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)

Inflammation is a key pathogenic component of atherosclerosis; it also promotes thrombosis, a process underlying acute coronary events and stroke. Cells present in atherosclerotic plaque show abnormal tissue factor (TF) expression. Macrolides, in addition to their antimicrobial properties, have antiinflammatory effects that might help prevent atherothrombosis. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an immunosuppressant macrolide, rapamycin (Sirolimus), on the expression of TF and its inhibitor (TFPI) by monocytic cells (human blood mononuclear and THP-1 cells) and human aortic smooth muscle cells, in comparison with FK-506 and azithromycin. In monocytic cells, rapamycin and FK-506 inhibited LPS-induced TF activity, antigen and mRNA expression through a transcriptional mechanism involving NF-kappaB. In smooth muscle cells, rapamycin and azithromycin had no effect on serum-induced TF expression, while FK-506 increased serum-induced TF protein and mRNA expression. TFPI levels in the culture supernatants of serum-stimulated smooth muscle cells were not modified by any of the three macrolides. Rapamycin slightly inhibits TFPI induction by LPS in monocytic cells. In addition to its recently established efficacy in the prevention of stent restenosis, the inhibitory effect of rapamycin on the TF pathway might have interesting therapeutic implications.
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PMID:Modulation of tissue factor expression by rapamycin and FK-506 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human mononuclear cells and serum-stimulated aortic smooth muscle cells. 1611 83

Rapamycin has been shown to reduce neointimal thickening in the setting of balloon angioplasty and chronic graft vessel disease. This study was designed to test the effect of oral rapamycin on atherosclerotic plaque progression and the possible mechanism involved. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) knockout mice were fed either a diet supplemented with cholesterol or with cholesterol and rapamycin. At 4 and 8 weeks, quantitative analyses of plaque area and macrophage numbers were determined. Plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, and whole-blood rapamycin levels were measured. Rapamycin could be detected in the blood of mice (117+/-7 pg/mL). In mice fed with rapamycin, atherosclerotic lesions covered 22% of the aortic arch as compared with 41% in cholesterol-fed mice. The macrophage count was significantly lower in the rapamycin-fed mice as compared with cholesterol-fed mice. Rapamycin, in a dose-dependent manner, inhibited monocyte chemotaxis elicited by stromal cell-derived factor-1. Lesions in the cholesterol-fed mice had complex atherosclerotic plaque with acellular core, cholesterol clefts, and an abundant collection of monocytes/macrophages. Lesions in the rapamycin-fed mice were mainly composed of monocytes/macrophages. Oral rapamycin is effective in slowing the progression of atherosclerosis. Along with its multitude actions, attenuation of monocyte chemotaxis may be one more way by which rapamycin attenuates plaque progression.
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PMID:Rapamycin attenuates atherosclerotic plaque progression in apolipoprotein E knockout mice: inhibitory effect on monocyte chemotaxis. 1616 Jun 1

A 37 year-old female who had suffered from arteritis for 20 years underwent a Bentall operation. Since severe stenosis was observed in her left main coronary artery (LMCA) the following year, a minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) operation was performed. Unfortunately, she again complained of angina about 6 months after the second surgery and coronary angiography (CAG) revealed that her left internal thoracic artery graft was totally occluded. Although a 4.0 x 15 mm S670 stent was placed in her LMCA, the LMCA re-stented every 3 months and she underwent reintervention 8 times. We placed 2 sirolimus-eluting stents for treating the LMCA using the culottes stenting technique. CAG 6 months after the index procedure showed no stenosis at her LMCA. Sirolimus-eluting stents were effective for treating stenosis resulting from arteritis as well as that caused by atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Revascularization of malignant coronary instent restenosis resulting from Takayasu's arteritis using sirolimus-eluting stents. 1710 50

