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Biomedical subjects

S Patel

Publications and source records attributed to S Patel.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype and the ventilatory response to exertional hypoxia.

The "insertion" (I) rather than "deletion" (D) variant of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is associated with both lower tissue ACE activity and elite performance at high altitude. Three genotypes, II, ID and DD, are thus represented in the population. The authors examined whether an improved ventilatory response to hypoxic exercise may contribute to this effect. Subjects (n=60; 37 male, mean+/-SEM age 23.6+/-0.6 yrs, 14 II, 30 ID, 16 DD) underwent incremental cardiopulmonary exercise testing to establish maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold (VT). Four hours later, subjects exercised for 6 mins at 50% of the workload at VT. The protocol was repeated 15 mins later while breathing 12.5+/-0.5% oxygen in nitrogen. All subject characteristics were independent of genotype, as were data during normoxic exercise. However, the hypoxia-induced rise in minute ventilation was significantly greater among those of II genotype (39.6+/-4.1% versus 27.9+/-2.0% versus 28.4+/-2.2% for II versus ID versus DD, respectively). These data are supported by a significantly greater decrease in end tidal carbon dioxide (consistent with an increase in alveolar ventilation) among those homozygous for the I allele (II -18.7+/-1.3%, ID -15.7+/-0.4%, DD -15.1%+/-1.1). The ventilatory response to hypoxic exercise is influenced by angiotensin-converting enzyme genotype. Potential implications concern high altitude performance and the pathogenesis and management of hypoxic lung disease.

Adult↗

Structural enzymology of Li(+)-sensitive/Mg(2+)-dependent phosphatases.

Li(+)-sensitive/Mg(2+)-dependent phosphatases have attracted considerable attention since they have been proposed as targets for lithium therapy in the treatment of manic-depressive patients. The members of this enzyme superfamily display low levels of sequence identity while possessing a common fold and active site. Extensive structural and biochemical data demonstrate the direct involvement of two metal ions in catalysis, and show that lithium exerts its inhibitory action by blocking the products at the active site. By exploiting the different inhibitory properties of magnesium and calcium, we have been able to solve the X-ray structures of the Li(+)-sensitive/Mg(2+)-dependent 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphatase in complex with its substrate and with its products. The structural comparison of these complexes provides a 3D picture of the different stages of the catalytic cycle. This gives new insights into the understanding of the biological function of this group of enzymes and their lithium inhibition, and should assist in the design of improved inhibitors of therapeutic value.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Temperature-induced beta-aggregation of fibronectin in aqueous solution.

Fibronectin structural reorganization induced by temperature has been investigated by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and light-scattering experiments. At 20 degrees C, from resolution enhanced by FT-IR spectra, 43% of beta sheet, 31% of turn and 26% of unordered structures were estimated. Static and quasi-elastic light-scattering results do not change significantly between 20 and 34 degrees C. Just below 50 degrees C, a decrease of 1/3 of beta sheet structures contents is observed, concomitantly with a corresponding increase of turn. The contribution of disordered structures is found to be temperature-independent. Above 50 degrees C, our data reveals the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonding leading to the formation of intermolecular beta sheet structures. The IR band absorption at 1618 cm(-1) increases strongly as a function of temperature. The scattered intensity increases and becomes strongly q(2)-dependent. The dynamic structure factor is not a single exponential decay and becomes strongly dependent on the scattering angle. These results demonstrate that aggregation occurs in fibronectin solution. When temperature decreases, this aggregation is found irreversible. Fibronectin aggregation is driven by the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds responsible for intermolecular beta sheet structures.

Fibronectins↗

Crystal structure of an enzyme displaying both inositol-polyphosphate-1-phosphatase and 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphate phosphatase activities: a novel target of lithium therapy.

