Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) in vascular inflammatory diseases.

Vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1) also known as amino oxidase copper containing 3 (AOC3) is a pro-inflammatory and versatile molecule with adhesive and enzymatic properties. VAP-1 is a primary amine oxidase belonging to the semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO) family, which catalyzes the oxidation of primary amines leading to the production of ammonium, formaldehyde, methylglyoxal, and hydrogen peroxide. VAP-1 is mainly expressed by endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, adipocytes and pericytes. It is involved in a repertoire of biological functions, e.g., immune cell extravasation, angiogenesis, and vascularization. Research into VAP-1 has intensified within the last decade on its role as a novel clinical biomarker and as a potential therapeutic target of vascular inflammatory disorders such as atherosclerosis, stroke, diabetes, neurovascular disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's Disease), hepatic disease (e.g., non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), and skin conditions (e.g., psoriasis). This is the most up-to-date and comprehensive review on VAP-1 focusing on the translational aspects of VAP-1. Compared to recent reviews, our review provides novel insights on VAP-1 and heart failure, stroke and frailty, diabetes, endometriosis, osteoarthritis, COVID-19, conjunctivitis associated systemic lupus erythematosus, hematopoietic stem cells, gliomas, treatment of colorectal cancer with a novel VAP-1 inhibitor (U-V269), promoting recovery of motor functions and habit learning with a novel VAP-1 inhibitor (PXS-4681A), and 68Ga-DOTA-Siglec-9, a labelled peptide of Siglec-9 (a VAP-1 ligand), which appears to be a safe PET tracer for inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Finally, we present the emerging role of VAP-1 in pregnancy as a gatekeeper of immune cells, which are critical for spiral arterial remodeling, the deficiency of which could lead to vascular disorders of pregnancy such as preeclampsia. Future research should prioritize clinical trials on VAP-1 small-molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, thus, maximizing the potential of VAP-1 targeted therapy as well as research into sVAP-1 as a clinical biomarker of diseases and its prognosis.

Effects of Supervised Exercise on the Development of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are the most common medical complication in pregnancy, affecting approximately 10-15% of pregnancies worldwide. HDP are a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, and each year, worldwide, around 70,000 mothers and 500,000 babies die because of HDP. Up-to-date high-quality systematic reviews quantifying the role of exercise and the risks of developing HDP are currently lacking. Physical exercise is considered to be safe and beneficial to pregnant women. Supervised exercise has been shown to be safe and to be more beneficial than unsupervised exercise in the general population, as well as during pregnancy in women with obesity and diabetes. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of women performing supervised exercise during pregnancy compared to a control group (standard antenatal care or unsupervised exercise) on the development of HDP. We searched Medline, Embase, CINHAL, and the Cochrane Library, which were searched from inception to December 2021. We included only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the development of HDP compared to a control group (standard antenatal care or unsupervised exercise) in pregnant women performing supervised exercise. Two independent reviewers selected eligible trials for meta-analysis. Data collection and analyses were performed by two independent reviewers. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42020176814. Of 6332 articles retrieved, 16 RCTs met the eligibility criteria, comparing a total of 5939 pregnant women (2904 pregnant women in the intervention group and 3035 controls). The risk for pregnant women to develop HDP was significantly reduced in the intervention compared to the control groups, with an estimated pooled cumulative incidence of developing HDP of 3% in the intervention groups (95% CI: 3 to 4) and of 5% in the control groups (95% CI: 5 to 6), and a pooled odds ratio (OR) comparing intervention to control of 0.54 (95% CI:0.40 to 0.72, p < 0.001). A combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise, or yoga alone, had a greater beneficial effect compared to performing aerobic exercise only (mixed-OR = 0.50, 95% CI:0.33 to 0.75, p = 0.001; yoga-OR = 0.28, 95% CI:0.13 to 0.58, p = 0.001); aerobic exercise only-OR = 0.87, 95% CI:0.55 to 1.37, p = 0.539). Pregnancy is an opportunity for healthcare providers to promote positive health activities, thus optimizing the health of pregnant women with potential short- and long-term benefits for both mother and child. This systematic review and meta-analysis support a beneficial effect of either structured exercise (combination of aerobic, strength, and flexibility workouts) or yoga for preventing the onset of HDP. Yoga, considered a low-impact physical activity, could be more acceptable and safer for women in pregnancy in reducing the risk of developing HDP.