The relevance of estrogen/estrogen receptor system on the gender difference in cardiovascular risk

Argonaute2 modulates megakaryocyte development and sex-specific control of platelet protein expression and reactivity

Platelets are enriched in miRNAs and harbor Ago2 as the principal RNA silencing Argonaute. However, roles in thrombopoiesis and platelet function remain poorly understood. We generated megakaryocyte/platelet-specific Ago2-deleted (Ago2 KO) mice and assessed proteomic and functional effects. We predicted platelet hyperreactivity with Ago2 deletion due to large-scale upregulated protein expression. Platelet counts were normal. Mean volumes were increased, associated with larger, though fewer megakaryocytes. Ago2-deleted platelets from male mice showed hyperreactivity to thromboxane but not to other agonists compared to controls, whereas Ago2-deleted platelets from female mice showed normal reactivity. Ago2 KO mice displayed normal hemostasis and clot dynamics. Proteomes of Ago2-deleted and wild type platelets were mostly similar. However, Ago1 - undetectable in wild type platelets - was upregulated in Ago2-deleted platelets in both males and females, confirmed by immunoblotting. Female Ago2-deleted platelets selectively showed downregulation of a protein cohort established in breast cancer cells to be transcriptionally regulated by estrogen receptor-beta coupled to Ago2, whereas male Ago2-deleted platelets did not. Thus, Ago2 is important for platelet development and function, putatively partially rescued by upregulation of Ago1. Platelet reactivity controlled by Ago2 reflects sex-specific regulation of gene expression potentially at both transcriptional and translational levels in megakaryocytes and platelets.

Trends and characteristics of the metabolically healthy obese phenotype in an Arab population

The metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) phenotype represents a complex and distinctive trait, the trends and characteristics of which remain unknown in the Saudi Arabian adult population. The present study aims to fill that gap. A combined total of 10,220 Saudi adults from 2 independent cohorts [2008-2019, N = 7,896 (2,903 males and 4,993 females), and 2021-2023, N = 2,324 (830 males and 1,494 females)] aged 19-70 years old was screened, of whom 9,631 (3,428 males and 6,203 females) were included. Anthropometric data were measured, and fasting blood samples were collected to assess glucose, lipids, adipocytokines and inflammatory markers using routine methods and commercially available assays. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2. Screening for MHO was done using the empiric definition proposed by Zembic and colleagues and the by the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATPIII). Of the 3,949 (41.0%) participants with obesity, 33.4% (95% confidence interval, CI, 32-35) were considered MHO using the empiric definition, and 32.8% (95% CI, 31-34) using NCEP-ATPIII. The overall age and gender adjusted prevalence of MHO in the Saudi adult population was 31.6% (95% CI, 30-33) and 30.1% (29-31) by the two definitions, respectively. Females had a higher age-adjusted prevalence of MHO than males (OR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.1-1.4, p = 0.009) as per the ATPIII criteria. MHO prevalence substantially increased over time from 2008 to 2023 (p < 0.001) for both definitions. Circulating leptin levels and insulin resistance were significantly higher in the MUO group than the MHO group independent of the definition used, suggesting the presence of a more severe form of leptin resistance in the MUO group which may explain the worse cardiometabolic profile as compared to the MHO group. In summary, the study highlights the first time the characteristics and trends of the MHO phenotype among Saudi Arabian adults. The pluripotent effects of leptin and its resistance may be central to MHO's progression, or lack thereof, to the MUO phenotype, and this needs further investigation.

Vascular Diseases in Women: Do Women Suffer from Them Differently?

According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, yet its magnitude is often underestimated. Biological and gender differences affect health, diagnosis, and healthcare in numerous ways. The lack of sex and gender awareness in health research and healthcare is an ongoing issue that affects not only research but also treatment and outcomes. The importance of recognizing the impacts of both sex and gender on health and of knowing the differences between the two in healthcare is beginning to gain ground. There is more appreciation of the roles that biological differences (sex) and sociocultural power structures (gender) have, and both sex and gender affect health behavior, the development of diseases, their diagnosis, management, and the long-term effects of an illness. An important issue is the knowledge and awareness of women about vascular diseases. The risk of cardiovascular events is drastically underestimated by women themselves, as well as by those around them. The purpose of this review is to draw attention to improving the medical care and treatment of women with vascular diseases.

