The (pro)renin receptor (PRR) is a single-transmembrane protein that regulates the local renin-angiotensin system and participates in various intracellular signaling pathways, thus exhibiting a significant physio-pathological relevance in cellular homeostasis. A soluble form of PRR (sPRR) is generated through proteases-mediated cleavage of the full-length PRR and secreted into extracellular spaces. Accumulating evidence indicates pivotal biological functions of sPRR in various physiopathological processes. sPRR may be a novel biomarker for multiple diseases.

BackgroundExperimental and clinical evidence has demonstrated a pivotal role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, and targeting inflammation has been shown to provide clinical benefits for patients with coronary disease. Endothelial cells constitute the majority of non-cardiomyocytes in the heart. Endothelial pro-inflammatory activation is recognized as a critical component in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. The dried flowers of Edgeworthia gardneri (Wall.) Meisn. (EG) have been widely used as Tibetan folk medicine to ameliorate a range of metabolic disorders, such as diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and obesity. However, its role in modulating endothelial inflammation and ischemic heart disease has not been evaluated.Methods and resultsHerein, using a preclinical rat model of coronary artery ligation-induced myocardial infarction (MI), we demonstrated that systemic administration of EG extract (EEEG) attenuated ischemic cardiac injury. EEEG reduced myocardial infarct size, improved cardiac function, and ameliorated adverse cardiac remodeling. Moreover, the cardioprotective effects of EEEG were associated with decreased MI-induced myocardial inflammation. Consistent with the anti-inflammatory role of EEEG in vivo, EEEG attenuated TNF-α-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) activation and monocyte-endothelial cell firm adhesion in vitro. Mechanistically, our data showed that EEEG’s mode of action suppresses the activation of NF-κB, ERK, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways in ECs. Importantly, we demonstrated that EEEG inhibits endothelial inflammation in an NF-κB- and p38 MAPK-dependent manner using pharmacological inhibitors.ConclusionCollectively, this study identified EG as a potential therapeutic agent in attenuating endothelial inflammation and managing ischemic cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite of intestinal flora, has been shown to be closely related to the development of atherosclerosis. Previous...

The current regional development crisis and opportunities coexist. On the one hand, the economic environment is complex and volatile, with more and more crisis shocks testing the resilience of urban development, while on the other hand, the rapid development of science and technology such as the digital economy has affected all areas of the economy, life, and governance of cities, bringing opportunities for urban development. The use of digital transformation to enhance urban resilience is therefore an obvious and important topic. Based on panel data of 27 cities in the Yangtze River Delta from 2011 to 2020, this study empirically analyses the impact of digital transformation on urban resilience by constructing a fixed effects model, a mediated effects model and a spatial Du bin model. The study finds that: (1) In terms of time, the urban resilience and digital transformation capacity of the Yangtze River Delta region are both on the rise; From a spatial point of view, the urban resilience of the Yangtze River Delta region basically shows a spatial distribution pattern of “high in the central cities, and low in the peripheral cities”, while the digital transformation capacity basically shows a pattern of “high in the east-central region, and low in the west”. (2) Digital transformation has a significant positive impact on improving urban resilience; (3) Digital transformation enhances urban resilience through three main paths: technological innovation capacity, new economic sector development momentum, and innovation and entrepreneurship development vitality; (4) Digital transformation has a spatial spillover effect on the urban resilience of neighboring regions.