Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology
-
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. · Dec 2005
ReviewFast food, central nervous system insulin resistance, and obesity.
Rates of obesity and insulin resistance have climbed sharply over the past 30 years. These epidemics are temporally related to a dramatic rise in consumption of fast food; until recently, it was not known whether the fast food was driving the obesity, or vice versa. ⋯ After examining the epidemiology of fast food consumption, obesity, and insulin resistance, we review insulin's role in the central nervous system's (CNS) regulation of energy balance, and demonstrate the role of CNS insulin resistance as a cause of leptin resistance and in the promotion of the pleasurable or "hedonic" responses to food. Finally, we analyze the characteristics of fast food, including high-energy density, high fat, high fructose, low fiber, and low dairy intake, which favor the development of CNS insulin resistance and obesity.
-
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. · Dec 2005
Genetic variations in the tissue factor gene are associated with clinical outcome in acute coronary syndrome and expression levels in human monocytes.
Tissue factor (TF) has, among other factors, a prominent role in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Our goal was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the TF gene (F3) are associated with plasma TF, risk, and outcome in patients with ACS. Moreover, we wanted to investigate the impact of associated TF SNPs on mRNA production in human monocytes. ⋯ The 5466 AG genotype is a novel predictor of cardiovascular death in ACS and may act through a high TF response.
-
Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. · Dec 2005
Vascular neuronal NO synthase is selectively upregulated by platelet-derived growth factor: involvement of the MEK/ERK pathway.
We demonstrated recently that neuronal NO synthase (NOS) is expressed in arteriosclerotic lesions and exerts important vasculoprotective effects in vivo. In this study, we examined the molecular mechanism(s) for vascular neuronal NOS (nNOS) expression. ⋯ These results provide the first evidence that vascular nNOS expression is upregulated selectively in response to PDGF through the MEK/ERK pathway. Upregulated nNOS may play an important compensatory role under arteriosclerotic/inflammatory conditions associated with eNOS dysfunction to maintain vascular homeostasis.