Lithium cations exert profound and selective psychopharmacological effects on ameliorate manic-depressive psychosis. Although lithium is an effective drug for both treatment and prophylaxis of bipolar disorder, the precise mechanism of action is not well understood. Lithium acts as both an uncompetitive and non-competitive inhibitor of several lithium- sensitive phosphatases with regard to substrate and magnesium cofactor, respectively. In this work, we report the crystal structure and reaction mechanism of Rattus norvegicus 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate and inositol 1,4-bisphosphate phosphatase (RnPIP), a recently identified target of lithium therapy. This Li(+)-sensitive enzyme plays a crucial role in several cellular processes, such as RNA processing, sulphation reactions and probably inositol recycling. RnPIP specifically removes the 3'-phosphate group of 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphate (PAP) and the 1'-phosphate group of inositol 1,4-bisphosphate (I(1),(4)P(2)) producing AMP and inositol 4'-phosphate, respectively. The crystal structure of RnPIP complexed with AMP, Pi and magnesium ions at 1.69 A resolution provides insight into the reaction mechanism of the hydrolysis of PAP. The core fold of the enzyme is equivalent to that found in other Li(+)-sensitive phosphatases, such as inositol monophosphatase, but molecular modelling of I(1),(4)P(2) in the RnPIP active site reveals important structural determinants that accommodate this additional substrate. RnPIP is potently inhibited by lithium and, as the accumulation of PAP inhibits a variety of proteins, including sulphotransferases and RNA processing enzymes, this dual specificity enzyme represents a potential target of lithium action, in addition to inositol monophosphatases.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

A prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial comparing the suitability of KTP laser tonsillectomy with conventional dissection tonsillectomy for day case surgery.

Tonsillectomy using a KTP laser has been performed increasingly but is not a routinely practised technique in the UK. In the USA, tonsillectomy is often performed as a day case procedure but, here in the UK, it is still standard practice to admit patients for overnight stay. We present the largest prospective double-blind randomized controlled trial to date (151 patients) comparing KTP laser with standard dissection tonsillectomy and assess the suitability of both procedures for day case surgery. We found that there was significantly less peroperative haemorrhage if tonsillectomy was performed using the KTP laser, but it did cause more postoperative pain, more depression in mood and a higher rate of both reactionary and secondary haemorrhage, which was not significant when compared with conventional dissection. There was no difference in operating time, and over 40% of patients in each group needed overnight admission. We conclude that KTP laser tonsillectomy offers no benefit apart from less intraoperative bleeding over standard dissection tonsillectomy. Discharge from hospital after tonsillectomy was found to be unpredictable. Tonsillectomy is therefore an unsuitable procedure for planned surgery through a day unit, but approximately 58% of patients could be discharged on the same day from an extended day surgery unit, and the rest have one night in hospital.

Adolescent↗

Non-targeted effects of radiation: bystander responses in cell and tissue models.

The standard paradigm for radiation effects in cellular systems has involved direct damage to DNA and in particular, DNA double strand breaks as the triggering lesions leading to mutation, cell death and transformation. Recently, however, a growing body of evidence has reported non-targeted effects, which are not a direct consequence of the initial lesions produced in cellular DNA. These have included bystander responses, genomic instability, gene induction, adaptive responses and low dose hypersensitivity. A common observation of these responses is that they dominate at low doses and saturate with increasing dose. Non-targeted effects may therefore have consequences for extrapolation of risk estimates to low doses if these are important in vivo. A range of experimental techniques is being used to study non-targeted responses, including microbeam approaches. Microbeams have considerable advantages in that they allow individual cells and subcellular targets to be selected within populations with precise low doses and, if required, exact dose rates. Recent advances also allow targeting of 3-D cell systems. The mechanisms underlying non-targeted responses appear to involve production of reactive oxygen species and direct cell-to-cell signalling via gap junctional intercellular communication although significant differences exist in different cell types. The triggering lesions for these responses remain unclear however. Some non-targeted responses may be inter-related, for example in the case of bystander responses and instability and may be part of a general stress response system in irradiated populations. Some non-targeted effects may also act as protective mechanisms; if they lead to the removal of potentially damaged cells from the population.

Animals↗

Purification of native alpha-enolase from Streptococcus pneumoniae that binds plasminogen and is immunogenic.

