Publications (2)0 Total impact
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Article: Increased accumulation of the glycoxidation product Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine in hearts of diabetic patients: generation and characterisation of a monoclonal anti-CML antibody
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ABSTRACT: Heart failure is a condition closely linked to diabetes. Hyperglycaemia amplifies the generation of a major advanced glycation end product Nε-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), which has been associated with the development of vascular and inflammatory complications. An increased accumulation of CML in hearts of diabetic patients may be one of the mechanisms related to the high risk of heart failure. Therefore, we investigated the localization of CML in diabetic hearts.To investigate the presence and accumulation of CML in tissues, a monoclonal anti-CML antibody was generated and characterised. With this novel monoclonal antibody against CML, the localization of CML was investigated by immunohistochemistry, in heart tissue of controls (n=9) and heart tissue of diabetic patients (n=8) without signs of inflammation or infarction. In addition, in the same subjects we studied the presence of CML in renal and lung tissues. CML staining was approximately sixfold higher in hearts from diabetic patients as compared to control hearts (2.0±0.3 and 0.3±0.2 A.U., respectively, P<0.01). CML deposition was localized in the small intramyocardial arteries in endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, but not in cardiomyocytes. These arteries did not show morphological abnormalities. The intensity of staining between arteries at the epicardial, midcardial and endocardial side did not vary significantly within patients. In renal tissues, CML staining was most prominent in tubules and in atherosclerotic vessels, without differences in intensity between controls and diabetic patients. In non-infected lungs, no CML was detected.In conclusion, CML adducts are abundantly present in small intramyocardial arteries in the heart tissue of diabetic patients. The accumulation of CML in diabetic hearts may contribute to the increased risk of heart failure in hyperglycaemia.Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids. -
Article: Pressure-diameter relationship in the human greater saphenous vein
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ABSTRACT: BackgroundCompliance of artificial and autologous vascular grafts is related to future patency. We investigated whether differences in compliance exist between saphenous vein grafts derived from the upper or lower leg, which might indicate upper or lower leg saphenous vein preference in coronary artery bypass surgery. Furthermore, the effect of perivenous application of fibrin glue on mechanical vein wall properties was studied to evaluate its possible use as perivenous graft support.MethodsVein segments (N = 10) from upper or lower leg saphenous vein grafts were collected for histopathologic examination and smooth muscle cell/extracellular matrix (SMC/ECM) ratio was calculated. This ratio is suggested to be related with vascular elastic compliance. In a second group vein graft segments (N = 6) from upper and lower leg were placed in an in vitro model generating stepwise increasing static pressure up to 150 cm H2O. Outer diameter was measured continuously with a video micrometer system. Distensibility was calculated from the pressure-diameter curves. A third group of vein graft segments (N = 7) was pressurized after fibrin glue application to prevent overdistension, and studied in the same setup.ResultsVein segments from the lower leg demonstrated a consistent higher relative response compared with the upper leg saphenous vein graft (0.9176 ± 0.03993 vs 0.5245 ± 0.02512). Both reach a plateau in the high-pressure range (> 100 cm H2O). A significant difference in in vitro distensibility between upper and lower leg saphenous vein was only found at a pressure of 50 cm H2O (p < 0.05). With fibrin glue, support overdistension is prevented as revealed by the maximum relative response between fibrin glue supported upper and lower leg saphenous vein segments (0.4080 ± 0.02464 vs 0.582 ± 0.051), and no plateau is reached in the pressure range up to 150 cm H2O.ConclusionsNo upper or lower leg saphenous vein preference could be deduced from the differences in pressure-diameter response due to loss of distensibility (and thus of compliance) in the high-pressure range. Fibrin glue effectively prevents overdistension and preserves some distensibility in the high-pressure range in both the upper and lower leg saphenous vein. This might provide a basis for clinical application of perivenous support.The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
