Abstract Background Emerging evidence indicates carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1) is involved in the development of atherosclerosis (AS). However, the roles and functions of CEACAM1 in AS remain unknown. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the roles and molecular functions of CEACAM1 in AS. Methods We constructed a diabetes mellitus (DM) + high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model based on the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced apolipoprotein E-knockdown (ApopE−/−) mouse to investigate the roles and regulatory mechanism of miR-449a/CEACAM1 axis. The mRNA expression and protein levels in this study were examined using quantity PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence (IF), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunohistochemistry (IHC), respectively. And the lipid deposition and collagen content were detected using Oil Red O and Sirius Red staining. Cell apoptosis, migration, invasion, and tuber formation were detected by Annexin-V FITC/PI, wound healing, transwell, and tuber formation assays, respectively. The relationship between miR-449a and CEACAM1 was determined by a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. Results miR-449a and MMP-9 were upregulated, and CEACAM1 was downregulated in the DM + HFD MOUSE model. Upregulation of CEACAM1 promoted atherosclerotic plaque stability and inhibited inflammation in the DM + HFD mouse model. And miR-449a directly targeted CEACAM1. Besides, miR-449a interacted with CEACAM1 to regulate atherosclerotic plaque stability and inflammation in DM-associated AS mice. In vitro, the rescue experiments showed miR-449a interacted with CEACAM1 to affect apoptosis, migration, invasion, and tuber formation ability in high glucose (HG)-induced HUVECs. Conclusion These results demonstrated that miR-449a promoted plaque instability and inflammation in DM and HFD-induced mice by targeting CEACAM1.

Objective This research was conducted to investigate the monitoring values of routine echocardiography (ECG) and two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging (2D-STI) in cardiotoxicity caused by the treatment of breast carcinoma with anthracyclines (ANTH). Methods 100 patients with breast carcinoma were selected and enrolled into normal group (n = 53 cases) and abnormal group (47 cases) according to whether ECG was abnormal. Routine ECG and 2D-STI were employed for the detection, ECG- and 2D-STI-related parameters were compared, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn, and the clinical application values of monitoring methods for two groups were assessed. Results Before chemotherapy, no remarkable statistical difference was detected in routine ECG and 2D-STI parameters between normal and abnormal groups ( P > 0.05). After 6 cycles, E/V value of abnormal group was inferior to that of normal group ((0.93 ± 0.16) vs (1.33 ± 0.23). Besides, longitudinal peak strain (SRI) values of rear wall, front spacer, and rear spacer in abnormal group were inferior to those in normal group ( P < 0.05). Routine ECG combined with 2D-STI had the best predictive effect followed by 2D-STI and routine ECG. Conclusion To sum up, 2D-STI was a new method for assessing myocardial lesions and possessed significant early clinical monitoring values in cardiotoxicity caused by chemotherapy after the treatment of breast carcinoma with ANTH. It had higher clinical application values than routine ECG.

Accessory mitral valve tissue (AMVT) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly, which is associated with other congenital heart diseases. It is diagnosed in neonates or childhood and rarely in adulthood. Nevertheless, AMVT is an incidental finding or described as isolated. Echocardiography, especially three-dimensional echocardiography is considered as an optimal imaging technique for AMVT diagnosis. We herein presented an asymptomatic adult AMVT cases with significant left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and surgical excision was recommended.

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a dilated cardiomyopathy induced by excessive alcohol consumption that causes progressive cardiac dysfunction and chamber dilatation, leading to arrhythmias, heart failure, and death. Cardiac transplantation is the final measure for end-stage ACM. In this case, we used multimodal imaging for ACM diagnosis in a patient with refractory heart failure. The patient received a heart transplant with a good prognosis, and his pathological results after the transplant confirmed our suspected diagnosis. End-stage ACM may lead to refractory heart failure and multimodal imaging may play an important role in the diagnosis, prognosis prediction, and follow-up study of suspected ACM.

BACKGROUND:Turbulent shear stress (TSS) plays an important role in the research of fluid dynamics of heart valves. This study aimed to perform a quantitative study of TSS downstream of porcine artificial mitral valves in order to verify the correlation of hot-film anemometry (HFA) and Doppler echocardiography combined with computer-aided image analysis for the detection of TSS.METHODS:A porcine model of mitral valve replacement was established. HFA and Doppler ultrasound techniques were used to directly and indirectly measure TSS-relevant parameters of the artificial mitral valve following different mitral valve replacements: different approaches were used to reserve the subvalvular apparatus of the mitral valve. A correlation analysis was then carried out.RESULTS:There was a significant correlation between the HFA and Doppler ultrasound combined with computer-aided image analysis of the TSS at the same time and at the same site. No significant difference was found in the TSS measured by the two methods.CONCLUSIONS:Compared with HFA, Doppler echocardiography combined with computer-aided image analysis is a safe, non-invasive, and real-time method that enables accurate and quantitative detection of TSS downstream in vivo, objectively reflecting the flow field downstream of the artificial mitral valve. Doppler ultrasound combined with computer-aided image analysis can be employed for quantitatively evaluating the downstream hemodynamic performance of the mitral valve.

