Is intima-media thickness a predictor for cardiovascular risk?

Xylan-based near-infrared fluorescent probes for monitoring viscosity abnormalities in living cells and zebrafish

Viscosity is a crucial indicator of the flow state of proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides in the cell microenvironment and plays a vital role in maintaining normal cellular activities. Abnormal viscosity in any part of the cell constituents can lead to various diseases in the organism. For instance, abnormal mitochondrial viscosity can lead to diseases, such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Therefore, real-time monitoring of changes in mitochondrial viscosity in both pathological and physiological environments is relevant. This study describes a water-soluble xylan-based near-infrared fluorescence probe that can detect changes in cellular viscosity. The designed mitochondria-targeting near-infrared fluorophores were introduced into modified xylan to form a viscosity-sensing fluorescent probe (NI-XylV). The fluorescence intensity of NI-XylV at 590 and 670 nm gradually increases with an increase in viscosity caused by environmental changes, enabling the sensitive detection of viscosity changes in mitochondria within living cells. NI-XylV exhibits good photostability, biocompatibility, excellent mitochondrial targeting, and broad application prospects as a bio-based fluorescence probe.

Absent atherosclerotic risk factors are associated with carotid stiffening quantified with ultrafast ultrasound imaging

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate carotid stiffening in participants without conventional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) by using ultrafast pulse wave velocity (ufPWV).

METHODS

The present study enrolled 517 participants without conventional CVRFs (CVRF-Free total population). Subjects in this population were defined as current non-smokers with untreated blood pressure < 140/90 mmHg, fasting blood glucose (FBG) < 7.0 mmol/L, total cholesterol (TC) < 6.2 mmol/L, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol < 4.1 mmol/L, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ≥ 1.0 mmol/L. Participants in the subgroup with optimal CVRFs (CVRF-Optimal subgroup; n = 188) were defined as having blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg, TC < 5.2 mmol/L, and FBG < 5.6 mmol/L. Clinical interviews, physical examinations, serum draw, carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), and ufPWV were evaluated. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals and ordinal logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS

Carotid stiffening was present in 46.2-54.5% of CVRF-Free subjects. Age, male sex, and body mass index (BMI) were independently associated with carotid stiffening in both the CVRF-Free total population and CVRF-Optimal subgroup (OR for age = 1.10-1.11, OR for male sex = 2.65-7.19, OR for BMI = 1.34-1.62; p < 0.05). Carotid stiffening was associated with TC only in the CVRF-Free total population (OR for TC = 1.84; p = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS

Many CVRF-Free individuals have carotid stiffening. ufPWV for atherosclerotic stiffening aids the assessment of early atherogenesis and may further clarify the true status of healthy adults without CVRFs.

KEY POINTS

• CVRF-Optimal individuals have a lower carotid stiffness than CVRF-Free populations. • ufPWV is a quantitative predictor for the early assessment of AS. • Absent major CVRFs cannot be considered low risk for carotid stiffening and atherosclerosis.