awien J

Antiatherosclerotic effect of Ang- (1-7) non-peptide mimetic (AVE 0991) is mediated by inhibition of perivascular and plaque inflammation in early atherosclerosis.

Inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis. The protective role of angiotensin 1–7 (Ang‐(1–7)) in vascular pathologies suggested the therapeutic use of low MW, non‐peptide Ang‐(1–7) mimetics, such as AVE0991. The mechanisms underlying the vaso‐protective effects of AVE0991, a Mas receptor agonist, remain to be explored.

Anti-atherosclerotic effect of the angiotensin 1–7 mimetic AVE0991 is mediated by inhibition of perivascular and plaque inflammation in early atherosclerosis

Inflammation plays a key role in atherosclerosis. The protective role of angiotensin 1–7 (Ang‐(1–7)) in vascular pathologies suggested the therapeutic use of low MW, non‐peptide Ang‐(1–7) mimetics, such as AVE0991. The mechanisms underlying the vaso‐protective effects of AVE0991, a Mas receptor agonist, remain to be explored.

The effect of AVE 0991, nebivolol and doxycycline on inflammatory mediators in an apoE-knockout mouse model of atherosclerosis

Summary Background The aim of this study was to investigate whether the 3 different substances that can decrease the development of atherosclerosis – nebivolol, AVE 0991 and doxycycline – could at the same time diminish the level of inflammatory indicators interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-12 (IL-12), serum amyloid A (SAA), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). Material/Methods Forty 8-week-old female apoE–knockout mice on the C57BL/6J background were divided into 4 groups and put on chow diet for 4 months. Three experimental groups received the same diet as a control group, mixed with AVE 0991 at a dose 0.58 μmol per kg of body weight per day, nebivolol at a dose 2.0 μmol per kg of body weight per day, and doxycycline at a dose 1.5 mg per kg of body weight per day. At the age of 6 months, the mice were sacrificed. Results All inflammatory indicators (MCP-1, IL-6, IL-12 and SAA) were diminished by AVE 0991. There was also a tendency to lower MCP-1, IL-6, IL-12 and SAA levels by nebivolol and doxycycline; however, it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Of the 3 presented substances, only AVE 0991 was able to diminish the rise of inflammatory markers. Therefore, drug manipulations in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis seem to be the most promising in the future treatment of atherogenesis.

Polymorphism rs7023923 and monocyte count in blood donors and coronary artery disease patients

BACKGROUNDnThe importance of the role of monocytes in coronary artery disease (CAD) is well documented. An increased number of circulating monocytes is associated with higher incidence of CAD. Both environmental and genetic factors influence monocytosis. The latter have been extensively studied since the development of high-throughput genome-wide association studies. Several associations between polymorphisms and monocytosis were found among healthy individuals; the first example was rs7023923. The magnitude of the association of studied polymorphisms with the trait of interest is often confounded by environmental factors and may therefore differ between patient and healthy populations. It is very important to determine the magnitude of the association among patients to predict outcome of the disease, e.g. myocardial infarction.nnnAIMnTo determine whether the magnitude of association of rs7023923 with monocytosis, previously reported among healthy volunteers, is similar in patients in whom diagnosis of CAD was determined during elective coronarography.nnnMETHODS AND RESULTSnLeucocytosis and neutrophilocytosis were higher among patients with CAD, while thrombocytosis was lower. Monocyte count did not differ among the studied groups (p = 0.25). We confirmed the association of rs7023923 with monocytosis among healthy blood donors (p = 0.0156) but not among patients admitted for elective coronarography (p = 0.61). Inclusion of the age and sex of patients in the statistical model did not modify the results.nnnCONCLUSIONSnOur data suggest that translation of the results of genetic association with the studied traits from healthy to patient population should be implemented with caution. It is possible that numerous environmental factors, which discriminate healthy volunteers from CAD patients, confound the magnitude of genetic associations and make interpretation of the data in patients less clear.