Walls Of Large Vessels Research Articles

Morphometric changes in the blood and lymphatic channels during inflammation

When the abdominal cavity is inflamed, the lymphatic channel, i.e. the system of lymph vessels and lymph nodes, which play an important role in protecting the body from infections and ensuring proper metabolism, may be affected. Inflammation of the lymphatic channel can lead to its enlargement, soreness and even the formation of purulent foci. The study of morphometric changes in the lymphatic channel during inflammation is an important task for a more detailed understanding of inflammatory processes occurring in the body. The results of our experiments showed that during inflammatory processes of the abdominal cavity there are changes in the blood and lymphatic vessels. Relative volumes of vessels of different types per unit significantly decreased compared to the indicators of the control group. In submucosa and muscularis the morphometry data confirm the fact of arterial vessels spasm, lymphatic vessel reduction and simultaneous persistent venous vessels expansion. In rats with the developed inflammatory process in lymphatic vessels the expansion of lymphatic slits and significant thickening of the wall of large lymphatic vessels was found, which is associated with an increase in the volume of blood plasma, increasing the load on lymphatic vessels as a drainage system of the body.

Damage to extracranial arteries in giant cell arteritis according to PET/CT

The aim of the study was to assess the incidence of arterial lesions of various localizations in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) according to positron emission and computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG).Methods. Patients over 50 years of age diagnosed with GCA (with or without polymyalgia rheumatica) were included in a retrospective study. Damage to extracranial arteries was assessed based on the accumulation of 18F-FDG in the walls of large vessels according to PET/CT data.Results. The study included 47 patients, 14 (30%) men and 33 (70%) women, with a median age of 65 [57; 68] years. In 32 (68%) patients, 18F-FDG-PET/CT was performed before the start of therapy with glucocorticosteroids (GCS), in 15 (32%) after the start of treatment. In 40 (91%) patients, signs of damage to extracranial vessels of various localization were revealed, most often in the thoracic and abdominal aorta (72% and 64%, respectively).Conclusions. According to 18F-FDG-PET/CT data, in most patients with GCA, not only the arteries of the head and neck, but also vessels of other localization are involved in the pathological process.

Common Autoantibody among Takayasu Arteritis and Ulcerative Colitis: A Possible Pathophysiology That Includes Gut-Vessel Connection in Vascular Inflammation.

Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is a type of large-vessel vasculitis that predominantly affects young females. The precise pathomechanism of TAK is still under investigation. In TAK, the vasa vasorum is considered to be the initial inflammatory site. Disruption of the vasa vasorum induces the entry of inflammatory cells into the vascular wall of large vessels between the media and adventitia, and infiltrated cells damage the vascular components, eventually leading to stenosis or dilatation of the affected arteries. In addition, T cells are considered key players in TAK, and myeloid cells function as effector cells. Although the roles of B cells in TAK are poorly understood, recent evidence supports their contribution to the pathogenicity of TAK. Particularly, two autoantibodies have been identified in TAK through investigation of anti-endothelial cell antibodies, and they could be involved in the maintenance of vascular inflammation. Furthermore, one of the autoantibodies, anti-endothelial protein C receptor, was shown to be present in ulcerative colitis (UC), which is genetically and clinically associated with TAK. Similar autoantibodies in inflammatory diseases with different target organs indicate a common underlying pathophysiology of these diseases, which could be characterized by the aberrant activation of B cells. This review discusses recent understanding of the pathomechanisms of TAK and UC, with a focus on the involvement of B cells and autoantibodies. The close association of UC with TAK further suggests a common etiology, and the importance of the intestinal microbiota, including dysbiosis, is also becoming known in TAK. Investigation of such common factors among TAK and UC would improve understanding of the interplay between gut and vascular inflammation, which is a new concept for developing vascular inflammation through the gut-vessel connection.

SARS-CoV-2 and Hypertension: Evidence Supporting Invasion into the Brain Via Baroreflex Circuitry and the Role of Imbalanced Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System.

