JOURNAL OF VASCULAR RESEARCH

Fibrillin-1 deficiency perturbs aortic cholinergic relaxation and adrenergic contraction in a mouse model of early onset progressively severe Marfan syndrome
Cantalupo A, Asano K, Dikalov S, Gordon D and Ramirez F
The pathogenic role of nitric oxide (NO) signaling during development of thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) in Marfan syndrome (MFS) is currently unclear. We characterized vasomotor function and its relationship to the activity of the NO-generating enzymes in mice with early onset progressively severe MFS.
Relationship between oxidative balance score and all-cause mortality in hypertension
Ma T, Wang L and Yan X
Exploring the association between oxidative balance score (OBS) and all-cause mortality in hypertension (HTN).
Inactivation of notch1-TGF-β-smads signaling pathway by atorvastatin improves cardiac function and hemodynamic performance in acute myocardial infarction rats
Kang Q, Kang M, Yang M and Fernando T
To determine the effects of atorvastatin on cardiac function and hemodynamics and to investigate its functional mechanism on cardiac fibrosis in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rats.
Microvesicles Derived from Nitric Oxide Synthase-Inhibited Endothelial Cells Promote Cell Dysfunction
Garcia VP, Stockelman KA, Levy MV, Fandl HK, Goulding A, Hijmans JG, Ruzzene ST, Berry AR, Greiner JJ and DeSouza CA
The aims of this study were to determine (1) whether endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) inhibition stimulates endothelial microvesicles (EMVs) release and (2) the effect of EMVs derived from eNOS-inhibited cells on endothelial cell eNOS, inflammation, apoptosis, and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA).
Functional Adaptations in Coronary Reactivity following Healthy Pregnancy in Swine
Tucker SM, Essajee SI, Warne CM, Dick GM, Goulopoulou S and Tune JD
This study was designed to test the hypothesis that coronary artery adaptations during the postpartum period are related to underlying reductions in endothelium-dependent relaxation and/or augmented smooth muscle vasoconstrictor responsiveness.
A Novel in vivo Rat Mesentery Model for Studying Tumor Spheroid-Induced Microvascular Remodeling
Lampejo AO, Fonseca Perez L, Girgis MM, Sharma B, Siemann DW and Murfee WL
The tumor microenvironment is comprised of neoplastic cells and a variety of host cell types. Investigation of cell dynamics within this environment has motivated in vitro and ex vivo biomimetic model development. Our laboratory recently introduced the tumor spheroid-rat mesentery culture model to investigate cancer-induced lymphatic/blood vessel remodeling. To validate the physiological relevance of this model, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of tumor spheroids on microvascular remodeling after transplantation onto rat mesenteric tissues in vivo.
Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane as an in vivo Model for the Study of Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis
Wan Z, Hirche C, Fricke F, Dragu A and Will PA
The high incidence of vascular and lymphatic metastasis is closely associated with poor prognosis and mortality in cancer. Finding effective inhibitors to prevent pathological angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis relies on appropriate in vivo models. The chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is formed by the fusion of the chorion and allantois during embryonic development.
Sympathetic Nerve Activity following Acute Type B Aortic Dissection: A Pilot Study
Lim ETA, Jardine D, Frampton C, Pemberton CJ, Troughton R, Roake J and Khanafer A
Control of blood pressure following acute type B aortic dissection usually requires sympatholytic antihypertensive medication. Although sympathetic nerve activity is central to blood pressure control, its role in the hypertensive response to acute aortic dissection has not been assessed.
Characterising the Time Course of the Dilatory Response of Healthy Retinal Arteries during Flicker-Light Provocation
Summers RJ and Heitmar R
The dilatory response of healthy retinal arterioles to flicker-light (FL) provocation appears to be biphasic. The vessel diameter rapidly increases (acute phase) over 5-10 s, then barely increases thereafter (maintenance phase) until FL cessation. This reaction is usually characterised at a single point by two parameters: maximum dilation (MD) relative to baseline diameter (MD, %) and time to MD (RT, s). This paper describes the biphasic reaction of retinal arteries during FL provocation using a bi-linear function.
Receptor-Interacting Protein Kinase 3 Augments Neuroinflammation by Facilitating Neutrophil Infiltration during an Ischemic Stroke
Li B, Ling Z, Wang Y and Xing Y
Neutrophil infiltration is responsible for the neuroinflammation during an ischemic stroke. Here, we explored the role of receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIP3) in neutrophil infiltration during an ischemic stroke.
Perfusion Staining Methods for Visualization of Intact Microvascular Networks in Whole Mount Skeletal Muscle Preparations
Hyde-Lay BM, Charter ME and Murrant CL
Visualization of the intact microvascular network in skeletal muscle requires labeling the entire network in whole mount preparations where muscle fibre length can be set to near optimal but the tools to do this are not clear.
