Atherosclerosis, characterized by atherosclerotic plaques, is a complex pathological process that involves different cell types and can be seen as a chronic inflammatory disease. In the advanced ...stage, the ruptured atherosclerotic plaque can induce deadly accidents including ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Epigenetics regulation, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA modification. maintains cellular identity
affecting the cellular transcriptome. The epigenetic modification process, mediating by epigenetic enzymes, is dynamic under various stimuli, which can be reversely altered. Recently, numerous studies have evidenced the close relationship between atherosclerosis and epigenetic regulations in atherosclerosis, providing us with a novel perspective in researching mechanisms and finding novel therapeutic targets of this serious disease. Here, we critically review the recent discoveries between epigenetic regulation mechanisms in atherosclerosis.
To compare the safety and efficiency of stent assisted coiling (SAC) with non-SAC for the management of ruptured intracranial aneurysms.
A meta-analysis that compared SAC with coiling alone and ...balloon assisted coiling was conducted by database searching. The primary outcomes of this study were immediate occlusion and progressive thrombosis rate, overall perioperative complication rate, and angiographic recurrence. Secondary outcomes included mortality at discharge, hemorrhagic and ischemic complications, and favorable clinical outcome at discharge and at follow-up.
Eight retrospective cohort studies with 1408 ruptured intracranial aneurysms (SAC=499; non-SAC=909) were included. The SAC group tended to show a lower immediate complete occlusion rate than the non-SAC group (54.3% vs 64.2%; RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99; I
=17.4%) and achieved a significantly higher progressive complete rate at follow-up (73.4% vs 61.0%; RR 1.30; 95% CI 1.16 to 1.46; I
=40.5%) and a lower recurrence rate (4.8% vs 16.6%; RR 0.28; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.50; I
=0.0%). With respect to safety concerns, overall perioperative complications in the SAC group were significantly higher (20.2% vs 13.1%; RR 1.70; 95% CI 1.36 to 2.11; I
=0.0%). However, no significant difference was found for mortality rate at discharge (6.3% vs 6.2%; RR 1.29; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.94; I
=0.0%), or favorable clinical outcome rate at discharge (73.4% vs 74.2%; RR 0.95; 95% CI 0.88 to 1.02; I
=12.1%) and at follow-up (85.6% vs 87.9%; RR 0.98; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.02; I
=0.0%; P=0.338).
SAC has a lower recurrence rate than non-SAC. Nevertheless, further validation by well designed prospective studies is warranted for determining whether stents improve angiographic outcome without an increased complication rate or unfavorable clinical outcome.
Exosomes are lipid bilayer vesicles that contain multiple macromolecules secreted by the parent cells and play a vital role in intercellular communication. In recent years, the function of exosomes ...in cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) has been intensively studied. Herein, we briefly review the current understanding of exosomes in CVDs. We discuss their role in the pathophysiology of the diseases and the value of the exosomes for clinical applications as biomarkers and potential therapies.
Comparison of feasibility and safety between endovascular coiling versus neurosurgical clipping for the management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) has been incrementally reported. ...However, economic comparison has been rarely reported. This meta-analysis aims at qualitatively and quantitatively analyzing the difference of hospital costs and length of stay between endovascular versus neurosurgical treatment in UIA.
MEDLINE, the Cochrane database, EMBASE, and Web of Science database were searched for cohort studies describing economic hospital cost or length of stay in patients with UIA. Two authors independently assessed study eligibility and rated quality using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Ravmen 5.2 was used to perform forest plot analysis.
Nine studies describing 24,856 UIAs treated with neurosurgical clipping and 31,309 UIAs treated with endovascular coiling were included. Meta-analysis revealed that the total hospital costs (THCs) were similar between coiling and clipping in UIA patients (standard mean difference SMD: −0.33, 95% confidence interval: −0.68 to 0.02, I2 = 99%, P = 0.07). Subgroup analysis showed that THCs of coiling were significantly lower than clipping in the United States but opposite in South Korea. One-year medical costs of coiling were similar in both groups (SMD: −0.04, 95% CI: −0.08 to 0.00, I2 = 0%, P = 0.07). In addition, the length of stay of coiling were significantly shorter than that of clipping (SMD: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56–0.81, I2 = 95%, P < 0.001).
