Background-We investigated whether the improvement of cardiac function and remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) relates to acceleration of the healing process, in addition to myocardial regeneration. Methods and Results-In a 30-minute coronary occlusion and reperfusion rabbit model, saline (S) or 10 g · kg Ϫ1 · d

Sarpogrelate reduces the myocardial infarct size by inhibiting the serotonin release followed by enhancement of PKC-epsilon translocation and opening of the mitochondrial KATP channel in ischemic myocytes.

A series of new sulfone compounds containing 1,3,4-oxadiazole moieties were synthesized. The structures of these compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic data (IR, 1H- and 13C-NMR) and elemental analyses. Antifungal tests indicated that all the title compounds exhibited good antifungal activities against eight kinds of plant pathogenic fungi, and some showed superiority over the commercial fungicide hymexazol. Among them, compounds 5d, 5e, 5f, and 5i showed prominent activity against B. cinerea, with determined EC50 values of 5.21 μg/mL, 8.25 µg/mL, 8.03 µg/mL, and 21.00 µg/mL, respectively. The present work demonstrates that sulfone derivatives such as 5dcontaining a 1,3,4-oxadiazole moiety can be used as possible lead compounds for the development of potential agrochemicals.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and heparin-binding epidermal growth factorlike growth factor (HB-EGF) are cardiogenic and cardiohypertrophic growth factors. Although the therapeutic effects of IGF and HGF have been well demonstrated in injured hearts, it is uncertain whether natural upregulation of HB-EGF after myocardial infarction (MI) plays a beneficial or pathological role in the process of remodeling. To answer this question, we conducted adenoviral HB-EGF gene transduction in in vitro and in vivo injured heart models, allowing us to highlight and explore the HB-EGF-induced phenotypes. Overexpressed HB-EGF had no cytoprotective or additive death-inducible effect on Fas-induced apoptosis or oxidative stress injury in primary cultured mouse cardiomyocytes, although it significantly induced hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes and proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts. Locally overexpressed HB-EGF in the MI border area in rabbit hearts did not improve cardiac function or exhibit an angiogenic effect, and instead exacerbated remodeling at the subacute and chronic stages post-MI. Namely, it elevated the levels of apoptosis, fibrosis, and the accumulation of myofibroblasts and macrophages in the MI area, in addition to inducing left ventricular hypertrophy. Thus, upregulated HB-EGF plays a pathophysiological role in injured hearts in contrast to the therapeutic roles of IGF and HGF. These results imply that regulation of HB-EGF may be a therapeutic target for treating cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Laboratory Investigation (2005) 85, 862-873.

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