Hypertension is considered one of the most critical risk factors for COVID-19. Evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection produces intense effects on the cardiovascular system by weakening the wall of large vessels via vasa-vasorum. In this commentary, we propose that SARS-CoV-2 invades carotid and aortic baroreceptors, leading to infection of the nucleus tractus solitari (NTS) and paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), and such dysregulation of NTS and PVN following infection causes blood pressure alteration at the central level. We additionally explored the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 favors the internalization of membrane ACE2 receptors generating an imbalance of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), increasing the activity of angiotensin II (ANG-II), disintegrin, and metalloproteinase 17 domain (ADAM17/TACE), eventually modulating the integration of afferents reaching the NTS from baroreceptors and promoting increased blood pressure. These mechanisms are related to the increased sympathetic activity, which leads to transient or permanent hypertension associated with SARS-CoV-2 invasion, contributing to the high number of deaths by cardiovascular implications.

Exploring Vessel Wall Biology InVivo by Ultrasensitive Total-Body PET.

Ultrasensitive, high-resolution, extended-field-of-view total-body (TB) PET using the first-of-its-kind 194-cm axial-field-of-view uEXPLORER may facilitate the interrogation of biologic hallmarks of hitherto difficult-to-evaluate low-signal vessel wall pathology in cardiovascular disease. Methods: Healthy volunteers were imaged serially for up to 12 h after a standard dose of 18F-FDG (n = 15) or for up to 3 h after injection of a very low dose (about 5% of a standard dose; n = 15). A cohort undergoing standard 18F-FDG PET (n = 15) on a conventional scanner with a 22-cm axial field of view served as a comparison group. Arterial wall signal, crosstalk with hematopoietic and lymphoid organs, and image quality were analyzed using standardized techniques. Results: TB PET depicted the large vessel walls with excellent quality. The arterial wall could be imaged with high contrast up to 12 h after tracer injection. Ultralow-dose TB 18F-FDG images yielded a vessel wall signal and target-to-background ratio comparable to those of conventional-dose, short-axial-field-of-view PET. Crosstalk between vessel wall and lymphoid organs was identified with better accuracy in both TB PET cohorts than in conventional PET. Conclusion: TB PET enables detailed assessment of invivo vessel wall biology and its crosstalk with other organs over an extended time window after tracer injection or at an ultralow tracer dose. These initial observations support the feasibility of serial imaging in low-risk populations and will stimulate future mechanistic studies or therapy monitoring in atherosclerosis and other vessel wall pathologies.

3D Hydrogel Evaporator with Vertical Radiant Vessels Breaking the Trade-Off between Thermal Localization and Salt Resistance for Solar Desalination of High-Salinity.

Delivering sufficient water to the evaporation surface/interface is one of the most widely adopted strategies to overcome salt accumulation in solar-driven interfacial desalination. However, water transport and heat conduction loss are positively correlated, resulting in the trade-off between thermal localization and salt resistance. Herein, a 3D hydrogel evaporator with vertical radiant vessels is prepared to surmount the long-standing trade-off, thereby achieving high-rate and stable solar desalination of high-salinity. Experiments and numerical simulations reveal that the unique hierarchical structure, which consists of a large vertical vessel channel, radiant vessels, and porous vessel walls, facilitates strong self-salt-discharge and low longitudinal thermal conductivity. With the structure employed, a groundbreaking comprehensive performance, under one sun illumination, of evaporation rate as high as 3.53kgm-2 h-1 , salinity of 20wt%, and a continuous 8h evaporation is achieved, which thought to be the best reported result from a salt-free system. This work showcases the preparation method of a novel hierarchical microstructure, and also provides pivotal insights into the design of next-generation solar evaporators of high-efficiency and salt tolerance.

Features of Radiologic Diagnostics in the Determination of Femoral Stump Defects in Primary Prosthetics

This work is based on a clinical and laboratory study of 43 patients and persons with disabilities who underwent primary prosthetics of the hip stump. Observations were carried out in the period after surgery from 1 month to 6 months in the period from 2014 to 2019 at the clinic of the National Center for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics of Persons with Disabilities. Post-traumatic amputation of limb segment most often occur in patients of young working age, which determines the great socio-economic significance and relevance of reconstructive operations. After amputation of the limb, the processes of restructuring of the tissues of the stump occur under new conditions of blood circulation. Changes in the circulatory system are associated with narrowing of blood flow and thickening of the walls of large arterial and venous vessels, as well as an increase in the number and caliber of capillaries. The defects of the stump are very diverse, these are short and excessively long stumps, the high location of truncated muscle to the skin scar, etc. Diseases of the stump (osteonecrosis, osteophytes, osteomyelitis, phantom pain, ligature fistulas and long-term non-healing wounds) and the result of technical errors in surgical interventions, wound infection and irrational prosthetics. Based on this, it is advisable to use early Doppler ultrasound and X-ray diagnostics in determining malformations and diseases of the stump in order to carry out primary prosthetics. Express prosthetics of the amputation stump in post-traumatic amputations gives a high rehabilitation effect compared to other pathologies: both vascular and other systemic pathologies. The results of complex studies are presented: clinical (orthopedic, neurological), psychological, X-ray, ultrasound, Doppler ultrasonography.

