Chitinase 3-like 1 gene-329G/A polymorphism, plasma concentration and risk of coronary heart disease in a Chinese population

Background

The chitinase-like 1 protein, YKL-40, is involved in inflammation and tissue remodeling. Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and acute myocardial infarction have elevated levels of serum YKL-40. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether the chitinase-like 1 gene-329G/A variant (rs10399931) confers susceptibility to CHD, and whether it is associated with the clinical phenotype and severity of disease.

Methods

We performed a case-control study of 410 unrelated CHD patients (coronary stenosis ≥ 50% or documented myocardial infarction) and 442 controls from China. A ligase detection reaction was used to determine a single-nucleotide polymorphism in rs10399931. The genotypic and allelic associations of this single-nucleotide polymorphism with CHD, phenotypes and severity were also evaluated. Plasma levels of YKL-40 were measured using ELISA assays.

Results

Three genotypes, CC, CT, and TT, existed in rs10399931 and there were no significant differences found in either the genotypic or allelic frequencies between the CHD cases and controls. Patients with CHD had higher YKL-40 levels compared to controls and those with acute myocardial infarction had the highest levels of YKL-40 compared to patients with either stable or unstable angina pectoris (all p < 0.01). Rs10399931 affected neither the main anthropometric or metabolic characteristics, nor did there exists any association between rs10399931 and the severity of coronary lesions assessed by Gensini scores (all p > 0.05).

Conclusions

Our results do not support that rs10399931 is associated with clinical phenotypes of CHD and the extent of coronary lesions; however, YKL-40 levels are higher in CHD patients and associated with its clinical phenotypes.     

Genetic association of the gene encoding RPGRIP1L with susceptibility to vascular dementia

A previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) failed to discover any nucleotide sequence variant associated with susceptibility to vascular dementia (VaD) and remained a problem of false negatives produced by a low statistical power. The current study was conducted to identify such potential false negatives and to provide comprehensive evidence for the most plausible predisposing genetic factor using large-scale Korean cohorts. We identified the gene encoding retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator-interacting protein 1-like (RPGRIP1L) with multiple nucleotide variants associated with susceptibility to VaD by a modest significant threshold (P<10(-4)). Genetic associations were intensively examined with its sequence variants using 207 VaD patients and 207 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Genetic association analysis with dense variants in the region associated with VaD revealed 3 variants (P<0.0017) in strong linkage. Further analysis with VaD-related phenotypes using Korean Association REsource (KARE) cohort data showed that the region of the gene was associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and blood pressure (BP) (P<7.6×10(-4)). The current study provided the first evidence of the association between RPGRIP1L gene and susceptibility of VaD. Functional studies are needed to understand underlying biological mechanism of the genetic association.     

Identification of a novel duplication CFTRdup2 and functional impact of large rearrangements identified in the CFTR gene

The aim of this study was to investigate associations of two candidate gene SNPs of the endocannabinoid receptor type 1 gene (CNR1) with overweight, obesity and obesity-related traits in Chinese retired women. The study subjects were a subsample of the Taizhou Retiree Women Cohort, consisting of 2812 retired women aged 50-64 years recruited from Taizhou, Jiangsu, China. Neither rs2023239 nor rs806381 polymorphism was significantly associated with body mass index-defined overweight and obesity or waist-to-hip-ratio-defined obesity. For obesity-related traits, rs2023239 was significantly associated with glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) (median, 18.00 vs 17.00 for TT and TC genotypes, respectively, P=0.043). The rs806381 also showed significant association with triglyceride (TG) (mean±SD, 1.46±0.20 vs 1.53±0.20 for GA and GG+AA genotypes, respectively, P=0.013) under the dominant genetic model. In conclusion, the rs2023239 and rs806381 polymorphisms of CNR1 were not associated with increased overweight and obesity risk. But the rs2023239 polymorphism was significantly associated with GPT, and the rs806381 polymorphism was significantly associated with TG.     

