Differentially expressed miR-152, a potential biomarker for in-stent restenosis (ISR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains the most daunting challenge of current treatments of coronary artery disease (CAD). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are prominent regulators of key pathological processes leading to restenosis and used as diagnostic tools in different studies. miR-152 and miR-148a are implicated to contribute in the putative intracellular mechanisms of ISR. The aim of present study is to investigate the potential early-stage diagnostic role of miR-152 and miR-148a expression levels for ISR in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients who underwent stent implantation.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The miRNAs that are supposed to be involved in the ISR were nominated by bioinformatics approach mainly using miRWalk3. Then by quantitative real-time PCR, we determined the relative expression of miR-152 and miR-148a of PBMCs from ISR patients with their age/sex-matched controls.

RESULTS

The presence of ISR significantly coincided with a decrease in the relative expression of miR-152. The area under the curve (AUC) for miR-152 receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.717 (95% CI; 0.60-0.83) with a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 67%, suggesting that the miRNA expression level might be employed to identify patients at risk of ISR.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to show that the miR-152 expression level can possibly be applied to predict CAD patients at risk of ISR. The results suggest that the expression levels of miR-152 in PBMCs may serve as a biomarker for ISR. Our finding suggests the importance of miRNA levels in PBMCs as a novel biological tool to detect diseases in their early clinical stages.

High-resolution CT in chronic pulmonary changes after mustard gas exposure

Purpose: To identify the findings of high‐resolution CT (HRCT) of the lung in patients with previous sulfur mustard gas exposure, and to correlate these findings with clinical and chest X-ray (CXR) results.

Material and Methods: 50 consecutive patients were studied prospectively. The clinical data were recorded. Standard p.a. CXR and HRCT of the lung and spirometry were performed. The findings of CXR, HRCT and clinical and spirometry results were scored between 0 and 3 according to the severity of the findings.

Results: HRCT abnormality was detected in all 50 patients (100%), while CXR was abnormal in 40 patients (80%). The most common HRCT findings was airway abnormalities (bronchial wall thickening in 100% of cases). Other important findings were suggestive of interstitial lung disease (ILD) (80%), bronchiectasis (26%), and emphysema (24%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the severity of clinical presentation and that of the HCTR scores in patients with bronchiectasis, bronchitis and ILD ( p< 0.05), but not with severity scores of HRCT in patients with emphysema. No significant correlation was found between severity scores of CXR findings. HRCT evidence of bronchial wall thickening and with a lower frequency ILD were present despite normal CXR in 20% of the patients.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that bronchial wall thickening, ILD and emphysema are common chronic pulmonary sequelae of sulfur mustard injury. HRCT of the chest should be considered as the imaging modality of choice in chemical war injury.

High-resolution CT in chronic pulmonary changes after mustard gas exposure

PURPOSE

To identify the findings of high-resolution CT (HRCT) of the lung in patients with previous sulfur mustard gas exposure, and to correlate these findings with clinical and chest X-ray (CXR) results.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

50 consecutive patients were studied prospectively. The clinical data were recorded. Standard p.a. CXR and HRCT of the lung and spirometry were performed. The findings of CXR, HRCT and clinical and spirometry results were scored between 0 and 3 according to the severity of the findings.

RESULTS

HRCT abnormality was detected in all 50 patients (100%), while CXR was abnormal in 40 patients (80%). The most common HRCT findings was airway abnormalities (bronchial wall thickening in 100% of cases). Other important findings were suggestive of interstitial lung disease (ILD) (80%), bronchiectasis (26%), and emphysema (24%). A statistically significant correlation was found between the severity of clinical presentation and that of the HCTR scores in patients with bronchiectasis, bronchitis and ILD (p< 0.05), but not with severity scores of HRCT in patients with emphysema. No significant correlation was found between severity scores of CXR findings. HRCT evidence of bronchial wall thickening and with a lower frequency ILD were present despite normal CXR in 20% of the patients.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that bronchial wall thickening, ILD and emphysema are common chronic pulmonary sequelae of sulfur mustard injury. HRCT of the chest should be considered as the imaging modality of choice in chemical war injury.

Design of potent non-thiourea H3-receptor histamine antagonists

Starting from thioperamide, the first potent and selective H3-receptor histamine antagonist, analogues have been synthesized and tested in vitro on rat cerebral cortex to explore structure-activity relationships. The aim has been to design potent compounds which do not possess the thiourea group of thioperamide and which may have improved brain penetration. In a short series of open chain thiourea analogues, the optimum chain length for H3-antagonist potency was found to be (CH2)3. Compounds derived from histamine and possessing an aromatic nitrogen-containing heterocycle on the side chain amino group in place of thiourea show H3-antagonist activity. Furthermore, when the heterocycle is 2-pyridyl, electron-withdrawing substituents (e.g. NO2, CF3, CO2Me) in the pyridine 5-position increased potency. The synthesis of 4-[4(5)-imidazolyl]piperidine and its conversion into the (trifluoromethyl)pyridyl analogue 5b of thioperamide is described; however, 5b is not as potent as thioperamide. Replacing imidazole by pyridine or substituting imidazole on the remote N considerably reduced potency. Replacing the side-chain NH by S increased potency still further and the most potent compound is 2-([2-[4(5)-imidazolyl]ethyl]thio)-5-nitropyridine (UCL 1199) which has Ki = 4.8 nM.

Structure-activity studies with histamine H3-receptor ligands

Starting from thioperamide, the first potent and selective H3-receptor histamine antagonist, analogues have been synthesised and tested in vitro on rat cerebral cortex to explore structure-activity relationships. The aim has been to design compounds which do not possess the thiourea group of thioperamide and which may have improved brain penetration. Some compounds derived from histamine and possessing an aromatic nitrogen-containing heterocycle on the side-chain amino group show strong H3-antagonist activity. These have served as leads to provide aryloxyethyl- and aryloxy-propylimidazoles which are potent H3 antagonists of histamine. Structure-activity studies of the very potent and selective agonist, imetit (S-[2-imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]isothiourea), have explored the the transition between agonist, partial agonist and antagonist. The isosteric isourea is also a potent agonist. N,N'-Dibutyl-[S-[3-(imidazol-4-yl)propyl]isothiourea is a very potent antagonist having Ki = 1.5 nM.