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Recognition and polymorphism in host-parasite genetics.

Genetic specificity occurs in many host-parasite systems. Each host can recognize and resist only a subset of parasites; each parasite can grow only on particular hosts. Biochemical recognition systems determine which matching host and parasite genotypes result in resistance or disease. Recognition systems are often associated with widespread genetic polymorphism in the host and parasite populations. I describe four systems with matching host-parasite polymorphisms: plant-pathogen interactions, nuclear-cytoplasmic conflict in plants, restriction enzymes in bacterial defence against viruses, and bacterial plasmids that compete by toxin production and toxin immunity. These systems highlight several inductive problems. For example, the observed patterns of resistance and susceptibility between samples of hosts and parasites are often used to study polymorphism. The detectable polymorphism by this method may be a poor guide to the actual polymorphism and to the underlying biochemistry of host-parasite recognition. The problem of using detectable polymorphism to infer the true nature of recognition and polymorphism is exacerbated by non-equilibrium fluctuations in allele frequencies that commonly occur in host-parasite systems. Another problem is that different matching systems may lead either to low frequencies of host resistance and common parasites, or to common resistance and rare parasites. Thus low levels of host resistance or rare parasites do not imply that parasitism is an unimportant evolutionary force on host diversity. Knowledge of biochemical recognition systems and dynamical analysis of models provide a framework for analysing the widespread polymorphisms in host-parasite genetics.

Animals↗

From metabolism to polymorphism in bacterial populations: a theoretical study.

Stable polymorphisms are commonly observed in experimental bacterial populations grown in homogeneous media. Evidence is accumulating that metabolic interactions might be the main mechanism underlying the emergence and maintenance of such polymorphisms. To date, however, attempts to model the evolution of bacterial polymorphism have not considered metabolism as a possible component of polymorphism maintenance. Here, we propose a simulation approach to model the evolution of selected polymorphisms in a bacterial population. Using recent knowledge of the relationship between bacterial fitness and metabolism, we build a simple metabolic model and test the effect of resource competition on polymorphism. Without making an a priori hypothesis on fitness functions, we show that stable polymorphic situations could be observed under high nutrient competition, and we propose a functional, metabolism-based explanation to the debated issue of polymorphism maintenance.

Bacteria↗

The utility of a HindIII polymorphism of factor VIII examined by rapid DNA analysis.

A previously described HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of factor VIII (FVIII) has its polymorphic site in the unsequenced nineteenth intron. We have located the polymorphic site, as well as an invariant site, by amplifying and sequencing IVS 19 using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The oligonucleotide primers were synthesized from known FVIII sequence on either side of the 19-20 splice junction. The amplified product was cloned into a plasmid and sequenced by the dideoxy chain termination method. The polymorphic HindIII site was 103 bp and the invariant site 184 bp from the 3' end of the nineteenth exon. The frequency of the polymorphism was determined in 457 subjects (643 chromosomes) of seven ethnic groups on whom frequency of the BclI RFLP of IVS 18 was also assessed. The HindIII site is highly polymorphic in all groups, approximately 0.25:0.75, the expected heterozygosity averaging 37.6%, and the observed number of heterozygotes did not differ significantly from expectation. The (+):(-) allelic ratio is similar in all groups, except African-Americans in whom it is reversed. Strong allelic association (linkage disequilibrium) is present between the HindIII polymorphism of IVS 19 and the BclI polymorphism of IVS 18.

