• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.248-255
• /
• 2022

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), a green leafy vegetable, is well known as a functional food due to its biological activities. Vascular calcification is associated with several disease conditions including atherosclerosis, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD), and is known to raise the risk of cardiovascular diseases related morbidity and mortality. However, there are no previous studies that have investigated the effects of fermented spinach exract (FSE) against aortic and its underlying mechanisms. Therefore, this study investigated the effects and action of possible mechanisms of FSE on inorganic phosphate (PI)-induced vascular calcification in ex vivo mouse aortic rings. PI increased vascular calcification through calcium deposition in ex vivo aortic rings. FSE inhibited calcium accumulation and osteogenic key marker, runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP-2) protein expression in ex vivo aortic rings. And, FSE inhibited PI-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 phosphorylation in ex vivo aortic rings. These results show that FSE can prevent vascular calcification which may be a crucial way for the prevention and treatment of vascular disease association with vascular calcification.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.33-38
• /
• 2009

Objective : This study was conducted to determine an association between aortic calcification viewed on plain chest radiography and obstructive coronary artery disease. Method : Retrospective review of all chest radiography obtained from consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography. Chest PA images were reviewed by technical radiologist and radiologist. Considering the presence of aortic arch calcification, images were compared with the results of coronary angiography. In addition, the size of aortic arch calcification were divided into two groups - the smaller and the larger than 10 mm. Results : Among the total 846 patients, the number of the patients with obstructive coronary artery disease is total 417 (88.3%) in males and 312 (83.4%) in females. Considering the presence of aortic arch calcification, the positive predictive value of relation between aortic arch calcification and obstructive coronary artery disease was 91.4% and the relative risk of the group with aortic arch calcification to the opposite group was 1.10. According to the size of aortic arch calcification and obstructive coronary artery disease, the positive predictive value was 91.9% and the relative risk between two groups was 1.04. Conclusions : This study shows that aortic calcification was closely associated with obstructive coronary artery disease. If the aortic calcification is notified on plain chest radiography, we strongly recommend to consult with doctor.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.515-525
• /
• 2023

The most common heart valve disorder is calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS), which is characterized by a narrowing of the aortic valve. Treatment with the drug molecule, in addition to surgical and transcatheter valve replacement, is the primary focus of researchers in this field. The purpose of this study is to determine whether niclosamide can reduce calcification in aortic valve interstitial cells (VICs). To induce calcification, cells were treated with a pro-calcifying medium (PCM). Different concentrations of niclosamide were added to the PCM-treated cells, and the level of calcification, mRNA, and protein expression of calcification markers was measured. Niclosamide inhibited aortic valve calcification as observed from reduced alizarin red s staining in niclosamide treated VICs and also decreased the mRNA and protein expressions of calcification-specific markers: runt-related transcription factor 2 and osteopontin. Niclosamide also reduced the formation of reactive oxygen species, NADPH oxidase activity and the expression of Nox2 and p22^phox. Furthermore, in calcified VICs, niclosamide inhibited the expression of β-catenin and phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3β), as well as the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK. Taken together, our findings suggest that niclosamide may alleviate PCM-induced calcification, at least in part, by targeting oxidative stress mediated GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway via inhibiting activation of AKT and ERK, and may be a potential treatment for CAVS.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.26-32
• /
• 2016

Aortic valve stenosis is a heart disease prevalent in the elderly characterized by valvular calcification, fibrosis, and inflammation, but its exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Previously, aortic valve stenosis was thought to be caused by chronic passive and degenerative changes associated with aging. However, recent studies have demonstrated that atherosclerotic processes and inflammation can induce valvular calcification and bone deposition, leading to valvular stenosis. In particular, the most abundant cell type in cardiac valves, valvular interstitial cells, can differentiate into myofibroblasts and osteoblast-like cells, leading to valvular calcification and stenosis. Differentiation of valvular interstitial cells can be trigged by inflammatory stimuli from several immune cell types, including macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, B cells, and mast cells. This review indicates that crosstalk between immune cells and valvular interstitial cells plays an important role in the development of aortic valve stenosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.212-215
• /
• 2013

A 79-year-old man was admitted to Samsung Changwon Hospital due to chest pain and dyspnea. The ejection fraction was 31% and mean pressure gradient between the left ventricle and aorta was 69.4 mmHg on echocardiography. Chest computed tomography showed severe calcification of the ascending aorta. Aortic valve replacement was successfully performed using a thoracic endovascular aortic repair balloon catheter without classic aortic cross clamping. The patient was discharged on the eleventh postoperative day.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.622-639
• /
• 1990