Many pathogenic bacteria express plasminogen receptors on their surface, which may play a role in the dissemination of organisms by binding plasminogen that, when converted to plasmin, can digest extracellular matrix proteins. A 45-kDa protein was purified from Streptococcus pneumoniae and confirmed as an alpha-enolase by its ability to catalyse the dehydration of 2-phospho-D-glycerate to phosphoenolpyruvate and by N-terminal sequencing. The activity of alpha-enolase was found in the cytoplasm and in whole cells. Activity was also demonstrated in cell wall fractions, which confirmed that alpha-enolase is a cytoplasmic antigen also expressed on the surface of S. pneumoniae. The plasminogen-binding activity of alpha-enolase was examined by Western blot, which showed that purified alpha-enolase was able to bind human plasminogen. Immunoblots of the purified 45-kDa alpha-enolase with 22 sera from patients with pneumococcal disease showed binding in 15 cases, indicating that pneumococcal enolase is immunogenic.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Sea level and acute responses to hypoxia: do they predict physiological responses and acute mountain sickness at altitude?

OBJECTIVES: To compare a range of physiological responses to acute sea level hypoxia at simulated altitudes with the same physiological responses and acute mountain sickness (AMS) scores measured at altitude (similar to the simulated altitudes) during a 17 day trek in the Himalayas. METHODS: Twenty men and women aged 18-54 years took part in the study. End tidal CO(2) tension (PETCO(2)) and saturated oxygen (SaO(2)) were measured using a capnograph. Observations made at sea level and some simulated altitudes were compared with those in the Himalayas. Pairwise correlations were used to examine the correlation between variables and regression, with 95% prediction intervals providing information on how well one variable could be predicted from another for a given subject. RESULTS: There was only a significant correlation for a few comparisons. The 95% prediction intervals for individual SaO(2) values at a range of simulated altitudes were fairly wide going from +/- 4% to +/- 5%. All of the correlations between laboratory and Himalayan PETCO(2) values were not statistically significant. There was a significant correlation for the relation between SaO(2)and PETCO(2) at sea level for the laboratory data (r=-0.51; p=0.05). For the Himalayan data, there were significant correlations at Namche Bazaar (3450 m; day 3) (r=-0.56; p=0.01) and Dingboche (4300 m; day 6) (r=-0.48; p=0.03). The correlation between SaO(2) and PETCO(2) and AMS was generally poor. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that limited information can be gained on a subject's response to altitude by assessing physiological variables at sea level and a range of simulated altitudes before the subject carries out a trek at altitude.

Adolescent↗

Patients with vascular dementia due to microvascular pathology have significant hippocampal neuronal loss.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterised by functional impairment, cerebral atrophy, and degeneration of specific neuronal populations, especially pyramidal neurones of the cerebral cortex and hippocampal formation. Although patients with subcortical vascular dementia have been shown to have similar metabolic and volumetric deficits to those with AD, the underlying pathogenesis of these changes is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pyramidal cell loss occurs in small vessel disease (SVD) dementia by quantifying hippocampal volume and CA1 neurone number. METHODS: Fifty four prospectively studied patients with dementia were screened, and four patients fulfilling criteria for SVD with no other significant neuropathological abnormality were identified. These were compared with five patients fulfilling criteria for AD and seven controls matched for age and sex. The hippocampal formation was serially sectioned, and the number of CA1 pyramidal neurones estimated using the optical dissector technique. Analysis of variance was used to evaluate group differences. RESULTS: Patients in both the AD and SVD groups showed a substantial loss of pyramidal neurones from the CA1 region. The pattern of hippocampal atrophy and the degree of CA1 neuronal loss were similar in the two dementia groups. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support recent in vivo studies showing similar metabolic deficits and atrophy in AD and subcortical vascular dementia. In addition, they provide evidence that the underlying cause of these abnormalities is a similar loss of neurones. Whereas the cause of the neuronal loss in AD is related to the deposition of abnormal proteins, the cause in SVD is unknown. In the absence of other pathologies, damage to cerebral microvasculature should be considered a likely candidate.

Aged↗

N-Arylsulfonylindole derivatives as serotonin 5-HT(6) receptor ligands.

