Highlighted Articles
By Sarah Leigh (Editorial Assistant) and Steve Humphries (Editor–in-Chief)
The prognostic value of pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) as a marker for myocardial infarction and death has been confirmed in a large prospective study by Iversen et al of patients with stable coronary artery disease. Kajinami & Kawai comment that the validity of this observation could be further strengthened by examination of more generalized populations and the use of larger studies with longer follow up periods and sandardized assay procedures.
In an attempt to better understand the etiology of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and to possibly reveal therapeutic targets, Zack et al have studied Group X secretory phospholipase A2 (GXsPLA2) in AAA from humans and AngII induced apoE−/− and apoE−/− xGXsPLA2−/− mice. Their results indicate that GXsPLA2 is required to increase macrophage-dependent inflammation and matrix degradation, and the key relevance of this finding is highlighted in a commentary by Federici & Menghini, who point out that additional questions need to be answered before GXsPLA2 can be definitively identified as a marker for AAA and a therapeutic target.
Review Articles
Verhagena & Visseren provide a detailed review of the relationship between peri-vascular adipose tissue and coronary artery atherosclerosis, although they confirm that an association exists, they conclude that such adipose tissue is also correlated with visceral adipose tissue and thus with systemic metabolic changes associated with obesity. Therefore, it has yet to be shown whether peri-vascular adipose tissue is independently involved in atherogenesis.
In their review article Ntaios et al examine via meta analyses, the effect of the drugs routinely used in metabolic syndrome (MetS) on homocysteine (tHcy) levels in MetS patients. They conclude that “fibrates and niacin increase, whereas β-blockers, calcium channel antagonists, statins, sulfonylureas and the combinations of thiazolidinedione/diguanide and meglitinide/thiazolidinedione all reduce tHcy levels”. Furthermore, as tHcy has been idenitified as a moderate independent cardiovascular risk factor, additional studies are required to investigate whether Hcy-lowering therapy has a role in MetS patients.
The physiological roles of the three paraoxonase genes PON1, PON2, PON3 are discussed in a review article by Précourta et al. The effects of inflammation and oxidative stress on the regulation of these genes are considered, as is the impact of lifestyle, nutritional and pharmacological influences. Précourta et al conclude that although much study is still required, the upregulation of the PONs genes may provide useful strategies to protect against atherosclerosis and other oxidative stress-related diseases.