Profile of Injured Singers: Expectations and Insights

OBJECTIVES

To discover patterns of phonotraumatic lesions in singers and investigate factors that differentiate those who underwent surgery from those who did not. We hypothesized that 1) lesion type distribution differs by age, sex, singer classification (professional/amateur), and history of formal voice training; 2) the likelihood of surgery is associated with singer classification and voice training.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective.

METHODS

Retrospective review of 438 singers with phonotraumatic lesions over a 9-year period. Lesion type distribution was analyzed with respect to sex, age, singer classification, and voice training. The association of eventual surgery with these factors was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Nodules accounted for over half of the cohort (58%), followed by pseudocysts (20%), polyps (14%), and cysts (4%). Nearly two of every three injured female singers, but fewer than one out of every three injured male singers, had nodules. In contrast, over half of the injured males had polyps, whereas only 6% of injured females had polyps. In females, polyps occurred at a later age, and in males, nodules occurred at a younger age compared to other lesion types. Only 14% of the total cohort eventually underwent surgery. Professional singers without formal voice training were almost eight times more likely to have undergone surgery than amateur singers with voice training.

CONCLUSIONS

Professional singers were more likely to undergo surgery than amateurs, and formal voice training was associated with a lower likelihood of surgery. The observation that polyps tended to occur in older women may have implications for the pathogenesis of vocal fold polyps.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 2022.

Dietary calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus intakes and risk of stroke in Chinese adults

Controversial results have been reported about the association of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus and stroke risk, but none in China. To investigate the association between dietary calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and stroke incidence in Chinese adults, we collected data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 2004 to 2011, including 6411 participants aged 45-79 years and free of stroke at baseline. Diet was assessed by interviews combining 3-d 24-h food recalls and household food inventory weighing at each survey round. The stroke incident was identified based on the validated self-report. Multivariate Cox regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). For 32,024 person-years of follow-up, 179 stroke cases were documented. After adjustment for major lifestyle and dietary risk factors, calcium intake was positively associated with reduced stroke risk, and the HR of stroke comparing extreme quartiles was 0.53 (95% CI 0.29-0.96, P_trend = 0.03). In further stratified analyses, significant heterogeneity across sex strata was found (P_interaction = 0.03). Dietary calcium intake among men was more inversely related to stroke, with HRs being 0.33 (95% CI 0.15-0.76, P _trend = 0.02), compared to 1.24 (95% CI 0.46-3.35, P_trend = 0.89) among women. However, no significant association between stroke and magnesium or phosphorus was revealed. Our findings suggest that higher dietary calcium intake was associated with a lower risk of stroke in Chinese adults, particularly in men.

Pulmonary thromboembolism during pregnancy and puerperium: Comparison of survival and death cases

AIM

In Japan, the frequency of maternal deaths due to obstetric hemorrhage has been decreasing in the last decade, while that resulting from other causes such as pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) was consistent. To help reduce maternal deaths due to PTE, we investigated PTE during pregnancy and puerperium and compared the survival and death cases, and aimed to find out life and death factors.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective analysis based on a clinical chart review in 407 maternal and perinatal centers. We compared the survival and death cases of PTE during pregnancy and puerperium from 2013 to 2017.

RESULTS

In PTE during pregnancy, the survival cases underwent significantly earlier diagnoses than the death cases, and thromboprophylaxis was performed in most of both the survival and death cases of PTE during puerperium according to the existing Japanese guidelines; however, only one fourth of the total cases underwent anticoagulation to prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE).

CONCLUSIONS

Early diagnosis of PTE in suspected cases was associated with better survival during pregnancy.

PPARGC1B Is Associated with Nontraumatic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Genomewide Association Study on a Chart-Reviewed Cohort

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have demonstrated the influence of heritable factors on the development of nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). We hypothesized that genetic variation is associated with an increased risk of ONFH, and that variants could be identified by a genomewide association study (GWAS).

METHODS

Using data collected from the MyCode Community Health Initiative, we identified 118 adult patients with radiographically confirmed nontraumatic ONFH. Study patients were statistically compared with a control population of 56,811 unrelated individuals without a diagnosis of ONFH. A case-control GWAS was performed to identify single nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with ONFH. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the association of the top SNVs with (cortico)steroid-associated ONFH and ONFH with femoral head collapse. Gene-based analyses were performed to identify potential causal genes.

