Regulate the Solvation Structure and Interface by Nitrate in Phosphate-Based Electrolytes for 4.5 V-Class Ni-Rich Batteries.

Phosphate-based electrolyte propels the advanced battery system with high safety. Unfortunately, restricted by poor electrochemical stability, it is difficult to be compatible with advanced lithium metal anodes and Ni-rich cathodes. To alleviate these issues, the study has developed a phosphate-based localized high-concentration electrolyte with a nitrate-driven solvation structure, and the nitrate-derived N-rich inorganic interface shows excellent performance in stabilizing the LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) cathode interface and modulating the lithium deposition morphology on the anode. The results show that the Li|| NCM811 cell has exceptional long-cycle stability of >80% capacity retention after 800 cycles at 4.3 V, 1 C. A more prominent capacity retention rate of 93.3% after 200 cycles can be reached with the high voltage of 4.5 V. While being compatible with the phosphate-based electrolyte with good flame retardancy and the good electrochemical stability of Ni-rich lithium metal battery (LMBs) systems, the present work expands the construction of anion-rich solvation structures, which is expected to promote the development of the high-performance LMBs with safety.

Localized High-Concentration Sulfone Electrolytes with High-Voltage Stability and Flame Retardancy for Ni-Rich Lithium Metal Batteries.

The localized high-concentration electrolyte (LHCE) propels the advanced high-voltage battery system. Sulfone-based LHCE is a transformative direction compatible with high energy density and high safety. In this work, the application of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl)imide and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) in the LHCE system constructed from sulfolane and 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl ether (TTE) is investigated. The addition of diluent causes an increase of contact ion pairs and ionic aggregates in the solvation cluster and an acceptable quantity of free solvent molecules. A small amount of LiFSI as an additive can synergistically decompose with TTE on the cathode and participate in the construction of both electrode interfaces. The designed electrolyte helps the Ni-rich system to cycle firmly at a high voltage of 4.5 V. Even with high mass load and lean electrolyte, it can keep a reversible specific capacity of 91.5% after 50 cycles. The constructed sulfone-based electrolyte system exhibits excellent thermal stability far beyond the commercial electrolytes. Further exploration of in-situ gelation has led to a quick conversion of the designed liquid electrolyte to the gel state, accompanied by preserved stability, which provides a direction for the synergistic development of LHCE with gel electrolytes.

Interface Engineering of MOF-Derived Co3O4@CNT and CoS2@CNT Anodes with Long Cycle Life and High-Rate Properties in Lithium/Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Metal-organic framework materials can be converted into carbon-based nanoporous materials by pyrolysis, which have a wide range of applications in energy storage. Here, we design special interface engineering to combine the carbon skeleton and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with the transition metal compounds (TMCs) well, which mitigates the bulk effect of the TMCs and improves the conductivity of the electrodes. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 is used as a precursor to form a carbon skeleton and a large number of nitrogen-doped CNTs by pyrolysis followed by the in situ formation of Co3O4 and CoS2, and finally, Co3O4@CNTs and CoS2@CNTs are synthesized. The obtained anode electrodes exhibit a long cycle life and high-rate properties. In lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), Co3O4@CNTs have a high capacity of 581 mAh g-1 at a high current of 5 A g-1, and their reversible capacity is still 1037.6 mAh g-1 after 200 cycles at 1 A g-1. In sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), CoS2@CNTs have a capacity of 859.9 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and can be retained at 801.2 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles. The unique interface engineering and excellent electrochemical properties make them ideal anode materials for high-rate, long-life LIBs and SIBs.

Contributing to the Revolution of Electrolyte Systems via In Situ Polymerization at Different Scales: A Review.

