Scavenging dicarbonyls with 5'-O-pentyl-pyridoxamine increases HDL net cholesterol efflux capacity and attenuates atherosclerosis and insulin resistance

A novel optimization-assisted multi-scale and dilated adaptive hybrid deep learning network with feature fusion for event detection from social media

Social media networks become an active communication medium for connecting people and delivering new messages. Social media can perform as the primary channel, where the globalized events or instances can be explored. Earlier models are facing the pitfall of noticing the temporal and spatial resolution for enhancing the efficacy. Therefore, in this proposed model, a new event detection approach from social media data is presented. Firstly, the essential data is collected and undergone for pre-processing stage. Further, the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) and Term Frequency Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) are employed for extracting features. Subsequently, the two resultant features are given to the multi-scale and dilated layer present in the detection network of GRU and Res-Bi-LSTM, named as Multi-scale and Dilated Adaptive Hybrid Deep Learning (MDA-HDL) for event detection. Moreover, the MDA-HDL network's parameters are tuned by Improved Gannet Optimization Algorithm (IGOA) to enhance the performance. Finally, the execution of the system is done over the Python platform, where the system is validated and compared with baseline methodologies. The accuracy findings of model acquire as 94.96 for dataset 1 and 96.42 for dataset 2. Hence, the recommended model outperforms with the superior results while detecting the social events.

Programmed death of macrophages in atherosclerosis: mechanisms and therapeutic targets

Atherosclerosis is a progressive inflammatory disorder of the arterial vessel wall characterized by substantial infiltration of macrophages, which exert both favourable and detrimental functions. Early in atherogenesis, macrophages can clear cytotoxic lipoproteins and dead cells, preventing cytotoxicity. Efferocytosis - the efficient clearance of dead cells by macrophages - is crucial for preventing secondary necrosis and stimulating the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, macrophages can promote tissue repair and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, thereby increasing plaque stability. However, advanced atherosclerotic plaques contain large numbers of pro-inflammatory macrophages that secrete matrix-degrading enzymes, induce death in surrounding cells and contribute to plaque destabilization and rupture. Importantly, macrophages in the plaque can undergo apoptosis and several forms of regulated necrosis, including necroptosis, pyroptosis and ferroptosis. Regulated necrosis has an important role in the formation and expansion of the necrotic core during plaque progression, and several triggers for necrosis are present within atherosclerotic plaques. This Review focuses on the various forms of programmed macrophage death in atherosclerosis and the pharmacological interventions that target them as a potential means of stabilizing vulnerable plaques and improving the efficacy of currently available anti-atherosclerotic therapies.

Anti-Glycation Properties of Zinc-Enriched Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina) Contribute to Prevention of Metaflammation in a Diet-Induced Obese Mouse Model

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) exert a key pathogenic role in the development of obesity and insulin resistance. Thanks to its abundance in bioactive compounds, the microalga Arthrospira platensis (spirulina, SP) is proposed as a nutritional supplement. Here, we investigated the potential anti-glycating properties of SP enriched with zinc (Zn-SP) and the following impact on diet-induced metabolic derangements. Thirty male C57Bl6 mice were fed a standard diet (SD) or a high-fat high-sugar diet (HFHS) for 12 weeks, and a subgroup of HFHS mice received 350 mg/kg Zn-SP three times a week. A HFHS diet induced obesity and glucose intolerance and increased plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and transaminases. Zn-SP administration restored glucose homeostasis and reduced hepatic dysfunction and systemic inflammation. In the liver of HFHS mice, a robust accumulation of AGEs was detected, paralleled by increased expression of the main AGE receptor (RAGE) and depletion of glyoxalase-1, whereas Zn-SP administration efficiently prevented these alterations reducing local pro-inflammatory responses. 16S rRNA gene profiling of feces and ileum content revealed altered bacterial community structure in HFHS mice compared to both SD and HFHS + Zn-SP groups. Overall, our study demonstrates relevant anti-glycation properties of Zn-SP which contribute to preventing AGE production and/or stimulate AGE detoxification, leading to the improvement of diet-related dysbiosis and metabolic derangements.

