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The role of vascular smooth muscle cell contraction and relaxation as active modulators of arterial stiffness Universiteit Antwerpen
Arteriële stijfheid is een toestand waarbij de grote arteriën een verminderde capaciteit hebben om de pulsatiele stroom, die gegenereerd wordt door het linker ventrikel van het hart, te dempen. Het is een belangrijke indicator en initiator van cardiovasculaire, neurovasculaire en renovasculaire aandoeningen. Een significant deel van de arteriële wand bestaat uit gladde spiercellen waarvan de contractiele tonus onder andere gereguleerd wordt door ...
Endothelial dysfunction aggravates arterial media calcification in warfarin administered rats Universiteit Antwerpen
Arterial media calcification is an active cell process. This encompasses osteochondrogenic transdifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells followed by the deposition of calcium-phosphate crystals. Increasing evidence suggests a significant role for endothelial cells (ECs) in the development of arterial media calcification. This manuscript explores a role for endothelial dysfunction in the disease progression of arterial media calcification. ...
Vascular smooth muscle cell contraction and relaxation in the isolated aorta Universiteit Antwerpen
Over the past few decades, isometric contraction studies of isolated thoracic aorta segments have significantly contributed to our overall understanding of the active, contractile properties of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and their cross‐talk with endothelial cells. However, the physiological role of VSMC contraction or relaxation in the healthy aorta and its contribution to the pulse‐smoothening capacity of the aorta is ...
Endothelial contribution to Warfarin-induced arterial media calcification in mice Universiteit Antwerpen
Arterial media calcification (AMC) is predominantly regulated by vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which transdifferentiate into pro-calcifying cells. In contrast, there is little evidence for endothelial cells playing a role in the disease. The current study investigates cellular functioning and molecular pathways underlying AMC, respectively by, an ex vivo isometric organ bath set-up to explore the interaction between VSMCs and ECs and ...
Towards a better understanding of arterial calcification disease progression in CKD Universiteit Antwerpen
Background Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, especially in those undergoing dialysis and kidney transplant surgery. CKD patients are at high risk of developing arterial media calcifications (AMC) and arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that investigation of disease progression at an early stage could provide novel insights in understanding AMC etiology. Methods An adenine diet was ...
Endothelial dysfunction as a mediator of arterial calcification and stiffness Universiteit Antwerpen
The contributory role of the endothelium in the pathogenesis of arterial media calcification (AMC) was investigated using different animal models. Increased mineralization of the aorta was observed in eNOS null mice suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD, by adenine diet administration). Simultaneously though, with this increase in the aortic calcium content, a deteriorating renal function was observed. Wild-type mice that received the ...
High pulsatile load decreases arterial stiffness Universiteit Antwerpen
Measuring arterial stiffness has recently gained a lot of interest because it is a strong predictor for cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. However, assessing blood vessel stiffness is not easy and the in vivo measurements currently used provide only limited information. Ex vivo experiments allow for a more thorough investigation of (altered) arterial biomechanical properties. Such experiments can be performed either statically or ...
The protective effects of the autophagic and lysosomal machinery in vascular and valvular calcification Universiteit Antwerpen
Background: Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic homeostatic process, crucial for cell survival. It has been shown that autophagy can modulate different cardiovascular pathologies, including vascular calcification (VCN). Objective: To assess how modulation of autophagy, either through induction or inhibition, affects vascular and valvular calcification and to determine the therapeutic applicability of inducing autophagy. Data sources: A ...
Empagliflozin decreases ageing-associated arterial stiffening and vascular fibrosis under normoglycemic conditions Universiteit Antwerpen
Arterial stiffness is a hallmark of vascular ageing and results in increased blood flow pulsatility to the periphery, damaging end-organs such as the heart, kidneys and brain. Treating or “reversing” arterial stiffness has therefore become a central target in the field of vascular ageing. SGLT2 inhibitors, initially developed in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus, have become a cornerstone of heart failure treatment. Additionally, effects ...