RESULTS

Of the 118 patients, 114 (96.6%) had bilateral ONFH at a median of 5 years of follow-up; 90.7% had at least one 3-week steroid prescription compared with 68.3% in controls. A GWAS identified 4 SNVs reaching genomewide significance. rs116468452 near CACNA1E was significantly associated with ONFH (p = 3.26 × 10, odds ratio [OR] = 5.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.21 to 9.76). rs10953090 in SAMD9 was significantly associated with ONFH in the steroid-exposed subset (p = 2.96 × 10, OR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.84 to 3.58). rs112467115 in PI4K1B showed enhanced association in the collapsed subset (p = 7.82 × 10, OR = 4.5, 95% CI = 2.60 to 7.79). Gene-based analyses identified PPARGC1B as the only gene significantly associated with ONFH after Bonferroni correction (p = 1 × 10), with the lead SNV being rs78814834 (OR = 2.86, 95% CI = 1.87 to 4.38).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified 4 SNVs and 1 gene, PPARGC1B, associated with ONFH.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Sex differences in the coagulation process and microvascular perfusion induced by brain death in rats

Brain death (BD) leads to a systemic inflammation associated with the activation of coagulation, which could be related to decreased microcirculatory perfusion. Evidence shows that females exhibit higher platelet aggregability than males. Thus, we investigated sex differences in platelets, coagulation and microcirculatory compromise after BD. BD was induced in male and female (proestrus) Wistar rats. After 3 h, we evaluated: (i) intravital microscopy to evaluate mesenteric perfusion and leucocyte infiltration; (ii) platelet aggregation assay; (iii) rotational thromboelastometry; and (iv) Serum NO x - . Female rats maintained the mesenteric perfusion, whereas male reduced percentage of perfused vessels. Male BD presented higher platelet aggregation than the controls. In contrast, female BD had lower platelet aggregation than the control. Thromboelastometry indicated a reduction in clot firmness with increased clotting time in the female group compared with the male group. Serum NO x - level in female BD was higher than that in the male BD and female control. There is sex dimorphism in platelet function and clotting process, which are altered in different ways by BD. Thus, it is possible to connect the reduction in microcirculatory perfusion in males to intravascular microthrombi formation and the maintenance of perfusion in females to a higher inflammatory response and NO synthesis.

Cancer incidence following a high-normal platelet count: cohort study using electronic healthcare records from English primary care

Background

A raised platelet count (thrombocytosis) measuring >400 × 10⁹/l is associated with high cancer incidence. It is uncertain whether platelet counts at the upper end of the normal range (high-normal: 326–400 × 10⁹/l) are also associated with cancer.

Aim

To investigate cancer incidence following a normal platelet count in primary care.

Design and setting

A prospective cohort study was undertaken using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink and National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service, dating from 1 May 2005 to 30 April 2014.

Method

One-year cancer incidence was estimated for 295 312 patients with normal platelet counts (150–400 × 10⁹/l). Patients with platelet counts >325 × 10⁹/l were oversampled to maximise precision of estimates of cancer incidence. All patients were aged ≥40 years with no prior cancer diagnoses. The effects of age, sex, and smoking were explored. Non-melanoma skin cancers were omitted from exclusions and incidence.

Results

One-year cancer incidence increased greatly with age, male sex, and higher platelet count. Males aged ≥60 years with a high-normal count had an incidence of 4.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.0 to 4.4). The highest incidence of 6.7% (95% CI = 5.3 to 8.4) was found in males aged ≥80 years, who had platelets in the range of 376–400 × 10⁹/l; this was 3.1 percentage points higher than the incidence for patients in the same age group with lower-normal counts of 150–325 × 10⁹/l. Risks for all female subgroups were <3%. Patients with high-normal platelet counts were most at risk of lung and colorectal cancers and, in general, had advanced-stage cancer at diagnosis.

Conclusion

Platelet counts at the high-normal range in males aged ≥60 years may be indicative of an underlying malignancy, and referral for further investigation should be considered.