Characterization of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 binding protein 1 gene in small abalone Haliotis diversicolor

Interleukin receptor-associated kinase (IRAK)-1 binding protein 1 (IRAK1BP1) is a critical factor in preventing dangerous overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines by the innate immune system and in influencing the specificity of TLR responses. In this study, a first molluscan IRAK1BP1 gene, saIRAK1BP1, was cloned from the small abalone (Haliotis diversicolor). Its full-length cDNA sequence is 1047bp, with a 747bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 249 aa. The molecular mass of the deduced protein is approximately 28.1kDa with an estimated pI of 8.87, and shows highest identity (52%) to acorn worm Saccoglossus kowalevskii. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that saIRAK1BP1 shares a conserved SIMPL domain. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to investigate the tissue distribution of saIRAK1BP1 mRNA, and its expression in abalone under bacteria challenge and larvae at different developmental stages. The saIRAK1BP1 mRNA could be detected in all examined tissues, with the highest expression level in hemocytes, and was up-regulated in gills, kidneys and hemocytes after bacteria injection. Additionally, saIRAK1BP1 was constitutively expressed at all examined developmental stages. These results indicate that saIRAK1BP1 play an important role in the adult abalone immune system and might be essential in embryo and larval development in abalone.     

Toll-like receptor 9 signaling has anti-inflammatory effects on the early phase of Helicobacter pylori-induced gastritis

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-induced immune responses in the gastric mucosa are skewed toward T helper (Th) 1 phenotype, which is characterized by predominant production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ by helper T cells. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an essential role in mucosal defense against microbes through the recognition of bacterial molecules. Among the members of the TLR family, TLR9 recognizes bacterial unmethylated CpG DNA sites, and signal transduction of TLR9 induces production of a variety of cytokines, including type-I IFN (IFN-α/β). We investigated the expression and role of TLR9 in H. pylori-induced gastritis in mice. Expression of TLR9 mRNA in the gastric tissue increased after infection with H. pylori. TLR9 was mainly expressed in the macrophages, dendritic cells, and CD3⁺ cells in the gastric mucosa. Neutrophil infiltration and the expression levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA were higher in TLR9 knockout (KO) mice than in wild-type mice at 2 and 4 months after H. pylori inoculation. These differences in inflammatory parameters between H. pylori-infected wild-type and TLR9 KO mice disappeared 6 months after H. pylori inoculation. Expression of interleukin-4 mRNA, typical Th2 cytokine, in the gastric tissue did not differ between H. pylori-infected wild-type and TLR9 KO mice. Expression level of IFN-α/β mRNA in the TLR9 KO mice was lower than that in wild-type mice by 4 months after inoculation. Administration of IFN-α reduced H. pylori infection-induced increase in neutrophil infiltration and the expression levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA in TLR9 KO mice. Our findings suggest that TLR9 signaling plays important roles in the suppression of H. pylori-induced gastritis in the early phase via downregulation of Th1-type cytokines modulated by IFN-α.     

Assessment of intermittent UMTS electromagnetic field effects on blood circulation in the human auditory region using a near-infrared system

The aim of the present study was to assess the potential effects of intermittent Universal Mobile Telecommunications System electromagnetic fields (UMTS‐EMF) on blood circulation in the human head (auditory region) using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on two different timescales: short‐term (effects occurring within 80 s) and medium‐term (effects occurring within 80 s to 30 min). For the first time, we measured potential immediate effects of UMTS‐EMF in real‐time without any interference during exposure. Three different exposures (sham, 0.18 W/kg, and 1.8 W/kg) were applied in a controlled, randomized, crossover, and double‐blind paradigm on 16 healthy volunteers. In addition to oxy‐, deoxy‐, and total haemoglobin concentrations ([O₂Hb], [HHb], and [tHb], respectively), the heart rate (HR), subjective well‐being, tiredness, and counting speed were recorded. During exposure to 0.18 W/kg, we found a significant short‐term increase in Δ[O₂Hb] and Δ[tHb], which is small (≈17%) compared to a functional brain activation. A significant decrease in the medium‐term response of Δ[HHb] at 0.18 and 1.8 W/kg exposures was detected, which is in the range of physiological fluctuations. The medium‐term ΔHR was significantly higher (+1.84 bpm) at 1.8 W/kg than for sham exposure. The other parameters showed no significant effects. Our results suggest that intermittent exposure to UMTS‐EMF has small short‐ and medium‐term effects on cerebral blood circulation and HR. Bioelectromagnetics 33:40–54, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

