Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
5. Increased activation of the NF-κB pathway and expression of cellular
adhesion molecules are found in individuals with MetS.
6. sICAM-1 and sE-selectin are consistently found to be increased in obese
individuals and those with MetS.
7. Healthy lifestyle changes, dietary modii cations and therapeutic
intervention can help to reverse or reduce the risk of CVD and CHD
associated with obesity and MetS.
Definition of Terms
Atherosclerotic plaque development:
Endothelial dysfunction leads to the accumulation of
macrophages, lipids and smooth muscle cells in the endothelial cells and the subsequent
development of plaque, which may result in the formation of a blood clot and CHD.
Endothelial cells:
Cells that provide a selective barrier between the blood l owing in the
lumen and the inner layers of the vessel wall; they have a number of other roles including
regulating blood l ow and controlling blood pressure and inl ammatory and immune
function.
Endothelial dysfunction:
Endothelial dysfunction occurs if the endothelium is damaged
and the cells lose their normal function. It may result from disease processes such as
hypertension and it is a key event in the development of atherosclerosis.
Endothelium:
h e thin layer of endothelial cells that line the inner walls of blood vessels.
Metabolic syndrome (MetS):
h e name given to a group of risk factors that increase an
individual's risk of CHD and associated problems.
Nuclear Factor-kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway:
NF-κB is a protein complex that acts as
a transcription factor. It is involved in the cellular responses to stimuli such as stress,
cytokines, oxidized LDL, and bacterial or viral antigens. It is found in many cell types
and plays key roles in regulating the immune response to infection and controlling
inl ammatory genes. It is important in the development of atherosclerosis and CHD.
Obesity:
An adult with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight and one with a
BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
References
Alipour, A. and J.W. Elte, H.C. van Zaanen, A.P. Rietveld, and M.C. Cabezas. 2007.
Postprandial inl ammation and endothelial dysfunction. Biochem. Soc. Trans. 35: 466-
469.
Bonora, E. and S. Kiechl, J. Willeit, F. Oberhollenzer, G. Egger, R.C. Bonadonna, and M.
Muggeo. 2003. Metabolic Syndrome: epidemiology and more extensive phenotypic
description. Cross-sectional data from the Bruneck Study. Int. J. Obesity 27: 1283-
1289.
Demerath, E. and B. Towne, J. Blangero, and R.M. Siervogel. 2001. h e relationship of
soluble ICAM-1, VCAM-1, P-selectin and E-selectin to cardiovascular disease risk
factors in healthy men and women. Ann. Human Biol. 28: 664-678.
