Continuous normobaric hypoxia (CNH) renders the heart more tolerant to acute ischemia/reperfusion injury. Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important component of the protective signaling pathway, but the contribution of individual PKC isoforms under different hypoxic conditions is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of PKCε after the adaptation to CNH and to clarify its role in increased cardiac ischemic tolerance with the use of PKCε inhibitory peptide KP-1633. Adult male Wistar rats were exposed to CNH (10 % O2, 3 weeks) or kept under normoxic conditions. The protein level of PKCε and its phosphorylated form was analyzed by Western blot in homogenate, cytosolic and particulate fractions; the expression of PKCε mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. The effect of KP-1633 on cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release was analyzed after 25-min metabolic inhibition followed by 30-min reenergization in freshly isolated left ventricular myocytes. Adaptation to CNH increased myocardial PKCε at protein and mRNA levels. The application of KP-1633 blunted the hypoxiainduced salutary effects on cell viability and LDH release, while control peptide KP-1723 had no effect. This study indicates that PKCε is involved in the cardioprotective mechanism induced by CNH., K. Holzerová, M. Hlaváčková, J. Žurmanová, G. Borchert, J. Neckář, F. Kolář, F. Novák, O. Nováková., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Here we studied whether descending control of mechanical nociception by glutamate in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of healthy control animals is induced by amygdaloid NMDA receptors and relayed through the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG). Mechanical nociception in the hind paws was assessed in rats with chronic guide cannulae for glutamate administration in the right CeA and for inducing local anesthesia in the PAG. In a separate electrophysiological study, ON-like PAG neurons giving an excitatory response to noxious pinch of the tail were recorded in anesthetized rats following glutamate administration into the CeA. A high dose of glutamate (100 μg) in the CeA induced mechanical antinociception in the contra- but not ipsilateral hind limb. Antinociception was prevented by an NMDA receptor antagonist in the CeA or local anesthesia of the PAG. Discharge rate of ON-like PAG neurons was increased by a high dose of glutamate (100 μg) in the CeA and this increase was prevented by an NMDA receptor antagonist in the CeA. The results indicate that amygdaloid NMDA receptors in the CeA may induce contralaterally mechanical antinociception through a circuitry relaying in the PAG. Activation of ON-like PAG neurons is associated with the descending antinociceptive effect. Mechanisms and causality of this association still remain to be studied., N. Bourbia, A. Pertovaara., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Osteoprotegerin (OPG) plays an important inhibitory role in osteoclastogenesis. Polymorphisms in the OPG gene recently have been associated with various bone phenotypes including fractures. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between three informative OPG polymorphisms and quantitative ultrasound variables of the heel. In a cohort of 165 perimenopausal women polymorphisms in the OPG promoter (A163G, T245G) and in exon 1 (G1181C) were assessed by PCR-RFLP analysis. The distribution of the investigated genotypes was similar to other Caucasian women (A163G-AA 68 %, AG 30 %, GG 2 %, T245G-TT 84.4 %, TG 15 %, GG 0.6 %, G1181C-GG 22 %, CG 55 %, CC 23 %). After adjustment for body mass index and years since menopause, in a subgroup of 87 postmenopausal subjects, calcaneal velocity of sound (VOS, m/s) was significantly associated with A163G polymorphism (p=0.0102, ANCOVA). Women with the presence of G allele (AG+GG genotypes) had significantly lower VOS than women with AA genotype. Neither T245G nor G1181C were associated with calcaneal ultrasound indices. In conclusion, A163G polymorphism was significantly associated with VOS at the heel in a limited cohort of postmenopausal women. The present study replicated in part the previous findings about OPG gene variations and peripheral bone mass in Caucasian women., K. Zajíčková, A. Zemanová, M. Hill, I. Žofková., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Carbon monoxide (CO) reversibly binds to hemoglobin forming carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). CO competes with O 2 for binding place in hemoglobin leading to tissue hypoxia. Already 30 % saturation of COHb can be deadly. Medical oxygen at atmospheric pressure as a therapy is not enough effective. Therefore hyperbaric oxygen O 2 inhalation is recommended. There was a question if partially ionized oxygen can be a better treatment at atmospheric pressure. In present study we evaluated effect of partially ionized oxygen produced by device Oxygen Ion 3000 by Dr. Engler in elimination of COHb in vitro experiments and in smokers. Diluted blood with different content of CO was purged with 5 l /min of either medicinal oxygen O 2 , negatively ionized O 2 or positively ionized O 2 for 15 min , then the COHb content was checked. In vivo study, 15 smokers inhaled o f either medicinal oxygen O 2 or negatively ionized O 2 , than we compared CO levels in expired air before and after inhalation. In both studies we found the highest elimination of CO when we used negatively ionized O 2 . These results confirmed the benefit of short inhalation of negatively ionized O 2 , in frame of Ionized Oxygen Therapy (IO 2 Th/Engler) which could be used in smokers for decreasing of COHb in blood., S. Perečinský, I. Kron, I. Engler, L. Murínová, V. Donič, M. Varga, A. Marossy, Ľ. Legáth., and Obsahuje bibliografii