The use of aortic valve homograft has been developed since 1962 when Ross and Barratt - Boyes independently replaced a diseased aortic valve with an orthotopically inserted homograft valve. And also surgical treatment of complex congenital cardiac malformations utilizing homograft extracardiac conduit has been tried with better result than any other prosthetic material. The present study was undertaken to clarify the safety tissue viability, sterility, after following our protocol of procurement of heart, dissection of aortic and pulmonic homograft, sterilization, cryopreservation, thawing and dilution, and transplantation on experimental animal, sheep. Tissue viability of valve and great artery was assessed by tissue culture. Sterility was evaluated by bacterial and fungal culture. The method used was proven no deleterious effect on the integrity of the valve. Tissue culture of valve tissue before, and after cryopreservation process resulted that active fibroblast growth was observed from homograft sterilized with antibiotics. And culture of the transplanted homograft from sacrificed animal showed active fibroblast growth. Pathologic examination of implanted valve tissue from sacrificed sheep showed mild calcification and minor change, but there were moderate and severe calcification of wall of great arteries.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.84 no.6
• /
• pp.1324-1336
• /
• 2023

Purpose This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of cardiac CT and transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) depending on the degree of valvular calcification and bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) subtype. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included 266 consecutive patients (106 with BAV and 160 with tricuspid aortic valve) who underwent cardiac CT and TTE before aortic valve replacement. Cardiac CT was used to evaluate the morphology of the aortic valve, and a calcium scoring scan was used to quantify valve calcium. The aortic valves were classified into fused and two-sinus types. The diagnostic accuracy of cardiac CT and TTE was calculated using a reference standard for intraoperative inspection. Results CT demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity, negative predictive value, and accuracy than TTE in detecting BAV (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.003, respectively). The TTE sensitivity tended to decrease as valvular calcification increased. The error rate of TTE for CT was 10.9% for the twosinus type of BAV and 28.3% for the fused type (p = 0.044). Conclusion Cardiac CT had a higher diagnostic performance in detecting BAV than TTE and may help diagnose BAV, particularly in patients with severe valvular calcification.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.1001-1012
• /
• 1989

In 1968, Carpentier and his associates introduced glutaraldehyde as a compound for preparing cardiac tissue valve, and this technique has provided a considerably more suitable and durable tissue valve substitute. To increase further durability of valve tissue, Reis and his colleagues designed a flexible stent to reduce the stress on the heterogeneous tissue valve mounted. However with the advent of more innovative mechanical valve currently, many bioprosthetic valves are being substituted by mechanical valves at our department of cardiothoracic surgery because of bioprosthetic valve failure. Main cause of bioprosthetic valves failure were calcification or/and tear of tissue valves. The purpose of this retrospective study is to clarify the relationship between the patients clinical profile during implantation of tissue valves and pathologic features of the failed bioprosthetic valve. From March, 1982 through June, 1988, 53 bioprosthetic heart valves that had been ex-planted from 45 patients at the department of cardiac surgery of Yonsei University Hospital were subjected to this study. The patients were 10 to 65 year-old [mean age: 30.3 yr] with 17 males and 28 females. Re-replacements of prosthetic valves were carried out twenty nine in mitral position, eight in aortic position and eight in both aortic and mitral position simultaneously. The grading and location for calcification of valves were verified by radiograms. The calcification of the explanted valves leaflets was graded from 0 to 4 plus according to Cipriano and associates method. The types of tear and perforation of leaflet were classified into four types as Ishihara has adopted initially in 1981. In younger age group under thirty three years, explanted tissue valves were significantly more affected in terms of grades of severity of valve calcification as compared with older age group [p < 0.035]. Valve calcification appeared more severe in male as compared to female [p< 0.002]. Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial bioprosthetic valves showed more severe calcification than Hancock porcine tissue valves [p< 0.035]. Calcium deposit was found very prevalent at the area of commissural attachment [86 % of all]. Type I of valve rupture was shown to be related with simultaneous calcification. However, the relation of explanted valve position, duration of implanted prosthetic valve, atrial fibrillation and anticoagulant therapy to the severity of bioprosthetic valve calcification were not significantly clear statistically [p > 0.05].

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.368-371
• /
• 2019

A unicuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital malformation that frequently presents with valvular dysfunction and dilatation or aortic aneurysm, requiring combined aortic valve surgery and aortic repair. Some patients show severe valve calcification extending into the interventricular septum, possibly resulting in damage to the conduction system during debridement for valve replacement. We present a rare case of severe aortic stenosis with a unicommissural unicuspid aortic valve diagnosed by preoperative transesophageal echocardiography in a 36-year-old man. After composite graft replacement of the aortic valve, aortic root, and ascending aorta, a permanent pacemaker was placed because of postoperative complete heart block.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.54 no.11
• /
• pp.569-574
• /
• 2021

Vascular calcification is the heterotopic accumulation of calcium phosphate salts in the vascular tissue and is highly correlated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In this study, we found that the expression of neuromedin B (NMB) and NMB receptor is upregulated in phosphate-induced calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Silencing of NMB or treatment with NMB receptor antagonist, PD168368, inhibited the phosphate-induced osteogenic differentiation of VSMCs by inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signaling and VSMC apoptosis. PD168368 also attenuated the arterial calcification in cultured aortic rings and in a rat model of chronic kidney disease. The results of this study suggest that NMB-NMB receptor axis may have potential therapeutic value in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular calcification.