Alleles↗

A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the cyclooxygenase-2 gene is not associated with asthma and atopy in an Australian population.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is a key inducible enzyme that regulates the production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E(2). A single-nucleotide polymorphism, -765G>C, located within a stimulatory protein-1 binding site in the COX-2 promoter region, has been shown to have significantly lower promoter activity in vitro compared with the wild-type and was associated with decreased plasma levels of C-reactive protein after coronary artery bypass surgery. We hypothesized that this polymorphism, which may result in decreased COX-2 transcription, could be associated with more severe asthma, and/or aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA). OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between the -765G>C COX-2 polymorphism and asthma, disease severity and AIA in a large, well-phenotyped Australian population. METHODS: PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to characterize the polymorphism in an Australian Caucasian population of patients with mild (n=322), moderate (n=254) or severe (n=88) asthma and in non-asthmatic control subjects (n=512), as well as in patients with AIA (n=58). Genotype and allele association analyses were performed using chi(2) tests. RESULTS: The polymorphic -765C allele was present in approximately 30% of asthmatic patients and non-asthmatic controls. There was no association between the -765G>C polymorphism and asthma (P=0.920), disease severity (P=0.840), atopy (P=0.655) or AIA (P=0.841) in this population. CONCLUSION: Although the -765G>C polymorphism may have lower promoter activity and result in decreased COX-2 expression, it is not associated with asthma, disease severity, AIA or atopy in this Australian population.

Adult↗

Identification of adiponectin and its receptors in human osteoblast-like cells and association of T45G polymorphism in exon 2 of adiponectin gene with lumbar spine bone mineral density in Korean women.

OBJECTIVE: The role of adiponectin in bone metabolism has been recently reported in in vitro and in vivo studies. There has been no report on the association of adiponectin gene polymorphism and bone mineral density (BMD). Therefore, we investigated whether two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), T45G and G276T, in the adiponectin gene were related to BMD in Koreans. We also report on the identification of adiponectin and its receptors 1 and 2 in human osteoblast-like cell lines. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: MG-63 cells were cultured and osteogenic and adipogenic differentiations from human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) were performed. RNA was then extracted from the cultured cells and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using primers for adiponectin and for the adiponectin receptor genes. In 249 female and 80 male subjects, measurements were made of their lumbar spine and femoral neck BMDs, and biochemical markers of bone turnover. The genotyping of the T45G polymorphism in exon 2 and the G276T polymorphisms in intron 2 in the adiponectin gene was performed using an allelic discrimination assay with a TaqMan probe. Analyses were performed separately in each cohort. RESULTS: We found that the mRNAs for adiponectin and for adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1) and 2 (AdipoR2) were expressed in the MG-63 cells. Sequencing of the PCR products revealed that they were identical to human adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, respectively. mRNAs for adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were also expressed in the osteoblastic and adipogenic cell lines differentiated from hMSCs. For the polymorphism study, the frequencies of T45G and G276T in the adiponectin gene were in compliance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and the two polymorphisms were in complete linkage disequilibrium (D' = -1.0, P < 0.001). In the female cohort, subjects with G alleles at the T45G locus had significantly lower lumbar spine BMD than those subjects with the TT genotype. Although BMD levels showed no association with the G276T locus, the GT genotype group showed significantly higher urine deoxypyridinoline levels than other genotype groups. In the male cohort, no association was observed between adiponectin genotypes and BMD levels. CONCLUSIONS: We observed the expression of adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 in the MG-63 cell line and the osteoblastic cell line differentiated from hMSCs. T45G polymorphism in exon 2 of the adiponectin gene is associated with lumbar spine BMD and G276T polymorphism in intron 2 of the adiponectin gene is associated with the urine deoxypyridinoline level in Korean women. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the precise contribution of adiponectin to bone mineral metabolism.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Type 1 diabetes is insulin -2221 MspI and CTLA-4 +49 A/G polymorphism dependent.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated an association of type 1 diabetes with specific alleles of HLA class II molecules, as with polymorphisms of insulin gene region. The aim of our study was to evaluate the interaction of insulin -2221 MspI polymorphism to type 1 diabetes susceptibility in connection with autoimmunity associated gene--CTLA-4 polymorphism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Insulin -2221 MspI C/T and CTLA-4 +49 A/G polymorphisms were detected by restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis or oligonucleotide hybridization in type 1 (n = 69), type 2 diabetes (n = 301) patients and 158 healthy controls. Regression model adjusted for age, gender and gene polymorphisms was studied. RESULTS: C-allele of insulin -2221 MspI and G-allele of +49 CTLA-4 were significant risk factors for type 1 diabetes (crude OR 3.53 and 1.59, respectively) and this impact increased in the homozygous form of both alleles. The regression model supported the idea of insulin CC and CTLA-4 GG genotypes for an independent and clearly significant risk for developing type 1 diabetes. We could not detect any significant correlation between investigated polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: There exists a significant association between the C-allele of -2221 MspI in the insulin gene and type 1 diabetes. The CTLA-4 G-allele is also positively correlated with type 1 diabetes. According to the regression model the investigated gene polymorphisms are independent risk factors for development of type 1 diabetes in the Estonian population. We propose that -2221 MspI is a good marker for evaluation of risk of insulin gene haplotype in type 1 diabetes patients.

