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)

Salusin-alpha is a new bioactive peptide with mild hypotensive and bradycardic effects. Our recent study showed that salusin-alpha suppresses foam cell formation in human monocyte-derived macrophages by down-regulating acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase-1, contributing to its anti-atherosclerotic effect. To clarify the clinical implications of salusin-alpha in hypertension and its complications, we examined the relationship between serum salusin-alpha levels and carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients. The intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque score in the carotid artery, blood pressure, serum levels of salusin-alpha, and atherosclerotic parameters were determined in 70 patients with essential hypertension and in 20 normotensive controls. There were no significant differences in age, gender, body mass index, fasting plasma glucose level, or serum levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein, high- or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, small dense LDL, triglycerides, lipoprotein(a), or insulin between the two groups. Serum salusin-alpha levels were significantly lower in hypertensive patients than in normotensive controls. The plasma urotensin-II level, maximal IMT, plaque score, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly greater in hypertensive patients than in normotensive controls. In all subjects, maximal IMT was significantly correlated with age, systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, urotensin-II, salusin-alpha, and HOMA-IR. Forward stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that salusin-alpha levels had a significantly independent and negative association with maximal IMT. Serum salusin-alpha levels were significantly lower in accordance with the severity of plaque score. Our results suggest that the decrease in serum salusin-alpha, an anti-atherogenic peptide, may be associated with carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients.
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PMID:Serum salusin-alpha levels are decreased and correlated negatively with carotid atherosclerosis in essential hypertensive patients. 1849 65

Salusin-alpha was recently shown to exert anti-atherosclerotic effects and its potential role as a clinical marker for atherosclerosis has been proposed. We determined serum salusin-alpha concentrations in 99 patients across a diverse range of renal functions and urinary salusin-alpha excretions in 12 patients with non-dialyzed renal failure using a highly sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay. Serum salusin-alpha concentrations in patients with moderate to advanced renal insufficiency (eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) were significantly lower than those with preserved renal function (eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) (6.1 + or - 2.4 pmol/l vs. 11.8 + or - 1.1 pmol/l, p < 0.05). Since renal failure is frequently associated with atherosclerosis, we analyzed the relationship between serum salusin-alpha and eGFR after excluding patients with advanced atherosclerotic diseases. The serum salusin-alpha level was correlated with eGFR values (n = 94, p < 0.005). Patients with renal insufficiency showed reduced urinary salusin-alpha excretion, but the magnitude of the reduction was less than that for the decrease in serum salusin-alpha. Consequently, their salusin-alpha clearance often exceeded endogenous creatinine clearance levels. In conclusion, the decreased serum concentrations of salusin-alpha, an anti-atherosclerotic peptide, may be associated with impaired renal function, suggesting a potential role of decreased salusin-alpha in the acceleration of atherosclerosis in chronic kidney diseases. Urinary salusin-alpha may originate from the renal tubules, and may not necessarily represent the peptides filtered at the glomerulus.
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PMID:Serum levels and urinary excretion of salusin-alpha in renal insufficiency. 2034 78

Dyslipidemia is one of the most potent risk factors for the development of atherosclerosis. The high atherosclerotic risk in dyslipidemic patients is associated with endothelial dysfunction. During the last two decades, novel bioactive peptides have emerged as potential biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and dyslipidemia-salusins and adropin. Salusin-alpha is likely to prevent atherosclerosis, while salusin-beta may act as a potential proatherogenic factor. Adropin was recently identified as important for energy homeostasis and lipid metabolism. Adropin is closely related to the inhibition of atherosclerosis by up-regulation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression through the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. These peptides represent a novel target to limit diseases characterized by endothelial dysfunction and may form the basis for the development of new therapeutic agents for treating metabolic disorders associated with atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Salusins and adropin: New peptides potentially involved in lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis. 2712 18