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New Cardiovascular Risk Factors

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2024 | Viewed by 3449

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Guest Editor
Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Federico II University of Naples Medical School, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: blood pressure; cardiovascular disease; metabolic syndrome; hypertension; atherosclerosis; cardiovascular epidemiology; metabolism; metabolic diseases; abdominal obesity; internal medicine
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Atherosclerosis is a common condition of vascular aging. However, several factors could influence this process, resulting in increased cardiovascular risk at a young age.

In addition to well-known factors (e.g., high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, diabetes, excess body weight), there are several emerging factors associated with atherosclerosis such as inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, intestinal microbiota alteration, uric acid, vitamin D, or miRNA expression that could potentially explain the residual cardiovascular risk.

This Special Issue on cardiovascular risk factors aims to report the most current scientific evidence available on this topic and reviews of the current literature on the role of emerging factors in the development of atherosclerosis as demonstrated by both experimental and clinical studies, in order to gather a large body of data from which to start to highlight new potential objectives for the reduction in cardiovascular risk.

Dr. Antonio Barbato
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • atherosclerosis
  • cardiovascular risk
  • arterial stiffness
  • blood pressure
  • vitamin D
  • miRNA
  • inflammation

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 2380 KiB  
Article
Isolated Valve Amyloid Deposition in Aortic Stenosis: Potential Clinical and Pathophysiological Relevance
by Maddalena Conte, Paolo Poggio, Maria Monti, Laura Petraglia, Serena Cabaro, Dario Bruzzese, Giuseppe Comentale, Aurelio Caruso, Mariagabriella Grimaldi, Emilia Zampella, Annarita Gencarelli, Maria Rosaria Cervasio, Flora Cozzolino, Vittoria Monaco, Veronika Myasoedova, Vincenza Valerio, Adele Ferro, Luigi Insabato, Michele Bellino, Gennaro Galasso, Francesca Graziani, Pietro Pucci, Pietro Formisano, Emanuele Pilato, Alberto Cuocolo, Pasquale Perrone Filardi, Dario Leosco and Valentina Parisiadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(2), 1171; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25021171 - 18 Jan 2024
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Abstract
Amyloid deposition within stenotic aortic valves (AVs) also appears frequent in the absence of cardiac amyloidosis, but its clinical and pathophysiological relevance has not been investigated. We will elucidate the rate of isolated AV amyloid deposition and its potential clinical and pathophysiological significance [...] Read more.
Amyloid deposition within stenotic aortic valves (AVs) also appears frequent in the absence of cardiac amyloidosis, but its clinical and pathophysiological relevance has not been investigated. We will elucidate the rate of isolated AV amyloid deposition and its potential clinical and pathophysiological significance in aortic stenosis (AS). In 130 patients without systemic and/or cardiac amyloidosis, we collected the explanted AVs during cardiac surgery: 57 patients with calcific AS and 73 patients with AV insufficiency (41 with AV sclerosis and 32 without, who were used as controls). Amyloid deposition was found in 21 AS valves (37%), 4 sclerotic AVs (10%), and none of the controls. Patients with and without isolated AV amyloid deposition had similar clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and survival rates. Isolated AV amyloid deposition was associated with higher degrees of AV fibrosis (p = 0.0082) and calcification (p < 0.0001). Immunohistochemistry analysis suggested serum amyloid A1 (SAA1), in addition to transthyretin (TTR), as the protein possibly involved in AV amyloid deposition. Circulating SAA1 levels were within the normal range in all groups, and no difference was observed in AS patients with and without AV amyloid deposition. In vitro, AV interstitial cells (VICs) were stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β which induced increased SAA1-mRNA both in the control VICs (+6.4 ± 0.5, p = 0.02) and the AS VICs (+7.6 ± 0.5, p = 0.008). In conclusion, isolated AV amyloid deposition is frequent in the context of AS, but it does not appear to have potential clinical relevance. Conversely, amyloid deposition within AV leaflets, probably promoted by local inflammation, could play a role in AS pathophysiology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Cardiovascular Risk Factors)
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16 pages, 1904 KiB  
Article
Relation of Plasma Catecholamine Concentrations and Myocardial Mitochondrial Respiratory Activity in Anesthetized and Mechanically Ventilated, Cardiovascular Healthy Swine
by Nadja Abele, Franziska Münz, Fabian Zink, Michael Gröger, Andrea Hoffmann, Eva-Maria Wolfschmitt, Melanie Hogg, Enrico Calzia, Christiane Waller, Peter Radermacher and Tamara Merz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(24), 17293; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242417293 - 09 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 782
Abstract
Chronic heart failure is associated with reduced myocardial β-adrenergic receptor expression and mitochondrial function. Since these data coincide with increased plasma catecholamine levels, we investigated the relation between myocardial β-receptor expression and mitochondrial respiratory activity under conditions of physiological catecholamine concentrations. This post [...] Read more.
Chronic heart failure is associated with reduced myocardial β-adrenergic receptor expression and mitochondrial function. Since these data coincide with increased plasma catecholamine levels, we investigated the relation between myocardial β-receptor expression and mitochondrial respiratory activity under conditions of physiological catecholamine concentrations. This post hoc analysis used material of a prospective randomized, controlled study on 12 sexually mature (age 20–24 weeks) Early Life Stress or control pigs (weaning at day 21 and 28–35 after birth, respectively) of either sex. Measurements in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated, and instrumented animals comprised serum catecholamine (liquid-chromatography/tandem-mass-spectrometry) and 8-isoprostane levels, whole blood superoxide anion concentrations (electron spin resonance), oxidative DNA strand breaks (tail moment in the “comet assay”), post mortem cardiac tissue mitochondrial respiration, and immunohistochemistry (β2-adrenoreceptor, mitochondrial respiration complex, and nitrotyrosine expression). Catecholamine concentrations were inversely related to myocardial mitochondrial respiratory activity and β2-adrenoceptor expression, whereas there was no relation to mitochondrial respiratory complex expression. Except for a significant, direct, non-linear relation between DNA damage and noradrenaline levels, catecholamine concentrations were unrelated to markers of oxidative stress. The present study suggests that physiological variations of the plasma catecholamine concentrations, e.g., due to physical and/or psychological stress, may affect cardiac β2-adrenoceptor expression and mitochondrial respiration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Cardiovascular Risk Factors)
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15 pages, 1771 KiB  
Article
Cardioprotective and Antifibrotic Effects of Low-Dose Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System Inhibitors in Type 1 Diabetic Rat Model
by Dora B. Balogh, Agnes Molnar, Arianna Degi, Akos Toth, Lilla Lenart, Adar Saeed, Adrienn Barczi, Attila J. Szabo, Laszlo J. Wagner, Gyorgy Reusz and Andrea Fekete
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(23), 17043; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242317043 - 01 Dec 2023
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Abstract
Diabetic cardiovascular complications are associated with up to 50% mortality, and current therapies are not effective enough. Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) are the standard of care for diabetic patients with hypertension and albuminuria. Based on our previous studies reporting the renoprotective effects of [...] Read more.
Diabetic cardiovascular complications are associated with up to 50% mortality, and current therapies are not effective enough. Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASis) are the standard of care for diabetic patients with hypertension and albuminuria. Based on our previous studies reporting the renoprotective effects of low-dose RAASis, here, we hypothesized that low-dose RAASi treatment has cardioprotective and antifibrotic benefits in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). After five weeks of T1DM, adult male Wistar rats received low doses of ramipril, losartan, or eplerenone for two weeks. Heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were recorded. Aortic intima–media thickness (IMT), collagen accumulation, and myocardial fibrosis were assessed. All RAASis reduced PWV elevation, prevented the progression of myocardial fibrosis, and normalized B-type natriuretic peptide, troponin I, and fibroblast growth factor 23 levels without affecting blood pressure. Interestingly, only eplerenone reversed the decline in Klotho levels and reduced IMT and fibrosis in the media of the aorta. Our comparative analysis suggests that mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, particularly eplerenone, may offer superior efficacy in halting both the arterial and the myocardial injuries in T1DM compared to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Cardiovascular Risk Factors)
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Review

