Kidney disease in the Hispanic population: facing the growing challenge

The incidence of kidney disease in the United States is rising at a steady, alarming pace. The growth rate has been particularly rapid for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which has been reported to double every 10 years. Of even greater concern is the emergence of striking racial disparities in the prevalence, morbidity, and mortality of kidney disease, and in the provision of optimal care to prevent or slow progression of the disease. Hispanics, who are among the fastest-growing racial groups in the United States, are twice as likely to develop kidney failure as non-Hispanic whites, largely due to the increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Hispanic population. However, Hispanic patients are less likely than the general U.S. population to be screened for risk factors for kidney disease or receive optimal treatment after diagnosis. Several actions are required to redress these racial inequalities. Improved cultural sensitivity on the part of physicians is fundamentally important, as are patient education programs targeted specifically at the diverse Hispanic groups. In addition, local initiatives should be supported on a wider scale by healthcare policymakers to encourage improved medical care within Hispanic communities and thereby reduce the burden of kidney disease on American society as a whole.     

Absence of coding mutations in the X-linked genes neuroligin 3 and neuroligin 4 in individuals with autism from the IMGSAC collection.

Neuroligin abnormalities have been recently implicated in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), given the finding of point mutations in the two X-linked genes NLGN3 and NLGN4X and the important role of neuroligins in synaptogenesis. To enquire on the relevance and frequency of neuroligin mutations in ASD, we performed a mutation screening of NLGN3 and NLGN4X in a sample of 124 autism probands from the International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium (IMGSAC). We identified a new non-synonymous variant in NLGN3 (Thr632Ala), which is likely to be a rare polymorphism. Our data indicate that coding mutations in these genes are very rarely associated to ASD.     

Bacteremia caused by an undescribed species of Janibacter

A yellow-pigmented rod- to coccoid-shaped coryneform microorganism was isolated from the blood of a patient with acute myeloid leukemia. It was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as a previously undescribed species of Janibacter. The isolate was susceptible to penicillins, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and glycopeptides.     

Squash Procedure for Protein Immunolocalization in Meiotic Cells

Several techniques have been developed for protein immunolocalization in meiotic cells. However, most of them include treatments that lead to cell disruption and are only suitable for prophase-I cells. We describe a novel squash procedure of cell preparation for protein immunolabelling of different meiotic stages. This procedure is an alternative to both cryosectioning and whole spreading procedures. We present results obtained in mouse spermatocytes with three different antibodies: the MPM-2 mAb against mitotic phosphoepitopes, an anticentromere serum and a polyclonal serum against the SCP3 protein of the axial elements and lateral elements of the synaptonemal complex. The procedure was tested for single and double immunolabelling. With this technique a large number of cells at different meiotic stages can be analysed. Cell stages are easily identified and cell and chromosome structures are preserved. Thus, it allows the study of chromosome behaviour and the relations hips between the different structural elements of the cell throughout meiotic divisions. Our procedure is also suitable for three-dimensional (3D) analyses and proved to be reliable in a wide range of systems including insects and mammals. In addition, the procedure may be interesting to obtain a rapid immunological diagnosis.     

Thioester-containing proteins and insect immunity

Here, we discuss the role of thioester-containing proteins in innate immune responses of insects. TEPs are represented by multi-member families both in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, and in the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. Phylogenetic analysis of the family suggests that in these two dipteran species evolution of TEPs followed independent scenarios as a result of specific adaptation to distinct ecological environments. Research on these two relatively simple model systems, which lack adaptive immunity, may provide new insights into the evolutionary origins and functions of this important protein family.     

Mammalian transforming growth factor beta1 activated after ingestion by Anopheles stephensi modulates mosquito immunity

During the process of bloodfeeding by Anopheles stephensi, mammalian latent transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) is ingested and activated rapidly in the mosquito midgut. Activation may involve heme and nitric oxide (NO), agents released in the midgut during blood digestion and catalysis of L-arginine oxidation by A. stephensi NO synthase (AsNOS). Active TGF-beta1 persists in the mosquito midgut to extended times postingestion and is recognized by mosquito cells as a cytokine. In a manner analogous to the regulation of vertebrate inducible NO synthase and malaria parasite (Plasmodium) infection in mammals by TGF-beta1, TGF-beta1 regulates AsNOS expression and Plasmodium development in A. stephensi. Together, these observations indicate that, through conserved immunological cross talk, mammalian and mosquito immune systems interface with each other to influence the cycle of Plasmodium development.     

Hemostatic coronary risk factors in a healthy population of Maracaibo,Venezuela

The purpose of the present work was to determine the plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) as well as platelet aggregation, in an apparently healthy population of 306 men and 41 women, 33 to 65 years of age, workers of the national oil industry (PDVSA, Maracaibo), as a base investigation in a 5-year prospective national collaborative study. The participants were previously subjected to a thorough clinical examination with cardiovascular evaluation and laboratory tests. Clottable fibrinogen and VWF concentrations were determined in platelet poor plasma, the last one by immunoclectrophoresis, and a multimeric analysis of VWF was performed on those plasmas with concentrations higher than 150 U/dL by SDS agarose electrophoresis, followed by cellulose membrane transference. Platelet aggregation was studied in platelet rich plasma with no addition of stimulants and after collagen and ristocetin were added. Forty per cent of men and 65.8% of women, showed fibrinogen concentrations above 300 mg/dL (p < 0.01) and 12.2% of men and 15.4% of women had VWF values higher than 150 U/dL, with normal multimeric distribution. Fourteen individuals presented spontancous platelet aggregation and increased aggregation in 12 and 13 of them, after induction with collagen and ristocetin respectively. Comparing these findings with those of previous collaborative studies from other countries, the present results could mean that an important proportion of the population here studied, could be at risk for a future coronary event; however, as these are the base findings in Maracaibo, the significance of our results will be better evaluated at the end of the five year study.     

Genetic heterogeneity of small ruminant lentiviruses involves immunodominant epitope of capsid antigen and affects sensitivity of single-strain-based immunoassay

The pol and gag gene fragments of small ruminant lentivirus field isolates collected in the last decade in Italy were amplified, sequenced, and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the majority of ovine isolates form a distinct cluster more similar to caprine lentivirus prototypes than to the visna virus prototype. These findings confirm and extend those reported by Leroux et al. (Arch. Virol., 142:1125-1137, 1997). Moreover, we observed that a variable region of Gag, included in the fragment analyzed, corresponded to one of the three major capsid antigen epitopes, which suggests that the antibody response to this epitope may be type specific. To test this hypothesis, two recombinant peptides, derived from the Icelandic prototype K1514 and this novel genotype, were expressed and used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to screen a panel of ovine and caprine sera collected from different geographical locations in Italy. Several sera reacted in a type-specific manner, indicating that in a diagnostic setting the combination of at least these two type-specific peptides is necessary to cover a wide range of infections. Additionally, these results support the hypothesis of cross-species transmission based on the phylogenetic analysis described above. This has implications for the control and eradication of small ruminant lentivirus infections.