ABSTRACT
The exact nature of shock wave (SW) action is not, as yet, fully understood, although a possible hypothesis may be that shock waves induce neoangiogenesis. To test this hypothesis, a three-dimensional (3D) culture model on Matrigel was developed employing a human microvascular endothelial cell line (HMEC-1) which was stimulated with low energy soft- focused SW generated by an SW lithotripter. After 12 hours we observed a statistically significant increase in capillary connections subsequent to shock-wave treatment in respect to the control group and a marked 3-hour down-regulation in genes involved in the apoptotic processes (BAX, BCL2LI, GADD45A, PRKCA), in cell cycle (CDKN2C, CEBPB, HK2, IRF1, PRKCA), oncogenes (JUN, WNT1), cell adhesion (ICAM-1), and proteolytic systems (CTSD, KLK2, MMP10). Our preliminary results indicate that microvascular endothelial cells in vitro quickly respond to SW, proliferating and forming vessel-like structures, depending on the energy level employed and the number of shocks released. The early decreased expression in the analysed genes could be interpreted as the first reactive response of the endothelial cells to the external stimuli and the prelude to the events characterizing the neo-angiogenic sequence.
Subject(s)
Endothelial Cells/physiology , Endothelium, Vascular/cytology , Gene Expression Regulation , High-Energy Shock Waves , Neovascularization, Pathologic , Acoustic Stimulation , Apoptosis/genetics , CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Protein-beta/genetics , Cell Culture Techniques/methods , Cell Cycle/genetics , Cell Cycle Proteins/genetics , Collagen , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p18/genetics , Drug Combinations , Endothelial Cells/cytology , Humans , Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1/genetics , Interferon Regulatory Factor-1/genetics , Laminin , Matrix Metalloproteinase 10/genetics , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , Protein Kinase C-alpha/genetics , Proteoglycans , bcl-2-Associated X Protein/geneticsABSTRACT
Red blood cell filtration, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels were investigated in 15 patients with chronic cerebrovascular disease, 10 of whom treated with Suloctidil and 5 with pentoxifylline. The treatment was carried out in 90 days. Both pentoxifylline and Suloctidil produced a significant improvement of erythrocyte deformability and a decrease of platelet aggregation.
Subject(s)
Erythrocytes/physiology , Intracranial Arteriosclerosis/drug therapy , Pentoxifylline/therapeutic use , Propanolamines/therapeutic use , Suloctidil/therapeutic use , Theobromine/analogs & derivatives , Cholesterol/blood , Chronic Disease , Erythrocytes/drug effects , Humans , Platelet Aggregation/drug effects , Triglycerides/bloodABSTRACT
In 30 synchronized arteriosclerotic, but otherwise apparently normal, aged patients, a circadian rhythm can be demonstrated for plasma iron and total iron binding capacity, but not for serum ferritin. The features of the two rhythms are similar to those observed in adult subjects. In women an acrophase-shift of the two rhythms in comparison to men has been observed.
Subject(s)
Arteriosclerosis/blood , Circadian Rhythm , Ferritins/blood , Iron/blood , Aged , Female , Humans , Iron/metabolism , MaleABSTRACT
The level of serum ferritin of 226 selected subjects, aged 20 to 93, showed an age-related tendency to rise and in every age studied it was higher in males than in females. This finding is considered to be a consequence of the activation of the reticuloendothelial system and of the increase of iron storage with ageing.
