Correlation of HLA-Cw*06 allele frequency with some clinical features of psoriasis vulgaris in the population of northern Poland

Psoriasis is a common skin disease with a genetic background and significant human leukocyte antigen (HLA) associations. HLA-Cw6 is the most frequently described association, particularly with psoriasis of the early onset type. Few studies of its correlation with various psoriasis clinical phenotypes and severity of the disease have been published so far; none in the Polish population. In this study 78 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were evaluated clinically and subdivided according to the age of onset and the type of psoriasis. A system of disease severity evaluation was applied to each patient. All patients and the control group (70 unrelated persons) were typed for HLA-Cw*06. The results show that Cw*06 allele frequency was higher in psoriatics than in the control group. Our investigation confirms that the Cw*06 allele is positively associated with psoriasis vulgaris of the early onset type, with a positive family history and its more severe form.     

The Cytotoxicity of Anti-PAI-I Oligonucleotides and Their Conjugates

Abstract

The cytotoxicity of anti-PAI-5 hexadecanucleotides (phosphodiesters and phosphorothioates) and their conjugates with lipophilic alcohols was tested in EA.hy 926 hybrid endothelial cells. Some cytotoxicity was found for cholesteryl and bornyl conjugates at concentrations higher than those used for antisense inhibition experiments.     

siRNAs and miRNAs: small RNA molecules for big tasks

Small RNAs have been recently discovered as important regulators of gene expression in Eukaryota. This review compares two categories of small RNAs existing in plants: short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) and reveals similarities and differences between two intriguing processes: RNA degradation and translational repression directed by small RNAs. The disruption of miRNA-mediated regulation causes developmental abnormalities in plants, proving a fundamental role of miRNAs.     

Changes in the cellular behaviour of human colonic cell line Caco-2 in response to butyrate treatment

Gut-derived adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells were treated with sodium butyrate (NaB) at physiologically relevant concentrations. We characterized its effects on proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, adhesion to the solid support and interleukin-8 secretion. Differentiation was determined by brush border alkaline phosphatase activity. Apoptosis was assessed by acridine orange and Hoechst stains. Differentiation and apoptosis were analyzed in both adherent and floating cell populations. The transformed Caco-2 cells did not retain their malignant phenotype in the presence of NaB. They appeared to undergo a change in the phenotype induced by NaB, as indicated by reduced proliferation, enhanced differentiation, stimulation of apoptosis leading to decreased viability of cells, and stimulation of interleukin-8 secretion. Considering all the above facts and data, we postulate that Caco-2 cells cultured in NaB supplemented medium could regain the phenotypic characteristics of the phenotype of the parent cell from which originated the Caco-2 line.     

Immunospecific protein of 34.5 kDa from DNA-protein cross-links induced by cis- and trans-diamminedichloroplatinum

Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP) is one of the most often used anticancer drugs. It is generally accepted that the antitumor activity of the drug results from its interactions with DNA. Trans-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (trans-DDP) also binds to DNA effectively, but is clinically ineffective. In the present work the lymphocyte nuclear proteins that participate in DNA-protein cross-links induced by cis- and trans-DDP are investigated. In lymphocytes which are incubated without platinum compounds there are DNA-binding proteins in the range of 45-71 kDa. It is shown that additional proteins of 28, 30, 34.5, 45 and 120 kDa are cross-linked with DNA in lymphocytes after 2-h incubation with cis-DDP at concentrations of 0.1 and 0.5 mM. Trans-DDP does not bind additional proteins to DNA after the same incubation time. Electrophoretic analysis shows that trans-DDP binds much more of the same nuclear proteins to DNA than cis-DDP after 12-h incubation. In this study a test for the identification of 34.5 kDa protein is also undertaken. This protein appears in the samples obtained after 12-h incubation of lymphocytes with cis- and trans-DDP at 0.5 and 1 mM, especially. The protein of 34.5 kDa from cross-links induced by 1 mM trans-DDP is recognized by antibodies against the protein of the same molecular weight from the nuclear matrix of the lymphocytes. The results obtained here are discussed in relation to the biological activity of diamminedichloroplatinum isomers.