Sirolimus (SRL), an inhibitor of human arterial smooth muscle cell (ASMC) proliferation and migration, prevents in-stent restenosis (ISR). Little is known about the effect of SRL on the extracellular matrix (ECM) component, hyaluronan, a key macromolecule in neointimal hyperplasia and inflammation. In this study, we investigated SRL regulation of the synthesis of hyaluronan by cultured human ASMC and the effect of SRL on hyaluronan mediated monocyte adhesion to the ECM. Hyaluronan production on a per cell basis was significantly inhibited by SRL at 4 days and remained so through 10 days. This reduction was correlated with reduced levels of hyaluronan synthase mRNAs while hyaluronan degradation rates were unchanged. Poly I:C, a viral mimetic, caused increased hyaluronan accumulation by ASMC cell layers and this increase was inhibited by SRL. The inhibition was paralleled by a reduction in hyaluronan-dependent monocyte adhesion to the ECM. This study demonstrates that SRL not only regulates the proliferation of ASMC but reduces the production of hyaluronan by these cells. This alteration in ECM composition results in reduced monocyte adhesion to the ECM in cultures of ASMC. Alterations in hyaluronan accumulation may contribute to the inhibition of ISR that is achieved by SRL.
Atherosclerosis 2007 Nov
PMID:Sirolimus blocks the accumulation of hyaluronan (HA) by arterial smooth muscle cells and reduces monocyte adhesion to the ECM. 1717 14

It is very well known that the development of medical disciplines, but also nonmedical sciences such as ethics, physics, or economy has a remarkable impact on advances in transplantology. A question arises whether transplantology gives anything in return? Presented paper provides several examples of how transplantation contributes to the world of medicine. These examples include influence of both clinical practice and research in the field of transplantation on the advances in other medical specializations: nephrology (treatment of glomerulopathies, reducing fibrosis), cardiology (preventing atherosclerosis and neointima formation, sirolimus-coated stents), haematology (Sirolimus for GvHD) or oncology (anti-tumor effects of sirolimus).
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PMID:Contribution of transplantation to the development of medical science. How transplantation contributes to the world of medicine. 1749 87

Coronary heart disease is mainly caused by atherosclerosis, which is a multifactorial and systemic disease. Lipid metabolism disorder and chronic inflammation are two well accepted mechanisms leading to atherosclerosis. The key initiating process in athrogenesis is lipid retention in subendothelium. Inflammatory activity plays an important role in the whole pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Recent investigations have demonstrated that rapamycin reduces lipid retention by increasing adipose-tissue lipase activity and decreasing lipoprotein lipase activity. Rapamycin also reduce intracellular lipid accumulation in smooth muscle cells and macrophages. Since rapamycin is a definite immunosuppressive agent, and inflammatory process has been involved in atherosclerosis, the compound would have effect on the progression of atherosclerosis through reducing inflammatory activity. Moreover, rapamycin would protect plaque from rupture by selectively clearing macrophages without affecting vascular smooth muscle cells. Even some in vivo studies demonstrate that rapamycin can notably inhibit the development of atherosclerosis. Rapamycin, especially its analog, everolimus, is a non-toxic, well-tolerated drug suitable for long term use. Clinical experiments demonstrate that everolimus can reduce graft vasculopathy in heart transplant patients. Therefore, we propose that everolimus administered systemically is a promising medical therapy to attenuate atherosclerosis and prevent further adverse events. In addition, rapamycin is a selective and effective mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor. mTOR acts as a hub for cell metabolism, cell growth and cell survival. Based on previous evidences, we hypotheses that mTOR signaling pathway could play a significant role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Everolimus, a promising medical therapy for coronary heart disease? 1937 41

Sirolimus is an antiproliferative immunosuppressive agent that inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin. It is highly effective in preventing acute renal allograft rejection and can be used with either calcineurin inhibitors, antimetabolites or corticosteroids. Early studies in renal transplantation have provided insight into optimal dosing strategies of sirolimus and of concomitant immunosuppressive agents. Familiarity with the adverse effect profile of sirolimus and pharmacokinetic and dynamic interactions with other immunosuppressive agents allows for earlier recognition and better management of sirolimus-related complications. The role of sirolimus in preserving long-term renal function, post-transplant malignancies and in prevention of atherosclerosis is currently being considered.
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PMID:Considerations in sirolimus use in the early and late post-transplant periods. 1952 62