Sex and Gender Differences in Ischemic Heart Disease: Endocrine Vascular Disease Approach (EVA) Study Design

Improvements in ischemic heart disease (IHD) management have been unbalanced between sexes, with coronary microvascular dysfunction considered the likely underlying reason. The Endocrine Vascular disease Approach (EVA) is an observational study (Clinicaltrial.gov NCT02737982) aiming to assess sex and gender interactions between coronary circulation, sexual hormones, and platelet function. Consecutive patients with IHD undergoing coronary angiography will be recruited: (1) to assess sex and gender differences in angiographic reperfusion indexes; (2) to evaluate the effects of estrogen/androgen on sex-related differences in myocardial ischemia; (3) to investigate the platelet biology differences between men and women with IHD; (4) to verify sex- and gender-driven interplay between response to percutaneous coronary intervention, platelets, sex hormones, and myocardial damage at baseline and its impact on 12-month outcomes. The integration of sex and gender in this translational project on IHD will contribute to the identification of new targets for further innovative clinical interventions.

Platelet rich plasma compared to dry needling in the treatment of non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy

OBJECTIVES

The efficacy of platelet rich plasma in the treatment of Achilles tendinopathy is controversial. Despite positive results observed in open studies, randomized controlled trials failed to show difference against saline or rehabilitation. Aims of this retrospective observational study were to compare the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma and dry needling and to assess possible differences age and sex-related.

METHODS

Groups of 46 and 38 patients with non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy were treated with platelet-rich plasma and dry needling (once a week for 3 weeks), respectively. At baseline, 3 and 6 months, pain and function scores and the percentage of satisfactory outcomes were evaluated. Sub-group analyses were performed according to age and sex.

RESULTS

At 3 and 6 months no differences in terms of pain and function between groups were observed, but the percentage of subjects reporting satisfactory results, at 6 months, was higher in platelet rich plasma group. Better results were observed in younger subjects, with a greater reduction of pain, improvement of function, and accordingly of the percentage of positive outcomes. A trend toward better results was also observed in males.

CONCLUSION

Beneficial effects of platelet rich plasma and dry needling in non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy have been observed only in some subjects, but not in others; platelet rich plasma shows a slight superiority against dry needling, mainly in younger persons; finally, a gender difference in the therapeutic response can be hypothesized.

Estrogen, migraine, and vascular risk

Migraine has a predilection for female sex and the course of symptoms is influenced by life stage (presence of menstrual cycle, pregnancy, puerperium, menopause) and use of hormone therapy, such as hormonal contraception and hormone replacement therapy. Hormonal changes figure among common migraine triggers, especially sudden estrogen drop. Moreover, estrogens can modulate neuronal excitability, through serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, and endorphin regulation, and they interact with the vascular endothelium of the brain. The risk of vascular disease, and ischemic stroke in particular, is increased in women with migraine with aura (MA), but the link is unclear. One hypothesis posits for a causal association: migraine may cause clinical or subclinical brain lesions following repeated episodes of cortical spreading depression (CSD) and a second hypothesis that may explain the association between migraine and vascular diseases is the presence of common risk factors and comorbidities. Estrogens can play a differential role depending on their action on healthy or damaged endothelium, their endogenous or exogenous origin, and the duration of their treatment. Moreover, platelet activity is increased in migraineurs women, and it is further stimulated by estrogens.This review article describes the course of migraine during various life stages, with a special focus on its hormonal pathogenesis and the associated risk of vascular diseases.

Transcriptional activity of oestrogen receptors in the course of embryo development

Oestrogens are well-known proliferation and differentiation factors that play an essential role in the correct development of sex-related organs and behaviour in mammals. With the use of the ERE-Luc reporter mouse model, we show herein that throughout mouse development, oestrogen receptors (ERs) are active starting from day 12 post conception. Most interestingly, we show that prenatal luciferase expression in each organ is proportionally different in relation to the germ layer of the origin. The luciferase content is highest in ectoderm-derived organs (such as brain and skin) and is lowest in endoderm-derived organs (such as liver, lung, thymus and intestine). Consistent with the testosterone surge occurring in male mice at the end of pregnancy, in the first 2 days after birth, we observed a significant increase in the luciferase content in several organs, including the liver, bone, gonads and hindbrain. The results of the present study show a widespread transcriptional activity of ERs in developing embryos, pointing to the potential contribution of these receptors in the development of non-reproductive as well as reproductive organs. Consequently, the findings reported here might be relevant in explaining the significant differences in male and female physiopathology reported by a growing number of studies and may underline the necessity for more systematic analyses aimed at the identification of the prenatal effects of drugs interfering with ER signalling, such as aromatase inhibitors or endocrine disrupter chemicals.

