Association of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">CCL2C</Emphasis> polymorphic markers with essential hypertension

Chemokine CCL2, or monocytic chemoatractant protein 1 (CCL2/MCP-1) plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. In the present study, genotypes of four polymorphic markers (rs1860190, rs1024611, rs3917887, and rs991804) of the CCL2 gene were identified in the population of Tatars (residents of the Republic of Bashkortostan). Analysis of associations of these markers with essential hypertension (EH) was carried out. It was demonstrated that haplotype CCL2*A*G*D*T was associated with the increased risk of EH (P = 0.01; OR = 1.53).     

Contents of abscisic acid and cytokinins in shoots during dehydration of wheat seedlings

Accumulation of ABA in shoots during 30-min dehydration of wheat seedlings was accompanied by the decline in the content of zeatin nucleotide and the accumulation of zeatin 9-N-glucoside. The total content of zeatin derivatives as well as the content of free base of zeatin remained almost constant. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Modified solvent partitioning scheme providing increased specificity and rapidity of immunoassay for indole-3-acetic acid

Based on the distribution constant of IAA, the efficiency of solvent partitioning has been improved by modifying the proportions of the solvents. IAA is recovered almost quantitatively by this method which also renders further sample reduction superfluous. Selective IAA recovery is supported by the distribution of immunoreactive materials on chromatograms. This modified scheme simplifies prepurification of samples for more reliable immunoassay.     

Genetic diversity of populations of a rare species of Dictamnus gymnostylis Stev. in Bashkir Cis-Urals

We examined genetic diversity in populations of Dictamnus gymnostylis Stev., a rare species growing in the Bashkir Cis-Urals, based on the analysis of 8 gene-enzyme systems and detected a fairly high level of intraspecific genetic diversity and population differentiation. We determined the average number of alleles per locus (A) as 1.57; the portion of polymorphic loci (P ₉₅) as 0.508; the observed heterozygosity (H _o) as 0.139; and the expected heterozygosity (H _e) as 0.169. Of the total genetic diversity, 88.3% stems from variability within populations, and 11.7% is due to variation among populations. The average value for the Nei’s genetic distance (D) constituted 0.028.     

Association between inflammatory gene polymorphisms and the risk of myocardial infarction

Allele and genotype frequency distributions of polymorphism rs2076059 (3832T>C) within the SELE gene, rs6131 (S290N), within the SELP gene, rs1131498 (F206L), within the SELL gene, rs5498 (K469E) within the ICAM1 gene, rs35569394 (?2549(18)I/D) within the VEGFA gene, and rs1024611 (?2518A>G) within the CCL2 gene were examined in a group of patients after myocardial infarction (MI)(280 individuals) and in a control group (312 individuals). An implementation of the Markov chain and Monte-Carlo method (APSampler) revealed the allele combinations associated with decreased and increased risk of MI. Among these, the most important allele combinations were SELE*C + SELP*S + CCL2*A (FDR = 0.0005; OR = 0.42), SELP*S + CCL2*A (FDR = 0.0009; OR = 0.36), SELL*F + VEGFA*I + CCL2*G/G (FDR = 0.0009; OR = 4.17), VEGFA*I + CCL2*G/G (FDR = 0.0009; OR = 3.76), SELE*C + CCL2*A (FDR = 0.0023; OR = 0.47), and SELL*F + CCL2*G/G (FDR = 0.003; OR = 3.15).     

Variants of the Coagulation and Inflammation Genes Are Replicably Associated with Myocardial Infarction and Epistatically Interact in Russians

Background

In spite of progress in cardiovascular genetics, data on genetic background of myocardial infarction are still limited and contradictory. This applies as well to the genes involved in inflammation and coagulation processes, which play a crucial role in the disease etiopathogenesis.

