-765G＞C COX-2 polymorphism may be a susceptibility marker for gastric adenocarcinoma in patients with atrophy or intestinal metaplasia

INTRODUCTION Gastric adenocarcinoma mortality rates have been decreasing in Europe[1], although, in Portugal it still remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths (third in men and fourth in women). Portugal has one of the highest mortality …     

Gastric cancer in a Caucasian population： Role of pepsinogen C genetic variants

AIM: To study the role of an insertion/deletion polymorphism in the pepsinogen C (PGC) gene, an effective marker for terminal differentiation of the stomach mucosa, in the susceptibility to the development of gastric lesions. METHODS: The study was performed with 99 samples of known gastric lesions and 127 samples without evidence of neoplastic disease. PCR was employed and the 6 polymorphic alleles were amplified: Allele 1 (510 bp), Allele 2 (480 bp), Allele 3/4 (450/460 bp), Allele 5 (400 bp) and Allele 6 (310 bp). RESULTS: Our results revealed that Allele 6 carriers seemed to have protection against the development of any gastric lesion (OR = 0.34; P < 0.001), non-dysplastic lesions associated with gastric adenocarcinoma such as atrophy or intestinal metaplasia (OR = 0.28; P < 0.001) or invasive GC (OR = 0.39; P = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Our study reveals that the Allele 6 carrier status has a protective role in the development of gastric lesions, probably due to its association with higher expression of PGC. Moreover, the frequency of Allele 6 carriers in the control group is far higher than that obtained in Asian populations, which might represent a genetic gap between Caucasian and Asian populations.     

Neuromyelitis optica and pregnancy

Less than a hundred cases of pregnancies in women with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) have been published in the world. The aim of the present study was to add the Brazilian experience to this subject. Cases of women with NMO who became pregnant, or who developed NMO soon after pregnancy, were included. Retrospective analysis of medical data from these patients was carried out by the neurologist responsible for the case. Seventeen cases of pregnancies (16 full-term pregnancies, one miscarriage) were identified. The relapse rate of demyelinating events in the first trimester after pregnancy was significantly higher than at any other time. Disability progression was significantly worse 1 year after delivery. Pregnancy negatively influenced the disease course of NMO in these women. These results are similar to those of other authors, although the total number of cases so far described is still small. Obstetricians must be aware of the potential complications of a pregnancy in a woman who has NMO.     

Frequency of reported European ancestry among multiple sclerosis patients from four cities in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil

Recent reports on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) have described discrepancies between the rates in cities in the northeastern and southeastern regions of Brazil, representing a north–south gradient. European immigrants settled in southeastern and southern Brazil at the beginning of the twentieth century. In this study, we report the frequency of European ancestors among Brazilian MS patients in four cities in the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil.