Natural killer cells and CD4+ T-cells modulate collateral artery development

OBJECTIVE - The immune system is thought to play a crucial role in regulating collateral circulation (arteriogenesis), a vital compensatory mechanism in patients with arterial obstructive disease. Here, we studied the role of lymphocytes in a murine model of hindlimb ischemia. METHODS AND RESULTS - Lymphocytes, detected with markers for NK1.1,...

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, stromal cell-derived factor-1, and CXCR4 in human limb muscle with acute and chronic ischemia

OBJECTIVE - Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-induced stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) has been implicated in angiogenesis in ischemic tissues by recruitment of CXCR4-positive bone marrow-derived circulating cells with paracrine functions in preclinical models. Here, evidence for this is provided in patients with peripheral artery...

Hypercholesterolemia reduces collateral artery growth more dominantly than hyperglycemia or insulin resistance in mice

OBJECTIVE - Collateral artery development (arteriogenesis), a vital compensatory mechanism in patients with arterial obstructive disease, may be deregulated by vascular risk factors, eg, diabetes or hypercholesterolemia. Here, we compared the effects of either disturbed glucose metabolism or disturbed lipid metabolism on arteriogenesis. METHODS...

CD34+ cells home, proliferate, and participate in capillary formation, and in combination with CD34- cells enhance tube formation in a 3-dimensional matrix

Objective - Emerging evidence suggests that human blood contains bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells that contribute to postnatal neovascularization. Clinical trials demonstrated that administration of BM-cells can enhance neovascularization. Most studies, however, used crude cell populations. Identifying the role of different...

Vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression in ischemic skeletal muscle enhances myoglobin expression in vivo

Therapeutic angiogenesis using vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered a promising new therapy for patients with arterial obstructive disease. Clinical improvements observed consist of improved muscle function and regression of rest pain or angina. However, direct evidence for improved vascularization, as evaluated by angiography...

Current PTCA practice and clinical outcomes in the Netherlands: The real world in the pre-drug-eluting stent era

Aims To document the practice of interventional cardiology and the clinical restenosis rate, as well as the risk factors for clinical restenosis in an unselected population of patients in daily practice and to provide a perspective for the need of new devices such as drug-eluting stents. Methods and results A total of 3177 consecutive patients,...

Expression of type III hyperlipoproteinemia in apolipoprotein E2 (Arg158→Cys) homozygotes is associated with hyperinsulinemia

Type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) is mainly found in homozygous carriers of apolipoprotein E2 (apoE2, Arg158→Cys). Only a small percentage (<5%) of these apoE2 homozygotes develops hyperlipidemia, indicating that additional environmental and genetic factors contribute to the expression of type III HLP. In the present study, first, the...

Decreased smooth muscle cell/extracellular matrix ratio of media of femoral artery in patients with atherosclerosis and hyperhomocysteinemia

The aim of this study was to determine whether the morphology of the muscular femoral artery in patients with atherosclerosis and hyperhomocysteinemia differs from that of atherosclerotic vessels from patients with normal homocysteine levels. Whole-vessel biopsies of the superficial femoral artery were taken from patients with symptomatic...