Aged↗

IL12B and IRF1 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to celiac disease.

Celiac disease (CD) is a common gastro-intestinal disorder resulting from permanent intolerance to wheat gliadins and related proteins in rye and barley. In addition to the strong genetic association with HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8, a genetic region on chromosomes 5 (CELIAC2) has been identified that harbours a susceptibility gene for CD. The gene(s) responsible for this association, however, remains to be identified. In the present study we evaluated polymorphisms in the genes encoding interleukin-12 p40 (IL12B) and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1). Both genes are located in the celiac2 region, and have key roles in inducing interferon (IFN)-gamma secreting T helper 1 (Th1) cells, one of the immunological hallmarks of CD. The frequencies of a TaqI gene polymorphism in the 3' UTR of IL12B and a HinfI gene polymorphism in the 3' UTR of IRF1 were studied in 258 Dutch CD patients and 237 ethnically matched healthy controls. The transmission of the polymorphic variants from parents to affected child was determined in 123 families with at least one affected child. The frequencies of the IL12B TaqI gene polymorphism and the IRF1 HinfI gene polymorphism did not differ significantly between patients and controls. In addition, in the family study, no deviation from the expected transmission from parents to affected child of any of the polymorphic variants was found. The IL12B TaqI and the IRF1 HinfI gene polymorphisms do not appear to be involved in susceptibility to CD. Further studies on the factors that drive the Th1 immunopathology in CD are required.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Resistin gene 3'-untranslated region +62G-->A polymorphism is associated with hypertension but not diabetes mellitus type 2 in a German population.

OBJECTIVES: Resistin, a peptide hormone produced by adipocytes, has been associated with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM-2) in some rodent models. In humans the exact function of resistin remains unknown. Some, but not all studies have found associations between polymorphisms in the resistin gene with DM-2. Recently a 3'-untranslated region +62G-->A polymorphism of the resistin gene has been associated with decreased risk for DM-2 and for hypertension in diabetics in a Chinese population. Purpose of the present study was to examine for the first time in a German Caucasian population the possible association between this polymorphism and DM-2, hypertension, lipoprotein levels, resistin levels as well as atherosclerosis. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: A total of 818 subjects participated in the study. The presence of the +62G-->A polymorphism of the resistin gene was investigated using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism in 384 subjects with DM-2 [224 men, 160 women, age 63.4 +/- 10.6 years, body mass index (BMI) 28.7 +/- 5.1 kg m(-2)] and in 434 nondiabetic age- and sex-matched control subjects (248 men, 186 women, age 64.4 +/- 6.5 years, BMI 26.5 +/- 3.7 kg m(-2)). RESULTS: Thirty-four subjects were found to be carrying the +62G-->A polymorphism in the control and 24 in the diabetic group (allelic frequencies 4% and 3.2% respectively). Subjects with DM-2 were not found to have a different frequency of the genotypes (93.75% and 6.258%, for GG:GA/AA respectively) than the control subjects (92.2% and 7.8% for GG:GA/AA respectively) (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.44-1.3, P = 0.31). In the total cohort, carriers of the A allele had a higher prevalence of hypertension (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.03-3.21, P = 0.039). When analysed separately, the control group showed a strong association between the presence of the A allele and hypertension (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.38-6.15, P = 0.005), whilst no such association could be established in the diabetic group (OR 1.05, 95% CI 0.43-2.54, P = 0.92). Multiple regression analysis confirmed that the presence of the A variant is associated with hypertension in control but not in diabetic subjects, independent of age and BMI. The polymorphism had no significant influence on the presence of atherosclerotic disease, BMI, and on triglyceride, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, both, in the control and the diabetic groups. There was no difference in the serum resistin levels between the 62G-->A variant carriers and noncarriers. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present data suggest that in a German Caucasian population the +62G-->A polymorphism of the resistin gene is associated with hypertension but not with DM-2.

