S-glutathionylation, friend or foe in cardiovascular health and disease.

Glutathione is a low molecular weight thiol that is present at high levels in the cell. The high levels of glutathione in the cell make it one of the most abundant antioxidants contributing to cellular redox homeostasis. As a general rule, throughout cardiovascular disease and progression there is an imbalance in redox homeostasis characterized by reactive oxygen species overproduction and glutathione underproduction. As research into these imbalances continues, glutathione concentrations are increasingly being observed to drive various physiological and pathological signaling responses. Interestingly in addition to acting directly as an antioxidant, glutathione is capable of post translational modifications (S-glutathionylation) of proteins through both chemical interactions and enzyme mediated events. This review will discuss both the chemical and enzyme-based S-glutathionylation of proteins involved in cardiovascular pathologies and angiogenesis.

Large animal models of cardiovascular disease.

The human cardiovascular system is a complex arrangement of specialized structures with distinct functions. The molecular landscape, including the genome, transcriptome and proteome, is pivotal to the biological complexity of both normal and abnormal mammalian processes. Despite our advancing knowledge and understanding of cardiovascular disease (CVD) through the principal use of rodent models, this continues to be an increasing issue in today's world. For instance, as the ageing population increases, so does the incidence of heart valve dysfunction. This may be because of changes in molecular composition and structure of the extracellular matrix, or from the pathological process of vascular calcification in which bone-formation related factors cause ectopic mineralization. However, significant differences between mice and men exist in terms of cardiovascular anatomy, physiology and pathology. In contrast, large animal models can show considerably greater similarity to humans. Furthermore, precise and efficient genome editing techniques enable the generation of tailored models for translational research. These novel systems provide a huge potential for large animal models to investigate the regulatory factors and molecular pathways that contribute to CVD in vivo. In turn, this will help bridge the gap between basic science and clinical applications by facilitating the refinement of therapies for cardiovascular disease.

Bionomics and laboratory transmission of Haemoproteus columbae Kruse by Pseudolynchia canariensis Maquart (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) to two bird hosts in Egypt.

Pseudolynchia canariensis succeeded to feed and survive normally on both Streptopelia senegallus and S. turtur. The feeding period, blood meal ratio and longevity of both male and female flies did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) from the corresponding values for the natural host Columba livia. Infection of S. senegallus with Haemoproteus columbae through flies bites, injection with either infected salivary glands suspension or infected macerated lung tissue of C. livia revealed a high parasitaemia levels accompanied with normal prepatent periods. However, in S. turtur low parasitaemia levels appeared after long prepatent periods when using the same course of infection with H. columbae.

Role of pseudolynchia canariensis in the transmission of haemoproteus turtur from the migrant Streptopelia turtur to new bird hosts in Egypt.

Pseudolynchia canariensis flies offered the naturally infected migrant dove Streptopelia turtur with Haemoproteus turtur succeeded to induce weak infection in the raised Streptopelia turtur only. Intraperitoneal, intramuscular and subcutaneous injection of their salivary glands together with intraperitoneal injection of macerated lung and liver tissues of infected doves revealed the appearance of low and moderate grade parasitaemia in S. senegallus and the raised S. turtur. Flies offered laboratory infected donor doves of low and moderate parasitaemia could transmit the parasite through all the experimental trials during the course of infection with variable degrees of parasitaemia to both doves. All attempts to transmit H. turtur to Columba livia was unsuccessful.