Estrogen weakens muscle endurance via estrogen receptor-p38 MAPK-mediated orosomucoid (ORM) suppression

Gender differences in fatigue manifest as females being more prone to feel exhaustion and having lower muscle endurance. However, the mechanisms of these effects remain unclear. We investigated whether orosomucoid, an endogenous anti-fatigue protein that enhances muscle endurance, is involved in this regulation. Female rats exhibited lower muscle endurance, and this gender difference disappeared in orosomucoid-1-deficient mice. Female rats also exhibited weaker orosomucoid induction in serum, liver and muscle in response to fatigue compared with male rats. Ovariectomy elevated orosomucoid levels and increased swimming time, and estrogen replenishment reversed these effects. Exogenous estrogen treatment in male and female mice produced opposite effects. Estrogen decreased orosomucoid expression and its promoter activity in C2C12 muscle and Chang liver cells in vitro, and estrogen receptor or p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase blockade abolished this effect. Therefore, estrogen negatively regulates orosomucoid expression that is responsible for the weaker muscle endurance in females.

Preclinical models in the study of sex differences

The biology of sex differences deals with the study of the disparities between females and males and the related biological mechanisms. Gender medicine focuses on the impact of gender and sex on human physiology, pathophysiology and clinical features of diseases that are common to women and men. The term gender refers to a complex interrelation and integration of sex-as a biological and functional determinant-and psychological and cultural behaviours (due to ethnical, social or religious background). The attention to the impact of gender differences on the pathophysiology and, therefore, on the clinical management of the most common diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), neurodegenerative disorders, immune and autoimmune diseases as well as several tumours, is in fact often neglected. Hence, studies covering different fields of investigation and including sex differences in the pathogenesis, in diagnostic and prognostic criteria as well as in response to therapy appear mandatory. However, prerequisites for this development are preclinical studies, including in vitro and in vivo approaches. They represent the first step in the development of a drug or in the comprehension of the pathogenetic mechanisms of diseases, in turn a necessary step for the development of new or more appropriate therapeutic strategies. However, sex differences are still poorly considered and the great majority of preclinical studies do not take into account the relevance of such disparities. In this review, we describe the state of the art of these studies and provide some paradigmatic examples of key fields of investigation, such as oncology, neurology and CVD, where preclinical models should be improved.

"Mind the gap" acute coronary syndrome in women: A contemporary review of current clinical evidence

The incidence and prevalence of coronary artery disease in women has exceeded that in men over the past four decades, and although a significant decline in mortality has occurred in the past two decades, there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that there are gender differences between the clinical manifestations and course of coronary artery disease, as well as differences in treatment and treatment response. This review article considers the current literature regarding the gender-specific manifestation of acute coronary syndromes. Through the review of basic science articles, subsets of trial data, and meta-analyses, the gender-specific differences in within acute coronary syndromes are considered in terms of diagnostic dilemmas, pathophysiology, and treatment options (including pharmacological, percutaneous and surgical methods). Finally, acute coronary syndromes and their management in the special circumstance of pregnancy are also reviewed.

Brain arteriovenous malformations: implications of CEACAM1-positive inflammatory cells and sex on hemorrhage

Brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) are severe conditions which, upon rupture, cause debilitating neurological deficits and even death. The exact cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with bAVM rupture are currently unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the potential role of CEA-related cell adhesion molecule-1 (CEACAM1) in bAVM pathophysiology. Expression and localization of CEACAM1 were assessed immunohistochemically in tissue microarrays from bAVM patients (n = 60). The association of CEACAM1 with clinical parameters was analyzed with Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and chi-square test. The predictive value of CEACAM1 was tested using logistic regression analysis. CEACAM1 was highly expressed in tissue-infiltrating neutrophil granulocytes. High levels of CEACAM1-positive cells were associated with bAVM rupture (hemorrhage), but not with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) size, preoperative embolization, or seizure. This association was significant (p = 0.029, chi-square) in male but not in female patients, and high CEACAM1-positive immune infiltration showed predictive significance for hemorrhage in male bAVM patients only (OR = 6.50, 95 % CI 1.09-38.63, p = 0.040). Within the ruptured bAVM group, patients with a short hemorrhage to surgery (HTS) time interval had higher levels of CEACAM1 immune infiltration than patients with long HTS. This decrease in the levels of CEACAM1 immune infiltration between the HTS short and HTS long groups was, however, significant only in female patients (p = 0.022, chi-square). Our findings substantiate the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of bAVM and suggest the presence of sexual dimorphism in this disease.