Generally, no significant difference in THCs and 1-year medical costs between coiling versus clipping in UIAs was observed. However, the length of stay of endovascular coiling was much shorter than neurosurgical clipping and decreased over time.
•Total hospital costs and 1-year cumulative medical costs between coiling and clipping were similar in the management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.•The length of stay of coiling was significantly shorter than clipping for patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms and decreased over time.
In modern society, intracranial aneurysms have seriously affected people’s life. To better study and treat intracranial aneurysm, animal models are ideal candidates to perform biological research and ...preclinical endovascular device testing. Rabbit aneurysm model is one of the most commonly used animal models, and the rabbit aneurysms share similarities in histology, morphology, and hemodynamic aspects with human intracranial aneurysms, which is an ideal model for intracranial aneurysm pre-clinical and basic research. In this review, we will summarize the main methods of establishing rabbit aneurysms model and will further discuss the current biological mechanisms of intracranial aneurysms based on rabbit model. Further improvements of rabbit aneurysm model and more deep studies based on this model are needed to provide new insights into studying and clinical treating intracranial aneurysm.
Objective
To evaluate the safety and long-term efficacy of stent-assisted coiling for the treatment of complex posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysms.
Methods
Angiographic and clinical data of ...23 patients harboring 23 complex PCA aneurysms treated with stent-assisted coiling from March 2010 to March 2017 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results
In this study 8 (34.8%) aneurysms were located at the P1 segment, 7 (30.4%) at the junction of P1 and P2 segments (P1-2), and 8 (34.8%) at the P2 segment. The aneurysms were ruptured in 7 cases (30.4%). Thirteen were dissecting in nature, while the other 10 were classical saccular aneurysms. Of the patients, 5 (21.7%) had of history of recent head trauma, immediate angiographic results were Raymond class I in 5 (21.7%) cases, Raymond class II in 8 (34.8%), and Raymond class III in 10 (43.5%). Perioperative complications occurred in one case with occlusion of the PA due to acute in-stent thrombosis without any neurologic deficit at discharge. The last angiographic follow-up (mean 18.7 months) results demonstrated complete aneurysmal occlusion in 20 (87.0%) cases, PA occlusion in 1 (4.3%) and recurrence in 2 (8.7%). Of the two patients with aneurysm recurrence, one was treated by PA occlusion, and the other was treated with two overlapping stents. Clinical follow-up (mean 58.3 months) was available for all 23 patients, 22 (95.7%) patients had good neurologic outcomes (mRS score 0–2), and 1 (4.3%) patient died 7 months after the procedure for unknown reasons.
Conclusion
Stent-assisted coiling for the treatment of complex PCA aneurysms is safe and durable with a relatively low rate of complication and a relatively high rate of complete occlusion at long-term follow-up and is a promising alternative strategy for the reconstruction of the PCA.
Purpose
Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) aneurysms are rare. This study is to evaluate the preliminary experience of braided stents applied in PCA aneurysms treatment.
Methods
Angiographic and ...clinical data of 28 PCA patients treated with braided stents from July 2016 and September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.
Results
A total of 28 PCA aneurysms were enrolled. 22 (78.6%) aneurysms were dissecting aneurysms, while 6 (21.4%) aneurysms were saccular aneurysms. Thirty-five braided stents were implanted with dual stents implanted in 7 cases. Immediate angiographic results show that Raymond class I was obtained in 13 patients (46.4%), Raymond class II was obtained in 4 patients (14.3%), and Raymond class III was obtained in 11 patients (39.3%). Perioperative hemorrhagic events occurred in 1 patient (3.6%). Twenty-four patients (85.7%) received angiographic follow-up, and the mean follow-up time was 11.2 ± 4.9 months. Two patients (8.3%) were confirmed with IA neck recurrence, and 3 patients (12.5%) were confirmed asymptomatic parent artery occlusion (PAO). The other 19 patients were confirmed promoted occlusion with 18 Raymond class I (75%) and 1 Raymond class II (4.2%). Twenty-seven patients (96.4%) received clinical follow-up, and the mean follow-up time was 32.2 ± 13.5 months. One patient (3.7%) confirmed the death event 2 weeks after discharge. The other 27 patients (96.3%) got favorable clinical outcomes with an mRS score of 0–2.
