The morbidity of atherosclerosis in China's urban population significantly increased due to the changes of lifestyle and dietary structure and other factors, thus seriously threatening people's health. Vascular bypass surgery and percutaneous angioplasty are the main therapeutical means, but the postoperative intimal hyperplasia in vessels and anastomotic often result in a long-term unsatisfactory patency rates, so that patients can ultimately benefit from these treatments.
Gene therapy is regarded as one of the fundamental ways to solve the vascular disorders in the future while efficient and safe vector system is one of the key conditions for gene therapy. Nanocarriers have become the first choice for gene therapy because of their higher transfection rate, safety and low toxicity and non-immunogenicity. Polylactic glycolic acid (PLGA), as one of the biodegradable nano-materials, has been approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and successfully applied in the gene transfection research in the word.
Angiotensin II (Angiotinsin II, Ang II) is an important mediator of vas...
Coronary artery disease is a heart disease characterized by narrow arteries and restricted blood flow in arteries and is the major cause of morbidity and mortality globally.[1] According to WHO estimation, 6.8% in men and 5.3% in women are affected globally.[2-4] Cardiovascular disease account for 29% of all deaths in Canada; of all the cardiovascular death, 54% and 23% was due to ischemic heart disease and heart attack, respectively. The total costs for heart disease and stroke were more than $20.9 billion every year. [5,6] With more than 1 artery impacted, multivessel coronary artery disease is more complex and more likely accompanied by other comorbidities including diabetes or high blood pressure; multivessel coronary artery disease usually is more difficult to deal with, has worse prognosis and cost more compared with single coronary artery disease. [7]
The gaseous free radical nitric oxide is an abundant intracellular messenger molecule that plays a central role in maintenance of health, and is heavily involved in signal transduction in various cells of the body [1]. This molecule acts as a mediator in the regulation of cardiac function as well as having an important role in regulating contractility of the heart and maintenance of vascular tone in the cardiovascular system. As one of the most significant individuals in our discovery of nitric oxide, Dr. Robert Furchgott pioneered our understanding of this molecule through his experiments on the vasorelaxant properties of acetylcholine and the subsequent proposal of the presence of the endothelium derived relaxing factor, which was later identified to be nitric oxide [7]. Given the observation that cardiovascular disorders are the number one cause of death in many nations around the world, research into the vasorelaxant properties seems particularly relevant in order to help combat rising rates of vascular hypertension and high blood pressure. In this paper, the properties of nitric oxide are discussed largely with respect to the cardiovascular system. This paper focuses on the synthesis and characteristics of nitric oxide, the mechanisms of action by which nitric oxide works and the regulation of nitric oxide in the body, and finally a short summary of Robert Furchgott’s contributions to the discovery of nitric oxide and its properties.
Atherosclerosis is a pathological condition that underlies several important adverse vascular events such as stroke, cerebrovascular disease, Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). etc. [1]. It is responsible for most of the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the Western World currently [2]. As a result of the adoption of the western life style, its prevalence is increasing all over the world and could likely reach epidemic status in the coming future [2]. Atherosclerosis is a chronic disease of the arterial wall whose underlying pathogenesis involves an imbalanced lipid metabolism and a maladaptive immune response involving chronic inflammation of the arterial wall [1]. Leukocyte trafficking shapes the disturbed equilibrium of lipid accumulation, immune responses and their clearance and homeostasis, and this leukocyte trafficking is governed by chemokines and their receptors [1]. Chemokines are a superfamily of small structurally related chemotactic cytokines, which are involved in leukocyte trafficking and activation [3]. Chemokines have been found to play major roles in selectively recruiting monocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, as well as in inducing chemotaxis through the activation of G-protein-coupled receptors [4]. Additionally, chemokines and their receptors have been identified as key players in the progression of atherosclerosis, thus they are explored in order to find therapeutic targets to prevent or treat Atherosclerosis and by targeting the chemokine system various entry points for a causative treatment are offered [5]. In this essay, the role of chemokine system in atherosclerosis is visited, the strategies employed to target chemokines as a therapeutic pathway for atherosclerosis and clinical trials undertaken ...
The Structure and Functions of the Arteries Arteries are blood vessels that convey blood from the heart to the tissues of the body. The arteries expand and then constrict with each beat of the heart, a rhythmic movement that may be felt as the pulse. Arteries are usually named from the part of the body that they are found, for example; brachial artery found in the arms, metacarpal artery found in the wrist; or from the organ which they supply as the hepatic artery supplies the liver, pulmonary artery brings deoxygenated blood the lungs. The facial artery is the branch of the external carotid artery that passes up over the lower jaw and supplies the superficial portion of the face; the haemorrhoidal arteries are three vessels that supply the lower end of the rectum; the intercostal arteries are the arteries that supply the space between the ribs; the lingual artery is the branch of the external carotid artery that supplies the tongue. The structure of the artery enables it to perform its function more efficiently.
