Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018799 (heart disease)
 34,133 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Insulin accelerates the entry of glucose and amino acids into muscle cells by acting upon the 'carrier-facilitated' transport mechanism. For glucose this process is passive and leads to equilibration of intracellular and extracellular concentrations. In heart muscle, glucose transport is a rate-limiting step for glucose uptake. During hypoxia and ischemia the heart turns to anaerobic glycolysis for energy production and therefore, maximal glucose transport becomes important. Insulin is necessary to insure proper protein synthesis, probably at the level of membrane-bound polyribosomes. However, during myocardial hypoxia, insulin alone cannot restore the associated depression in protein synthesis. Although insulin hyperpolarizes the cell, a change in the ratio of intracellular to extracellular activities of potassium is not its primary mode of action. An insulin-induced configurational change in the plasma membrane could simultaneously account for the effects of insulin on sodium and potassium permeability and the action on facilitated transport. Intracellular levels of cyclic adenylate may be reduced by insulin in adipose tissue because of inhibition of adenyl cyclase or stimulation of phosphodiesterase. However, at this time there is little evidence that insulin alters cyclic AMP levels in the heart. Insulin secretion is depressed in patients with heart disease in proportion to the reduction of cardiac index sustained. Since the ischemic heart is dependent upon glucose as the major fuel, insulin lack may deprive the heart of adequate substrate.
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PMID:Insulin: fundamental mechanism of action and the heart. 18 67

Straited membranous structures (SMS), which consisted of sheets or ribbons of 130 to 220 A in thickness, showed variable patterns of periodic substructure, and resembled SMS described in renal and ocular tissues in various diseases, were found in extracellular locations in a) mitral valve (2 patients) and tricuspid valve (1 patient) of 2 patients with mitral valvular prolapse, b) mitral valve and femoral artery of 1 patient with Marfan's syndrome and prolapsed mitral valve, and c) myocardium (2 patients) and thickened endocardium (3 patients) of 3 patients with congenital heart disease associated with muscular obstruction to right ventricular outflow. Striated membranous structures measured up to several microns in diameter, often were highly folded and convoluted, and sometimes appeared circular in outline. Some SMS measured from 130 to 150 A in thickness and had indistinct edges and poorly defined periodicity. The majority of SMS, however, had greater thicknesses, in the range of 200 A, and a periodicity characterized by alternating light and dark bands with a spacing that varied from 100 to 160 A. The structures were associated with thickened basement membranes, elastic fibers, and membrane-bound bodies of the type thought to be involved in elastogenesis. Evidence available suggests that SMS results from an unusual pattern of arrangement of a component, possibly Type IV collagen, of basement membrane material.
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PMID:Striated membranous structures in human hearts. An ultrastructural study. 97 Apr 44

The evidence that estrogen protects against coronary heart disease is biologically plausible, consistent, and strong. These benefits have not been established by a randomized trial, however, so that the degree of protection against heart disease might have been overestimated because estrogen users tend to be healthier than nonusers. A randomized trial to determine whether estrogen alone or in combination with progestin protects against coronary heart disease should be given a high priority. Progestins generally attenuate the effects of estrogen on the concentrations of HDLC. It is not known whether this effect also limits the beneficial effects of estrogen on the risk of coronary heart disease. Recent studies suggest that estrogen may protect against coronary heart disease in other ways besides favorably altering serum concentrations of lipoproteins and that progestins might not have adverse effects on the risk of heart disease. Currently, theoretical concerns that progestins might be harmful seem outweighed by the evidence that they protect against endometrial cancer in women who have a uterus. For these women, some may find the side effects of progestins to be so bothersome that they prefer to take estrogen alone. This approach is reasonable so long as the patient has periodic endometrial biopsies for early detection of pre-malignant or malignant endometrial changes. Women without a uterus should take estrogen alone. Women who take long-term estrogen therapy appear to have about a 30% greater chance of developing breast cancer. On the other hand, breast cancer that develops while taking estrogen therapy might have a slightly better prognosis. Quantitative comparisons of fatal conditions suggest that the benefits of long-term therapy outweigh the risks. But these comparisons assume that all causes of deaths are equally important and do not adequately take account of other psychologic and physical effects of hormone therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Evaluating the benefits and risks of postmenopausal hormone therapy. 175 Apr 10