Using a Human Circulation Mathematical Model to Simulate the Effects of Hemodialysis and Therapeutic Hypothermia

Background: We developed a hemodynamic mathematical model of human circulation coupled to a virtual hemodialyzer. The model was used to explore mechanisms underlying our clinical observations involving hemodialysis. Methods: The model consists of whole body human circulation, baroreflex feedback control, and a hemodialyzer. Four model populations encompassing baseline, dialysed, therapeutic hypothermia treated, and simultaneous dialysed with hypothermia were generated. In all populations atrial fibrillation and renal failure as co-morbidities, and exercise as a treatment were simulated. Clinically relevant measurables were used to quantify the effects of each in silico experiment. Sensitivity analysis was used to uncover the most relevant parameters. Results: Relative to baseline, the modelled dialysis increased the population mean diastolic blood pressure by 5%, large vessel wall shear stress by 6%, and heart rate by 20%. Therapeutic hypothermia increased systolic blood pressure by 3%, reduced large vessel shear stress by 15%, and did not affect heart rate. Therapeutic hypothermia reduced wall shear stress by 15% in the aorta and 6% in the kidneys, suggesting a potential anti-inflammatory benefit. Therapeutic hypothermia reduced cardiac output under atrial fibrillation by 12% and under renal failure by 20%. Therapeutic hypothermia and exercise did not affect dialyser function, but increased water removal by approximately 40%. Conclusions: This study illuminates some mechanisms of the action of therapeutic hypothermia. It also suggests clinical measurables that may be used as surrogates to diagnose underlying diseases such as atrial fibrillation.

Nuclear Receptors and Clock Components in Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still the first cause of death worldwide. Their main origin is the development of atherosclerotic plaque, which consists in the accumulation of lipids and inflammatory leucocytes within the vascular wall of large vessels. Beyond dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, hypertension and smoking, the alteration of circadian rhythms, in shift workers for instance, has recently been recognized as an additional risk factor. Accordingly, targeting a pro-atherogenic pathway at the right time window, namely chronotherapy, has proven its efficiency in reducing plaque progression without affecting healthy tissues in mice, thus providing the rationale of such an approach to treat CVD and to reduce drug side effects. Nuclear receptors are transcriptional factors involved in the control of many physiological processes. Among them, Rev-erbs and RORs control metabolic homeostasis, inflammatory processes and the biological clock. In this review, we discuss the opportunity to dampen atherosclerosis progression by targeting such ligand-activated core clock components in a (chrono-)therapeutic approach in order to treat CVD.

Construction of a Blood Vessel Wall with Adipose-Derived Stem Cell Sheets In Vitro

Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are a reliable and easily accessible source of adult stem cells. Thus, ASCs are increasingly used as seed cells in tissue engineering. This report investigated the possibility of engineering a large vessel using unwoven polyglycolic acid (PGA) fibers covered with ASC sheets treated with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). After coiling around a silicone tube, the complex was secured by surgical sutures and cultured In Vitro for six weeks. Gross views showed that glossy and smooth tubular tissue was engineered. Histological examination revealed regularly distributed cells and a few collagenous and elastic fibers in the differentiated group. Cells were randomly distributed, and disorganized collagenous and small elastic fibers were detected in the control group. Our results indicate the promising potential of ASC sheets and PGA fibers for the construction of large vessel walls.

KIT Is Required for Fetal Liver Hematopoiesis.