Solid-state batteries have become the most anticipated option for compatibility with high-energy density and safety. In situ polymerization, a novel strategy for the construction of solid-state systems, has extended its application from solid polymer electrolyte systems to other solid-state systems. This review summarizes the application of in situ polymerization strategies in solid-state batteries, which covers the construction of polymer, the formation of the electrolyte system, and the design of the full cell. For the polymer skeleton, multiple components and structures are being chosen. In the construction of solid polymer electrolyte systems, the choice of initiator for in situ polymerization is the focus of this review. New initiators, represented by lithium salts and additives, are the preferred choice because of their ability to play more diverse roles, while the coordination with other components can also improve the electrical properties of the system and introduce functionalities. In the construction of entire solid-state battery systems, the application of in situ polymerization to structure construction, interface construction, and the use of separators with multiplex functions has brought more possibilities for the development of various solid-state systems and even the perpetuation of liquid electrolytes.

Evaluation of blood pressure lowering effect by generic and brand-name antihypertensive drugs treatment: a multicenter prospective study in China.

BACKGROUND: Generic drugs are bioequivalent to their brand-name counterparts; however, concerns still exist regarding the effectiveness and safety of generic drugs because of small sample sizes and short follow-up time in most studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term antihypertensive efficacy, cost-effectiveness and cardiovascular outcomes of generic drugs compared with brand-name drugs. METHODS: In a multicenter, community-based study including 7955 hypertensive patients who were prospectively followed up for an average of 2.5 years, we used the propensity-score-matching method to match the patients using brand-name drugs to those using generic drugs in a ratio of 1:2, 2176 patients using brand-name drugs and 4352 patients using generic drugs. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between generic drugs and brand-name drugs in blood pressure (BP)-lowering efficacy, BP control rate, and cardiovascular outcomes including coronary heart disease and stroke. The adjusted mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) of systolic BP (SBP)-lowering was -7.9 mmHg (95% CI, -9.9 to -5.9) in the brand-name drug group and -7.1 mmHg (95% CI, -9.1 to -5.1) in the generic drug group after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, number of antihypertensive drugs and traditionally cardiovascular risk factors. Among patients aged <60 years, brand-name drugs had a higher BP control rate (47% vs. 41%; P = 0.02) and a greater effect in lowering SBP compared with generic drugs, with the between-group difference of 1.5 mmHg (95% CI, 0.2-2.8; P = 0.03). BP control rate was higher in male patients using brand-name drugs compared with those using generic drugs (46% vs. 40%; P = 0.01). Generic drugs treatment yielded an average annual incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $315.4 per patient per mmHg decrease in SBP compared with brand-name drugs treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that generic drugs are suitable and cost-effective in improving hypertension management and facilitating public health benefits, especially in low- and middle-income areas.

Low Serum Uric Acid Levels Promote Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage by Disrupting the Smooth Muscle Cell-Elastin Contractile Unit and Upregulating the Erk1/2-MMP Axis.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a catastrophic stroke with high mortality, and the mechanism underlying ICH is largely unknown. Previous studies have shown that high serum uric acid (SUA) levels are an independent risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and ischemic stroke. However, our metabolomics data showed that SUA levels were lower in recurrent intracerebral hemorrhage (R-ICH) patients than in ICH patients, indicating that lower SUA might contribute to ICH. In this study, we confirmed the association between low SUA levels and the risk for recurrence of ICH and for cardiac-cerebral vascular mortality in hypertensive patients. To determine the mechanism by which low SUA effects ICH pathogenesis, we developed the first low SUA mouse model and conducted transcriptome profiling of the cerebrovasculature of ICH mice. When combining these assessments with pathological morphology, we found that low SUA levels led to ICH in mice with angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension and aggravated the pathological progression of ICH. In vitro, our results showed that p-Erk1/2-MMP axis were involved in the low UA-induce degradation of elastin, and that physiological concentrations of UA and p-Erk1/2-specific inhibitor exerted a protective role. This is the first report describing to the disruption of the smooth muscle cell (SMC)-elastin contractile units in ICH. Most importantly, we revealed that the upregulation of the p-Erk1/2-MMP axis, which promotes the degradation of elastin, plays a vital role in mediating low SUA levels to exacerbate cerebrovascular rupture during the ICH process.

