Recently, more and more efforts are directed towards developing new imaging and drug-delivery options based on various nanoparticles, exploiting their unique properties. Here, ultra-small gold nanoparticles functionalized with widely used polyethylene glycol and its amine-terminated form were tested in respect of their potential interactions with human immune cells (cell line and primary cells). The results showed that differently terminated ultrasmall gold nanoparticles represent an interesting theranostic platform as they are harmless to immune cells (not inducing cytotoxicity and severe immune response) and on the other hand, they can serve as imaging and/or drug delivery agents using e.g. monocytes/ macrophages as "Trojan horses" to deliver these nanoparticles across the blood-brain barrier and diagnose or treat pathologies of the central nervous system.
- MeSH
- aminy MeSH
- kovové nanočástice * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- polyethylenglykoly MeSH
- zlato * MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVES: Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a rare connective tissue disease presenting with fibrosis affecting skin and internal organs. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) with quantification of extracellular volume (ECV) and T1 mapping might help to detect heart involvement. We aimed to evaluate whether myocardial involvement correlates with functional and laboratory parameters. METHODS: Thirty-three asymptomatic SSc patients (29 women, aged 56.6±12.2years) and 20 controls (10 women, 53.7±13.1years) were examined using CMR, echocardiography, functional pulmonary test and laboratory assessment. RESULTS: SSc patients had higher ECV (27.5±2.8 vs. 22.8±1.9%, P<0.0001) and native T1 values (1258.9±51.2 vs. 1192.2±32.6, P<0.0001) compared to controls. Plasma level of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) and galectin-3 correlated with ECV (r=0.35; P=0.0076 and r=0.38; P=0.0081) and native T1 (r=0.31; P=0.023 and r=0.35; P=0.012). GDF-15 was also negatively correlated with diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (r=-0.58; P=0.0004) and positively correlated with modified Rodnan skin score (r=0.59; P=0.0003). Conventional echocardiography parameters were similar in SSc patients and controls. However, the global longitudinal peak systolic strain (GLPS) was lower in SSc patients compared to controls (18.6±1.6 vs. 21.1±1.2%; P<0.0001). GLPS also negatively correlated with native T1 (r=-0.35; P=0.0097), ECV (r=-0.33; P=0.014), GDF 15 (r=-0.31; P=0.022), and galectin-3 (r=-0.37; P=0.0076). CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic heart involvement is common in SSc patients and includes focal and diffuse myocardial fibrosis. GDF-15 and galectin-3 were positively correlated with myocardial fibrosis parameters. Future outcome studies must show whether measurement of GDF-15 and galectin-3 in SSC patients might be may be useful in clinical practice.
- MeSH
- biologické markery krev MeSH
- dopplerovská echokardiografie metody MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- fibróza MeSH
- kardiomyopatie krev diagnostické zobrazování epidemiologie MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- magnetická rezonance kinematografická metody MeSH
- mediátory zánětu krev MeSH
- prospektivní studie MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- systémová sklerodermie krev diagnostické zobrazování epidemiologie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate changes of corrected QT (QTc) interval during acute ischemic stroke and its correlation with high-sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), neurological outcome, and 1-year mortality. METHODS: We registered electrocardiogram in 69 patients immediately after admission to the intensive care unit and then after 24 and 48 hours. Computed tomography was performed on admission to determine brain infarct size and localization. Neurological outcome was assessed by modified Rankin scale (mRS) at discharge. RESULTS: Forty-five (65.2%) patients had prolonged QTc at baseline; only 18 (26.1%) patients had prolonged QTc after 48 hours. Baseline QTc was not associated with neurological outcome (P = .27). However, prolonged QTc after 48 hours was associated with worse mRS at discharge (4.5 [4.0-6.0] versus 2.0 [1.0-3.0]; P < .0001). Patients who deceased during hospitalization (n = 7 [10.1%]) as compared with survivors had more frequently prolonged QTc after 48 hours (38.9 versus 0%; P < .0001), higher level of hsTnI (48.4 [36.1-75.0] versus 8.6 [3.4-26.5]; P = .003), and BNP (334 [224-866] versus 109 [30-190]; P = .014). In univariate analysis, 1-year mortality was associated with prolonged QTc after 48 hours, hsTnI, and BNP. In multivariate analysis, only BNP remained to be associated with 1-year mortality (odds ratio 3.41, 95% confidence interval 1.06-11.03). CONCLUSIONS: QTc interval in patients with acute ischemic stroke is a dynamic parameter. Prolonged QTc after 48 hours, but not baseline QTc, correlated with neurological outcome and 1-year mortality. Patients with prolonged QTc had higher level of hsTnI.
- MeSH
- akční potenciály MeSH
- biologické markery krev MeSH
- časové faktory MeSH
- cévní mozková příhoda diagnóza mortalita patofyziologie terapie MeSH
- CT angiografie MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- elektrokardiografie * MeSH
- ischemie mozku diagnóza mortalita patofyziologie terapie MeSH
- jednotky intenzivní péče MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- logistické modely MeSH
- mortalita v nemocnicích MeSH
- mozková angiografie metody MeSH
- multivariační analýza MeSH
- natriuretický peptid typu B krev MeSH
- neurologické vyšetření MeSH
- obnova funkce MeSH
- odds ratio MeSH
- posuzování pracovní neschopnosti MeSH
- prediktivní hodnota testů MeSH
- převodní systém srdeční patofyziologie MeSH
- příjem pacientů MeSH
- rizikové faktory MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- srdeční frekvence * MeSH
- troponin I krev MeSH
- výsledek terapie MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři nad 80 let MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVE: Nitric oxide plays an important role in vascular biology. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the endothelial nitric oxide gene (NOS3) have been previously associated with arterial hypertension. We investigated whether these SNPs might be associated with arterial phenotypes in the Czech general population. METHODS: We genotyped three NOS3 SNPs in 426 subjects not treated for arterial hypertension (mean age, 49.1 years; 55.9% women). Arterial properties were measured using applanation tonometry. In multivariate-adjusted analyses, we assessed the gene effects of rs3918226 (-665 C>T), rs1799983 (glu298asp G>T) and rs2070744 (786 T>C) on augmentation index (AIx), central augmentation pressure (AP) and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV). RESULTS: Carriers of rs3918226 mutated T allele had marginally higher AIx (145.3 ± 2.5 vs. 140.2 ± 1.1%; P = 0.064) and significantly higher AP (12.7 ± 0.7 vs. 11.1 ± 0.3 mm Hg; P = 0.033). These associations were independent of potential confounding factors. Aortic PWV was not different in the two rs39182226 genotypes groups (P = 0.35). In single gene analyses, we did not observe any association between measured phenotypes and rs1799983 or rs2070744 (P ≥ 0.11). In haplotype analysis, we observed trend for higher PWV in haplotypes containing rs3918226 mutated T allele compared with other allelic combination (P ≤ 0.079). CONCLUSION: Mutated T allele of rs3918226 polymorphism in NOS3 gene was associated with parameters reflecting central arterial stiffness and wave reflection. We hypothesize that genetic modulation of intermediate arterial phenotypes might lead to higher blood pressure.
- MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- genetické asociační studie MeSH
- haplotypy MeSH
- krevní tlak MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- polymorfismus genetický genetika MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- synthasa oxidu dusnatého, typ III genetika MeSH
- tuhost cévní stěny genetika MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- senioři MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Československo MeSH