Rivaroxaban as a Protector of Oxidative Stress-Induced Vascular Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage via the IQGAP1/PAR1-2/PI3K/Akt Pathway
Kitasato L, Yamaoka-Tojo M, Iwaya T, Murayama Y, Ikeda Y, Hashikata T, Oikawa J, Suzuki M, Misawa N, Kawashima R, Ogawa F and Ako J
The vascular endothelial glycocalyx, crucial for blood vessel integrity and homeostasis, is vulnerable to oxidative stress, leading to endothelial dysfunction, which strongly correlates with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study investigates the protective effects of rivaroxaban, a factor X inhibitor, on the glycocalyx under oxidative stress condition.
Pilot Assessment of Piezoelectric Transducers as a Cost-Effective Alternative to EndoPAT
Ramraj O, Badhwar S, Pereira TJ and Edgell H
Current microvascular assessments may not be practical or accessible requiring experienced personnel and/or ongoing equipment costs. Piezoelectric transducers can reliably obtain finger blood pressure waves, similar to peripheral arterial tonometry devices; thus, they could be used to estimate microvascular function. We aimed to validate piezoelectric transducers as an alternative measure of microvascular function compared to EndoPAT.
The Effect of High-Salt Diet on Oxidative Stress Production and Vascular Function in Tff3-/-/C57BL/6N Knockout and Wild Type (C57BL/6N) Mice
Kozina N, Jukić I, Mihaljević Z, Matić A, Dobrivojević Radmilović M, Barić A and Drenjančević I
It is well documented that high-salt (HS) diet increases systemic and vascular oxidative stress in various animal models and in humans, leading to impairment of vascular reactivity. The present study examined the interaction of genotype and HS diet intake and the potential effects of oxidative stress - antioxidative system balance on the flow-induced dilation (FID) in pressurized carotid arteries of normotensive Tff3-/-/C57BL/6N knockout mice and their wild-type (WT) controls.
Senescent CD4+ T-Cell Phenotypes and Inflammatory Milieu in the Coronary and Systemic Circulation in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction: An Exploratory Study
Bocanegra-Zamora F, Espinosa-Bautista F, Jiménez-Rodríguez GM, Masso F, Paez A, Gonzalez-Pacheco H, Patlán M, Eid-Lidt G and Amezcua-Guerra LM
In ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), inflammation is pivotal, with early senescent CD4+CD28null cells implicated in its pathogenesis. However, the functional phenotype of these cells within the coronary circulation remains unclear.
Preoperative Congestive Heart Failure Is Associated with Higher 30-Day Myocardial Infarction and Pneumonia after Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
Li R, Sidawy A and Nguyen BN
Preoperative congestive heart failure (CHF) is associated with higher postoperative mortality and complications in noncardiac surgery. However, postoperative outcomes for patients with preoperative CHF undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) have not been thoroughly established. This study evaluated the effect of preoperative CHF on 30-day outcomes following nonemergent intact EVAR using a large-scale national registry.
Blood Urea Nitrogen to Left Ventricular Ejection Ratio as a Predictor of Short-Term Outcome in Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock
Xie L, Li Y, Chen J, Luo S and Huang B
Cardiogenic shock (CS) is the most critical complication after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with mortality above 50%. Both blood urea nitrogen and left ventricular ejection fraction were important prognostic indicators. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of admission blood urea nitrogen to left ventricular ejection fraction ratio (BUNLVEFr) in patients with AMI complicated by CS (AMI-CS).
Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Resistance Arteriolar Tone: Temporal Variability in Vascular Responses
Halvorson BD, Ward AD, Murrell D, Lacefield JC, Wiseman RW, Goldman D and Frisbee JC
A full understanding of the integration of the mechanisms of vascular tone regulation requires an interrogation of the temporal behavior of arterioles across vasoactive challenges. Building on previous work, the purpose of the present study was to start to interrogate the temporal nature of arteriolar tone regulation with physiological stimuli.
Endothelial Dysfunction Does Not Occur after Acute, Elevated Homocysteine Exposure of the Lumen of the Iliac Artery of the Anaesthetised Pig
Markos F, O'Leary AJ, Noble MIM and Ruane-O'Hora T
Elevated luminal homocysteine has been linked with cardiovascular disease; however, whether there is a direct effect of homocysteine on blood vessel endothelium is not clear. In this study, the acute effect of luminal homocysteine on iliac artery endothelial function was assessed in the anaesthetised pig.
Toll-Like Receptor 2 Attenuates the Formation and Progression of Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in ApoE-/- Mice
Zhang Y, Bagley J, Park HJ, Cao X, Maganto-Garcia E, Lichtman A, Beasley D and Galper JB
We demonstrated Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in the pathogenesis of angiotensin II (AngII)-mediated abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation. Here, we study TLR2 in the AAA formation.
Cerebral Cortical Vasodilation via Nicotinic Receptors by Heated Tobacco Product Aerosol Extract in Rats
Uchida S, Moriya J, Morihara D, Shimura M and Kagitani F
Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer due to a number of components of smoke. The use of novel heated tobacco products (HTPs), alternative to conventional combustion cigarettes, has increased in recent years. However, the in vivo biological effects of HTPs are poorly understood. This study aimed to clarify the acute effects of injecting aerosol extract prepared from an HTP on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in rat cortex by comparing them to the effects of injecting smoke extract prepared from conventional combustible cigarettes.