Association of the MicroRNA-146a SNP rs2910164 with Ischemic Stroke Incidence and Prognosis in a Chinese Population.

We conducted a case-control study investigating the association between the single-nucleotide polymorphism rs2910164 in microRNA (miR)-146a and the risk and prognosis of stroke. We recruited a total of 1139 ischemic stroke patients and 1585 sex- and age-matched control subjects. After a median follow-up period of 4.5 years, 1071 of these ischemic stroke patients were then recruited for a prospective study. Our study revealed that rs2910164 was not associated with ischemic stroke incidence (odds ratio = 1.00; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.80-1.24; p = 0.985) by multivariate logistic regression. Meta-analysis of our case-control study and three others on Asian populations also suggested that there was no relationship between rs2910164 and ischemic stroke incidence. The significance of differences in long-term outcomes was examined by the log-rank test of the respective comparison groups. The prospective study showed that rs2910164 led to a 1.56-fold increased risk of stroke recurrence (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.10-2.20; p = 0.013) and a 2.13-fold increased risk of death caused by cardiovascular disease or stroke (Csdeath) (HR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.31-3.46; p = 0.002). The independent association of rs2910164 with stroke prognosis was evaluated using Cox regression models. Therefore, rs2910164 appears to be a strong predictor of stroke prognosis but not of stroke incidence in Asian populations.

A functional variant in the coding region of CAMTA2 is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy by affecting the activation of Nkx2.5-dependent transcription.

OBJECTIVE: The calmodulin-binding transcription activator 2 (CAMTA2) promotes transcription of genes involved in cardiac hypertrophy through its interaction with Nkx2.5 and is an indispensable transcription coactivator for cardiac hypertrophy. We hypothesized that variants in the coding region of CAMTA2 would affect its function and confer a risk of cardiac hypertrophy. METHODS: The effects of the variant rs238234 on the activity of the atrial natriuretic factor promoter and on the cardiomyocytes hypertrophy were assessed in the H9C2 cell line and primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, respectively. Furthermore, the association of this variant with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) was tested in hypertensive patients with and without hypertrophy (N = 325 and 697), and this analysis was replicated in an independent population of 987 hypertensive patients without hypertrophy and 463 hypertensive patients with hypertrophy. RESULTS: We found that the G allele of rs238234 activated the atrial natriuretic factor promoter more strongly than the C allele. The cell size of cardiomyocytes was larger in the presence of the Ad-CAMTA2 G allele, and the G allele was associated with significantly increased susceptibility to LVH in hypertensive [odds ratio (OR), 1.29; P = 0.009]. In the discovery cohort, after adjusting for age and sex, the GG genotype was significantly associated with increased LVH risk (OR, 1.75; P = 0.015). There was little attenuation of the ORs (1.62; P < 0.05) when adjusting for BMI, heart rate, blood pressure, smoking, and drinking and further adjusting all covariates including lipid levels and other major risk factors. However, the GC genotype did not show any association with LVH using three regressive models. Replication in the second study yielded similar results. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that the rs238234 GG genotype in the coding region of CAMTA2 may increase the risk of LVH by affecting the activation of Nkx2.5-dependent transcription.

Prevalence of trachoma trichiasis and corneal opacity in the Shaanxi Province of China / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Abstract?AIM: To assess the current situation of trachoma in Shaanxi Province and analyze its epidemiology and clinical features.?METHODS: The World Health Organization ( WHO ) simplified trachoma grading system was used for the recognition and registration of cases of trachoma. Trachoma rapid assessment ( TRA ) was conducted and 30.3687 million people from Shaanxi province were screened. Eyelids, eyelashes, conjunctiva and cornea were examined.The prevalence of trachoma trichiasis ( TT) in Shaanxi Province was estimated.?RESULTS: Totally 987 cases with TT were collected in Shaanxi province, in which 395 cases were male and 592 cases were female. The overall TT prevalence was 0.0325‰.The age of TT cases ranged from 25-86 years old, and concentrated in the 60-80 years old, only 58 cases were <50 years old.There were 12 cases of TT combined corneal opacity (CO) and the ratio was 1.2%. Sixty-four patients were cured by electrolysis trichiasis, the remaining 923 patients corrected by surgery interventions.?CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, trachoma blind is no longer estimated as a public health problem in Shaanxi province, as the detection rate of TT was less than 1‰ which is the goal of “elimination of trachoma” worldwide.

[Relationship of genetic variants and cardiovascular risk factors with interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 secreted by monocytes].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 genetic variants and cardiovascular factors [oxygenized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), lower physical activity, overweight, etc.] with IL-6 and IL-10 secreted by monocytes. METHODS: In the study, 40 health persons, aged from 51 to 80 years, without stroke and myocardial infarction, were randomly sampled from a community-based population in Beijing in 2010. Their data on smoking, drinking, blood pressure, fasting glucose, and lipid were collected. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL-6 (rs1800796, rs1524107, rs2066992) and IL-10 (rs1800872, rs1554286, rs3021094) were genotyped. The human monocytes were cultivated in RPMI 1640 medium for 24 h; then divided into two equal parts, in which ox-LDL (50 mg/L) and phosphate buffer solution (PBS) were added for another 48 h. Finally, the secretions of IL-6 and IL-10 in the culture supernatants were measured with ELISA. RESULTS: Paired Wilcoxon tests showed that the IL-6, IL-10, and IL-6/IL-10 were significantly higher in ox-LDL medium than in PBS one (all P < 0.01). The concentrations in PBS/ox-LDL taken as repeated measurements, and adjusted for age and gender, the repeated general linear models showed: IL-10 was significantly lower for those overweight (BMI ≥ 26 kg/m(2)) than for those normal weight (P = 0.007), and IL-6/IL-10 was significantly higher in those overweight (P = 0.003). The IL-6/IL-10 was significantly higher in those with lower physical activity [metabolic equivalent of energy, METS < 166 kJ/(kg.d)] than those with higher physical activities (P = 0.046). IL-6 and IL-10 were significantly higher in alcohol drinkers (P = 0.049 and P = 0.006). IL-6 was significantly higher in those with higher high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c, ≥ 56.4 mg/dL, P = 0.027). There were significant interactions between IL-10 SNPs and ox-LDL on IL-10 (all P < 0.05), but no significant interactions between IL-6 gene SNPs and ox-LDL on IL-6. CONCLUSION: The ox-LDL together with lower physical activity and overweight shifts the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory in the direction of pro-inflammatory. The interaction between IL-10 gene and ox-LDL is intensively correlated with the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.

Methylation of FOXP3 in regulatory T cells is related to the severity of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES: Regulatory T (Treg) cells have been shown to play a protective role in experimental atherosclerosis. However, it is unclear whether Tregs can protect from rupture of vulnerable plaque in patients with atherosclerosis. Demethylation of the DNA encoding the transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) was found to be essential for the stable maintenance of the suppressive properties of Tregs. We aimed to evaluate Treg levels in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) using a method based on Treg-specific DNA demethylation within the FOXP3 gene. METHODS AND RESULTS: Peripheral blood was collected to determine Treg levels by PCR-based DNA methylation analysis. We found that Treg levels were decreased in patients with ACS compared with normal coronary controls. The decrease in Tregs was associated with the severity of the ACS. Furthermore, up-regulation of DNA-methyltransferases was detected in CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs obtained from ACS patients as compared to those from normal coronary controls. A dose-dependent increase in the methylation of the Treg-specific demethylated region in FOXP3 was observed in cultures of PBMCs with ox-LDL. Moreover, the ox-LDL-induced Treg effects could be restored by loading (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a methyltransferase inhibitor. Treatment of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs with ox-LDL resulted in a 41% increase in the methylation of FOXP3, a 66% of reduction in FOXP3 mRNA expression, and an increase in the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3a as well as 3b. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that reduction in Treg cells is associated with ACS in atherosclerotic patients. Epigenetic suppression of FOXP3 might lead to down-regulation of Treg cells, and in turn increase the risk of ACS.

Association of intergenic polymorphism of organic anion transporter 1 and 3 genes with hypertension and blood pressure response to hydrochlorothiazide.

BACKGROUND: Organic anion transporter (OAT) 1 and OAT3, encoded by a tightly linked gene pair, play a key role in renal secretion of diuretics. However, no study has yet examined the influence of OAT1 and OAT3 polymorphisms on high blood pressure (BP) and the response to thiazide diuretics. We hypothesized that intergenic polymorphisms between OAT1 and OAT3 might be associated with adult hypertension and the antihypertensive effects of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). METHODS: The association of an intergenic polymorphism (rs10792367) with hypertension risk was investigated in two independent case-control studies (n = 1,592 and 602), and then a combined analysis was performed for improving power (1,106 cases and 1,088 controls) with adjustment for geographic location. Two clinical trials (n = 542 and 274) were conducted in untreated hypertensive patients for the association of rs10792367 with antihypertensive responses to 4 and 8 weeks of HCTZ treatment. RESULTS: No significant association was found between rs10792367 and hypertension after adjustment for conventional risk factors in either the two populations, respectively, or the combined two population. After adjustment for pretreatment BP and other confounders, HCTZ-induced reduction in systolic BP was 4.8 mm Hg (P = 0.006, first trial) and 6.1 mm Hg (P = 0.003, in second trial) lower, respectively, in C allele carriers than in GG carriers in the two clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS: Intergenic polymorphism rs10792367 between OAT1 and OAT3 is not associated with hypertension, but appears to be involved in between-individual variations in antihypertensive responses to HCTZ.

Beta2-adrenoceptor gene variant Arg16Gly is associated with idiopathic ventricular outflow-tract tachycardia.

BACKGROUND: Imbalance of the sympathetic nervous system was involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic ventricular outflow-tract tachycardia (IVOT). We aimed to investigate whether the major genetic variants in ß(1)- and ß(2)-adrenoceptors and GNB3 C825T were associated with IVOT and verapamil sensitive idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia (ILVT). METHODS: Patients with IVOT and ILVT from December 2005 to December 2007 were consecutively enrolled into this study. Controls were randomly selected from the community-based inhabitants. Five genetic variants, Ser49Gly and Gly389Arg in the ß(1)-adrenoceptor, Arg16Gly and Gln27Glu in the ß(2)-adrenoceptor and GNB3 C825T, were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. RESULTS: A total of 227 patients with IVOT and 110 patients with ILVT were included. Genotyping revealed that the 16Gly allele of Arg16Gly variant of ß(2)-adrenoceptor was associated with a higher risk of IVOT (OR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.12 - 1.75, P = 0.003 in the addictive model and OR: 1.62, 95%CI: 1.14 - 2.31, P = 0.007 in the dominant model). Patients with Gly16Gln27 haplotype also had a higher risk of IVOT (OR: 1.38, 95%CI: 1.11 - 1.73, P = 0.012). Other four variants, including Ser49Gly and Arg389Gly in ß(1)-adrenoceptor, Gln27Glu in ß(2)-adrenoceptor and GNB3 C825T, did not differ between patients with IVOT and controls. In patients with ILVT, no significant difference was found in these five variants compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Arg16Gly in ß(2)-adrenoceptor is significantly associated with IVOT in Chinese Han population. Major genetic variants in ß(1)- and ß(2)-adrenoceptor and GNB3 C825T may not be associated with ILVT. These data suggest a different arrhythmogenic mechanism in IVOT and ILVT.