In the mouse embryo, endothelial cell (EC) progenitors almost concomitantly give rise to the first blood vessels in the yolk sac and the large vessels of the embryo proper. Although the first blood cells form in the yolk sac before blood vessels have assembled, consecutive waves of hematopoietic progenitors subsequently bud from hemogenic endothelium located within the wall of yolk sac and large intraembryonic vessels in a process termed endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition (endoHT). The receptor tyrosine kinase KIT is required for late embryonic erythropoiesis, but KIT is also expressed in hematopoietic progenitors that arise via endoHT from yolk sac hemogenic endothelium to generate early, transient hematopoietic waves. However, it remains unclear whether KIT has essential roles in early hematopoiesis. Here, we have combined single-cell expression studies with the analysis of knockout mice to show that KIT is dispensable for yolk sac endoHT but required for transient definitive hematopoiesis in the fetal liver.

Intracranial Atherosclerotic Burden and Cerebral Parenchymal Changes at 7T MRI in Patients With Transient Ischemic Attack or Ischemic Stroke.

The relevance of intracranial vessel wall lesions detected with MRI is not fully established. In this study (trial identification number: NTR2119; www.trialregister.nl), 7T MRI was used to investigate if a higher vessel wall lesion burden is associated with more cerebral parenchymal changes in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). MR images of 82 patients were assessed for the number of vessel wall lesions of the large intracranial arteries and for cerebral parenchymal changes, including the presence and number of cortical, small subcortical, and deep gray matter infarcts; lacunes of presumed vascular origin; cortical microinfarcts; and periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). Regression analyses showed that a higher vessel wall lesion burden was associated with the presence of small subcortical infarcts, lacunes of presumed vascular origin, and deep gray matter infarcts (relative risk 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03–1.35) and presence of moderate-to-severe periventricular WMHs (1.21; 95% CI, 1.03–1.42), which are all manifestations of small vessel disease (SVD). The burden of enhancing vessel wall lesions was associated with the number of cortical microinfarcts only (1.48; 95% CI, 1.04–2.11). These results suggest an interrelationship between large vessel wall lesion burden and cerebral parenchymal manifestations often linked to SVD or, alternatively, that vascular changes occur in both large and small intracranial arteries simultaneously.

Histological changes of the adrenal glands vessels after experimental thermal trauma and under the conditions of lyophilized xenoskin use

Burns, as a stress factor, cause circulatory and microcirculation disorders in the organs. In the scientific literature, the issues of structural reorganization of the vascular bed of the adrenal glands in thermal trauma and under conditions of correction by lyophilized xenoskin are insufficiently covered and therefore require further study. The aim of our study was to study the microscopic changes of the vessels of the adrenal glands in the dynamics after experimental thermal trauma and under conditions of correction. The experiment was performed on adult white male rats. Grade III burn (18-20 % of the skin surface) was applied under thiopental-sodium anesthesia with copper plates heated in water to a temperature of 97-1000C, on the epilated surface of the skin of the back for 10 seconds. One day after the thermal injury, an early necrectomy was performed and the wound was covered with a substrate of lyophilized xenoskin. Animal decapitation and microscopic changes were studied at days 7, 14, and 21 of injury modeling. The manufacture of histopreparations was carried out according to conventional methods. Histological examinations after experimental thermal trauma and correction of xenoskin substrate on the 7th day showed that already in this period of the experiment there were less pronounced destructive changes in the structure of the vessels of the adrenal glands. Some blood vessels were unevenly filled and dilated. The hemocapillaries of the microcirculatory tract are blood-filled, the vessel wall is destructively altered, and perivascular edema is present. On the 14th day of the experiment, moderately blood vessels were observed. The wall of large vessels is slightly swollen, partially thickened, hemocapillaries are moderately blood-filled, with dilated lumens and continuous endothelial lining. Under the conditions of application of the substrate of lyophilized xenoskin on the 21st day of the experiment, the structural organization of the vascular bed of the adrenal glands was significantly better compared to the previous terms of the study. Most vessels had evenly dilated lumens and moderate blood supply, and wall edema was insignificant. The walls of microvessels are preserved, well structured, endotheliocytes without severe damage, without signs of infiltration and edema. Thus, the results of microscopic examination showed that early necrectomy, and subsequent closure of the wound with a substrate of lyophilized xenoskin, creates optimal conditions for regenerative processes in both burns and vascular bed of the adrenal glands. On the 7th day after the burn and under conditions of correction, the study of the vascular bed of the adrenal glands showed a moderate degree of destructive changes in the vascular bed of the adrenal glands and the initial signs of their regeneration. In the late terms (14-21 days) of the experiment the relative normalization of cellular parenchymal components of the organ was established against the background of restoration of the structural organization of the microcirculatory tract.

