Search

Objective To explore the role of miR-223 and miR-126 in predicting treatment responses to dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods Plasma miR-223 and miR-126 levels were measured before treatment. Treatment responses and 2-year survival were determined. In vitro experiments were performed to explore the mechanism of action. Results Patients with resistance to DAPT had a lower level of miR-223 and miR-126. Cardiac-event-free survival was shorter in patients with lower miR-223 or miR-126 levels. MiR-223 and miR-126 independently predicted DAPT resistance. Modulating miR-223 or miR-126 in platelets in vitro significantly changed the response to clopidogrel by regulating platelet aggregation. Conclusion MiR-223 and miR-126 play a role in DAPT resistance and may provide potential biomarkers in patients with STEMI.

The goal of our study was to investigate the contribution of ABCB1 expression to the risk of clopidogrel resistance (CR). Platelets functions were measured using the Verify-Now P2Y12 assay. Applying Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was tested. Using bisulphite pyrosequencing assay, we investigated the association of the ABCB1 DNA methylation levels and CR. It was shown that female, hypertension, and lower albumin levels increased the risk of CR (P

This paper investigates the influence of recombinant human erythropoietin on angiogenesis and neurological function recovery in mice with traumatic brain damage. Flow cytometry with CD34- and CD133 particular antibodies was used to observe variations in endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) level. To measure angiogenesis, brain tissue sections contaminated with CD31 and CD34 antibodies can be used. The behavioral regaining is evaluated by the Water Maze (MWM) test and the modified Neurological Severity Score (mNSS) test. In comparison with the saline treatment, rhEPO treatment considerably increased the proportion of circulating EPCs on days 1, 7, and 14 (P <0.05), and enhanced spatial learning ability on day 25 (P <0.05), and 26 days (P <0.05) it also improved memory recovery. Moreover, the mNSS evaluation score on days 14, 21, and 25 (P <0.05) was decreased by rhEPO treatment. Circulating EPC levels and CD34- and CD31 positive cells between the injured border area (CD34 + r = 0.910, P <0.01; CD31 + r = 0.894, P <0.01) and the ipsilateral hippocampus (CD34 + r =). There is a strong connection between: 0.841, P <0.01; CD31 + r = 0.835, P <0.01 rhEPO therapy can ameliorate the nerve function recovery as well as it can enhance the angiogenesis of mice after TBI by improving EPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) constitute a large family of enzymes with a wide range of cellular functions. Recently, plant GSTs have gained a great deal of attention due to their involvement in the detoxification of electrophilic xenobiotics and peroxides under adverse environmental conditions, such as salt, cold, UV-B and drought stress. A previous study reported that a GST gene (CsGSTU8) in tea plant was distinctly induced in response to drought, suggesting this gene plays a critical role in the drought stress response. In this study, by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter lines, we further demonstrated that CsGSTU8 was upregulated in response to drought stress and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. Overexpression of CsGSTU8 in Arabidopsis resulted in enhanced drought tolerance as indicated by the improved scavenging of excess amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) under drought conditions. Furthermore, we found that CsWRKY48 acts as a transcriptional activator and that its expression is induced in response to drought stress and ABA treatment. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), dual-luciferase (LUC) assays and transient expression assays in tea plant leaves revealed that CsWRKY48 directly binds to the W-box elements in the promoter of CsGSTU8 and activates its expression. Taken together, our results provide additional knowledge of drought stress responses in tea plant.