Dysregulated expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in various tissues has been associated with a variety of diseases, including cancers. Here we demonstrate that miRNAs are present in the serum and plasma of humans and other animals such as mice, rats, bovine fetuses, calves, and horses. The levels of miRNAs in serum are stable, reproducible, and consistent among individuals of the same species. Employing Solexa, we sequenced all serum miRNAs of healthy Chinese subjects and found over 100 and 91 serum miRNAs in male and female subjects, respectively. We also identified specific expression patterns of serum miRNAs for lung cancer, colorectal cancer, and diabetes, providing evidence that serum miRNAs contain fingerprints for various diseases. Two non-small cell lung cancer-specific serum miRNAs obtained by Solexa were further validated in an independent trial of 75 healthy donors and 152 cancer patients, using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Through these analyses, we conclude that serum miRNAs can serve as potential biomarkers for the detection of various cancers and other diseases.

Rationale: Coronary artery ligation to induce myocardial infarction (MI) in mice is typically performed by an invasive and time-consuming approach that requires ventilation and chest opening (classic method), often resulting in extensive tissue damage and high mortality. We developed a novel and rapid surgical method to induce MI that does not require ventilation.Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and comprehensively describe this method and directly compare it to the classic method. Key Words: myocardial ischemia Ⅲ myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury Ⅲ cardiac injury Ⅲ cardiac dysfunction Ⅲ mouse model C ardiovascular disease represents the leading cause of morbidity and death in developed countries. Coronary heart disease, which is the single largest cause of cardiovascular disease, is the narrowing of arteries over time caused by atherosclerotic plaques or the acute occlusion of the coronary artery by thrombosis, both of which lead to possible myocardial infarction (MI) and the eventual development of heart failure. 1,2 Protection from coronary heart disease-induced damage of the myocardium during myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury has been a target of investigation for the development of innovative cardioprotective therapies. [3][4][5][6][7] The increase in the availability of various types of genetically manipulated mice has brought about the need for more efficient ways to induce myocardial damage for both molecular mechanistic studies and potentially therapeutic interventions. Two of the most common models used by researchers are permanent left main descending coronary artery (LCA) occlusion to induce a MI and also temporary coronary artery occlusion to induce I/R injury. 8,9 The I/R model is generally used to examine the short-term consequences of ischemic injury, whereas the MI model is usually used to investigate myocardial changes such as remodeling that occur over an extended period of time. Although a variety of surgical manipulations have been used during the past decade to induce the ischemic event, ligation of the LCA is still the most commonly practiced method. 3,9 -11 However, most investigators still use a method requiring ventilation and wide opening the chest (referred to as the classic method), which can cause extensive tissue damage, high surgical-related death and can also be quite time consuming for most surgeons. [12][13][14][15] Over the last few years, we have developed a new MI approach in mice that does not require ventilation. 11,16 -18 Complete characterization and description of this model has Original Methods and Results:

Background Obesity/diabetes adversely affects post-ischemic heart remodeling via incompletely understood underlying mechanisms. C1q/TNF-related protein-3 (CTRP3) is a newly identified adipokine exerting beneficial metabolic regulation, similar to adiponectin. The current study determined whether CTRP3 may regulate post-ischemic cardiac remodeling and cardiac dysfunction, and, if so, sought to elucidate the involved underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results Male adult mice were subjected to myocardial infarction (MI) via left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery occlusion. Both the effect of MI upon endogenous CTRP3 expression/production and the effect of exogenous CTRP3 (adenovirus or recombinant CTRP3) replenishment upon MI injury were investigated. MI significantly inhibited adipocyte CTRP3 expression and reduced plasma CTRP3 level, reaching nadir 3 days post-MI. CTRP3 replenishment improved survival rate (P<0.05), restored cardiac function, attenuated cardiomyocyte apoptosis, increased revascularization, and dramatically reduced interstitial fibrosis (P values all <0.01). CTRP3 replenishment had no significant effect upon cardiac AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation, but significantly increased Akt phosphorylation and expression of hypoxia inducing factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Surprisingly, treatment of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) with CTRP3 did not directly affect NO production or tube formation. However, pre-conditioned medium from CTRP3-treated cardiomyocytes significantly enhanced HUVEC tube formation, an effect blocked by either pre-treatment of cardiomyocytes with a PI3K inhibitor, or pre-treatment of HUVECs with a VEGF inhibitor. Finally, pre-conditioned medium from CTRP3-knockdown 3T3 cells significantly enhanced hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte injury. Conclusions CTRP3 is a novel anti-apoptotic, pro-angiogenic, and cardioprotective adipokine, whose expression is significantly inhibited following MI.