Aged↗

Slc11a1 (formerly Nramp1) polymorphisms and susceptibility to post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease following pediatric liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Polymorphisms of the solute carrier family 11 member 1 (Slc11a1) gene have previously been associated with susceptibility to infectious disease, anti-tumor defenses, and autoimmune diseases. We postulated that polymorphisms of the gene may also be associated with susceptibility to post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD), a disease thought to be related to an impaired immune response to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in immunosuppressed patients. METHODS: Whole blood samples were obtained from 45 pediatric patients who underwent liver transplantation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify a 3' region of the gene that includes an exon 15 single-nucleotide substitution (referred to as D543N) and a 4-bp deletion polymorphism (referred to as 3'-UTR). PCR products were digested using AvaII and FokI restriction enzymes for the D543N and 3'-UTR polymorphisms, respectively. PTLD disease status and EBV virus serum titers of all patients were obtained from hospital records. RESULTS: Six of the 45 pediatric transplant recipients developed PTLD. An association was found between 3'-UTR polymorphisms of Slc11a1 and incidence of PTLD after liver transplantation (P = 0.005). In addition, post-transplant serum EBV titers were higher (P = 0.009) for recipients with certain Slc11a1 polymorphisms. No association was found between the D543N polymorphism and incidence of PTLD. CONCLUSION: 3'-UTR polymorphisms of the Slc11a1 gene appear to be associated with susceptibility to PTLD and the immune response to EBV in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Genotyping of pediatric patients undergoing liver transplantation may enable early identification of patients at high risk for developing high EBV titers and/or PTLD.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Frequency-dependent predation and maintenance of prey polymorphism.

In positive frequency-dependent predation, predation risk of an individual prey correlates positively with the frequency of that prey type. In a number of small-scale experiments individual predators have shown frequency-dependent behaviour, often leading to the conclusion that a population of such predators could maintain prey polymorphism. Using simulations, I studied the dynamics of frequency-dependent predation and prey polymorphism. The model suggests that persistence of prey polymorphism decreases with increasing number of predators that show frequency-dependent behaviour, questioning conclusions about polymorphism based on experiments with few predators. In addition, prey population size, prey crypsis, difference in crypsis between prey morphs and the way the behaviour was adjusted affected the persistence of polymorphism. Under some circumstances prey population remained polymorphic for a shorter time under frequency-dependent than under frequency-independent predation. This suggests that although positive frequency-dependent predator behaviour may maintain prey polymorphism, it is not a sufficient condition for persistent prey polymorphism.

Animals↗

Correlation between a gene polymorphism of tumor necrosis factor and inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze polymorphism of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients from the Han Chinese ethnic group, and to investigate the role of polymorphism in the pathogenesis of IBD. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques were used to analyze gene polymorphisms in the TNF-alpha and TNF-beta genes in 131 patients with IBD. RESULTS: The genotype frequency and allelic frequency of TNF-alpha-308 in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were 15.5% and 8.7%, respectively, significantly higher than the control population (4.1% and 2.0%, respectively; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and the normal population with regard to the genotype frequency and allelic frequency of TNF-alpha-308, and neither were there any differences with regard to TNF-beta+252 in patients with IBD (UC and CD) and the normal population. The TNF-alpha-308 polymorphism and the TNF-beta+252 loci did not correlate with age, gender, disease activity or lesion site for IBD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The TNF-alpha-308 allele may be related to susceptibility to UC. The TNF-alpha-308 gene polymorphism is not involved in pathogenesis of CD. No correlation was found between the TNF-beta+252 polymorphism and IBD. Polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha-308 and TNF-beta+252 loci do not correlate with age, gender, disease activity or lesion site.

