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Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Utilizing in utero aortopulmonary vascular graft placement, we developed a lamb model of congenital heart disease and increased pulmonary blood flow. We showed previously that these lambs have increased pulmonary vessel number at 4 wk of age. To determine whether this was associated with alterations in VEGF signaling, we investigated vascular changes in expression of VEGF and its receptors, Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1, in the lungs of shunted and age-matched control lambs during the first 8 wk of life. Western blot analysis demonstrated that VEGF, Flt-1, and KDR/Flk-1 expression was higher in shunted lambs. VEGF and Flt-1 expression was increased at 4 and 8 wk of age (P <0.05). However, KDR/Flk-1 expression was higher in shunted lambs only at 1 and 4 wk of age (P <0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated that, in control and shunted lambs, VEGF localized to the smooth muscle layer of vessels and airways and to the pulmonary epithelium while increased VEGF expression was localized to the smooth muscle layer of thickened media in remodeled vessels in shunted lambs. VEGF receptors were localized exclusively in the endothelium of pulmonary vessels. Flt-1 was increased in the endothelium of small pulmonary arteries in shunted animals at 4 and 8 wk of age, whereas KDR/Flk-1 was increased in small pulmonary arteries at 1 and 4 wk of age. Our data suggest that increased pulmonary blood flow upregulates expression of VEGF and its receptors, and this may be important in development of the vascular remodeling in shunted lambs.
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PMID:Expression of VEGF and its receptors Flt-1 and Flk-1/KDR is altered in lambs with increased pulmonary blood flow and pulmonary hypertension. 1266 67

Heart diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Cardiac stem cells (CSC) are considered as candidates for cardiac-directed cell therapies. However, clinical translation is hampered since their isolation and expansion is complex. We describe a population of human cardiac derived adherent proliferating (CAP) cells that can be reliably and efficiently isolated and expanded from endomyocardial biopsies (0.1 cm(3)). Growth kinetics revealed a mean cell doubling time of 49.9 h and a high number of 2.54 x 10(7) cells in passage 3. Microarray analysis directed at investigating the gene expression profile of human CAP cells demonstrated the absence of the hematopoietic cell markers CD34 and CD45, and of CD90, which is expressed on mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) and fibroblasts. These data were confirmed by flow cytometry analysis. CAP cells could not be differentiated into adipocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, or myoblasts, demonstrating the absence of multilineage potential. Moreover, despite the expression of heart muscle markers like alpha-sarcomeric actin and cardiac myosin, CAP cells cannot be differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Regarding functionality, CAP cells were especially positive for many genes involved in angiogenesis like angiopoietin-1, VEGF, KDR, and neuropilins. Globally, principal component and hierarchical clustering analysis and comparison with microarray data from many undifferentiated and differentiated reference cell types, revealed a unique identity of CAP cells. In conclusion, we have identified a unique cardiac tissue derived cell type that can be isolated and expanded from endomyocardial biopsies and which presents a potential cell source for cardiac repair. Results indicate that these cells rather support angiogenesis than cardiomyocyte differentiation.
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PMID:Endomyocardial biopsy derived adherent proliferating cells - a potential cell source for cardiac tissue engineering. 2001 94

Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease with decreased pulmonary blood flow. Right-to-left shunt and infundibular pulmonary stenosis in this disease lead to a decrease in arterial O(2) saturation. Hypoxia is a strong stimulus for angiogenesis; however, the reason for insufficiency in the pulmonary vascular growth in patients despite chronic arterial hypoxia is still not known. This study was planned considering that the impairment in vascular endothelial growth factor-receptor relationship or the vascular endothelial growth factor-receptor deficiency in the pulmonary vascular bed during development may cause insufficiency of pulmonary vascular growth. A total of 24 patients were grouped as cyanotic - including 13 patients with tetralogy of Fallot - and acyanotic - including 11 patients with left-to-right shunt lesions. During cardiac catheterisation, vascular endothelial growth factor measurements were performed; and oxygen saturations, pressures, and haemoglobin levels were measured. Perioperative lung biopsy for vascular endothelial growth factor receptors was performed in the cyanotic group. Vascular endothelial growth factor of the aorta was higher in the acyanotic group. There was a significant negative correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor levels and aortic O(2) saturation in the cyanotic group (p < 0.05). Vascular endothelial growth factor tissue staining was negative in 11 out of 13 (84.6%) patients. KDR/Flk-1 receptor was positive in four out of 13 (30.7%) patients; Flt-1 receptor was positive in six out of 13 (46.1%) patients. Vascular endothelial growth factor values were found to be lower than those of the acyanotic patients in this study. Low serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels of the cyanotic group, in spite of the hypoxia, demonstrated the importance of studying vascular endothelial growth factor tissue levels and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors in these patients.
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PMID:Serum and pulmonary vascular endothelial growth factor/receptors and haemodynamic measurements in cyanotic congenital heart disease with decreased pulmonary blood flow. 2177 42