Although atherosclerosis affects millions of people around the world, there are many ways to prevent and treat it once it has developed. Simple life style changes can greatly reduce the inflammation and damage to the endothelial wall of the artery. It is very important that people who have high blood pressure or diabetes get regular checkups; if atherosclerosis goes untreated, the adverse effects, such as stroke or myocardial infarction can be deadly.
...go coronary artery bypass surgery or dilation of cardiac arteries (angioplasty) to slow the progression of cardiovascular disease.(8)”
Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) are the currently the leading cause of death globally for both men and women accounting for 21.9 per cent of total deaths and is projected to increase to 26.3 per cent by 2030 . Statins are the treatment of choice for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and in the management of hypercholesterolaemia because of their proven efficacy and safety profile. Evidences are showing their effectiveness in reduction of cholesterol synthesis and number of pleiotropic effects, which may be cholesterol dependent and cholesterol independent. The present review focus on the origin, properties and effects of statins on endothelial function ( non lipid action of statins) through the increase of endogenous production of NO in different pathways.
There have been four somewhat recent successful gene therapy treatments. The four deal with correcting hemophilia, bone marrow transplants, skin cancer, and vessel growth. In the success with the bone marrow transplants, French researchers collected bone marrow cells from patients, used gene therapy to correct the bone marrow, and then returned the bone marrow to the patient. This was 80% successful as reports 16 months after the transplants showed. Squamous cell carcinoma, skin cancer of the head and neck, was treated using gene therapy as well. The fourth trial was where DNA was used to carry a substance that stimulates blood vessel growth to damaged heart tissue and in this trial there was much success noted.
Gene therapy is an experimental technique that allows doctors to insert a gene into a patient’s cell rather than using drugs or surgery. Gene therapy is a process of which defective or undesired genes in the body with “normal” genes. A vector is re-engineered to deliver the gene to a target cell. Then the gene is transferred to the cell’s nucleus and must be activated in order to function. The main focus of gene therapy is to replace a lost or improper gene with a new functional copy into a vector that is inserted into the subject’s genome by way of penetrating its DNA. Gene therapy can be done outside of the body known as ex vivo by way of taking cells form patients bone marrow or blood and then growing them in a laboratory. Thus the corrected copy of the gene is inserted into the cells before being put back into the body. Gene therapy can also be done in vivo which can be done directly to the patient’s body. The word gene therapy really defines the management of genetic information that is encased in the cells, however, in most recent procedures the available technology is closely related in adding new genetic information, and many researchers favor the term gene transfer rather than gene therapy to mirror the reason that the purpose of gene work cannot always be therapeutic.
Gene therapy works by introducing new and functioning genetic material to damaged genes to help it function and to produce beneficial proteins. If a gene is inserted directly into a cell, it usually will not function. So to complete this task, a vector, a modified virus is used to carry and deliver the new gene. There are two different categories of vectors than can be utilized in this process; recomb...
Coronary heart disease is defined by the hardening of the epicardial coronary arteries. The buildup of plaque in the arteries slowly narrows the coronary artery lumen. In order to better understand the physiology of the disease, it is important to first know the basic anatomy of the human heart. The aorta, located in the superior region of the heart, branches off into two main coronary blood vessels, otherwise known as arteries. The arteries are located on the left and right side of the heart and span its surface. They subsequently branch off into smaller arteries which supply oxygen-rich blood to the entire heart (Texas Heart Institute, 2013). Therefore, the narrowing of these arteries due to plaque buildup significantly impairs blood flow throughout the heart.
Cardiovascular Disease is defined by the American Heart Association as “Heart and blood vessel disease”. Atherosclerosis of the arteries, can lead to hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmias, heart valve problems, myocardial infarctions or a stroke (AHA, 2016). In this paper, all of heart and vessel diseases aforementioned, will be considered cardiovascular disease (CVD). According to
Genetic engineering is now being used to create new medicines and therapies for many disorders and diseases, and also to improve agricultural plants and animals to produce bigger yields or enhanced nutrient composition and food quality. In Gene therapy, copies of healthy human genes produced in bacteria can be inserted into human cells with defective or missing genes, to fix the problem. Gene therapy is promising because it can use to treat genetic
However, the safety of gene therapy should be carefully considered. First, it may cause angiogenesis, which may trigger nonfunctional vessels or stimulation of angiogenesis in ...
The arteries supply blood rich in oxygen to the body, the veins direct deoxygenated blood from the capillaries back to the heart. These roles make up the circulatory function. Blood flow through these blood vessels can be disrupted resulting in peripheral vascular diseases. These diseases occur as a result of narrowing or blocking of the blood vessels. The risk factors of peripheral vascular diseases include diabetes, smoking, high level of cholesterol, overweight, high blood pressure etc. these risk factors result to aneurysms, Raynaud’s diseases, Buerger’s disease, renal artery disease etc. With this diseases, the peripheral vascular system should be assessed to enable nurses and other health personnel make good