FTY720 (Gilenya) treatment prevents spontaneous autoimmune myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy in transgenic HLA-DQ8-BALB/c mice
Although dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is often caused by viral infections, it frequently involves autoimmune mechanisms associated with particular HLA-DR and DQ alleles. Our homozygous HLA-DQ8.Ab0 transgenic mice in the BALB/c background (HLA-DQ8BALB/c-Tg) developed early and progressive fatal heart failure from 4–5 weeks of age. Clinical signs of the disease included cyanotic eyes, tachycardia with dyspnea, from pale to cyanotic limbs and terminal whole body edema. Sick mice had extremely dilated hearts, enlarged liver and spleen, and pleural/peritoneal effusion. (Source: Cardiovascular Pathology)
Source: Cardiovascular Pathology - May 16, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Ferenc Boldizsar, Oktavia Tarjanyi, Katalin Olasz, Akos Hegyi, Katalin Mikecz, Tibor T. Glant, Tibor A. Rauch Source Type: research
Heart valve health, disease, replacement, and repair: a 25-year cardiovascular pathology perspective
The past several decades have witnessed major advances in the understanding of the structure, function, and biology of native valves and the pathobiology and clinical management of valvular heart disease. These improvements have enabled earlier and more precise diagnosis, assessment of the proper timing of surgical and interventional procedures, improved prosthetic and biologic valve replacements and repairs, recognition of postoperative complications and their management, and the introduction of minimally invasive approaches that have enabled definitive and durable treatment for patients who were previously considered ino...
Source: Cardiovascular Pathology - May 9, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Frederick J. Schoen, Avrum I. Gotlieb Tags: Review Article Source Type: research
Heart Valve Health, Disease, Replacement and Repair: A 25 year Cardiovascular Pathology Perspective
The past several decades have witnessed major advances in the understanding of the structure, function and biology of native valves and the pathobiology and clinical management of valvular heart disease. These improvements have enabled earlier and more precise diagnosis, assessment of the proper timing of surgical and interventional procedures, improved prosthetic and biologic valve replacements and repairs, recognition of post-operative complications and their management, and the introduction of minimally-invasive approaches that have enabled definitive and durable treatment for patients who were previously considered ino...
Source: Cardiovascular Pathology - May 9, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Frederick J. Schoen, Avrum I. Gotlieb Source Type: research
Myocardial fragmentation associated with disruption of the Z-band in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Noonan syndrome
A 13-year-old female with Noonan syndrome had been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and she died of heart failure at the age of 25 years. Light microscopic and electron microscopic examination of her biopsied myocardium and autopsy heart showed myocardial fragmentation associated with Z-band disruption as well as myocardial hypertrophy and disarray with interstitial fibrosis. Myocardial fragmentation associated with Z-band disruption may be related to the progression of cardiac dysfunction. (Source: Cardiovascular Pathology)
Source: Cardiovascular Pathology - May 4, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Hiroaki Kawano, Koichi Kawamura, Mitsuaki Ishijima, Tomayoshi Hayashi, Kuniko Abe, Kioko Kawai, Koji Maemura Source Type: research
Acute Pergolide Exposure Stiffens Engineered Valve Interstitial Cell Tissues and Reduces Contractility In Vitro
Medications based on ergoline-derived dopamine and serotonin agonists are associated with off-target toxicities that include valvular heart disease (VHD). Reports of drug-induced VHD resulted in the withdrawal of appetite suppressants containing fenfluramine and phentermine from the U.S. market in 1997 and pergolide, a Parkinson's disease medication, in 2007. Recent evidence suggests that serotonin receptor activity affected by these medications modulates cardiac valve interstitial cell activation and subsequent valvular remodeling, which can lead to cardiac valve fibrosis and dysfunction similar to that seen in carcinoid ...
Source: Cardiovascular Pathology - April 24, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Andrew K. Capulli, Luke A. MacQueen, Blakely B. O'Connor, Stephanie Dauth, Kevin Kit Parker Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