Insulin sensitization by hepatic FoxO deletion is insufficient to lower atherosclerosis in mice

Background–

Type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. It has been suggested that insulin resistance underlies this link, possibly by altering the functions of cells in the artery wall. We aimed to test whether improving systemic insulin sensitivity reduces atherosclerosis.

Methods–

We used mice that are established to have improved systemic insulin sensitivity: those lacking FoxO transcription factors in hepatocytes. Three hepatic FoxO isoforms (FoxO1, FoxO3, and FoxO4) function together to promote hepatic glucose output, and ablating them lowers glucose production, lowers circulating glucose and insulin, and improves systemic insulin sensitivity. We made these mice susceptible to atherosclerosis in two different ways, by injecting them with gain-of-function AAV8.mPcsk9D377Y and by crossing with Ldlr-/- mice.

Results–

We verified that hepatic FoxO ablation improves systemic insulin sensitivity in these atherosclerotic settings. We observed that FoxO deficiency caused no reductions in atherosclerosis, and in some cases increased atherosclerosis. These phenotypes coincided with large increases in circulating triglycerides in FoxO-ablated mice.

Conclusions–

These findings suggest that systemic insulin sensitization is insufficient to reduce atherosclerosis.

HDL Function and Atherosclerosis: Reactive Dicarbonyls as Promising Targets of Therapy

Epidemiologic studies detected an inverse relationship between HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), identifying HDL-C as a major risk factor for ASCVD and suggesting atheroprotective functions of HDL. However, the role of HDL-C as a mediator of risk for ASCVD has been called into question by the failure of HDL-C-raising drugs to reduce cardiovascular events in clinical trials. Progress in understanding the heterogeneous nature of HDL particles in terms of their protein, lipid, and small RNA composition has contributed to the realization that HDL-C levels do not necessarily reflect HDL function. The most examined atheroprotective function of HDL is reverse cholesterol transport, whereby HDL removes cholesterol from plaque macrophage foam cells and delivers it to the liver for processing and excretion into bile. Indeed, in several studies, HDL has shown inverse associations between HDL cholesterol efflux capacity and ASCVD in humans. Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and vulnerable plaque formation, and a fundamental function of HDL is suppression of inflammatory signaling in macrophages and other cells. Oxidation is also a critical process to ASCVD in promoting atherogenic oxidative modifications of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and cellular inflammation. HDL and its proteins including apoAI (apolipoprotein AI) and PON1 (paraoxonase 1) prevent cellular oxidative stress and LDL modifications. Importantly, HDL in humans with ASCVD is oxidatively modified rendering HDL dysfunctional and proinflammatory. Modification of HDL with reactive carbonyl species, such as malondialdehyde and isolevuglandins, dramatically impairs the antiatherogenic functions of HDL. Importantly, treatment of murine models of atherosclerosis with scavengers of reactive dicarbonyls improves HDL function and reduces systemic inflammation, atherosclerosis development, and features of plaque instability. Here, we discuss the HDL antiatherogenic functions in relation to oxidative modifications and the potential of reactive dicarbonyl scavengers as a therapeutic approach for ASCVD.

High-Density Lipoprotein Alterations in Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

Alterations affecting high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are one of the various abnormalities observed in dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. Kinetic studies have demonstrated that the catabolism of HDL particles is accelerated. Both the size and the lipidome and proteome of HDL particles are significantly modified, which likely contributes to some of the functional defects of HDLs. Studies on cholesterol efflux capacity have yielded heterogeneous results, ranging from a defect to an improvement. Several studies indicate that HDLs are less able to inhibit the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) proinflammatory pathway, and subsequently, the adhesion of monocytes on endothelium and their recruitment into the subendothelial space. In addition, the antioxidative function of HDL particles is diminished, thus facilitating the deleterious effects of oxidized low-density lipoproteins on vasculature. Lastly, the HDL-induced activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase is less effective in T2DM and metabolic syndrome, contributing to several HDL functional defects, such as an impaired capacity to promote vasodilatation and endothelium repair, and difficulty counteracting the production of reactive oxygen species and inflammation.