Effects of aerobic exercise on TC, HDL-C, LDL-C and TG in patients with hyperlipidemia: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background:With the development of the social level and the improvement of living standards, people's dietary structure changes in the direction of high blood fat, high sugar and high fever, which leads to the occurrence of many diseases.Long-term increase in blood lipids can easily cause cholesterol to invade the walls of large blood vessels, deposit and accumulate, and promote the proliferation of smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts in the arterial intima, leading to coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis (AS) and other cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.Methods:Electronic databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science(WOS), the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang. These databases will be searched to identify randomized controlled trials published January 1, 1980, and January 20, 2021. Language is limited with English and Chinese. We will use the standards provided in Cochrane Handbook 5.3.0 for quality assessment and risk assessment, and use Revman 5.3 software for meta-analysis. The primary outcomes are mainly evaluated by total cholesterol and triglyceride.Conclusion:The results of this study can provide a beneficial basis for the improvement of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride in patients with hyperlipidemia.

Artificial red blood cells increase large vessel wall damage and decrease surrounding dermal tissue damage in a rabbit auricle model after subsequent flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser treatment.

Artificial red blood cells (i.e. hemoglobin [Hb] vesicles [Hb-Vs]) function effectively as photosensitizers in flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser (PDL) treatment for port-wine stains in animal models. Hb-Vs deliver more Hb to the vicinity of the endothelial cells. Both Hb-Vs and red blood cells absorb the laser energy and generate heat, supporting the removal of very small blood vessels and deeper subcutaneous blood vessels with PDL irradiation in in vivo experiments. Here, we analyzed the photosensitizing effect of Hb-Vs in PDL irradiation on large blood vessels and surrounding soft tissues. We histopathologically analyzed markers of damage to the large vessels and surrounding dermal tissue in a rabbit auricle model following PDL irradiation alone or subsequent to the addition of intravenous Hb-V injection. Markers were graded on a five-point scale and statistically compared. The changes in laser light absorption and reflection in a human skin model caused by the administration of Hb-Vs were evaluated using Monte Carlo light-scattering programs. Histological markers of damage to blood vessels were significantly greater in Hb-V-injected arteries and veins measuring 1-3mm in diameter as compared with the controls. However, Hb-V injection significantly reduced PDL-induced necrosis and hemorrhage in the surrounding tissues. During computer simulation, photon absorption increased within the vessel layer and decreased around the layer. Intravenous Hb-Vs increase the extent of damage in larger vessel walls but significantly reduce damage to the surrounding skin after subsequent PDL irradiation. These beneficial effects are the result of improving vessel selectivity by Hb-Vs in vessels. Hb-V administration prior to PDL irradiation therapy could mechanically improve the outcomes and safety profiles of port-wine stain treatment protocols.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ГЕОМЕТРИИ И МЕХАНИЧЕСКИХ СВОЙСТВ АТЕРОСКЛЕРОТИЧЕСКИХ БЛЯШЕК НА СТЕНКАХ СОСУДОВ МЕТОДАМИ ИНТРАВАСКУЛЯРНОЙ ОПТИЧЕСКОЙ КОГЕРЕНТНОЙ ТОМОГРАФИИ

A method for studying atherosclerotic plaques on the walls of large blood vessels is proposed, which allows taking into account not only the optical, but also the mechanical properties of the object under study. Its main features are noted. The information about the geometric characteristics and internal structure of atherosclerotic plaques can be useful in determining their stability. This method is supposed to be used not only in scientific research, but also in real clinical practice, in particular, neurosurgical problems to assess the degree of influence of atherosclerosis on cerebral aneurysm.

The vasa vasorum of the large pulmonary vessels are involved in COVID-19.