Adult↗

Large-scale study of the -232C > G polymorphism of PCK1 in Type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) is a catalyst of the rate-limiting step in the gluconeogenic pathway and is regulated at the transcriptional level predominantly by insulin, glucocorticoids, glucagon, and cAMP. The -232C > G polymorphism in the gene encoding PEPCK (PCK1) is reported to associate with Type 2 diabetes in Canadian Caucasians and Oji-Cree populations. We have estimated the impact of the PCK1-232C > G polymorphism in a relatively large-scale case-control study of Type 2 diabetes and in association studies of common metabolic phenotypes. Interaction studies of the PCK1-232C > G polymorphism with variants in the genes encoding peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma co-activator (PGC)-1alpha and hepatic nuclear factor (HNF)-4alpha were also performed. METHODS: PCK1-232C > G was genotyped in a total of 7467 Danish white subjects using TaqMan allelic discrimination. A case-control study of Type 2 diabetes was performed using 6057 of the participants, and quantitative trait studies of metabolic variables were carried out in a subgroup of 5718 non-diabetic subjects. Additionally, variants in PGC-1alpha (Gly482Ser) and HNF-4alpha (Thr130Ile, Val255Met, and rs1884614) were investigated for epistatic interaction with the PCK1-232C > G polymorphism. RESULTS: In the case-control study of Type 2 diabetes of 1377 Type 2 diabetic patients and 4680 normoglycaemic and normal glucose-tolerant subjects we found no association of the PCK1-232C > G polymorphism with diabetes. In addition, the variant was not associated with age of clinical onset of Type 2 diabetes. In the study of 5718 non-diabetic subjects, we found no relationships of quantitative metabolic traits with the PCK1-232C > G polymorphism. We failed to demonstrate any convincing epistatic effects of the variants in the genes encoding PGC-1alpha and HNF-4alpha with the PCK1-232C > G polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS: The PCK1-232C > G polymorphism is not a major contributor to the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes in the Danish population.

Case-Control Studies↗

p53 and WAF1 polymorphisms in Jewish-Israeli women with epithelial ovarian cancer and its association with BRCA mutations.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether polymorphic p53 and WAF1 alleles are associated with clinical, demographic and histopathological features and BRCA mutation in women with ovarian cancer. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. POPULATION: Two hundred and twenty-one nonselected Israeli women with epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: DNA was analysed for known polymorphisms in intron 3 (a 16 nucleotide single repeat) and intron 6 (a G to A change at nucleotide 13,494) of the p53 gene, the S31R polymorphism in the WAF1 gene, and for three predominant Jewish mutations in the BRCA genes (185delAG and 5382insC in BRCA1, and 6174delT in BRCA2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The rate of polymorphic p53 and WAF1 alleles and their association with BRCA mutation, ethnic origin, age and stage at diagnosis, and family history of cancer. RESULTS: Of the tested women, 72 (32.6%) were either BRCA1 (n = 57) or BRCA2 (n = 15) mutation carriers. Sixty-eight of 213 (31.9%) were heterozygous for intron 3 polymorphism, 67/193 (34.7%) for intron 6 polymorphism, and 22/154 (14.3%) for S31R of the WAF1 gene. The p53 and WAF1 polymorphism rate did not differ between BRCA mutation carriers and noncarriers. No significant association between specific p53 or WAF1 genotypes, and clinical, histopathological or demographic variables was observed. CONCLUSION: In Jewish-Israeli women with sporadic and familial ovarian cancer, p53 or WAF1 polymorphisms do not seem to affect the phenotype.

Adult↗

Alpha 1a-adrenoceptor polymorphism: pharmacological characterization and association with benign prostatic hypertrophy.