Conclusions
Braided stent-assisted coiling with a high occlusion rate and relatively low complication rate provides an alternative strategy in treating PCA aneurysms. Long-term outcomes need further randomized study with larger case numbers.
Phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important role in the development of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). Growing evidence has demonstrated that circular RNAs ...(circRNAs) may serve as a potential modulator of VSMC phenotype in various vascular diseases. This study aimed to assess the potential function of circRNAs in the rupture of IAs and VSMC phenotypic modulation.
Using surgically dissected human ruptured (
= 8) and unruptured (
= 8) IA lesions, differentially expressed circRNAs were screened by transcriptomic sequencing and verified using qRT-PCR. Based on the screened circRNA, we predicted and screened the combined miRNA and downstream mRNAs to construct circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks. Further
experiments were performed to investigate the relationship between the validated circRNA and the phenotypic switching of VSMCs.
We found 1,373 differentially expressed genes in ruptured versus unruptured aneurysms. The top five dysregulated circRNAs were selected for qRT-PCR validation. We found hsa_circ_0031608 was both highly expressed in ruptured IAs and pro-inflammatory transformation of VSMCs. Then, a regulatory circRNA-miRNA-mRNA with one circRNA node, six miRNA nodes, and 84 mRNA nodes was constructed. GO analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed on mRNAs in the network. Then, a PPI network was built based on these mRNAs and five hub genes were identified (FOXO3, DICER1, CCND2, IGF1R, and TNRC6B) by the cytoHubba plugin in Cytoscape software.
, overexpression of hsa_circ_0031608 influenced the expression of VSMC phenotypic markers validated by qPCR and Western blotting. Furthermore, hsa_circ_0031608 promoted the migration and proliferation capacity of VSMCs.
hsa_circ_0031608 regulated the phenotypic modulation of VSMCs and played an important role in the rupture of IAs. The specific mechanism should be further studied and confirmed.
Abstract
In modern society, subarachnoid hemorrhage, mostly caused by intracranial aneurysm rupture, is accompanied by high disability and mortality rate, which has become a major threat to human ...health. Till now, the etiology of intracranial aneurysm has not been entirely clarified. In recent years, more and more studies focus on the relationship between hemodynamics and intracranial aneurysm. Under the physiological condition, the mechanical force produced by the stable blood flow in the blood vessels keeps balance with the structure of the blood vessels. When the blood vessels are stimulated by the continuous abnormal blood flow, the functional structure of the blood vessels changes, which becomes the pathophysiological basis of the inflammation and atherosclerosis of the blood vessels and further promotes the occurrence and development of the intracranial aneurysm. This review will focus on the relationship between hemodynamics and intracranial aneurysms, will discuss the mechanism of occurrence and development of intracranial aneurysms, and will provide a new perspective for the research and treatment of intracranial aneurysms.
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic protein belongs to transcription growth factor superfamily β; bone morphogenetic protein signal pathway regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis among ...different tissues. Cerebrovascular system supplies sufficient oxygen and blood into brain to maintain its normal function. The disorder of cerebrovascular system will result into serious cerebrovascular diseases, which is gradually becoming a major threat to human health in modern society. In recent decades, many studies have revealed the underlying biology and mechanism of bone morphogenetic protein signal pathway played in cerebrovascular system. This review will discuss the relationship between the two aspects, aiming to provide new perspective for non-invasive treatment and basic research of cerebrovascular diseases.