Yoon, Chang Hwan

BACKGROUND: Two types of cells are cultured from the human peripheral blood, early endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs), as previously reported. Here, we further characterize these cells, especially with respect to their different origins and functions both in vitro and in vivo. We also investigated whether the combination of these different cell types shows synergism during neovascularization. METHODS AND RESULTS: Early EPCs were heterogeneously made up of

BACKGROUND: Cell therapy is a promising option to improve functional recovery after ischemia. Several subsets of bone marrow-derived cells were shown to reduce infarct size and increase ejection fraction in experimental models of ischemia. The mechanisms underlying the functional improvement are diverse and have been shown to include paracrine effects of the injected cells, as well as a variable degree of differentiation to endothelial cells, pericytes, smooth muscle, and cardiac muscle. METHODS

BACKGROUND: Trafficking of transplanted endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) to an ischemic organ is a critical step in neovascularization. This study was performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of EPC trafficking in terms of adhesion molecules. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using murine hindlimb ischemia model, we examined expressions of E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) in

BACKGROUND: Several mechanisms have been proposed to account for diabetes-induced microvasculopathy (DMV). Although Notch signaling was reported to be affected by glucose metabolism in endothelial cells during developmental angiogenesis, it has not been investigated in vascular remodeling of adult capillaries in relation to diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We induced diabetes mellitus in 8-week-old adult mice by intravenously administering streptozotocin. After 6 weeks, we harvested organs, including

An elevation in the BNP level is determined by the functional status of the right and left ventricles in patients with isolated, severe TR. An elevated BNP predicts adverse events after corrective surgery. Therefore, the BNP level should be included in the clinical evaluation and risk stratification of patients with isolated TR.

With the CBME implementation, most residents expressed satisfaction with the hospital's educational environment but they suffered from overwork. Further efforts to improve the educational program and environment are warranted.

In patients with a high prevalence of acute coronary syndrome, Orsiro stents were not inferior to BioMatrix stents. Both showed good clinical outcomes.

The FHpCVD and FHDM are significantly associated with GHD and GDM, respectively. Meticulous family histories should be obtained, and women with family histories of these conditions should be carefully monitored during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on long-term outcomes after successful percutaneous coronary intervention for chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesions. BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking promotes the progression of atherosclerosis but enhances the antiplatelet effect of clopidogrel. METHODS: The Korea National Registry of CTO Intervention included 2,167 patients with CTO lesions from 26 centers who were successfully revascularized with drug-eluting stents from 2007 to 2

Background: Comparative studies of ultrathin-strut biodegradable polymer sirolimus-eluting stent (BP-SES) have reported promising results and validated its excellent outcomes in terms of safety and efficacy. However, there are limited studies comparing BP drug-eluting stents with struts of different thicknesses. We compared the long-term clinical outcomes of patients treated with an ultrathin-strut BP-SES or a thick-strut biodegradable polymer biolimus-eluting stent (BP-BES). Methods: The BIODEG