1. Two restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the human alpha 1a-adrenoceptor gene digested with PstI restriction enzyme exist; the nucleotide change causes the substitution of C residue for T at nucleotide 1441, thereby Arg492 to Cys492 transition, which might confer an additional putative palmitoylation site in the carboxy-terminal segment of the alpha 1a-adrenoceptor. In the present study, we compared their pharmacological properties and examined whether this alpha 1a-adrenoceptor polymorphism is associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). 2. The frequency of alpha 1a-adrenoceptor polymorphism was not differently distributed between patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and normal subjects in Japan; thus, the relative frequencies of the C and T alleles were 0.90 : 0.10 in normal male subjects (n = 45) and 0.87 : 0.13 in BPH patients (n = 222), respectively. However, the frequency distribution of this polymorphism was significantly different between the Japanese and U.S. populations; thus, C and T alleles were 0.34 and 0.66 in U.S. populations. 3. Utilizing Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing the two polymorphic alpha 1a-adrenoceptors (Arg492 and Cys492), we compared their binding affinity and signal transduction. Radioligand binding studies with 2-[beta-(4-hydroxy-3[125I]-iodophenyl) ethylamino-methyl]tetralone ([125I]-HEAT) showed no marked difference in the antagonist or agonist binding affinities between the two receptors. Also, both receptors were found to be coupled to the calcium signaling, and the concentration-cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) response relationships for noradrenaline were similar for the two polymorphic receptors. Furthermore, the receptor-mediated [Ca2+]i response was markedly desensitized after a 2 h exposure of phenylephrine (10 microM), and the extent of the desensitization was not significantly different between the two receptors. 4. In summary, the results showed that the two alpha 1a-adrenoceptors generated by genetic polymorphism have similar pharmacological characteristics, and the receptor-mediated [Ca2+]i response can be desensitized in a similar manner. The study did not provide any evidence to support the hypothesis that alpha 1a-adrenoceptor gene polymorphism is associated with BPH.

Aged↗

Interleukin-2 gene polymorphisms associated with increased risk of gastric atrophy from Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Gastric atrophy induced by Helicobacter pylori is thought to predispose patients to noncardiac gastric cancer development. However, the host genetic factors that influence the progression of gastric atrophy have not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of cytokine polymorphisms on H. pylori-induced gastric atrophy. METHODS: Blood samples were taken from 454 Japanese subjects. The interleukin-2 (IL-2; T-330G), IL-4 (C-33T), and IL-13 (C-1111T) polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTPP). Anti-H. pylori IgG antibody and pepsinogen I and II were measured to diagnose H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis. RESULTS: The odds ratios (ORs) for the association between IL-2 polymorphism [OR = 2.78, 95% CI (confidence interval) = 1.26-6.17 (T/T to G/G)] or IL-4 polymorphism [OR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.01-4.89 (T/C to C/C)] were increased significantly with gastric atrophy, whereas the corresponding OR of IL-13 polymorphism was decreased with gastric atrophy [OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.39-0.96 (C/T and T/T to C/C)]. There were no significant H. pylori seropositivity-related differences between these polymorphisms. We examined the relationship between these polymorphisms and gastric atrophy separately in H. pylori-seropositive and -seronegative groups. In the H. pylori-seropositive group, the IL-2 T/T (OR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.12-6.93) had a significant association with gastric atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: These results reveal that the IL-2 gene polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of gastric atrophy induced by H. pylori infection and might predispose to gastric cancer.

Adult↗

A polymorphism in the TNF-alpha promoter gene is associated with pediatric onset and colonic location of Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVES: Studies suggest that pediatric onset of Crohn's disease (CD) may demonstrate more frequent upper intestinal and colonic location and in male gender, in comparison to adults. Variability in age of onset (AOO) and location of disease have not been adequately explained to date. NOD2/CARD15 is highly expressed in the ileum, while TNF-alpha expression is distributed throughout the gastrointestinal tract. We hypothesized that polymorphisms that affect TNF-alpha function may influence variability of disease location and AOO of CD. METHODS: We evaluated two CD cohorts based on AOO (pediatric and adult onset) and 100 ethnically matched healthy controls. Patients were evaluated for AOO, disease location, and genotyped for the presence of polymorphisms in NOD2/CARD15 and in the TNF-alpha promoter region. RESULTS: Early AOO was associated with male gender, upper intestinal involvement, and a polymorphism in the binding site for NF-kappaB (TNF-863A polymorphism). NOD2 mutations and TNF-863A polymorphism had equivalent but opposite effects on disease location, with a strong combined effect (p= 0.004 corrected for multiple testing). NOD2/CARD15 was associated with ileal involvement, while presence of TNF-863A was inversely associated with ileal disease (OR = 0.42, p= 0.008) and positively associated with isolated colitis (OR = 2.16, p= 0.008, OR = 2.12, p= 0.03 corrected) and familial disease (p= 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric onset of CD in our population was associated with a frequent polymorphism in the binding site for NF-kappaB in TNF-alpha promoter but not to defined NOD2/CARD15 disease-associated mutations. This polymorphism is associated with colitis and familial disease. NOD2/CARD15 mutations and the TNF-863C/A polymorphism have equivalent but opposite effects on disease location. These findings may help explain differences in CD phenotype.

