Innovative pharmaceutical interventions in cardiovascular disease: Focusing on the contribution of non-HDL-C/LDL-C-lowering versus HDL-C-raisingA systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant preclinical studies and clinical trials

Non-HDL-cholesterol is well recognised as a primary causal risk factor in cardiovascular disease. However, despite consistent epidemiological evidence for an inverse association between HDL-C and coronary heart disease, clinical trials aimed at raising HDL-C (AIM-HIGH, HPS2-THRIVE, dal-OUTCOMES) failed to meet their primary goals. This...

Niacin reduces plasma CETP levels by diminishing liver macrophage content in CETP transgenic mice

The anti-dyslipidemic drug niacin has recently been shown to reduce the hepatic expression and plasma levels of CETP. Since liver macrophages contribute to hepatic CETP expression, we investigated the role of macrophages in the CETP-lowering effect of niacin in mice. In vitro studies showed that niacin does not directly attenuate CETP expression...

Niacin increases HDL by reducing hepatic expression and plasma levels of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice

Objective - Niacin potently decreases plasma triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol. In addition, niacin is the most potent HDL-cholesterol- increasing drug used in the clinic. In the present study, we aimed at elucidation of the mechanism underlying its HDL-raising effect. Methods and Results - InAPOE*3Leiden transgenic mice expressing the human...

A pilot study to investigate effects of inulin on Caco-2 cells through in vitro metabolic fingerprinting

Metabolic fingerprints are novel measurement tools to evaluate the biochemical status of a living organism by using 1H NMR and multivariate data analysis (MVDA). In this way, a quick evaluation of changes in health or diseased state can be made, reflected in alterations of metabolic patterns. Normally, metabolic finger-printing is based on in...

Niacin, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 and genomic stability

Nicotinic acid (NA) and nicotinamide (NAM), commonly called niacin, are the dietary precursors for NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), which is required for DNA synthesis, as well as for the activity of the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1; EC 2.4.2.30) for which NAD+ is the sole substrate. The enzyme PARP-1 is highly activated...

Approach of the US food and nutrition board to daily nutrient requirements: A useful basis for the European discussion on risk assessment of nutrients

Objective: To discuss the approach of the US Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) to daily nutrient requirements and its relevance for Europe. Setting: A workshop for experts from academia and regulatory bodies, together with members from the FNB Dietary Reference Intakes Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels of Intake, and from the B-vitamins Expert...

Lack of predictability of classical animal models for hypolipidemic activity: A good time for mice?

Hypolipidemic drugs that are efficacious in man are not always active in classical animal models of dyslipidemia. Inhibitors of HMG-CoA reductase (statins) do not lower plasma cholesterol in rats, but yet this species was alone in providing activity for fibrate-type drugs. Nicotinic acid possesses many desirable features with regard to clinical...

NAD+ levels and glucose uptake of cultured human epidermal cells exposed to sulfur mustard

In cultured human epidermal cells exposure to the vesicant sulfur mustard (HD) causes a decrease of the NAD+ content, which depends on the dose and the time period between exposure to HD and NAD+ measurement. Presumably, this NAD+ loss is due to activation of the enzyme NAD:protein ADP-ribosyltransferase (ADPRT) and may lead to glycolysis...

Vitamins and endurance training: Food for running or faddish claims?

The inter-relationship of food and physical performance, food is considered as a conglomerate of nutrients and man is depicted as a kind of organic pudding. This 'machine' concept of human performance in combination with the mysticism surrounding vitamins, has led to the faddish belief that additional vitamins are necessary to improve physical...