[Effect of Qihong capsule on HeLa cells infected by coxsackievirus B3 in vitro].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Qihong capsule (QH) on HeLa cells infected by coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) in vitro and its potential antiviral mechanism. METHODS: HeLa cells were infected by CVB3 in vitro. XTT assay and plaque inhibition assay were performed to determine the 50 % effective dose, (ED50), 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC50), and 50% cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) of QH and the control drug, ribavirin. The total therapeutic index (TI) was calculated. Anti-viral time-course experiments were performed to compare the anti-viral effects at different time points. The inhibitory effects of QH on the attachment and penetration of CVB3 were also observed. RESULTS: XTT assay and plaque inhibition assay showed that the ED50 and IC50 were (7.16+/-0.80) mg/L and (2.63+/-0.50) mg/L in QH group and (4.35+/-0.40) mg/L and (1.92+/-0.30) mg/L in ribavirin group, respectively. CC50 was 16-fold higher in QH group than in ribavirin group QH: (1 648+/-219) mg/L vs. Ribavirin: (103+/-14) mg/L. Time-course studies demonstrated that antiviral effect of QH was mainly found 0-4 hours after infection. QH effectively blocked the attachment and penetration of CVB3 into cells. CONCLUSION: By inhibiting the attachment and penetration of CVB3, QH can effectively inhibit the invasion of virus in vitro with low toxicity.

Effect of oral isoflavone supplementation on vascular endothelial function in postmenopausal women: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: The effect of isoflavone on endothelial function in postmenopausal women is controversial. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral isoflavone supplementation on endothelial function, as measured by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), in postmenopausal women. DESIGN: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials was conducted to evaluate the effect of oral isoflavone supplementation on endothelial function in postmenopausal women. Trials were searched in PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library database, and reviews and reference lists of relevant articles. Summary estimates of weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% CIs were obtained by using random-effects models. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed to identify the source of heterogeneity. RESULTS: A total of 9 trials were reviewed in the present meta-analysis. Overall, the results of the 9 trials showed that isoflavone significantly increased FMD (WMD: 1.75%; 95% CI: 0.83%, 2.67%; P = 0.0002). Meta-regression analysis indicated that the age-adjusted baseline FMD was inversely related to effect size. Subgroup analysis showed that oral supplementation of isoflavone had no influence on FMD if the age-adjusted baseline FMD was > or = 5.2% (4 trials; WMD: 0.24%; 95% CI: -0.94%, 1.42%; P = 0.69). This improvement seemed to be significant when the age-adjusted baseline FMD levels were <5.2% (5 trials; WMD: 2.22%; 95% CI: 1.15%, 3.30%; P < 0.0001), although significant heterogeneity was still detected in this low-baseline-FMD subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Oral isoflavone supplementation does not improve endothelial function in postmenopausal women with high baseline FMD levels but leads to significant improvement in women with low baseline FMD levels.

Endothelium-specific overexpression of human IC53 downregulates endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity and elevates systolic blood pressure in mice.

AIMS: Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Endothelial cells (ECs) exert important functions in the regulation of blood pressure. A novel gene, IC53, as an isoform of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-binding protein gene C53, is mainly expressed in vascular ECs and is upregulated in the failing heart of rats. Overexpression of IC53 promotes proliferation of ECs. To examine whether IC53 plays a role in the regulation of vascular tone and blood pressure, we constructed a transgenic (tg) mouse model of the IC53 gene and studied its phenotypes relevant to vascular function. METHODS AND RESULTS: IC53 cDNA was cloned from a human aorta cDNA library. Using the endothelium-specific VE-cadherin promoter, we constructed tg mice in which IC53 was specifically overexpressed in vascular endothelia and found that the tg mice exhibit elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) in contrast to the wild-type (wt) controls. Further studies revealed impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation, reduced nitric oxide (NO) production and decreased endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression, and activity in the tg mice. Inhibition of IC53 in human umbilical vein ECs induces upregulation of eNOS activity. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that IC53 participates in the regulation of vascular homeostasis. Endothelium-specific overexpression of IC53 is associated with elevated SBP, which may be in part attributed to the downregulation of eNOS signalling.