Clinical, ultrastructural and biochemical studies are reported in a 42-year-old woman presenting with congenital pes cavus who, at the age of 23 years, developed slowly progressive distal amyotrophies, hypesthesia, bilateral hearing loss and severe cardiopathy leading to death. There were skeletal anomalies, mild reduction of motor NCVs, but no corneal opacity, retinitis pigmentosa, organomegaly or vacuolated lymphocytes. Autopsy disclosed severe thickening of fibrous tissues (endocardium, cerebrospinal dura) with accumulation of vacuolated cells containing glycosaminoglycans in numerous membrane-bound cytoplasmic vacuoles, and/or compound multilamellar or zebra-body-like structures. The CNS, in addition to enlarged perivascular lacunes in cerebral white matter with lipid-containing macrophages, showed neuronal lipid storage in thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, brain stem nuclei, spinal motor neurons and Purkinje cell dendrites. Ultrastructurally, lamellated inclusions containing gangliosides were seen in mesenchymal cells, oligodendrocytes, pericytes and Schwann cells. Neurons contained abundant ceroid but no lamellated inclusions. Neurochemistry revealed decrease of alpha-L-iduronidase activity in brain tissue to 4% of normal, normal activities of other lysosomal enzymes, and normal lipid and ganglioside patterns. While the morphology and neurochemistry data are characteristic of mucopolysaccharidosis I, the phenotype of adult alpha-L-iduronidase deficiency mimicking Friedreich's disease has not been described so far.
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PMID:New phenotype of adult alpha-L-iduronidase deficiency (mucopolysaccharidosis I) masquerading as Friedreich's ataxia with cardiopathy. 212 5

Dietary fats play a critical role in atherogenesis and thrombosis. Both the amount of fat consumed and its composition affect various events associated with coronary artery disease. Dietary unsaturated fatty acids appear to reduce the incidence of these events, in particular polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which exert markedly different effects on risk factors related to heart disease. The omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs, at high levels of dietary intake, significantly reduce hyperlipidemia and the production of the prothrombotic substance thromboxane, and they enhance the production of the platelet-antiaggregatory substance prostacyclin. Data from clinical trials indicate a significant reduction of levels of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). The n-3 PUFAs also depress hepatic fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis and VLDL secretion. The n-3 PUFAs of fish oils displace arachidonic acid from tissue phospholipids and concomitantly increase n-3 PUFA levels, which inhibit thromboxane synthesis. Most significantly, in human subjects the antiaggregatory prostacyclin PGI3 is also synthesized and the net effect is enhanced antiaggregatory/antiadhesive activity. In addition, the chemotactic platelet adhesion-promoting substance leukotriene B4 is suppressed. These composite effects reduce atherogenesis and thrombosis. Fish oil n-3 PUFAs may also reduce blood pressure and blood viscosity. Through the combined vasodilatory effects via prostacyclin (PGI2 and PGI3), fish oils may improve peripheral circulation and thereby facilitate VLDL removal. The n-3 PUFAs of fish oils, by altering membrane fluidity in a specific manner, alter the activities of membrane-bound enzymes and may change receptor activity, specificity and signal transduction. Overall, these data indicate a beneficial role for n-3 PUFAs as part of a dietary approach to minimizing coronary artery disease.
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PMID:Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on factors related to cardiovascular disease. 331 46

There is increasing evidence that the membrane-bound thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) may be mediating clinically important direct effects of thyrotropin (TSH) and of TSHR antibodies (TSHRab) in extra-thyroidal tissues. TSHR mRNA has formerly been detected in thyroid, retroorbital muscle and fibroblasts, peripheral lymphocytes and rodent fat. It is well known that thyroid disease may aggravate or induce heart disease, but the pathophysiological role of TSH and TSHRab is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate if TSHR is present in cardiac muscle. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reactions revealed TSHR in human heart and Northern blot on extracted RNA showed a RNA species of 4.4 kb. TSH stimulation of cultured mouse AT-1 cardiomyocytes elevated the levels of intracellular second messenger 3',5'-cyclic AMP. This effect of TSH could be inhibited by TSHR antibodies. In solution hybridization levels of TSHR mRNA in AT-1 cells were 50% of mRNA in crude mouse heart. In conclusion functional TSHR is present in cardiomyocytes.
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PMID:Evidence for the presence of functional thyrotropin receptor in cardiac muscle. 779 53

High-density cholesterol (HDL) levels are affected by genetic influences and certain behaviors. Low levels of HDL-C are considered as an independent risk factor for premature coronary heart disease. In patients with Tangier disease, characterised by low HDL levels, mutations in the ATP binding cassette transporter have been described. We have analysed three polymorphisms of the ABCA1 gene (-477C/T, R219 K, and I883M) in a cohort of young male survivors of myocardial infarction in order to know their influence in long-term prognosis. In premature heart disease, knowing prognosis factors is specially relevant.
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PMID:ABCA1 polymorphisms and prognosis after myocardial infarction in young patients. 1631 84