DEAR EDITOR In our manuscript “COVID-19: a closer look at the pathology in two autopsied cases. Is the pericyte at the center of the pathological process in COVID-19?” ;1 published in Volume 11, 2021 issue of Autopsy Case Reports; Figures 3B, 4A, 4B, and 4D show thrombosis within the walls of large pulmonary vessels. These locations of thrombosis may represent the location of the vasa vasorum of these pulmonary vessels. Figures 3B and 4A may represent thrombus within vasorum externa, whilst figures 4B and 4D represent thrombus within vasorum interna.2 The significance of these sites means that both, the alveolar microcirculation and the vasa vasorum of the large pulmonary vessels are involved in the thrombotic processes in COVID-19. The latter thrombotic site would further implicate COVID-19 as a disease of the microcirculation. Boyle and Haverich3 postulated that “the involvement of the large vessels during coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) in both children and adults is likely due to dysfunction of their vasa vasorum and SARS-COV-2 induced microthrombosis of vasa vasorum would lead to hypoxic conditions in the adventitia.” As the world is grappling with the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, it is essential to understand the pathogenesis of COVID-19 to formulate therapeutic options. It may be that the lung is a secondary partner in COVID-19 and the pathogenesis of this disease begins in the nasopharynx,4 where there is an abundance of ACE-2 receptor sites. SARS-COV-2 interaction at the port of entry in the nasopharynx produces chemokines/cytokines,3,5 which circulates in the systemic circulation, causing endotheliopathy and subsequent thrombotic microangiopathy6 being the ultimate result.

The utility of PET/CT in large vessel vasculitis

18F-FDG PET/CT occupies a growing role in the diagnosis of large vessel vasculitis (LVV), illustrating enhanced uptake in the lining of large vessels. A retrospective single center study was conducted of patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT scans between 2009 and 2019 at Sheba Medical Center, Israel. The imaging results were analyzed for evidence of LVV. We reviewed the PET/CT scans of 126 patients and identified 57 studies that either showed evidence of active LVV or that had been performed in patients previously treated for systemic vasculitis. In 6 patients with fevers of unknown origin and elevated inflammatory markers, PET/CT revealed LVV. Six of 13 patients previously treated for systemic vasculitis demonstrated persistent large vessel uptake. LVV was identified in 8 patients with other autoimmune diseases, and in 4 diagnosed with infectious aortitis. In 26 patients who underwent malignancy surveillance, PET/CT revealed more localized large vessel wall inflammation. Our results illustrate that PET/CT may identify large vessel wall inflammation in patients with a suspicion of LVV, and incidentally in patients who undergo malignancy surveillance. PET/CT may also help delineate the presence and extent of vessel inflammation in patients with LVV and in those with other autoimmune diseases.

Distinctive Subpopulations of Stromal Cells Are Present in Human Lymph Nodes Infiltrated with Melanoma.

Metastasis of human tumors to lymph nodes (LN) is a universally negative prognostic factor. LN stromal cells (SC) play a crucial role in enabling T-cell responses, and because tumor metastases modulate their structure and function, this interaction may suppress immune responses to tumor antigens. The SC subpopulations that respond to infiltration of malignant cells into human LNs have not been defined. Here, we identify distinctive subpopulations of CD90+ SCs present in melanoma-infiltrated LNs and compare them with their counterparts in normal LNs. The first population (CD90+ podoplanin+ CD105+ CD146+ CD271+ VCAM-1+ ICAM-1+ α-SMA+) corresponds to fibroblastic reticular cells that express various T-cell modulating cytokines, chemokines, and adhesion molecules. The second (CD90+ CD34+ CD105+ CD271+) represents a novel population of CD34+ SCs embedded in collagenous structures, such as the capsule and trabeculae, that predominantly produce extracellular matrix. We also demonstrated that these two SC subpopulations are distinct from two subsets of human LN pericytes, CD90+ CD146+ CD36+ NG2- pericytes in the walls of high endothelial venules and other small vessels, and CD90+ CD146+ NG2+ CD36- pericytes in the walls of larger vessels. Distinguishing between these CD90+ SC subpopulations in human LNs allows for further study of their respective impact on T-cell responses to tumor antigens and clinical outcomes.

Autophagy, Hyperlipidemia, and Atherosclerosis.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process in eukaryotes that processes the turnover of intracellular substances. Atherosclerosis is a disease caused by multiple factors, it mainly occurs on the walls of large and medium blood vessels and atherosclerotic plaques form in the intima of the blood vessels. Hyperlipidemia is considered to be a very dangerous factor leading to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, especially atherosclerosis. This chapter mainly introduces the key role of autophagy in hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis, that is, impaired lipophagy affects the degradation of triacylglycerol, cholesterol, etc., leading to hyperlipidemia in atherosclerosis. In patients, excessive levels of autophagy accelerate the rupture of atherosclerotic plaque. This chapter also describes the advances in the treatment of atherosclerosis and hyperlipidemia by targeted autophagy.