A series of N(1)-arylsulfonyltryptamines were found to be potent ligands of the human serotonin 5-HT(6) receptor with the 5-methoxy-1-benzenesulfonyl analogue (19) having the highest affinity. Additionally, it was discovered that a group such as 3-(3-methoxybenzyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl in the 2-position of the indole ring (43) can replace the arylsulfonyl substituent in the 1-position with no loss of affinity. This suggested that the binding conformation of the aminoethyl side chain at this receptor was toward the 4-position of the indole ring and was supported by the fact that the 4-(aminoethyl)indoles (45) also displayed high affinity, as did the conformationally rigid 1,3,4,5-tetrahydrobenz[c,d]indole (49). Molecular modeling showed that 19, 43, and 45 all had low-energy conformers that overlaid well onto 49. Both 19 and 49 had good selectivity over other serotonin receptors tested, with 49 also showing excellent selectivity over all dopamine receptors. In a functional adenylate cyclase stimulation assay, 19 and 49 had no agonist activity, whereas 45 behaved as a partial agonist. Finally, it was shown that 19 had good activity in the 5-HT(2A) centrally mediated mescaline-induced head twitch assay, which implies that it is brain-penetrant.

Animals↗

Antagonistic effects of phorbol esters on insulin regulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) but not glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression.

Glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) genes contain a homologous promoter sequence that is required for gene repression by insulin. Interestingly, this element interacts with members of the forkhead family of transcription factors [e.g. HNF3 (hepatic nuclear factor 3), FKHR (forkhead in rhabdomyosarcoma)] in vitro, while insulin promotes the phosphorylation and inactivation of FKHR in a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- and protein kinase B (PKB)-dependent manner. This mechanism has been proposed to underlie insulin action on G6Pase and IGFBP-1 gene transcription. However, we find that treatment of cells with phorbol esters mimics the effect of insulin on G6Pase, but not IGFBP-1, gene expression. Indeed, phorbol ester treatment actually blocks the ability of insulin to repress IGFBP-1 gene expression. In addition, the action of phorbol esters is significantly reduced by inhibition of the p42/p44 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. However insulin-induced phosphorylation of PKB or FKHR is not affected by the presence of phorbol esters. Therefore we suggest that activation of p42/p44 MAP kinases will reduce the sensitivity of the IGFBP-1 gene promoter, but not the G6Pase gene promoter, to insulin. Importantly, the activation of PKB and phosphorylation of FKHR is not, in itself, sufficient to reduce IGFBP-1 gene expression in the presence of phorbol esters.

Animals↗

IL-1 plays a critical role in oral, but not dermal, wound healing.

Wound healing is a well-orchestrated complex process leading to the repair of injured tissues. After injury, proinflammatory cytokines act as important modulators of the inflammatory process. IL-1 expression has been regarded as necessary for healing; however, its effects have also been implicated in delayed wound repair. Currently, there is no consensus or direct evidence that IL-1 activity plays a central role in the healing process. The present investigation was undertaken to define the role of IL-1R signaling in the healing outcome of an excisional wound in the palate or scalp of mice that had targeted deletions of the IL-1R type 1 (IL-1R1(-/-)) compared with matched wild-type mice. Histomorphometric analysis was undertaken to assess the degree of healing and the recruitment of polymorphonuclear and mononuclear phagocytes. After 14 days, wild-type mice exhibited complete closure of intraoral wounds, while IL-1R1(-/-) animals had only partial closure (50%). In the IL-1R1(-/-) mice, healing tissues exhibited a persistent inflammatory cell infiltrate, which did not occur in wild-type animals. Treatment with antibiotics significantly diminished the persistent inflammatory infiltrate and improved healing in the experimental animals. In contrast to oral wounds, the rate of healing and recruitment of polymorphonuclear cells in scalp wounds was similar in IL-1R1(-/-) and wild-type mice. The present data underscore the importance of IL-1 in wound healing in a challenging environment and identify its principal role in facilitating the healing process by protecting an open wound from bacterial insult. In a less challenging environment, the production of new connective tissue and its coverage by migrating epithelium are minimally affected by the absence of IL-1 activity.

Animals↗

Characterization of the functional interaction of adipocyte lipid-binding protein with hormone-sensitive lipase.