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24 pages, 1723 KiB  
Review
New Mechanisms to Prevent Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Using Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonism (GLP-1 RA) in Metabolic Syndrome and in Type 2 Diabetes: A Review
by Jorge E. Jalil, Luigi Gabrielli, María Paz Ocaranza, Paul MacNab, Rodrigo Fernández, Bruno Grassi, Paulina Jofré, Hugo Verdejo, Monica Acevedo, Samuel Cordova, Luis Sanhueza and Douglas Greig
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(8), 4407; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084407 (registering DOI) - 17 Apr 2024
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Abstract
This review examines the impact of obesity on the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and focuses on novel mechanisms for HFpEF prevention using a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonism (GLP-1 RA). Obesity can lead to HFpEF through various mechanisms, including [...] Read more.
This review examines the impact of obesity on the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and focuses on novel mechanisms for HFpEF prevention using a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonism (GLP-1 RA). Obesity can lead to HFpEF through various mechanisms, including low-grade systemic inflammation, adipocyte dysfunction, accumulation of visceral adipose tissue, and increased pericardial/epicardial adipose tissue (contributing to an increase in myocardial fat content and interstitial fibrosis). Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone that is released from the enteroendocrine L-cells in the gut. GLP-1 reduces blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin synthesis, suppressing islet α-cell function, and promoting the proliferation and differentiation of β-cells. GLP-1 regulates gastric emptying and appetite, and GLP-1 RA is currently indicated for treating type 2 diabetes (T2D), obesity, and metabolic syndrome (MS). Recent evidence indicates that GLP-1 RA may play a significant role in preventing HFpEF in patients with obesity, MS, or obese T2D. This effect may be due to activating cardioprotective mechanisms (the endogenous counter-regulatory renin angiotensin system and the AMPK/mTOR pathway) and by inhibiting deleterious remodeling mechanisms (the PKA/RhoA/ROCK pathway, aldosterone levels, and microinflammation). However, there is still a need for further research to validate the impact of these mechanisms on humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Cardiovascular Risk Factors)
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