The objective of the present study was to assess the effects of the immunosuppressant rapamycin (Rapamune, Sirolimus) on both resistance vessel responsiveness and atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient 8-week-old male mice fed a normal rodent diet. Norepinephrine (NE)-induced vasoconstriction, acetylcholine (ACh)- and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced vasorelaxation of isolated mesenteric bed, and atherosclerotic lesions were evaluated. After 12 weeks of orally administered rapamycin (5 mg.kg-1.day-1, N = 9) and compared with untreated (control, N = 9) animals, rapamycin treatment did not modify either NE-induced vasoconstriction (maximal response: 114 +/- 4 vs 124 +/- 10 mmHg, respectively) or ACh- (maximal response: 51 +/- 8 vs 53 +/- 5%, respectively) and SNP-induced vasorelaxation (maximal response: 73 +/- 6 vs 74 +/- 6%, respectively) of the isolated vascular mesenteric bed. Despite increased total cholesterol in treated mice (982 +/- 59 vs 722 +/- 49 mg/dL, P < 0.01), lipid deposition on the aorta wall vessel was significantly less in rapamycin-treated animals (37 +/- 12 vs 68 +/- 8 microm(2) x 10(3)). These results indicate that orally administered rapamycin is effective in attenuating the progression of atherosclerotic plaque without affecting the responsiveness of resistance vessels, supporting the idea that this immunosuppressant agent might be of potential benefit against atherosclerosis in patients undergoing therapy.
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PMID:Oral rapamycin attenuates atherosclerosis without affecting the arterial responsiveness of resistance vessels in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice. 1989 93

Inflammatory stress accelerates the progression of atherosclerosis. Sirolimus, a new immunosuppressive agent, has been shown to have pleiotropic antiatherosclerotic effects. In this study we hypothesized that sirolimus inhibits 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR)-mediated cholesterol synthesis in human vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) under inflammatory stress. Using radioactive assay, we demonstrated that sirolimus inhibited the increase of interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta)-induced cholesterol synthesis in VSMCs. Further studies showed that sirolimus inhibited both the HMGR gene and protein expression in VSMCs treated with or without IL-1beta. These effects were mediated by inhibiting the gene expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2) and SREBP-2 cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) as checked by real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and confocal microscopy for the observation of decreased protein translocation of the SCAP/SREBP-2 complex from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi. Insulin-induced gene-1 (Insig-1) is a key ER protein controlling the feedback regulation of HMGR at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. We demonstrated that sirolimus increased Insig-1 expression which may bind to the SCAP, preventing the exit of SCAP-SREBP complexes from the ER. The increased Insig-1 also accelerated HMGR protein degradation in VSMCs as shown by pulse-chase analysis. In conclusion, sirolimus inhibits cholesterol synthesis induced by inflammatory stress through the downregulation of HMGR expression and the acceleration of HMGR protein degradation. These findings may improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the antiatherosclerosis properties of sirolimus.
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PMID:Sirolimus inhibits endogenous cholesterol synthesis induced by inflammatory stress in human vascular smooth muscle cells. 2034 17

Sirolimus (rapamycin), a macrolide antibiotic approved for use as an immunosuppressive agent in the prevention of organ rejection, is a cell proliferation inhibitor and regulator of the immune response which acts through inhibition of TOR (target of rapamycin), a kinase essential to cell cycle progression. Recent studies suggest that the TOR pathway is critical to overall cell function, and at a basic mechanistic level, may be a regulator and potential therapeutic target involved in many of the major (and minor) disorders seen in man today. Cardiovascular diseases including restenosis following percutaneous coronary intervention as well as the more widespread condition of atherosclerosis, share this common involvement of TOR. The present report addresses the current state of intervention in cardiovascular disorders with Sirolimus and similar inhibitors of TOR, including the rationale for this approach and the successes observed to date. Success of the first drug-eluting stent to locally treat restenosis in the clinic is discussed, as are preclinical studies addressing a role in overall atherosclerosis in animal models. In addition, due to the known toxicities when given systemically, an approach for targeted delivery to local areas of vascular disease is discussed.
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PMID:Sirolimus and its analogs and its effects on vascular diseases. 2120 86


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