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is an intracellular lipase that plays an important role in the hydrolysis of triacylglycerol in adipose tissue. HSL has been shown to interact with adipocyte lipid-binding protein (ALBP), a member of the family of intracellular lipid-binding proteins that bind fatty acids and other hydrophobic ligands. The current studies have addressed the functional significance of the association and mapped the site of interaction between HSL and ALBP. Incubation of homogeneous ALBP with purified, recombinant HSL in vitro resulted in a 2-fold increase in substrate hydrolysis. Moreover, the ability of oleate to inhibit HSL hydrolytic activity was attenuated by co-incubation with ALBP. Co-transfection of Chinese hamster ovary cells with HSL and ALBP resulted in greater hydrolytic activity than transfection of cells with HSL and vector alone. Deletional mutations of HSL localized the region of HSL that interacts with ALBP to amino acids 192-200, and site-directed mutagenesis of individual amino acids in this region identified His-194 and Glu-199 as critical for mediating the interaction of HSL with ALBP. Interestingly, HSL mutants H194L and E199A, each of which retained normal basal hydrolytic activity, failed to display an increase in hydrolytic activity when co-transfected with wild type ALBP. Therefore, ALBP increases the hydrolytic activity of HSL through its ability to bind and sequester fatty acids and via specific protein-protein interaction. Thus, HSL and ALBP constitute a functionally important lipolytic complex.

Animals↗

Stimulation of lipolysis and hormone-sensitive lipase via the extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway.

Hormonally stimulated lipolysis occurs by activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) which phosphorylates hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and increases adipocyte lipolysis. Evidence suggests that catecholamines not only can activate PKA, but also the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). We now demonstrate that two different inhibitors of MEK, the upstream activator of ERK, block catecholamine- and beta(3)-stimulated lipolysis by approximately 30%. Furthermore, treatment of adipocytes with dioctanoylglycerol, which activates ERK, increases lipolysis, although MEK inhibitors decrease dioctanoylglycerol-stimulated activation of lipolysis. Using a tamoxifen regulatable Raf system expressed in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, exposure to tamoxifen causes a 14-fold activation of ERK within 15-30 min and results in approximately 2-fold increase in HSL activity. In addition, when differentiated 3T3-L1 cells expressing the regulatable Raf were exposed to tamoxifen, a 2-fold increase in lipolysis is observed. HSL is a substrate of activated ERK and site-directed mutagenesis of putative ERK consensus phosphorylation sites in HSL identified Ser(600) as the site phosphorylated by active ERK. When S600A HSL was expressed in 3T3-L1 cells expressing the regulatable Raf, tamoxifen treatment fails to increase its activity. Thus, activation of the ERK pathway appears to be able to regulate adipocyte lipolysis by phosphorylating HSL on Ser(600) and increasing the activity of HSL.

3T3 Cells↗

ApoE(-/-) mice develop atherosclerosis in the absence of complement component C5.

Previous studies have suggested that the terminal complex of complement may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. C5b-9 complexes colocalize with the extracellular lipid in the aortic intima of hypercholesterolemic rabbits, and C6-deficient rabbits develop less atherosclerosis than controls. To test the role of complement in atherosclerosis in a different animal model, C5 deficient (C5def) mice were cross-bred with atherosclerosis susceptible apoE(-/-) mice, generating mice deficient in both apoE and C5 and control apoE(-/-) mice. Progeny were typed for C5 titer and serum cholesterol levels. Both male and female mice were fed a high fat diet from weaning until 22 weeks of age. At that time there were no significant differences in plasma cholesterol or triglycerides between apoE(-/-) control and apoE(-/-)/C5def groups. Morphometric analysis of the aortic root lesions gave mean (+/-SEM) lesion areas for male apoE(-/-) and apoE(-/-)/C5def mice of 468,176 +/- 21,982 and 375,182 +/- 53,089 microm(2), respectively (n = 10 each, P value = 0.123). In female apoE(-/-) mice (n = 5), the mean lesion area was 591,981 +/- 53,242 microm(2), compared to 618,578 +/- 83,457 microm(2) for female apoE(-/-)/C5def mice (n = 10) (P value = 0.835). Thus neither male nor female mice showed a significant change in lesion area when C5 was not present. In contrast to the case in the hypercholesterolemic rabbit, activation of the terminal complex of complement does not play a major role in the development of atherosclerosis in apoE(-/-) mice.

Animals↗

Palmitoylation of the vasopressin V1a receptor reveals different conformational requirements for signaling, agonist-induced receptor phosphorylation, and sequestration.

