Revisiting the Role of sCD40L as an Inflammatory Biomarker in a Clinical Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction To the Editor: I read with great interest the recent article published by Liebetrau et al, which described the release kinetics of several inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, troponin T, and soluble CD40 ligand) over a time course after the transcoronary ablation of...

CD40L is a type II membrane glycoprotein of the TNF family that is found on activated T cells, B cells, and platelets. We previously reported that the soluble form of this inflammatory mediator (sCD40L) is elevated in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of HIV-1-infected, cognitively impaired individuals. In this study, we demonstrate that the mood-stabilizing drug valproic acid (VPA) reduces sC...

Despite the use of highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART), a majority of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV) infected individuals continually develop HIV - Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND), indicating that host inflammatory mediators, in addition to viral proteins, may be contributing to these disorders. Consistent with this notion, we have previously shown that levels o...

We have previously shown that glycoprotein Ib/IX/V activation stimulates the release of the soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) via the generation of thromboxane A2 from human platelets. In the present study, the role of Rac, which is a member of the Rho family, was investigated in the thromboxane A2‑stimulated release of platelet‑derived growth factor (PDGF)‑AB and sCD40L in human platelets. U46619, ...

Reported in vitro data implicated soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) in endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis. However, whether sCD40L could exert that influence in endothelial dysfunction and angiogenesis after injury in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the association of sCD40L with markers of platelet activation, endothelial, and vas...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) is a marker of platelet activation; whether platelet activation occurs in the setting of renal artery stenosis and stenting is unknown. Additionally, the effect of embolic protection devices and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors on platelet activation during renal artery intervention is unknown. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENT...

BACKGROUND Considerable evidence implicates CD40 signaling in the pathogenesis of atheromas. Exposure to CD40 ligand induces platelet-leukocyte conjugation, a heightened expression of inflammatory cytokines, matrix-degrading enzymes, and procoagulant factors. OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between plasma soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and platelet-monocyte aggregates in patients with...

Endometriosis is a benign but troublesome gynecological condition, characterized by endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Lately, the discovery and validation of noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis is one of the main priorities in the field. As the disease elicits a chronic inflammatory reaction, we focused our interest on two factors well known to be involved in i...

We have recently performed the first comprehensive study of the potential immunosuppressive role of soluble CD40L (sCD40L). In addition, we demonstrated that serum sCD40L can potentially be used as an indicator of response to anticancer therapy, and/or to better identify those patients who would have best chances to benefit from tumor-targeting vaccines or other therapeutic modalities.

The platelet-derived soluble CD40L (sCD40L) release plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis. Nifedipine, a dihydropyridine-based L-type calcium channel blocker (CCB), has been reported to have an anti-atherosclerotic effect beyond its blood pressure-lowering effect, but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The present study was designed to investigate whether nifedipine ...