterol or 14:0-18:0 phosphatidylcholine, which possess the membrane-ordering properties of cholesterol, also inhibited SERCA2b. Moreover, at various levels of FC enrichment of ER membranes, there was a very close correlation between increasing membrane lipid order, as monitored by 16-doxyl-phosphatidycholine electron spin resonance, and SERCA2b inhibition. In view of these data, we speculate that SERCA2b, a conformationally active protein with 11 membrane-spanning regions, loses function due to decreased conformational freedom in FC-ordered membranes. This biophysical model may underlie the critical connection between excess cholesterol, unfolded protein response induction, macrophage death, and plaque destabilization in advanced atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Enrichment of endoplasmic reticulum with cholesterol inhibits sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase-2b activity in parallel with increased order of membrane lipids: implications for depletion of endoplasmic reticulum calcium stores and apoptosis in cholesterol-loaded macrophages. 1521 42

Although hypercholesterolemia is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease, it has in some instances paradoxically been associated with reduced infarct size and preserved contractile function in isolated hearts after ischemia and reperfusion. To elucidate potential cellular protective mechanisms, myocytes of hypercholesterolemic apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) and wild-type mice were subjected to hypoxic metabolic inhibition (I) with subsequent reoxygenation (R). Intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) and pH (pHi) were monitored as well as cell length and arrhythmic events. Force measurements in papillary muscles were also recorded, and myocardial expression of Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1) and three Ca2+ handling proteins [sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, and plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase] was quantified. After 30 min of I and 35 min of R, Ca2+ overload was more pronounced in wild-type cells (P < 0.05). In these myocytes, pHi also dropped faster and remained below those values determined in ApoE-/- cells (P < 0.05). Furthermore, more wild-type myocytes remained in a contracted state (P < 0.05). This group also showed a higher incidence of arrhythmic events during R (P < 0.05). No group difference was found in the expression of the Ca2+ handling proteins. However, NHE1 protein was downregulated in hearts of ApoE-/- mice (P < 0.05). Histological results depict hyperplasia in ApoE-/- hearts without atherosclerosis of the coronaries. Contractile dysfunction was not observed in papillary muscles from ApoE-/- hearts. Our results suggest that downregulated myocardial NHE1 expression in hypercholesterolemic ApoE-/- mice could have contributed to increased tolerance to I/R. It remains to be elucidated whether NHE1 downregulation is a unique feature of these genetically altered animals.
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PMID:Increased tolerance to hypoxic metabolic inhibition and reoxygenation of cardiomyocytes from apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. 1573 85

Heart failure has been identified as a serious international problem, in particular for aging groups, posing both an increasing number of patients on waiting lists in countries susceptible with Medicare systems and increasing financial burdens. It may be imperative to develop a marker that can identify such problems at an early stage. It is believed that certain proteins have crucial roles in early detection of cardiovascular disease, the number one killer in United Arab Emirates. This might be accomplished by recognition of unusual features in protein candidates. Phospholamban (PLB) is a 52 amino acid phosphoprotein which regulates the calcium pump of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). During muscle contraction, PLB inhibits the Ca<sup>++ </sup> pump. During muscle relaxation, it can be phosphorylated, removing the inhibition and allowing Ca<sup>++</sup> to be pumped back into SR. With the calcium pump disrupted, the heart muscle is probably weakened, resulting in congestive heart failure. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is considered as a better predictor of heart attack in elderly people. It could serve as an early warning sign since its level increases early in the inflammatory process. Also, it has been established that myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) plays a vital role in the development of cardiovascular problems like atherosclerosis and restenosis after angioplasty inflammation. In this paper, the resonance recognition method (RRM) has been employed to determine the characteristic frequencies of the above-mentioned proteins. It has been found that phospholamban and IL-6 share the same characteristic frequency, 0.3320 plusmn 0.0002 suggesting their common probable contribution to heart failure. Myocyte enhancer factor 2A does not share the same characteristic frequency. Hence, phospholamban is suggested as a highly probable early marker for cardiac problem detection.
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PMID:Phospholamban, a predicted candidate for early cardiac problem detection using signal processing techniques. 1728 92

Tissue factor (TF) is the major physiological initiator of the coagulation cascade and has an important function in the morbidity and mortality associated with many disease states, including cancer-associated thrombosis and atherosclerosis. TF normally exists in a partially encrypted state and its de-encryption on circulating monocytes, platelets or endothelial cells by inflammatory mediators can lead to thrombosis. Furthermore, many cancer cells express large amounts of TF and these cells communicate readily with the circulation through the fenestrated tumor endothelium. To assess agents or conditions that modulate the encryption state of TF, we developed a continuous assay for the determination of TF procoagulant activity (PCA) in a cell-based system. We have shown the use of this assay at detecting agents that de-encrypt TF thereby leading to an increase in TF PCA in three cancer cell lines, namely, T24/83 bladder carcinoma cells and PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells. Further, through use of this assay, we have shown that the endoplasmic reticulum calcium pump inhibitor, thapsigargin, stimulates the de-encryption of TF. The continuous assay for the determination of TF PCA proved to have inherently less intra- and inter-assay variability than the widely used discontinuous assay and is considerably less labor intensive. Further, the continuous assay produced progress curves that were compatible with curve fitting to allow for the determination of the nature of reaction as well as rate constants for the underlying enzymes, TF/FVIIa and FXa. The continuous assay for the assessment of TF PCA on intact cells is applicable for high-throughput screening to allow for the determination of compounds that modulate TF PCA.
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PMID:Development of a continuous assay for the measurement of tissue factor procoagulant activity on intact cells. 2021 56