In this study, we establish that the V1a vasopressin receptor (V1aR) is palmitoylated, and we show that this modification has an important functional role. Palmitoylation of the V1aR occurs within the Cys371/Cys372 couplet located in the proximal C-terminal tail domain. Substitution of these residues in a [C371G/C372G]V1aR construct effectively disrupted receptor palmitoylation. Our data also indicate an additional palmitoylation site at another locus in the receptor, as yet undefined. [3H]Palmitate incorporation was agonist-sensitive and increased following exposure to [Arg8]vasopressin (AVP). Given the hydrophobic nature of the acyl chain, palmitoylation of the C terminus of G-protein-coupled receptors has been proposed to form an additional intracellular loop. Consequently, palmitoylation/depalmitoylation will have a profound effect on the local conformation of this domain. The V1aR palmitoylation status regulated both phosphorylation and sequestration of the receptor, and furthermore, palmitoylation, phosphorylation, and sequestration were all regulated by AVP. The palmitoylation-defective construct [C371G/C372G]V1aR exhibited decreased phosphorylation compared to wild-type V1aR, under both basal and AVP-stimulated conditions, and was sequestered at a faster rate. In contrast, the binding of four different classes of ligand and intracellular signaling were not affected by palmitoylation. This study therefore establishes that there are different conformational requirements for signaling, agonist-induced phosphorylation, and sequestration of the V1aR.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

p38 stress-activated protein kinase inhibitor reverses bradykinin B(1) receptor-mediated component of inflammatory hyperalgesia.

The effects of a p38 stress-activated protein kinase inhibitor, 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(-4-methylsulfonylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridynyl) imidazole (SB203580), were evaluated in a rat model of inflammatory hyperalgesia. Oral, but not intrathecal, administration of SB203580 significantly reversed inflammatory mechanical hyperalgesia induced by injection of complete Freund's adjuvant into the hindpaw. SB203580 did not, however, affect the increased levels of interleukin-1beta and cyclo-oxygenase 2 protein observed in the hindpaw following complete Freund's adjuvant injection. Intraplantar injection of interleukin-1beta into the hindpaw elicited mechanical hyperalgesia in the ipsilateral paw, as well as in the contralateral paw, following intraplantar injection of the bradykinin B(1) receptor agonist des-Arg(9)-bradykinin. Oral administration of SB203580 1 h prior to interleukin-1beta administration prevented the development of hyperalgesia in the ipslateral paw and the contralateral bradykinin B(1) receptor-mediated hyperalgesia. In addition, following interleukin-1beta injection into the ipsilateral paw, co-administration of SB203580 with des-Arg(9)-bradykinin into the contralateral paw inhibited the bradykinin B(1) receptor-mediated hyperalgesia. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells expressing the human bradykinin B(1) receptor, its agonist des-Arg(10)-kallidin produced a rapid phosphorylation of endogenous p38 stress-activated protein kinase. Our data suggest that p38 stress-activated protein kinase is involved in the development of inflammatory hyperalgesia in the rat, and that its pro-inflammatory effects involve the induction of the bradykinin B(1) receptor as well as functioning as its downstream effector.

Animals↗

Oxidative stress and lipid retention in vascular grafts: comparison between venous and arterial conduits.

BACKGROUND: Because saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) exhibit greater cellular heterogeneity and worse clinical outcomes than arterial grafts (AGs), we examined oxidative stress and lipid retention in different vascular conduits. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a porcine model of graft interposition into carotid artery, superoxide anion (.O(2)(-)) was measured at 2 weeks after surgery. SVGs demonstrated increased.O(2)(-) production compared with AGs (SOD-inhibitable nitro blue tetrazolium reduction, P<0.01). The NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (P<0.01) abolished SVG-derived.O(2)(-), whereas the inhibitors of other pro-oxidant enzymes were ineffective. The change in oxidative stress was also reflected by lower activity of the endogenous antioxidant superoxide dismutase in SVGs than in AGs (P<0.001). SVG remodeling was associated with increased synthesis of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and augmented expression of a core protein, versican. These changes were accompanied by SVGs retaining significantly more (125)I-labeled LDL than AGs ex vivo (P<0.001). In hyperlipemic animals, lipid accumulation and oxidized epitopes were preferentially noted in the intima of SVGs at 1 month after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated significant differences in the biology of SVGs and AGS: SVGs exhibited higher oxidative stress, LDL accumulation, and the presence of oxidized epitopes. These findings suggest that proatherogenic changes in SVGs may commence early after surgical revascularization.

Animals↗