MiR-146a encapsulated liposomes reduce vascular inflammatory responses through decrease of ICAM-1 expression, macrophage activation, and foam cell formation

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1): From molecular functions to clinical applications in cancer investigation

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a versatile molecule that plays a critical role in various physiological and pathological processes, particularly in tumor development where its impact is bidirectional. On the one hand, it augments the immune response by promoting immune cell migration, infiltration, and the formation of immunological synapses, thus facilitating potent antitumor effects. Simultaneously, it contributes to tumor immune evasion and influences metastasis by mediating transendothelial migration (TEM), epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and epigenetic modification of tumor cells. Despite its significant potential, the full clinical utility of ICAM-1 has yet to be fully realized. In this review, we thoroughly examine recent advancements in understanding the role of ICAM-1 in tumor development, its relevance in predicting therapeutic efficacy and prognosis, as well as the progress in clinical translational research on anti-ICAM-1-based therapies, encompassing including monoclonal antibodies, immunotherapy, antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), and conventional treatments. By shedding light on these innovative strategies, we aim to underscore ICAM-1's significance as a valuable and multifaceted target for cancer treatment, igniting enthusiasm for further research and facilitating translation into clinical applications.

Advances in the treatment of atherosclerosis with ligand-modified nanocarriers

Atherosclerosis, a chronic disease associated with metabolism, poses a significant risk to human well-being. Currently, existing treatments for atherosclerosis lack sufficient efficiency, while the utilization of surface-modified nanoparticles holds the potential to deliver highly effective therapeutic outcomes. These nanoparticles can target and bind to specific receptors that are abnormally over-expressed in atherosclerotic conditions. This paper reviews recent research (2018-present) advances in various ligand-modified nanoparticle systems targeting atherosclerosis by specifically targeting signature molecules in the hope of precise treatment at the molecular level and concludes with a discussion of the challenges and prospects in this field. The intention of this review is to inspire novel concepts for the design and advancement of targeted nanomedicines tailored specifically for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Organic Nanoparticles in Progressing Cardiovascular Disease Treatment and Diagnosis

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the world's most prominent cause of mortality, continue to be challenging conditions for patients, physicians, and researchers alike. CVDs comprise a wide range of illnesses affecting the heart, blood vessels, and the blood that flows through and between them. Advances in nanomedicine, a discipline focused on improving patient outcomes through revolutionary treatments, imaging agents, and ex vivo diagnostics, have created enthusiasm for overcoming limitations in CVDs' therapeutic and diagnostic landscapes. Nanomedicine can be involved in clinical purposes for CVD through the augmentation of cardiac or heart-related biomaterials, which can be functionally, mechanically, immunologically, and electrically improved by incorporating nanomaterials; vasculature applications, which involve systemically injected nanotherapeutics and imaging nanodiagnostics, nano-enabled biomaterials, or tissue-nanoengineered solutions; and enhancement of sensitivity and/or specificity of ex vivo diagnostic devices for patient samples. Therefore, this review discusses the latest studies based on applying organic nanoparticles in cardiovascular illness, including drug-conjugated polymers, lipid nanoparticles, and micelles. Following the revised information, it can be concluded that organic nanoparticles may be the most appropriate type of treatment for cardiovascular diseases due to their biocompatibility and capacity to integrate various drugs.

MicroRNAs regulate the vicious cycle of vascular calcification-osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

Menopause is a normal physiological process accompanied by changes in various physiological states. The incidence of vascular calcification (VC) increases each year after menopause and is closely related to osteoporosis (OP). Although many studies have investigated the links between VC and OP, the interaction mechanism of the two under conditions of estrogen loss remains unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which are involved in epigenetic modification, play a critical role in estrogen-mediated mineralization. In the past several decades, miRNAs have been identified as biomarkers or therapeutic targets in diseases. Thus, we hypothesize that these small molecules can provide new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. In this review, we summarize the close interactions between VC and OP and the role of miRNAs in their interplay.

Monocytic microRNAs-Novel targets in atherosclerosis therapy

Atherosclerosis is a chronic proinflammatory disease of the vascular wall resulting in narrowing of arteries due to plaque formation, thereby causing reduced blood supply that is the leading cause for diverse end-organ damage with high mortality rates. Monocytes/macrophages, activated by elevated circulating lipoproteins, are significantly involved in the formation and development of atherosclerotic plaques. The imbalance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophages, arising from dysregulated macrophage polarization, appears to be a driving force in this process. Proatherosclerotic processes acting on monocytes/macrophages include accumulation of cholesterol in macrophages leading to foam cell formation, as well as dysfunctional efferocytosis, all of which contribute to the formation of unstable plaques. In recent years, microRNAs (miRs) were identified as factors that could modulate monocyte/macrophage function and may therefore interfere with the atherosclerotic process. In this review, we present effects of monocyte/macrophage-derived miRs on atherosclerotic processes in order to reveal new treatment options using miRmimics or antagomiRs.

