Abstract:Atherosclerotic cerebral and cardiovascular diseases are the primary chronic inflammatory diseases which are impairing the human health. Abnormal lipid metabolism is considered as the putative major risk factor of atherosclerosis. In 2001, researchers from Columbia University found that phospholipid transfer protein （PLTP） could affect lipoprotein metabolism and then alternate atherosclerotic susceptibility, thus initiate the PLTP research as a hot topic for decades.

Abstract:Aim To construct recombinant plasmid pET32a-apolipoprotein AV and purify the protein with His tag. Methods The total RNA was extracted from tree shrew liver tissues, cDNA was then obtained by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Apolipoprotein AV gene fragment was amplified by PCR. The amplified products and pET32a plasmid were digested by restriction enzymes Xho I and Eco RI, and then the purified products were ligated by T4 DNA ligase. The recombinants were transformed into E.coli Top10 and BL21（DE3）. The apolipoprotein AV was induced with isopropy-β-D-thiogalactoside. The expressed conditions were optimized and purified by Nickel ion chelating resin. Purity analysis of the apolipoprotein AV was obtained by SDS-PAGE. Results Recombinant plasmid pET32a-apolipoprotein AV was successfully constructed and expressed in BL21（DE3）. Isopropy-β-D-thiogalactoside-induced target protein （about 60 kDa） was detected. The purity of recombinant tree shrew apolipoprotein AV was greater than 95%.

Abstract:Aim To investigate the effect of oxidized low density lipoprotein （ox-LDL） on the expression of plant homeodomain finger-2 （PHF-2） and explore the potential effect of epigenetic regulation on ox-LDL-induced inflammatory response in macrophages. Methods THP-1 macrophages were exposed to ox-LDL with different levels （0, 50, 100, 150 mg/L） for 4 h. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β （MIP-1β）. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were used to determine mRNA and protein levels of PHF-2. Coimmunoprecipitation was used to determine the interaction of PHF-2 and p65 nuclear factor-kappa B （p65 NF-κB）. Results ox-LDL from 100 mg/L to 150 mg/L increased the levels of TNF-α and MIP-1β. PHF-2 mRNA and protein were induced by ox-LDL in a concentration-dependent manner in THP-1 macrophages. Ox-LDL promoted the interaction of PHF-2 and p65 NF-κB. Conclusion PHF-2 may play a crucial role in the NF-κB activation and proinflammatroy cytokines expression in THP-1 macrophages.

Abstract:Aim To observe the methylation levels of B1 and Alu sequences in different tissues of ApoE^-/- mice and human vascular smooth muscle cells induced by homocysteine （Hcy）, so as to further clarify the molecular mechanisms of Hcy-induced atherosclerosis （As）. Methods The hyperhomocysteinemia ApoE^-/- mice model were replicated, and the heart tissues, aortas and white blood cells were taken from mice after fed for 14 weeks. 50, 100, 200, 500 μmol/L Hcy were added into the primary cultured human umbilical vein smooth muscle cells for 72 h. The genomic DNA were extracted from the heart tissues, aortas, white blood cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. Then the methylation status of B1 and Alu repetitive sequences were examined by nMS-PCR. Results The methylation levels of B1 repetitive sequences were significantly decreased in the heart tissues, aortas and white blood cells of ApoE^-/- mice fed with high methionine diet. Compared with the control group, there were significant differences （P<0.05 and P<0.01）. The m-

Abstract:Aim To investigate the role of cyclophilin A （CypA） in the inflammatory response of monocytes.

Abstract:Aim To investigate the change and significance of serum hydrogen sulfide levels in rats with pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome （PIHS）. Methods Thirty two adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, normal pregnant group, PIHS group and PIHS + sodium hydrosulfide （NaHS） group. The pregnant rats were treated with nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-nitro-arginine methylester （L-NAME） ［250 mg/（kg·d）］ by intraperitoneal injection to induce hypertension. The extrogenous sodium hydrosulfide （H₂S） donator NaHS （56 μmol/kg） was used in the experiment. Systolic blood pressure （SBP） of rat was measured by use of tail-cuff. The level of H₂S in serum was detected by spectrophotometry. The levels of urine protein, blood creatinine （BCr） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） were measured by automatic biochemistry analyzer. The length and weight of fetal rat, weight of placenta and head of fetal rat were measured. Results Compared with the normal pregnant group, SBP, urine protein, BCr and BUN were singificantly increased in PIHS group. The fetal rats in the uterus were hypoevolutism and the length and weight of fetal rat, weight of placenta and head of fetal rat were singificantly decreased in PIHS group compared with the normal pregnant group. The levels of H₂S in serum were singificantly decreased from day tenth of pregnancy to start in

Abstract:Aim To investigate the effects of rosuvastatin on superoxide dismutase （SOD） and malondialdehyde （MDA） in human umbilical vein endothelial cells（HUVEC） injured by homocysteine （Hcy）. Methods The HUVEC were primary cultured. HUVEC from the second to third generations were stimulated with different concentrations of Hcy and model of cell injury was set up. Then the HUVEC were pretreated with rosuvastatin in different concentration. Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of SOD1 mRNA. Activity of SOD was detected by xanthine oxidase technique. The content of MDA was determined by TBA method. The level of nitric oxide （NO） in culture cell supernate of HUVEC was measured by nitrate reductase method using NO assay kit. Results Compared with control group, the expression level of SOD1 mRNA and the content of NO and SOD was significantly decreased, the content of MDA was significantly increased after 24 hours in Hcy group （P<0.05）, while pretreated with rosuvastatin for 2 hours, the expression level of SOD1 mRNA and the content of NO and SOD was significantly increased, the level of MDA was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Conclusion Rosuvastatin shows its anti-oxidative effect through improving SOD activity and reducing the level of MDA in HUVEC injured by Hcy, and the effect is independent on its lipid-lowering effect.

Abstract:Aim To assess the fibrous cap change during atherosclerosis development and statin treatment.

Abstract:Aim To study the relationship between the levels of cholesteryl ester transfer protein （CETP） and the contents of plasma high density lipoprotein （HDL） subclasses in patients with coronary heart disease （CHD）. Methods The contents of plasma HDL subclasses in healthy controls （n116） and the CHD subjects （n87） were determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis associated with immunodetection method. The levels of CETP were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） kits. According to the plasma CETP levels, the CHD subjects were divided into three layers amount ［low CETP group （CETP≤0.69 mg/L）, middle CETP group （0.69＜CETP<1.59 mg/L）, high CETP group （CETP≥1.59 mg/L）］. Results With the increase of CETP concentration, the contents of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol were increased significantly, while that of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, ApoA1 and ApoA1/B100 were decreased significantly. Compared with the low CETP group, preβ₁-HDL and HDL_3c were significantly increased, but HDL_2b was significantly decreased in middle CETP group and high CETP group （P<0.05 or P<0.001）. The plasma CETP was positively correlated with the contents of preβ₁-HDL and negatively correlated with the contents of HDL_2b. Conclusions With elevated plasma CETP levels, the particle size of HDL in CHD subjects showed a shift toward smaller size, CETP may hinder mature metabolism of HDL.

Abstract:Aim To describe the significance of serum albumin for chronic heart failure and its prognosis. Methods We enrolled 820 consecutive patients from cardiology department of Shengjing hospital, and from whom venous blood for liver function test measurements and other examinations were drawn immediately upon hospital admission. 391 cases were CHF patients, and the other 429 cases were non-CHF patients as the control group. Then a prospective study was performed, considering 391 patients with chronic heart failure. We used multivariable modelling to assess the relationships between baseline serum albumin and heart failure and its prognosis. During a mean follow-up time of 14.46 （1～42） months, our study showed that the incidence of poor prognosis （cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization） was 27.2%, with death occurring in 28 patients （7.6%）. The Kaplan-Meier, Log Rank and Cox tests were used. Results In univariate analysis, serum albumin concentration was significantly lower in the CHF group than that in non-CHF group（37.49±4.60 g/L vs 41.46±3.59 g/L, P<0.001）. A stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that decreased albumin concentration was a risk for CHF（OR0.859（0.789～0.935）,P<0.001）. In the prospective study and univariate analysis, decreased albumin was a strong predictor of poor prognosis for both the composite outcome of cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization（HR0.941（0.903～0 .981）,P0.004）. Even after adjustment for other covariates, decreased albumin was one of the strongest independent predictors of poor prognosis （HR0.945（0.894～1.000）,P0.049）. Conclusion Serum albumin concentration was significantly lower in the CHF group than that in non-CHF group, and decreased albumin was a strong predictor of poor prognosis for both the composite outcome of cardiovascular death and heart failure hospitalization. Changes in serum albumin concentration may offer insight into the underlying pathophysiology of chronic heart failure.