Methods and Results

In this study we found genetic variants of TGFB1, FGB and CRP genes associated with myocardial infarction in discovery and replication groups of Russian descent from the Moscow region and the Republic of Bashkortostan (325/185 and 220/197 samples, correspondingly). We also found and replicated biallelic combinations of TGFB1 with FGB, TGFB1 with CRP and IFNG with PTGS1 genetic variants associated with myocardial infarction providing a detectable cumulative effect. We proposed an original two-component procedure for the analysis of nonlinear (epistatic) interactions between the genes in biallelic combinations and confirmed the epistasis hypothesis for the set of alleles of IFNG with PTGS. The procedure is applicable to any pair of logical variables, e.g. carriage of two sets of alleles. The composite model that included three single gene variants and the epistatic pair has AUC of 0.66 both in discovery and replication groups.

Conclusions

The genetic impact of TGFB1, FGB, CRP, IFNG, and PTGS and/or their biallelic combinations on myocardial infarction was found and replicated in Russians. Evidence of epistatic interactions between IFNG with PTGS genes was obtained both in discovery and replication groups.     

Analysis of the association of allelic variants of apolypoprotein E and interleukin 1 beta genes with multiple sclerosis in ethnic Tatars

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial disease of the central nervous system. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) and interleukin 1 beta (IL1B) genes are considered to be candidate genes of MS. The aim of the study was to examine the hypothesis of the importance of APOE and IL1B gene polymorphisms in MS development in ethnic Tatars. DNA samples isolated by phenol-chloroform extraction from peripheral blood of 383 ethnic Tatars (120 MS patients and 263 healthy donors) were studied. 112C/R and 158R/C APOE gene polymorphisms as well as -511T/C IL1B gene polymorphism were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by PCR product digestion by endonuclease. Odds ratio (OR) values were used for evaluation of the relative risk of alleles and(or) genotype combinations. It has been shown that APOE*2/*3 genotype is associated with low risk of the disease development (OR = 0.20) in women. A combined effect of APOE and IL1B allelic variants has been discovered indicating the increased risk of the disease development in the carriers of APOE*4 and IL1B*T/*T alleles (OR = 4.76).     

Experience of organization of flushing and disinfection of centralized system of hot water supply in town Verkhnyaya Pyshma after its colonization by Legionella

Causes of outbreak incidence of pneumonia due to Legionella infection in population of Verkhnyaya Pyshma as well as factors promoting colonization of town's hot water supply system by Legionella were discussed. Experience of organization of flushing and disinfection of hot water supply system was described, effectiveness of different methods of disinfection was evaluated.     

Polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E gene and risk of multiple sclerosis in ethnic Russians

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial disease of the central nervous system with pronounced hereditary predisposition. The purpose of the study was to test the assumption on the involvement of the apolipoprotein E gene (APOE) polymorphism in exon 4 in the development of MS in ethnic Russians. Samples independently collected in Moscow (106 MS cases and 189 control healthy volunteers), Sverdlovsk oblast (54 and 109, respectively), and the Republic of Bashkortostan (119 and 285, respectively) were examined. Genotypes for 2059C/T and 2197C/T polymorphisms of the APOE gene, which determine the amino acid substitutions C112R and R158C in apolipoprotein E, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction analysis of amplificates. No statistically significant differences in genotype or allele frequencies were found between the control group and the group of MS cases. The APOE*4 allele is not associated with the risk of MS in ethnic Russians.     

Investigation of Gene Insertion–Deletion Polymorphism of the Gene for Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme in Populations of the Volga–Ural Region

Insertion–deletion polymorphism at the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene in populations of the Volga–Ural region was examined by means of polymerase chain reaction. The populations studied belong to the Finno-Ugric (Komis, Maris, Mordovians, and Udmurts), Turkic (Chuvashes, Tatars, and Bashkirs), and Eastern-Slavic (Russians) ethnic groups. Distribution patterns of allele and genotype frequencies of this polymorphic system in the examined region were characterized. Comparison of the obtained results with the literature data on the ACE gene polymorphism in other Caucasoid and Mongoloid populations revealed some trends in the ACE genotype frequency dynamics depending on the ethnicity of the populations.