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are members of an enzyme family that require a zinc ion in their active site for catalytic activity. MMPs are critical for maintaining tissue allostasis. MMPs are active at neutral pH and can therefore catalyze the normal turnover of extracellular matrix (ECM) macromolecules such as the interstitial and basement membrane collagens, proteoglycans such as aggrecan, decorin, biglycan, fibromodulin and versican as well as accessory ECM proteins such as fibronectin. Members of the MMP family include the "classical" MMPs, the membrane-bound MMPs (MT-MMPs) the ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase; adamlysins) and the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif). There are more than 20 members in the MMP and ADAMTS family including the collagenases, gelatinases, stromelysins, some elastases and aggrecanases. Adamlysins are membrane-bound MMPs that also degrade aggrecan, but more importantly, one ADAM family member (i.e.ADAM-17) is a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-converting enzyme (TACE) that activates pro-TNF-alpha. Most of the MMPs are synthesized as inactive latent enzymes. Conversion to the active enzyme is generally mediated by activator systems that include plasminogen activator or the pro-hormone convertase, furin. MMP activity is regulated by a group of endogenous proteins, called, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) that bind to active and alternative sites of the activated MMP. Significant advances have occurred in the understanding of the regulation of MMPs, ADAMs and ADAMTSs gene expression. In addition, development of MMP inhibitors to study MMP structure/function relationships spawned many studies to determine the effectiveness of MMP inhibitors in regulating abnormal connective tissue turnover. In addition, development of MMP null mice carrying specific MMP deletions has provided an opportunity to explore the role of MMPs in normal development as well as in such diverse conditions and diseases as skeletal dysplasias, coronary artery and heart disease, arthritis, cancer, and brain disorders.
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PMID:Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in health and disease: an overview. 1636 48

Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease responsible for strokes, myocardial infarction, renal hypertension, and intermittent claudication. Acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction, and sudden cardiac death) are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in developed countries. These acute manifestations of heart disease share a common pathophysiologic phenomenon: coronary thrombosis. Two principal mechanisms are responsible for coronary thrombosis: plaque disruption (75%) and plaque erosion (25%). Disrupted plaques exhibit a large lipid content, increased macrophages, and a thin fibrous cap. Hypercholesterolemia and diabetes are associated with plaque disruption. Eroded plaques are smooth muscle-cell rich with an intact fibrous cap. Cigarette smoking is associated with plaque erosion, most frequently in women with sudden death when they are younger than 50 years of age. Systemic inflammation is a novel, robust marker for future cardiovascular events, not only in patients with established atherosclerotic disease but also in apparently healthy individuals. Local inflammation at the plaque disruption site is documented by increased macrophage infiltration. Macrophages are responsible for plaque disruption, neovascularization, smooth muscle cell apoptosis, and plaque thrombogenicity. Experimental studies have identified the lipid core as the most thrombogenic substrate of the atherosclerotic plaque. Tissue factor, a cell membrane-bound protein, is crucial in thrombus formation. Tissue factor is expressed in apoptotic macrophages, suggesting that macrophages are not only responsible for plaque disruption but also pivotal in thrombus generation, the most important mechanism of acute coronary syndromes.
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PMID:Pathophysiology of plaque disruption and thrombosis in acute ischemic syndromes. 1790 43

Heart diseases resulting in heart failure are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Western world and can result from either systemic disease (e.g., hypertensive heart disease, ischemic heart disease) or specific heart muscle disease (e.g., dilated cardiomyopathy/DCM). Subproteome analysis of such disease subsets affords a reduction in sample complexity, potentially revealing biomarkers of cardiac failure that would otherwise remain undiscovered in proteome wide studies. Label-free nanoscale LC-MS has been applied in this study to validate a Triton X-114-based phase enrichment method for cardiac membrane proteins. Annotation of the subcellular location combined with GRAVY score analysis indicates a clear separation between soluble and membrane-bound proteins with an enrichment of over 62% for this protein subset. LC-MS allowed confident identification and annotation of hydrophobic proteins in this control sample pilot study and demonstrates the power of the proposed technique to extract integral membrane-bound proteins. This approach should be applicable to a wider scale study of disease-associated changes in the cardiac membrane subproteome.
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PMID:Nonionic detergent phase extraction for the proteomic analysis of heart membrane proteins using label-free LC-MS. 1871 67


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