Fibrocytes contribute significantly to fibrosis in many cardiac diseases. However, it is not clear whether fibrocytes are associated with the fibrosis in coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to determine whether fibrocytes are involved in cardiac fibrosis in CHD. We identified the presence of fibrocytes in CHD heart by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, examined the collagen volume fraction by Masson's Trichrome staining, and evaluated the correlation between fibrocytes and cardiac fibrosis. In conjunction, we examined the location of CXCL12, a homing factor and specific ligand for CXCR4, by immunohistochemistry. Fibrocytes were identified in 26 out of 27 CHD hearts and in 10 out of 11 normal hearts. Combinations, including CD34/αSMA, CD34/procollagen-I, CD45/αSMA, CXCR4/procollagen-I and CXCR4/αSMA, stained significantly more fibrocytes in CHD hearts as compared with those in normal hearts (p<0.05). There were positive correlations between the collagen volume fraction and the amount of fibrocytes (r=0.558; p=0.003<0.01) and between the number of CXCR4(+) fibrocytes and the CXCL12(+) cells (r=0.741; p=0.000<0.01) in CHD hearts. Based upon these findings, we conclude that fibrocytes, likely recruited through the CXCR4/CXCL12 axis, may contribute to the increase in the fibroblast population in CHD heart.

BACKGROUND: Initial studies have confirmed that extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy can ameliorate metabolism of ischemia myocardium from the level of gene and cells. However, will the therapy improve the development of post-infarction ventricular remodeling in a morphology level? OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy on the function and morphology of the left ventricle after acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: A total of 25 pigs were randomly divided into three groups: shock wave group, sham shock wave group and sham operation group. Pigs in the shock wave group were treated with extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy on 3, 5 and 7 days after the model construction of myocardial infarction. Pigs in the sham shock wave group received the same therapy to the shock wave group except for the shock waves and energy. Sham operation group received the same treatment to the sham shock wave group without constructing the myocardial infarction model. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Compared with the sham shock wave group, shock wave therapy significantly reduced the left ventricular end-systolic volume, increased the end-diastolic volume and improved the global left ventricular function (P < 0.001); it significantly improved the ventricular wall motor function in the myocardium of the myocardial infarction border zone and the motion compatibleness of the left ventricular. These findings demonstrate that the early application of effective extracorporeal cardiac shock wave therapy can delay the development to some extent from reversible stage to irreversible stage in the left ventricular remodeling after myocardial infarction.

Objective To assess the predictable value of strain rate imaging for multivessel coronary artery disease(CAD) without myocardial infarction.Methods One hundred and eighteen patients without myocardial infarction were recruited,including 43 patients with multivessel disease(multivessel group),32 with single vessel disease(single vessel group) and 43 no vessel disease(control group).The parameters included peak systolic S as well as SR(SP,SRS) measured,and the differences were analyzed among three groups.Results The absolute values of SPI and SRSI significantly decreased in multivessel disease group compared with those of single vessel group and control group(P0.05).The sensitivity and specificity of an optimal cut-off value of -15.0% for SPI or -1.01 s-1 for SRSI to detect multivessel disease was 65.12%(28/43),72.09%(31/43) and 90.67%(68/75),74.67%(56/75),respectively.Conclusion Strain rate imaging is an accurate method for the detection of multivessel CAD.

Objective To explore the value of VV optimizing of cardiac resynchronization therapy(CRT)by echocardiography.Methods Seven in-patients with congestive heart failure receiving VV delays optimization were observed with echocardiography,and the immediate differences of echocardiographic parameters at different VV intervals were recorded.Results LV pre-activation was superior to simultaneous and RV pre-activation.Under such condition,Tei index,PETd,TS-12-Sd and PSS decreased,while dp/dt and VTIAV increased(P0.05).There was no obvious difference between simultaneous pacing and RV pre-activation measured with echocardiography(P0.05).LV pre-activation delay ranged from 10 ms to 30 ms,but there was individual variability.Conclusion Immediate improvement of hemodynamic is available in CRT patients undergoing optimization of VV delays under the supervision of echocardiograph.