Adult↗

Genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C8 in Japanese population.

CYP2C8 plays important roles in metabolizing therapeutic drugs and endogenous compounds. Although genetic polymorphisms of CYP2C8 were reported, there is little information on CYP2C8 polymorphisms in the Japanese population. In the present study, we screened for previously described polymorphisms in the coding region of this gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism or allele specific-PCR analyses. Eleven polymorphisms of CYP2C8*2 (I269F), CYP2C8*3 (R139K, K399R), CYP2C8*4 (I264M), CYP2C8*5 (frameshift), T130N, E154D, N193K, K249R, L390S, P404A, and H411L have been comprehensively investigated in at least 200 Japanese individuals. A single subject was heterozygous for CYP2C8*5, and the allele frequency was calculated as 0.0025. The other single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were not found in the Japanese subjects in the present study. Thus, it appears that the frequencies of these alleles in Japanese are extremely low. In addition, concerning the SNPs of T130N, E154D, N193K, K249R, and H411L, it remains clear that these alleles exist as polymorphisms or represent sequence errors or cloning artifacts. Although several SNPs such as CYP2C8*2, CYP2C8*3, CYP2C8*4, and P404A have been reported to reduce the enzymatic activity, pharmacokinetic abnormalities of drugs metabolized by polymorphic CYP2C8 might be rare in Japanese.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases↗

Tumor necrosis factor gene polymorphisms, leukocyte function, and sepsis susceptibility in blunt trauma patients.

The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) -308 G/A and TNF-beta NcO1 polymorphisms have been described to be associated with an increased risk for sepsis in critically ill patients. Functional consequences associated with these polymorphisms remain unclear. We compared the genotype distribution of these TNF polymorphisms with susceptibility to severe sepsis and leukocyte function in blunt trauma patients (n = 70; mean injury severity score, 24 points [range, 4 to 57). Severe sepsis was defined according to the American College of Chest Physicians-Society of Critical Care Medicine consensus conference criteria. Genotyping for the NcO1 polymorphism (alleles TNFB1 and TNFB2) was performed by PCR and digestion of the products with NcO1, and that for the TNF-alpha -308 G/A polymorphism (alleles TNF1 and TNF2) was performed by real-time PCR. Leukocyte function was assessed by measurement of the production of endotoxin-induced cytokines (TNF-alpha, interleukin-6 [IL-6], and IL-8) in whole blood. TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. For the genotypes of the TNF-alpha -308 G/A polymorphism, differences in the frequency of development of severe sepsis were not detectable. Patients developing severe sepsis after trauma were significantly more likely to possess a homozygous genotype of the TNF-beta NcO1 polymorphism. Compared with heterozygotes, the odds ratio for the TNFB2/B2 genotype for the development of severe posttraumatic sepsis was 11 (P = 0.01), and that for the TNFB1/B1 genotype was 13 (P = 0.014). TNF-alpha -308:TNF-beta NcO1 haplotype analysis showed that the TNFB2:TNF2 haplotype is significantly negatively associated with development of severe sepsis. Patients homozygous for the TNFB1 or TNFB2 allele showed a persistently higher cytokine-producing capacity during at least 4 to 8 days after trauma than the heterozygotes. In patients homozygous for the TNF1 allele, a higher TNF-alpha- and IL-8-producing capacity was found only at day 1 after trauma. Although the TNF-beta NcO1 polymorphism appears to be less likely to be causative for development of severe sepsis after trauma, it is thus far the only genetic marker identified which can be used as a relevant risk estimate for severe sepsis in trauma patients immediately after the injury.

Adult↗