Achievements & Original concepts

ORIGINAL CONCEPTS AND SELECTED FINDINGS

  • Transcytosis of molecules and its mechanisms: fluid phase, adsorptive and receptor mediated;

  • Histamine receptors are expressed preferentially on venular endothelial cells (EC);

  • Hyperglycemia induced - increased atherogenicity of lipoproteins contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis in diabetes;

  • Albumin binding proteins are expressed by endothelial cells and cardiomyocytes;

  • The initial event in atherogenesis is the accumulation of modified lipoproteins within the subendothelial space of the aorta, cardiac valves, coronary arteries of humans and experimental animals;

  • Endothelial cell response to normal and abnormal stimuli;

  • Inhibition of atheroma formation is potentiated by the association of ACE26 inhibitors with calcium channel blockers;

  • Identification of FcRn in human placental endothelial cells;

  • Detection of new Fc-receptor on placental endothelial cell;

  • Detection of new antigens in activated EC by high resolution 2-D gel electrophoresis;

  • Polymorphism of candidate gene (eNOS, ACE) is associated with endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis and diabetes;

  • In experimental hyperlipemia-hyperglycemia administration of L-arginine improves the microangiopathic changes of coronaries and enhances vasodilation of resistance arteries;

  • High uptake of folic acid by activated macrophages in experimental hyperlipidemia;

  • Circulating microparticles contribute to human peripheral venular dysfunction;

  • Calcium channel blockers (felodipine, amlodipine) and ACE inhibitor (enalapril maleat) regulate NADPH oxidase in pericytes;

  • Nifedipine has deleterious effects on calcium homeostasis and aggravates atheroma formation;

  • Clotrimazole has comparable properties with calcium antagonists;

  • Enoxaparin restores the vascular reactivity of resistance arteries in ageing and diabetes;

  • Enoxaparin reduces monocyte adhesion to TNF-, LPS-, or high glucose-activated EC;

  • Superoxide dismutase entrapped-liposomes restore the impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation of resistance arteries in experimental diabetes;

  • VCAM-1 is an appropriate target for specific delivery of drugs to activated EC by immunoliposomes;

  • Aspirin corrects the high glucose-induced changes in intracellular calcium homeostasis and NO production in human EC;

  • Simvastatin inhibits transcytosis of LDL in hyperlipemia reducing plaque progression;

  • Simvastatin and Amlodipin increase the sera antioxidant potential in patients with stable angina;

  • Atorvastatin downregulates NADPH oxidase activity, and decreases NOX1 and p22phox gene expression in human aortic smooth muscle cells exposed to glycated LDL;

  • Enoxaparin reduces endothelial cell activation;

  • PPARα activators (fenofibrate and clofibrate) inhibit MCP-1 and fractalkine expression induced by high glucose in human smooth muscle cells;

  • PPAR agonists decrease plaque vulnerability through modulation of MMP-2 activity;

  • Anti-oxidant potential of felodipine is higher that that of amlodipine;

  • Nebivolol has a reversible vasodilator effect on renal arteries.

ORIGINAL ANIMAL MODELS

  • The hyperlipemic hamster

  • The hyperglycemic / hyperlipemic hamster

  • The insulin-resistant hamster

  • L-NAME-induced hypertensive hamster

  • Hypertensive/hyperlipemic hamster

NEW CELL LINES

  • Existent in the Cell Culture Core Facility

ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL TRAINING

  • Ph.D. program in cellular and molecular biology

  • Postdoctoral training of scientists from Romania and abroad

  • National and International Congresses of the Romanian Society for Cell Biology

  • Annual Advanced Study School "From Cell and Molecular Biology to the Medicine of 21st Century", under auspices of the Romanian Academy.