Unveiling the regulatory role of miRNAs in stroke pathophysiology and diagnosis

Stroke, a major global cause of mortality, leads to a range of problems for those who survive. Besides its brutal events, stroke also tends to have a characteristic of recurrence, making it a complex disease involving intricate regulatory networks. One of the major cellular regulators is the non-coding RNAs (ncRNA), specifically microRNAs (miRNAs), thus the possible functions of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of stroke are discussed as well as the possibility of using miRNA-based therapeutic approaches. Firstly, the molecular mechanisms by which miRNAs regulate vital physiological processes, including synaptic plasticity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and the integrity of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) are reviewed. The miRNA indirectly impacts stroke outcomes by regulating BBB function and angiogenesis through the targeting of transcription factors and angiogenic factors. In addition, the tendency for some miRNAs to be upregulated in response to hypoxia, which is a prevalent phenomenon in stroke and various neurological disorders, highlights the possibility that it controls hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) signaling and angiogenesis, thereby influencing the integrity of the BBB as examples of the discussed mechanisms. Furthermore, this review explores the potential therapeutic targets that miRNAs may offer for stroke recovery and highlights their promising capacity to alleviate post-stroke complications. This review provides researchers and clinicians with valuable resources since it attempts to decipher the complex network of miRNA-mediated mechanisms in stroke. Additionally, the review addresses the interplay between miRNAs and stroke risk factors as well as clinical applications of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers.

Nanomedicine for Diagnosis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis

With the changing disease spectrum, atherosclerosis has become increasingly prevalent worldwide and the associated diseases have emerged as the leading cause of death. Due to their fascinating physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, nanomaterials are regarded as a promising tool to tackle enormous challenges in medicine. The emerging discipline of nanomedicine has filled a huge application gap in the atherosclerotic field, ushering a new generation of diagnosis and treatment strategies. Herein, based on the essential pathogenic contributors of atherogenesis, as well as the distinct composition/structural characteristics, synthesis strategies, and surface design of nanoplatforms, the three major application branches (nanodiagnosis, nanotherapy, and nanotheranostic) of nanomedicine in atherosclerosis are elaborated. Then, state-of-art studies containing a sequence of representative and significant achievements are summarized in detail with an emphasis on the intrinsic interaction/relationship between nanomedicines and atherosclerosis. Particularly, attention is paid to the biosafety of nanomedicines, which aims to pave the way for future clinical translation of this burgeoning field. Finally, this comprehensive review is concluded by proposing unresolved key scientific issues and sharing the vision and expectation for the future, fully elucidating the closed loop from atherogenesis to the application paradigm of nanomedicines for advancing the early achievement of clinical applications.

ET-1 receptor type B (ETBR) overexpression associated with ICAM-1 downregulation leads to inflammatory attenuation in experimental autoimmune myocarditis

Background

An experimental autoimmune myocarditis rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of porcine myocardial myosin (PCM). The effect of ET-1 receptor type B (ETBR) overexpression on autoimmune myocarditis was observed via tail vein injection of ETBR overexpression lentivirus in rats. We further investigated the mechanisms involved in the regulation of autoimmune myocarditis by ETBR overexpression.

Methods

Six rats were randomly selected from 24 male Lewis rats as the NC group, and the remaining 18 rats were injected with PCM on Day 0 and Day 7, to establish the experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) rat model. The 18 rats initially immunized were randomly divided into three groups: the EAM group, ETBR-oe group, and GFP group. On Day 21 after the initial immunization of rats, cardiac echocardiography and serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) analysis were performed to evaluate cardiac function, myocardial tissue HE staining was performed to assess myocardial tissue inflammatory infiltration and the myocarditis score, and mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-12, and IL-17 was detected by qRT-PCR. Subsequently, immunohistochemical analysis was performed to detect the localization and expression of the ETBR and ICAM-1 proteins, and the expression of ETBR and ICAM-1 was verified by qRT-PCR and western blotting methods.

Results

On Day 21 after initial immunization, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVEDs), and serum BNP concentrations increased in the hearts of rats in the EAM group compared with the NC group (P < 0.01), and ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) decreased compared with those of the normal control (NC) group (P < 0.01). LVEDd, LVEDs, and serum BNP concentrations decreased in the ETBR-oe group compared with the EAM group, while EF and FS increased significantly (P < 0.01). HE staining showed that a large number of inflammatory cell infiltrates, mainly lymphocytes, were observed in the EAM group, and the myocarditis score was significantly higher than that of the NC group (P < 0.01). Compared with that of the EAM group, myocardial tissue inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly reduced in the ETBR-oe group, and the myocarditis scores were significantly lower (P < 0.01). The mRNAs of the inflammatory factors IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-17 in myocardial tissue of rats in the EAM group exhibited elevated levels compared with those of the NC group (P < 0.01) while the mRNAs of IFN-γ, IL-12 and IL-17 were significantly decreased in the ETBR-oe group compared with the EAM group (P < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry showed that the staining depth of ETBR protein in myocardial tissue was greater in the EAM group than in the NC group, and significantly greater in the ETBR-oe group than in the EAM group, while the staining depth of ICAM-1 was significantly greater in the EAM group than in the NC group, and significantly lower in the ETBR-oe group than in the EAM group. The ICAM-1 expression level was significantly higher in the EAM group than in the NC group (P < 0.01), and was significantly lower in the ETBR-oe groupthan in the EAM group (P < 0.01).

Non-coding RNAs are key players and promising therapeutic targets in atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the primary cause of death in humans. Atherosclerosis (AS) is the most common CVD and a major cause of many CVD-related fatalities. AS has numerous risk factors and complex pathogenesis, and while it has long been a research focus, most mechanisms underlying its progression remain unknown. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) represent an important focus in epigenetics studies and are critical biological regulators that form a complex network of gene regulation. Abnormal ncRNA expression disrupts the normal function of tissues or cells, leading to disease development. A large body of evidence suggests that ncRNAs are involved in all stages of atherosclerosis, from initiation to progression, and that some are significantly differentially expressed during AS development, suggesting that they may be powerful markers for screening AS or potential treatment targets. Here, we review the role of ncRNAs in AS development and recent developments in the use of ncRNAs for AS-targeted therapy, providing evidence for ncRNAs as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets.