BACKGROUND Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is a major ligand on endothelial cells for adherence of activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). The major purpose of this study was to study the effects of RR1/1, a monoclonal antibody against ICAM-1 (i.e., MAb RR1/1), on myocardial injury and endothelial dysfunction associated with myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. METHODS AND R...

BACKGROUND Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) has insulinomimetic, insulinotropic, and antiapoptotic properties that may make it a useful adjunct to reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarction (MI); however, GLP-1 has a short plasma half-life. Fusion of GLP-1 to human transferrin (GLP-1-Tf) significantly prolongs drug half-life. MATERIALS AND METHODS We tested the ability of single dose GLP-1-...

Reperfusion injury includes a spectrum of events, such as reperfusion arrhythmias, vascular damage and no-reflow, and myocardial functional stunning. The concept of reperfusion injury remains controversial with many proposed mechanisms when applied to humans, whereas in animal models, there are two main proposed mechanisms: calcium over-load and formation of oxygen free radicals. To prove that ...

BACKGROUND Diabetes is associated with increased risk of mortality as a consequence of acute myocardial infarction. This study determined whether rosiglitazone (ROSI) could reduce myocardial infarction after ischemia/reperfusion injury. METHODS AND RESULTS Male Lewis rats were anesthetized, and the left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated for 30 minutes. After reperfusion for 24 h...

CORONARY HEART DISEASE is the leading cause of death in the Western world and represents one of the major burdens on healthcare systems today. Targeting those strategies that limit the damage sustained as a result of a lethal ischemic insult has been a major goal for many years. One of these strategies, termed ischemic preconditioning, in which brief nonlethal episodes of ischemia protect the m...

CORONARY HEART DISEASE is the leading cause of death in the Western world and represents one of the major burdens on healthcare systems today. Targeting those strategies that limit the damage sustained as a result of a lethal ischemic insult has been a major goal for many years. One of these strategies, termed ischemic preconditioning, in which brief nonlethal episodes of ischemia protect the m...

CORONARY HEART DISEASE is the leading cause of death in the Western world and represents one of the major burdens on healthcare systems today. Targeting those strategies that limit the damage sustained as a result of a lethal ischemic insult has been a major goal for many years. One of these strategies, termed ischemic preconditioning, in which brief nonlethal episodes of ischemia protect the m...

BACKGROUND Ischemic preconditioning reduces local tissue injury caused by subsequent ischemia-reperfusion (IR), but may also have a salutary effect on IR injury of tissues remote from those undergoing preconditioning. We tested the hypothesis that limb ischemia induces remote preconditioning, reduces endothelial IR injury in humans, and reduces experimental myocardial infarct size. METHODS AN...

Excessive release of high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) protein from ischemic cardiomyocytes activates inflammatory cascades and enhances myocardial injury after reperfusion. Here we report evidence that electroacupuncture of mice at Neiguan acupoints can inhibit the up-regulation of cardiac HMGB1 following myocardial ischemia and attenuate the associated inflammatory responses and myocardial in...

Ischemic heart disease including myocardial infarction is developing on the basis of several risk-factors and co-morbidities such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of mortality worldwide, therefore, identification of drug targets for cardioprotection is of great clinical importance. Ischemic preconditioning, postconditionin...