Indirect application of near infrared light induces neuroprotection in a mouse model of parkinsonism - an abscopal neuroprotective effect.

We have previously shown near infrared light (NIr), directed transcranially, mitigates the loss of dopaminergic cells in MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine)-treated mice, a model of parkinsonism. These findings complement others suggesting NIr treatment protects against damage from various insults. However one puzzling feature of NIr treatment is that unilateral exposure can lead to a bilateral healing response, suggesting NIr may have 'indirect' protective effects. We investigated whether remote NIr treatment is neuroprotective by administering different MPTP doses (50-, 75-, 100-mg/kg) to mice and treating with 670-nm light directed specifically at either the head or body. Our results show that, despite no direct irradiation of the damaged tissue, remote NIr treatment produces a significant rescue of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta at the milder MPTP dose of 50-mg/kg (∼30% increase vs sham-treated MPTP mice, p<0.05). However this protection did not appear as robust as that achieved by direct irradiation of the head (∼50% increase vs sham-treated MPTP mice, p<0.001). There was no quantifiable protective effect of NIr at higher MPTP doses, irrespective of the delivery mode. Astrocyte and microglia cell numbers in substantia nigra pars compacta were not influenced by either mode of NIr treatment. In summary, the findings suggest that treatment of a remote tissue with NIr is sufficient to induce protection of the brain, reminiscent of the 'abscopal effect' sometimes observed in radiation treatment of metastatic cancer. This discovery has implications for the clinical translation of light-based therapies, providing an improved mode of delivery over transcranial irradiation.

The influence of obesity on progression of coronary arteriosclerosis and clinical course after ST elevation acute myocardial infarction treated with primary coronary interventions.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of influence of obesity on the coronary atherosclerosis development and clinical outcome in patients with STEMI treated by PCI with BMS implantation. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 82 patients (64 men) treated with PCI within 6 hours from 1st STEMI. Three groups of pts were formed according to BMI. Based on coronary angiography number of significant stenoses (NSS), number of stenosed coronary arteries (NSA), and sum of significant stenoses (SSS) were calculated. Echocardiography examination was performed 3 days and 6 months after STEMI. Serial evaluation of TnI, CK, CKMB was performed after admission, and serum BNP was assessed after 2 days, 1 and 6 months after STEMI. RESULTS: Obese patients revealed higher values of NSA, NSS and SSS than patients with normal BMI and overweight. There were no differences of BNP, maximal values and AUC of CK, CKMB, TnI and echocardiographic parameters between all groups whereas decrease of BNP during follow-up correlated with BMI. CONCLUSIONS: Results of our prospective study indicate that in obese patients, there is a significantly greater number of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries found during PCI, as compared to those with normal body weight or overweight. We proved that overweight and obesity did not result in significantly greater damage to the myocardium and left ventricular dysfunction, both in the acute phase and 6 months after myocardial infarction treated with primary coronary intervention, as compared to those with normal body weight. In addition correlation was found between BNP concentration profile and body mass index in the 6-month follow-up after STEMI treated with PCI and bare metal stent implantation.