高能量膳食对中老年食蟹猴糖尿病相关基因表达的影响

本研究选择空腹血糖值(FPG)在正常范围内(3.20 mmol/L≤FPG<5.50 mmol/L)的中老年食蟹猴(Macaca fascicularis)60只,高能量膳食诱导12个月后,将其分为正常血糖组和诱高血糖组(FPG≥5.50 mmol/L)。采用荧光定量PCR技术对2组中36个糖尿病相关基因在诱导前后外周血白细胞中的mRNA表达量进行分析。结果表明,高能量膳食诱导后,诱高血糖组FPG和甘油三酯(TG)显著高于正常血糖组(P<0.05),而胆固醇(TCHO)、高密度脂蛋白(HDL-C)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL-C)与分组无显著相关性(P>0.05)。基因表达水平上,诱高血糖组和正常血糖组均有血管紧张素转换酶基因(ACE)、肝糖原磷酸化酶基因(PYGL)、水通道蛋白基因(AQP2)等19个基因的mRNA表达量在高能量膳食诱导前后存在显著差异(P<0.05),且基因的表达模式变化一致,但诱高血糖组的mRNA表达量变化大,且三磷酸腺苷柠檬酸裂解酶(ACLY)、选择素L(SELL)、突触相关蛋白23(SNAP23)、突触融合蛋白(STX4)这4个基因的mRNA表达水平仅在诱高血糖组高能量膳食诱导前后呈差异表达(P<0.05)。     

Otterlace软件在猪全基因组序列人工注释分析中的应用

2009年11月,美、英等国科学家宣布首次绘制出家猪的基因组草图。近两年,随着全基因组序列陆续释放,越来越多的测序片段得到正确拼接组装,从全基因组水平上对猪功能基因进行注释分析显得尤为迫切。文章以丝切蛋白1(Cofilin 1,CFL1)基因的注释过程为例,介绍了运用Sanger研究所开发的Otterlace软件对猪全基因组的免疫基因序列进行人工分析与注释。通过详细说明Zmap、Blixem和Dotter 3个注释工具的使用方法,并给出了注释过程的主要步骤,以期对Otterlace的应用起一个抛砖引玉的作用。运用Otterlace软件对243个免疫相关基因进行分析,其中180个基因得到完整或部分注释,这为后续深入开展这些基因的功能研究奠定了基础。     

猪整合素β1基因CRS-PCR多态性与产仔数的关联性分析

文章采用CRS-RFLP技术对长白猪、大白猪和杜洛克猪3个品种的整合素β1基因第5外显子T32207C位点及第7外显子A35230G位点进行单核苷酸多态性分析,并将基因多态性与猪的产仔数进行关联分析。结果表明:32207多态位点的基因型效应对3个品种的总产仔数(TNB)和产活仔数(NBA)影响均不显著;35230多态位点的基因型效应对大白猪和长白猪头胎、二胎及所有胎次的TNB和NBA的影响达到显著(P<0.05)或者极显著水平(P<0.01),基因型GG、AG与AA对产仔数的影响存在差异,其效应为GG,AG>AA。可见整合素β1基因35230位点的G等位基因对大白猪和长白猪的产仔数性状有显著影响。