NO is the “hero” molecule of the last few decades. It is a ubiquitous and omnipotent radical with both hemodynamic and antiproliferative effects within the cardiovascular system. NO is an important counterregulatory factor for vasoconstrictors and growth promoting substances. Endothelial dysfunction with decreased NO production is related to many cardiovascular disorders, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure and hypertension. Despite the important role of NO within the circulation, there is only limited evidence in the form of large clinical trials that NO delivery can reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Thus, NO donors are not in the first line therapy in ischemic heart disease, heart failure or arterial hypertension and NO delivery is recommended only in particular clinical situations, when a well established treatment is contraindicated or has an insufficient effect. It is concluded that the insufficient NO production is the principal disorder in endothelial dysfunction, which is related to cardiovascular pathology with deteriorated prognosis, but the impact of therapeutically increased NO bioactivity on the morbidity and mortality is inferior to well established treatment with ACE-inhibitors, AT1 receptor blockers, beta-blockers, statins and certain antihypertensive drugs. There is little doubt that NO is king in the circulation, but kings seldom decide the battles., Fedor Šimko., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Interesting and stimulating data about the effect of the perivascular adipose tissue size on atherogenesis are based mainly on CT findings. We studied this topic by directly analyzing perivascular adipose tissue in explanted hearts from patients undergoing transplantation. Ninety -six consecutive patients were included, including 58 with atherosclerotic coronary heart disease (CHD) and 38 with dilation cardiomyo pathy (DCMP). The area of perivascular fat, area of the coronary artery wall, and ratio of CD68 -positive macrophages within the perivascular fat and within the vascular wall were quantified by immunohistochemistry. There was no significant difference in th e perivascular adipose tissue size between the two groups. Nevertheless, there was a significantly higher number of macrophages in the coronary arterial wall of CHD patients. In addition, we found a close relationship between the ratio of macrophages in th e arterial wall and adjacent perivascular adipose tissue in the CHD group, but not in the DCMP group . According to our data interaction between macrophages in the arterial wall and macrophages in surrounding adipose tissue could be more important mechanism of atherogenesis than the size of this tissue itself., I. Kralova Lesna, Z. Tonar, I. Malek, J. Maluskova, L. Nedorost, J. Pirk, J. Pitha, V. Lanska, R. Poledne., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The name of Jan Evangelista Purkyně and the cerebellum belong inseparably together. He was the first who saw and described the largest nerve cells in the brain, de facto in the cerebellum. The most distinguished researchers of the nervous system then showed him the highest recognition by naming these neurons as Purkinje cells. Through experiments by J. E. Purkyně and his followers properly functionally was attributed to the cerebellum share in precision of motor skills. Despite ongoing and fruitful research, after a relatively long time, especially in the last two decades, scientists had to constantly replenish and re-evaluate the traditional conception of the cerebellum and formulate a new one. It started in the early 1990s, when it was found that cerebellar cortex contains more neurons than the cerebral cortex. Shortly thereafter it was gradually revealed that such enormous numbers of neural cells are not without an impact on brain functions and that the cerebellum, except its traditional role in the motor skills, also participates in higher nervous activity. These new findings were obtained thanks to the introduction of modern methods of examination into the clinical praxis, and experimental procedures using animal models of cerebellar disorders described below., F. Vožeh., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Johann Karl König. Bearbeitet von Franz Geith, Droguist. Neubearbeitet von Georg Buchner, Chemiker, Tištěno švabachem, and Converted from MODS to DC version 1.8 (EE patch 2018/05/24)