Abstract:Aim To investigate the association of adiponectin promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms with metabolic syndrome in Hans of the northern Guangxi. Methods A total of 108 MS subjects were selected as MS group, and 76 normal adults were selected as control group. Measurement of height, weight, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose（FPG）, triglyceride （TG）,total cholesterol（TC）,low density lipoprotein cholesterol（LDLC）,high density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDLC）,uric acid（UA） and ultrasonic examination were performed and these clinical datas were compared between the two groups. The attributing factors of MS were analyzed by Logistic regression model. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism（PCR-RFLP） was applied to analyze the differences of adiponectin gene promoter -11377C/G in the genotype and allele frequency between cases and controls. Many anthropometric and biological indices were compared between cases and controls in different genotype carriers. Results There was significant difference of clinical data（body mass index,biood pressure,FPG,TG,TC,LDLC, HDLC and UA） between MS and control groups（P<0.01 or P<0.05）. The multivariable stepwise analysis extracted sex,age,UA and fatty liver as major risk factors for MS（P<0.01 or P<0.05）. There was no significant difference of the distribution of the genotype and allele frequencies between MS and control groups. The anthropometric and biological indices were not significant among different genotypes in MS and control groups. Conclusions The adiponectin gene promoter -11377 is not associated with metabolic syndrome in Hans of the northern Guangxi.

Abstract:Aim To investigate the relation and clinic significance between carotid atherosclerosis （CAC） and the level of serum midkine （MK） in patients with essential hypertension （EH）. Methods The survey was conducted in 110 patients selected from the special care medical center of Naval General Hospital of PLA between February 2009 and October 2012. Based on the results of carotid ultrasound and blood pressure, the patients were divided into three groups: EH with CAC group （n48）, simple hypertension group （n42） and normal control group （n20）. The level of serum MK was determined by ELISA method. The level of serum insulin and the insulin resistance index （IRI） were also determined. Then the related data were analyzed. Results In EH with CAC group, the level of serum MK and IRI were significantly higher （P<0.05）. In patients with EH, the level of serum MK, systolic blood pressure （SBP） and IRI were positively correlated with carotid intima-media thickness （IMT） （r0.512, 0.466, 0.408, all P<0.01） the level of serum MK was positively correlated with IRI （r0.618, P<0.01）. Logistic regression analysis showed that the level of serum MK, IRI, course of hypertension, and SBP were related to carotid atherosclerosis closely. Conclusions

Abstract:Aim To explore the expression of matrixmetallop roteinase-9 （MMP-9） and tissue inhibitor of metallop roteinase-1 （TIMP-1） in different treatment for patients with Kawasaki disease （KD）, and discuss the protective effect of Tanshinone ⅡA （TanⅡA） on the coronary artery 1esion （CAL） with KD. Methods Forty-eight Kawasaki patients including twenty-eight no coronary artery 1esion （NCAL） and twenty CAL, and twenty-four healthy children as controls were recruited into the study. The patients with Kawasaki disease were randomly divided into two groups: TanⅡA treatment group and contrast treatment group （including fourteen NCAL and ten CAL patients in each group）. The serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels were detected by ELISE. The MMP-9 and TIMP-1 mRNA expression were detected by real-time fluorescence quantification PCR （qRT-PCR） in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells （PBMC）. Results Compared with the normal group, the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were increased before treatment, and decreased after treatment of five to seven days both at the mRNA and protien in the KD group （P<0.05）. However, the KD patients

Abstract:Aim To evaluate the percentages of achieving lipid-lowing targets and the safety of different doses of atorvastatin in hypercholesterol patients of different cardiovascular risk stratifications. Methods From February to July in 2012, we enrolled 122 patients who were diagnosed as hypercholesterolemia in outpatient of our hospital as experimental group, and they were 50～70 years old, 77 men and 45 female. All patients in experimental group were assigned in the low risk group （n＝29）, intermediate risk group （n＝33）, high risk group （n＝32） and very high risk group （n＝28） according to the stratifications of their cardiovascular risk factors. The patients in the above four groups were given different initial dosages of atorvastatin according to the low density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDLC） levels and their cardiovascular risk stratifications, and for those whose LDLC levels didnt achieve lipid-lowing targets after 6 weeks of treatment 10 mg atorvastatin would be added. There were 39 patients with hypercholesterolemia in that same period who were enrolled as control group, all of them were given routine dosage of atorvastatin every day, and for those whose LDLC didnt achieve lip-

