International Journal of Molecular Sciences

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Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of cardiac surgery, both congenital and adult, is rapidly advancing, with a significant emphasis on understanding molecular mechanisms to improve surgical outcomes. With innovations in molecular biology and genetics, there is heightened interest in understanding the molecular underpinnings of various cardiac pathologies and their implications in surgical interventions. From the genetic determinants of congenital heart diseases to the molecular markers predicting graft viability, the intersection of molecular science with cardiac surgery offers promising avenues for patient-centered surgical care. This Special Issue aims to explore the nexus of cardiac surgery and molecular pathways, specifically focusing on molecular biology, genetics, inflammatory pathways, and stem cell aspects. Purely clinical data will not be considered.

Key topics of interest include, but are not limited to the following:

Molecular markers and predictors in congenital heart disease;
Genetic considerations in graft selections and transplant compatibility;
The role of molecular signaling in post-surgical cardiac repair and regeneration;
Genomic and proteomic insights into cardiac surgical outcomes;
Innovations in molecular techniques enhancing the precision of cardiac surgical interventions.

Dr. Konstantinos S. Mylonas
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

congenital cardiac surgery
adult cardiac surgery
cardiovascular stem cell genetics
cardiovascular inflammation

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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8 pages, 1844 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Normoxic Management during Cardiopulmonary Bypass Does Not Reduce Cerebral Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Neonatal Swine

by Danielle I. Aronowitz, Tracy R. Geoffrion, Sarah Piel, Sarah R. Morton, Jonathan Starr, Richard W. Melchior, Hunter A. Gaudio, Rinat Degani, Nicholas J. Widmann, M. Katie Weeks, Nicolina R. Ranieri, Emilie Benson, Tiffany S. Ko, Daniel J. Licht, Marco Hefti, J. William Gaynor, Todd J. Kilbaugh and Constantine D. Mavroudis

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(10), 5466; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25105466 - 17 May 2024

Viewed by 382

Abstract

Optimal oxygen management during pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is unknown. We previously demonstrated an increase in cortical mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and decreased mitochondrial function after CPB using hyperoxic oxygen management. This study investigates whether controlled oxygenation (normoxia) during CPB reduces cortical mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative injury. Ten neonatal swine underwent three hours of continuous CPB at 34 °C (flow > 100 mL/kg/min) via cervical cannulation targeting a partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO₂) goal < 150 mmHg (normoxia, n = 5) or >300 mmHg (hyperoxia, n = 5). The animals underwent continuous hemodynamic monitoring and serial arterial blood sampling. Cortical microdialysate was serially sampled to quantify the glycerol concentration (represents neuronal injury) and lactate-to-pyruvate ratio (represents bioenergetic dysfunction). The cortical tissue was analyzed via high-resolution respirometry to quantify mitochondrial oxygen consumption and reactive oxygen species generation, and cortical oxidized protein carbonyl concentrations were quantified to assess for oxidative damage. Serum PaO₂ was higher in hyperoxia animals throughout CPB (p < 0.001). There were no differences in cortical glycerol concentration between groups (p > 0.2). The cortical lactate-to-pyruvate ratio was modestly elevated in hyperoxia animals (p < 0.03) but the values were not clinically significant (<30). There were no differences in cortical mitochondrial respiration (p = 0.48), protein carbonyls (p = 0.74), or reactive oxygen species generation (p = 0.93) between groups. Controlled oxygenation during CPB does not significantly affect cortical mitochondrial function or oxidative injury in the acute setting. Further evaluation of the short and long-term effects of oxygen level titration during pediatric CPB on cortical tissue and other at-risk brain regions are needed, especially in the presence of cyanosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Advances in Congenital and Adult Cardiac Surgery: From Genes to Grafts)

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Review

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33 pages, 6193 KiB

Open AccessReview

In-Depth Genomic Analysis: The New Challenge in Congenital Heart Disease

by Francesco Nappi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(3), 1734; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25031734 - 1 Feb 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1592

Abstract

The use of next-generation sequencing has provided new insights into the causes and mechanisms of congenital heart disease (CHD). Examinations of the whole exome sequence have detected detrimental gene variations modifying single or contiguous nucleotides, which are characterised as pathogenic based on statistical assessments of families and correlations with congenital heart disease, elevated expression during heart development, and reductions in harmful protein-coding mutations in the general population. Patients with CHD and extracardiac abnormalities are enriched for gene classes meeting these criteria, supporting a common set of pathways in the organogenesis of CHDs. Single-cell transcriptomics data have revealed the expression of genes associated with CHD in specific cell types, and emerging evidence suggests that genetic mutations disrupt multicellular genes essential for cardiogenesis. Metrics and units are being tracked in whole-genome sequencing studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Advances in Congenital and Adult Cardiac Surgery: From Genes to Grafts)

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