Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main object of morbidity and death in the world. There are ... more Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main object of morbidity and death in the world. There are different triggers of CVD, but atherosclerosis and/or hypertension are the most usual. CVD risk factors are used as prognosticators of disease process, while the biomarkers that envisage cardiovascular risk have an important biological basis. The integration of CVD risk factors and new biomarkers can improve CVD risk stratification and disease management. The identification of microparticles (MPs) in body fluids has opened new perspectives in diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of CVD pathogenesis. MPs are submicron vesicles released from a diversity of cell types with pleiotropic biological effects on signaling among cells. They are correlated with disease state and play a major role in atherosclerosis associated with inflammation, thrombosis as well as in CVD development and progression. This review reveals many sides of MPs as risk factors, biomarkers, novel forms of intercellular commun...
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2015
Monocytes (Mon) and Mon-derived macrophages (Mac) orchestrate important oxidative and inflammator... more Monocytes (Mon) and Mon-derived macrophages (Mac) orchestrate important oxidative and inflammatory reactions in atherosclerosis by secreting reactive oxygen species (ROS) due, in large part, to the upregulated NADPH oxidases (Nox). The Nox enzymes have been extensively investigated in human Mon and Mac. However, the expression and functional significance of the Nox5 subtypes is not known. We aimed at elucidating whether Nox5 is expressed in human Mon and Mac, and examine its potential role in atherosclerosis. Human monocytic THP-1 cell line and CD14(+) Mon were employed to search for Nox5 expression. RT-PCR, Western blot, lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence and dihydroethidium assays were utilized to examine Nox5 in these cells. We found that Nox5 transcription variants and proteins are constitutively expressed in THP-1 cells and primary CD14(+) Mon. Silencing of Nox5 protein expression by siRNA reduced the Ca(2+)-dependent Nox activity and the formation of ROS in Mac induced by A23187, a selective Ca(2+) ionophore. Exposure of Mac to increasing concentrations of IFNγ (5-100 ng/ml) or oxidized LDL (5-100 μg/ml) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in Nox5 protein expression and elevation in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that Nox5 is present in CD68(+) Mac-rich area within human carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence that Nox5 is constitutively expressed in human Mon. Induction of Nox5 expression in IFNγ- and oxidized LDL-exposed Mac and the presence of Nox5 in Mac-rich atheroma are indicative of the implication of Nox5 in atherogenesis.
Biological aging is associated with an increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease. Recent fin... more Biological aging is associated with an increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease. Recent findings indicate that oxidative stress promoting age-related changes of cerebral circulation are involved in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of cerebral microvessels to the oxidative stress during brain aging, by: (i) assessment of precursors for advanced glycation end products (AGE) formation, (ii) activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione disulfide reductase (GR), and (iii) the activities of metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and MMP-9, involved in synaptogenesis and memory consolidation. The experiments were performed on two groups of male Wistar rats: 15 young (3-6 months old) and 15 aged (18-24 months old) animals. The cerebral microvessels were isolated by mechanical homogenization, the concentration of protein carbonyls and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated by spectrophotometry, and gelatin SDS-PAGE zymography was employed to evaluate MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. The results showed that, by comparison with young rats, aged brain microvessels contain: (i) approximately 106 % increase of protein carbonyls production; (ii) approximately 68% higher GPx activity, unmodified activities of SOD and GR; (iii) approximately 30% diminishment in MMP-2 activity, and the specific occurrence of MMP-9 enzyme. The data suggest that the age-related changes of microvessels could increase the propensity for cerebral diseases and might represent, at least in part, a prerequisite for the deterioration of mental and physical status in the elderly.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main object of morbidity and death in the world. There are ... more Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the main object of morbidity and death in the world. There are different triggers of CVD, but atherosclerosis and/or hypertension are the most usual. CVD risk factors are used as prognosticators of disease process, while the biomarkers that envisage cardiovascular risk have an important biological basis. The integration of CVD risk factors and new biomarkers can improve CVD risk stratification and disease management. The identification of microparticles (MPs) in body fluids has opened new perspectives in diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of CVD pathogenesis. MPs are submicron vesicles released from a diversity of cell types with pleiotropic biological effects on signaling among cells. They are correlated with disease state and play a major role in atherosclerosis associated with inflammation, thrombosis as well as in CVD development and progression. This review reveals many sides of MPs as risk factors, biomarkers, novel forms of intercellular commun...
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2015
Monocytes (Mon) and Mon-derived macrophages (Mac) orchestrate important oxidative and inflammator... more Monocytes (Mon) and Mon-derived macrophages (Mac) orchestrate important oxidative and inflammatory reactions in atherosclerosis by secreting reactive oxygen species (ROS) due, in large part, to the upregulated NADPH oxidases (Nox). The Nox enzymes have been extensively investigated in human Mon and Mac. However, the expression and functional significance of the Nox5 subtypes is not known. We aimed at elucidating whether Nox5 is expressed in human Mon and Mac, and examine its potential role in atherosclerosis. Human monocytic THP-1 cell line and CD14(+) Mon were employed to search for Nox5 expression. RT-PCR, Western blot, lucigenin-enhanced chemiluminescence and dihydroethidium assays were utilized to examine Nox5 in these cells. We found that Nox5 transcription variants and proteins are constitutively expressed in THP-1 cells and primary CD14(+) Mon. Silencing of Nox5 protein expression by siRNA reduced the Ca(2+)-dependent Nox activity and the formation of ROS in Mac induced by A23187, a selective Ca(2+) ionophore. Exposure of Mac to increasing concentrations of IFNγ (5-100 ng/ml) or oxidized LDL (5-100 μg/ml) resulted in a dose-dependent increase in Nox5 protein expression and elevation in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that Nox5 is present in CD68(+) Mac-rich area within human carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evidence that Nox5 is constitutively expressed in human Mon. Induction of Nox5 expression in IFNγ- and oxidized LDL-exposed Mac and the presence of Nox5 in Mac-rich atheroma are indicative of the implication of Nox5 in atherogenesis.
Biological aging is associated with an increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease. Recent fin... more Biological aging is associated with an increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease. Recent findings indicate that oxidative stress promoting age-related changes of cerebral circulation are involved in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of cerebral microvessels to the oxidative stress during brain aging, by: (i) assessment of precursors for advanced glycation end products (AGE) formation, (ii) activities of antioxidant enzymes, namely superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione disulfide reductase (GR), and (iii) the activities of metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP-2 and MMP-9, involved in synaptogenesis and memory consolidation. The experiments were performed on two groups of male Wistar rats: 15 young (3-6 months old) and 15 aged (18-24 months old) animals. The cerebral microvessels were isolated by mechanical homogenization, the concentration of protein carbonyls and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated by spectrophotometry, and gelatin SDS-PAGE zymography was employed to evaluate MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities. The results showed that, by comparison with young rats, aged brain microvessels contain: (i) approximately 106 % increase of protein carbonyls production; (ii) approximately 68% higher GPx activity, unmodified activities of SOD and GR; (iii) approximately 30% diminishment in MMP-2 activity, and the specific occurrence of MMP-9 enzyme. The data suggest that the age-related changes of microvessels could increase the propensity for cerebral diseases and might represent, at least in part, a prerequisite for the deterioration of mental and physical status in the elderly.
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