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Cardiovascular Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapies

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2024 | Viewed by 5176

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cristina Maria Sena

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Guest Editor

1. Institute of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000‐548 Coimbra, Portugal
2. Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research (iCBR), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, Celas, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: obesity; diabetes; vascular dysfunction; oxidative stress; therapeutics; prevention

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The last decades have been marked by an increased prevalence of noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease. In obesity, the major excessive accumulation of fat can lead to the release of many adipokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) also confers an elevated risk of developing serious complications, including macrovascular (e.g., cardiovascular disease, stroke) and microvascular (e.g., retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy) diseases. Macro- and microvascular complications are major comorbidities that need to be tackled to improve and extend the quality of life of patients.

This Special Issue aims to discuss new insights into oxidative stress and inflammation in the pathophysiology and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Studies emphasising the strong crosstalk between oxidative stress, inflammation, and CVD, and various approaches to the prevention of redox/inflammatory biological impacts, are welcome. Additionally, we encourage research on major risk factors, the different mechanisms underlying the disease pathophysiology, and the evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of novel pharmacological approaches in cellular and rodent models of disease as well as in humans, from a translational perspective. In addition, laboratory biomarkers and physiological tests for the evaluation of oxidative stress status and inflammatory processes may be addressed. Differences in oxidative stress and inflammation are related to genetic susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases and the variability in the assessment of CVD risk between individuals; omics technologies for measuring oxidative stress and inflammation are also within the scope of this Special Issue.

Dr. Cristina Maria Sena
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cardiovascular diseases
oxidative stress
inflammation
risk factors
biomarkers
omics technology

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 2688 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrative Bioinformatics–Gene Network Approach Reveals Linkage between Estrogenic Endocrine Disruptors and Vascular Remodeling in Peripheral Arterial Disease

by Vincent Avecilla, Mayur Doke, Madhumita Das, Oscar Alcazar, Sandeep Appunni, Arthur Rech Tondin, Brandon Watts, Venkataraghavan Ramamoorthy, Muni Rubens and Jayanta Kumar Das

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(8), 4502; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25084502 - 19 Apr 2024

Viewed by 467

Abstract

Vascular diseases, including peripheral arterial disease (PAD), pulmonary arterial hypertension, and atherosclerosis, significantly impact global health due to their intricate relationship with vascular remodeling. This process, characterized by structural alterations in resistance vessels, is a hallmark of heightened vascular resistance seen in these disorders. The influence of environmental estrogenic endocrine disruptors (EEDs) on the vasculature suggests a potential exacerbation of these alterations. Our study employs an integrative approach, combining data mining with bioinformatics, to unravel the interactions between EEDs and vascular remodeling genes in the context of PAD. We explore the molecular dynamics by which EED exposure may alter vascular function in PAD patients. The investigation highlights the profound effect of EEDs on pivotal genes such as ID3, LY6E, FOS, PTP4A1, NAMPT, GADD45A, PDGF-BB, and NFKB, all of which play significant roles in PAD pathophysiology. The insights gained from our study enhance the understanding of genomic alterations induced by EEDs in vascular remodeling processes. Such knowledge is invaluable for developing strategies to prevent and manage vascular diseases, potentially mitigating the impact of harmful environmental pollutants like EEDs on conditions such as PAD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapies)

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13 pages, 2297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of sST2 Behaviors to Evaluate Severity/Clinical Impact of Acute Pulmonary Embolism

by Luigi Petramala, Antonio Concistrè, Francesca Sarlo, Silvia Baroni, Marianna Suppa, Adriana Servello, Francesco Circosta, Gioacchino Galardo, Orietta Gandini, Luca Marino, Giuseppe Cavallaro, Gino Iannucci and Claudio Letizia

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(5), 4591; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054591 - 27 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1206

Abstract

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life-threatening disorder. Beyond its usefulness in the prognostic stratification of heart failure, sST2 can represent a biomarker with high utility in several acute conditions. Our study was aimed to investigate whether sST2 can be used as a clinical marker of severity and prognostic outcome in acute PE. We enrolled 72 patients with documented PE and 38 healthy subjects; we measured the plasma concentrations of sST2 to evaluate the prognostic and severity performance of different levels of sST2 according to its association with the pulmonary embolism severity index (PESI) score and several parameters of respiratory function. PE patients had significantly higher levels of sST2 compared with healthy subjects (87.74 ± 17.1 vs. 17.1 ± 0.4 ng/mL, p < 0.001); we found higher PESI scores and serum lactate values in the group of patients with sST2 > 35 ng/mL compared with patients with sST2 < 35 ng/mL (138.7 ± 14.9 vs. 103.7 ± 15.1 and 2.43 ± 0.69 vs. 1.025 ± 0.05 mmol/L, respectively; p < 0.05). Patients with sST2 > 35 ng/mL showed higher radiological severity of PE compared with patients with sST2 < 35 ng/mL. Moreover, sST2 was the strongest parameter with a discriminative capacity for the development of acute respiratory failure and a PESI score >106 with respect to C reactive protein (CRP), creatinine, d-dimer, and serum lactate. We clearly demonstrated that sST2 significantly increased in PE and that its elevation was associated with disease severity. Therefore, sST2 may be used as a clinical marker in the evaluation of PE severity. However, further studies with larger patient populations are required to confirm these findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapies)

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Review

Jump to: Research

17 pages, 3098 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Circular RNA for Early Diagnosis and Improved Management of Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases

by Claudia Alexandrina Goina, Daniela Marcela Goina, Simona Sorina Farcas and Nicoleta Ioana Andreescu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(5), 2986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25052986 - 04 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1612

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for approximately 17.9 million deaths every year. There is growing evidence that circular RNAs (circRNAs) may play a significant role in the early diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. As regulatory molecules, circular RNAs regulate gene expression, interact with proteins and miRNAs, and are translated into proteins that play a key role in a wide variety of biological processes, including the division and proliferation of cells, as well as the growth and development of individuals. An overview of the properties, expression profiles, classification, and functions of circRNAs is presented here, along with an explanation of their implications in cardiovascular diseases including heart failure, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathies, atherosclerosis, and arrhythmia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapies)

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25 pages, 2327 KiB

Open AccessReview

Unraveling the Intricate Roles of Exosomes in Cardiovascular Diseases: A Comprehensive Review of Physiological Significance and Pathological Implications

by Shuai Zhang, Yu Yang, Xinchen Lv, Wendong Liu, Shaohua Zhu, Ying Wang and Hongfei Xu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(21), 15677; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242115677 - 27 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1346

Abstract

Exosomes, as potent intercellular communication tools, have garnered significant attention due to their unique cargo-carrying capabilities, which enable them to influence diverse physiological and pathological functions. Extensive research has illuminated the biogenesis, secretion, and functions of exosomes. These vesicles are secreted by cells in different states, exerting either protective or harmful biological functions. Emerging evidence highlights their role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) by mediating comprehensive interactions among diverse cell types. This review delves into the significant impacts of exosomes on CVD under stress and disease conditions, including coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction, heart failure, and other cardiomyopathies. Focusing on the cellular signaling and mechanisms, we explore how exosomes mediate multifaceted interactions, particularly contributing to endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in CVD pathogenesis. Additionally, exosomes show great promise as biomarkers, reflecting differential expressions of NcRNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs), and as therapeutic carriers for targeted CVD treatment. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms governing exosomes in CVD remain incomplete, necessitating further exploration of their characteristics and roles in various CVD-related contexts. This comprehensive review aims to provide novel insights into the biological implications of exosomes in CVD and offer innovative perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of CVD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cardiovascular Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapies)

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