Background: The mechanisms driving the progression of moyamoya disease (MMD) remain unrecognized. There is evidence suggesting that genetic and environmental factors may be associated with intracranial artery stenosis. Here, we aimed to investigate the characteristics of infectious exposure and the association of the RNF213 (RING finger protein 213) variant and infectious burden (IB) with intracranial artery stenosis of MMD. Methods and Results: We prospectively recruited 275 patients with MMD. Participants underwent RNF213 p.R4810K sequencing. Serum antibody titers of herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasma, rubella virus, and Epstein‐Barr virus were assessed and combined into an IB score. The degree of intracranial artery stenosis was measured by using the Willis narrowing score (WNS), which was then dichotomized as mild and severe. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to analyze variables associated with severe WNS. Patients with the RNF213 variant had a higher risk of severe WNS than wild‐type individuals ( P =0.003). Patients with MMD with severe WNS showed an increased level of IB score ( P <0.001). The RNF213 variant (odds ratio [OR], 2.832 [95% CI, 1.347–5.955]; P =0.006) and IB score (OR, 1.771 [95% CI, 1.286–2.439]; P <0.001) were significantly associated with severe WNS after adjusting for covariates. Furthermore, the associations between IB score and severe WNS were more prominent among patients with modifiable risk factors of elevated body mass index ( P _interaction <0.001), triglycerides ( P _interaction =0.011), and homocysteine ( P _interaction =0.016). Conclusions: This study outlined a perspective of the genetic‐environmental interactions in the progression of MMD. The RNF213 variant and increased IB were associated with intracranial artery stenosis in MMD. The study will provide novel insights into the mechanism of disease progression, which may offer opportunities for early intervention of infectious exposure in MMD.

The aim of the study was to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of ticagrelor and clopidogrel in patients with coronary heart disease one year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and to explore their association with the CYP2C19 gene polymorphism. A total of 971 patients with coronary heart disease who were hospitalized and underwent PCI from April 2016 to May 2017 were studied. All 971 patients were divided into three subgroups according to CYP2C19 gene types as fast metabolizing, slow metabolizing and very slow metabolizing type. Patients were also classified according to the oral antiplatelet aggregation drugs they received: clopidogrel group and ticagrelor group. The incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and bleeding events in the clopidogrel‑treated and ticagrelor‑treated groups and in patients with fast, slow, and very slow CYP2C19 metabolisms were compared. Binary logistic regression analysis was carried out to analyze the risk factors associated with MACEs and hemorrhagic events. Patients on ticagrelor had a greater number of bleeding complications compared to those on clopidogrel (P<0.001), with no difference in MACE between the two groups (P=0.399). The incidence of MACE was significantly higher in very slow metabolizing patients receiving clopidogrel (P<0.001) while the incidence of bleeding complications was significantly higher in fast metabolizing patients receiving ticagrelor (P<0.001). The regression analysis revealed that the CYP2C19 gene mutation, a dual‑antiplatelet therapy, and a stroke history were all significantly associated with MACE. By contrast, a dual‑antiplatelet therapy and a stroke history were significantly associated with bleeding events. Findings of the present study indicated that clopidogrel and ticagrelor were equally efficacious post‑PCI. Efficacy of clopidogrel was reduced in patients with very slow CYP2C19 genotype while bleeding complications were higher in patients with fast CYP2C19 genotype receiving ticagrelor. CYP2C19 genotyping may be used to provide guidance to optimize individual antiplatelet treatment.

Background and aim. Kynurenine (KYN) and kynurenic acid (KYNA) are key intermediate metabolites associated with inflammation and immune responses in the kynurenine pathway. It remains unknown whether KYN or KYNA is associated with the risk of adult moyamoya disease (MMD). The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate the association between serum KYN or KYNA and the risk of adult MMD. Methods. The study was conducted from July 2020 to December 2021. We measured serum KYN and KYNA levels for 360 adult MMD patients (259 cases of ischemic MMD, 101 cases of hemorrhagic MMD) and 89 age-sex-matched healthy controls. Clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected from the medical record. Results. After multivariate adjustment, decreased serum KYNA (OR, 0.085; 95% CI, 0.035–0.206; p = 0.000) or KYN (OR, 0.430; 95% CI, 0.225–0.820; p = 0.010) levels were associated with increased risk of MMD when upper and lower tertiles were compared. In addition, a higher trend of hemorrhagic MMD was found in MMD patients in KYNA tertile 1 compared with those in tertile 2 to 3 (OR, 0.584; 95% CI, 0.345–0.987; p = 0.044). Addition of serum KYNA (net reclassification improvement: 73.24%, p = 0.000; integrated discrimination improvement: 9.60%, p = 0.000) or KYN (integrated discrimination improvement: 1.70%, p = 0.037) to conventional risk factors significantly improved the risk prediction of MMD. In the exploratory analysis, we observed an interaction between KYN and age (≥40 versus <40 years) or homocysteine levels (≥13.0 versus <13.0 μmol/L) on the risk of MMD. Conclusions. Decreased serum KYNA or KYN levels were associated with an increased risk of adult MMD, suggesting that serum KYNA or KYN may be a valuable predictive biomarker for adult MMD.

Background: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is characterized by progressive arterial stenosis and abnormal collateral formation, but the spatial organization of vessel-wall abnormalities remains incompletely understood. Methods: We combined Xenium in situ spatial transcriptomics and multiplex immunofluorescence in superficial temporal artery samples from patients with MMD and controls, and performed gain- and loss-of-function experiments in human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). Western blotting, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), tube-formation, Transwell migration, and cell scratch assays were used to assess signaling and endothelial phenotypes. Results: MMD vascular tissue showed intimal hyperplasia, altered spatial cellular architecture, and enrichment of extracellular matrix- and proteoglycan-related programs, with upregulation of sulfatase 1 (SULF1). In HBMECs, SULF1 knockdown reduced, whereas SULF1 overexpression enhanced, vascular endothelial growth factor A165 (VEGF-A165)-induced vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation, migration, tube formation, and angiogenesis- and adhesion-related gene expression. Heparinase III attenuated the signaling effects associated with SULF1 overexpression. Conclusion: These findings suggest that SULF1-associated extracellular matrix alterations may contribute to local vessel-wall remodeling and enhanced endothelial responsiveness in MMD. Graphical