Polymorphisms of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 gene associated with magnitude of left ventricular hypertrophy in male patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Even carrying an identical gene mutation, inter- and intra-family variations have been noticed worldwide in the presence and the severity of left ventricular hypertrophy and sudden death in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Modifier genes may contribute to the diversity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene has been established to be associated with parameters of left ventricular hypertrophy in community based male subjects. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association of ACE2 gene polymorphisms with the phenotype of HCM. METHODS: A total of 261 consecutive HCM patients and 609 healthy controls were enrolled into this study. The polymorphism of rs2106809 and rs6632677 were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and confirmed by sequencing. Logistic regression model and multivariate analysis were used to determine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of variations of ACE2 for HCM. RESULTS: The T allele of rs2106809 and C allele of rs6632677 conferred increasing risk for HCM (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.77, P = 0.04; OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 - 1.21, P = 0.002, respectively), and the 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD), the TC haplotype was independently associated with a higher OR for HCM (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.21 - 1.87) after adjusted for conventional risk factors. And the risk alleles were associated with thicker interventricular septal thickness of HCM ((20.0 +/- 6.3) mm vs (17.9 +/- 5.5) mm, P = 0.03 and (21.3 +/- 5.9) mm vs (17.9 +/- 5.8) mm, P = 0.04, respectively). No association was found between the two polymorphisms with female patients with HCM. CONCLUSION: Minor alleles of ACE2 gene might be the genetic modifier for the magnitude of left ventricular hypertrophy in male patients with HCM.

[Family hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by a 14035c > t mutation in cardiac troponin T gene].

OBJECTIVE: To study the disease-causing gene mutation in Chinese patients with familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) and to analyze the correlation between the genotype and the phenotype. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from 40 members from a family affected with FHC, and 120 healthy volunteers. PCR was performed to analyze the exons and flanking introns of the cardiac troponin T gene (TNNT2), beta-myosin heavy chain gene (MYH7), and myosin-binding protein C gene (MYBPC3) and the products were sequenced. The clinical data including symptom, physical examination, echocardiography and electrocardiography were collected. RESULTS: A 14035c > t mutation, which causes a missense mutation (R130C) in exon 10 of TNNT2 gene were identified in 4 family members, including the proband, female, aged 53, with the onset at the age of 30. The 4 persons with the 14035c > t mutation, all FHC patients, presented left ventricular dysfunction with a penetrance of 100%. Two of the patients died of sudden cardiac death during follow-up. No mutation was identified in the MYH7 and MYBPC3 genes. CONCLUSION: The 14035c > t mutation of TNNT2 gene is the causal mutation of FHC which is associated with malignant phenotype with a penetrance of 100%. It is a reasonable procedure in HCM patients with malignant phenotype to screen mutation in the TNNT2 gene.

[Clinical features of dilated cardiomyopathy-like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy caused by a 13261 G > A mutation in cardiac myosin-binding protein C gene].

OBJECTIVE: To study the disease-causing gene mutation in Chinese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and to analyze the genotype and phenotype correlation. METHODS: One family (n = 27) affected with HCM were chosen for the study. The full encoding exons and flanking sequences of beta-myosin heavy chain gene (MYH7) and cardiac myosin-binding protein C gene (MYBPC3) were amplified with PCR and the products were sequenced. The clinical data including symptom, physical, echocardiography and electrocardiography examinations were collected. RESULTS: We identified a 13261 G > A mutation, which causes a missense mutation (G758D) in exon 23 of MYBPC3 in 9 family members. One mutation carrier suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with asymmetric interventricular septal hypertrophy (14 mm). Another mutation carrier was diagnosed as HCM. CONCLUSIONS: The 13261 G > A mutation is associated with a DCM-like HCM and HCM phenotype in this Chinese family affected with HCM.