Abstract:Aim To research the correlation between atherosclerosis on carotid artery and the systolic and diastolic function of left ventricular in cerebral infarction combined hypertension patients. Methods The study collected ultrasonic indexs of atherosclerosis on carotid artery and left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in 100 hypertension patients （abbreviated group of hypertension）, 100 cerebral infarction patients （abbreviated group of cerebral infarction） and 100 cerebral infarction combined hypertension patients （abbreviated group of combination）. Ejection fraction （EF） was used as systolic function index, ratio of blood flow velocity between early filling of E peak and late filling A peak （E/A） on flow chart of mitral was used as diastolic function index. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the correlation in themselves. Results There aren’t correlations between atherosclerosis on carotid artery and the systolic function of left ventricular in the three groups of patients （P>0.05）. However there are correlations between atherosclerosis on carotid artery and the diastolic function of left ventricular in the three groups of patients （P<0.05）. And the correlation between the form of carotid atherosclerotic plaque and diastolic function of left ventricular in group of combination is more significant than in other groups （P<0.01）. Conclusions Atherosclerosis on carotid artery is related with the diastolic function of left ventricular in the three groups of patients. Moreover it is most obvious in the group of combination. The more serious damage of left ventricular diastolic function, the more obvious arteriosclerosis on carotid artery.

Abstract:Aim To study the application effect of artificial compression and elastic bandages and bandages with dehydration, when the forearm tensition hematoma occurred after transradial coronary intervention （TRI）, to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of the three different methods in the hematoma elimination, and to provide the method of scientific treatment when the hematoma were found. Methods Using a hand pressure （A group） and bandages （B group） and bandage compress with dehydration （C group） to deal with forearm tensition hematoma in 215 patients, during 4 years in our department. The ANOVA was used in statistical analysis, and the effects with three different methods of processing were compared. Results In the 215 patients of forearm tensition hematoma, the comparison of group A and group B, the average time of the swelling subsiding, the time of finger blood supplying and function, the time of occurrence of the surrounding skin temperature increase, and forearm arm circumference were not improved （P>0.05）, the difference was not statistically significant the 70 patients in B group were given in compression by the tension bandage, the 76 patients in C group were given in compression by the tension bandage and dehydrated with mannitol or dexamethasone and so on by comparing C group with B group, the time of forearm subsiding was shortened obviously （P<0.05）, the differences has statistics significance the skin temperature had risen slightly （P>0.05）, the difference has no statistic significance the time was reduced obviously, which is improvement time of blood and function of the finger, and the arm circumference

Abstract:Platelet-derived microparticle （PMP） is small plasma membrane vesicles shed from platelets upon their activation or apoptosis. Not only PMP is the important prothrombotic and proinflammatory substance, but also its function is used as vehicle for many kinds of bioactive substances mediating intracellular transfer of biological information. PMP is involved in regulation of coagulation, immune inflammation and vascular function, playing key roles in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis and possibly becoming a new bio-marker and therapeutic target of cardiovascular diseases. This review will mainly focus on biological characteristics of PMP and its roles in cardiovascular diseases.

Abstract:Magnesium lithospermate B is the major water-soluble components of Salvia miltiorrhiza, a traditional Chinese medicine known as Danshen. Magnesium lithospermate B possesses extensive pharmacological activities, including protective effects on endothelium, inhibition of the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, reduction of myocardial and cerebral ischemia injury, et al. It has been shown that magnesium lithospermate B exerts satisfactory therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis, myocardial or cerebral ischemia. The beneficial effects of magnesium lithospermate B on cardiovascular system are closely related to its pharmacological actions of anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis.

Abstract:Adipophilin, as a lipid droplet-associated protein, is a specific marker in the accumulation of lipid, the overexpression of Adipophilin can promote the accumulation of lipids, which is relevant to the pathological process of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. Neutral cholesterol ester hydrolase （NCEH） is a microsomal enzyme and richly expressed in human atheromatous lesions, can hydrolyze cholesterol ester （CE） in a neutral pH environment, and plays a rate-limiting role in the reverse transportation of cholesterol esters. Adipophilin and NCEH plays an opposite role in maintaining the dynamic balance between the formation and hydrolysis of lipid drops. Under the pathological state, the dynamic balance between Adipophilin and NCEH is broken, thus the accumulation of cholesterol ester is promoted, and the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis is further accelerated. However, the mechanism of Adipophilin and NCEH in the formation and hydrolysis of lipid drops, and their role in the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis, is still unclear. So, this paper is reviewed about this issue.