Failure to find evidence for deletion of LCE3C and LCE3B genes at PSORS4 contributing to psoriasis susceptibility in Tunisian families

Background

Recently, it has been shown that a deletion in the late cornified envelope (LCE) gene cluster (LCE3C_LCE3B-del) is associated with susceptibility to psoriasis in European and Asian populations. However, no study of this deletion has been performed in the North African population. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether this deletion is associated with familial psoriasis in Tunisian population.

Methods

A total of 34 patients and 55 healthy individuals were recruited from 7 multiplex families and a PCR assay was used to determine the association of this deletion. Its effect on susceptibility to psoriasis was assessed using the PDT program.

Results

We failed to detect any evidence of association between LCE3C_LCE3B-del and psoriasis in Tunisian families. No epistasic effect was found between the deletion and PSORS1 locus.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that the LCE3C_LCE3B-del does not contribute in a major way to psoriasis susceptibility in Tunisian families.     

Natural infection of North African gundi (Ctenodactylus gundi) by Leishmania tropica in the focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis, Southeast Tunisia

North African gundis (Ctenodactylus gundi) were trapped in the Leishmania (L.) tropica focus of cutaneous leishmaniasis, situated in southeast Tunisia and evaluated for Leishmania infection by real-time kinetoplast DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Species identification was performed by internal transcribed spacer one (ITS1)-PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis of the 7SL RNA gene. Real-time PCR on blood was positive in 6 of 13 (46.2%) tested gundis. Leishmania tropica was identified in five infected gundis and Leishmania major in one specimen. Alignments of the ITS-1 DNA sequences and 7S-HRM curves analysis indicated that similar genotypes were present in humans, a sandfly, and gundis from the same region suggesting a potential role of this rodent as reservoir host of L. tropica in southeast Tunisia.     

Zinc(ii) triazole meso-arylsubstituted porphyrins for UV-visible chloride and bromide detection. Adsorption and catalytic degradation of malachite green dye

Three new triazole meso-arylporphyrins (4a–c) were synthesized by the copper(i)-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) “click” reaction in high yield. The corresponding zinc(ii) coordination compounds (5a–c) have also been prepared. All 4a–c and 5a–c porphyrin species were fully characterized by elemental analysis, electrospray ionization and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, UV-visible, fluorescence and cyclic voltammetry. The zinc(ii) 5a–c complexes have been tested as detectors for Cl⁻ and Br⁻ anions. UV-visible titrations reveal that these host systems exhibit strong anion binding affinities. The efficiency of the adsorption of the malachite green dye (MG) dye on the 4a–c free base porphyrins and the corresponding zinc(ii) complexes 5a–c was investigated by a kinetic study using these synthetic porphyrin derivatives as adsorbents. The use of our triazole Zn(ii) complexes in the catalytic degradation of the MG dye is the first example where a metalloporphyrin is involved in the MG dye decolorization reaction. The degradation reactions were carried out using an ecological oxidant (H₂O₂), where the efficiency of the decolorization has been characterized by UV-visible spectroscopic analysis. Several factors affecting the degradation phenomenon have been studied. The energetic parameters concerning the degradation process have also been determined.

Three triazole porphyrins and there corresponding zinc complexes are described as well as their spectroscopic and electrochemical data. The chloride and bromide sensing efficiency and the degradation of the malachite green dye are also reported.     

Radionuclide investigations of the urinary tract in the era of multimodality imaging.

This article presents the role of nuclear medicine procedures in investigating renal and parenchymal disease, as well as upper urinary tract abnormalities. More specifically, the use of scintigraphy is described in the exploration of urinary tract dilatation and UTIs, vesicoureteric reflux, renovascular hypertension, and renal transplants. With a low radiation burden and the absence of sedation, these nuclear medicine procedures are easy to perform and can provide clinicians with valuable data on renal perfusion and the function of individual kidneys, as well as on urinary tract dynamics. However, knowledge of limitations and technical pitfalls is essential in understanding the role of scintigraphy among contemporary imaging methods and the unique information it supplies in nephrourology.     

Prévalence de l’infection par le parvovirus B19 humain au cours des éruptions fébriles de l’enfant dans le Nord tunisien

The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of specific antibodies anti-human parvovirus B19 (PVB19) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG in children with fever and rash. This study involved 257 children aged from 7 months to 15 years with febrile rash unrelated to measles and rubella (seronegative for IgM). The sera were examined by immunoenzymatic assay. Detection of antibodies of PVB19 was done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa). In our study, prevalence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM were 44 and 11.3%, respectively. Clinically, children with positive IgM serology had submitted an erythema infectiosum (13/29 cases), myocarditis (1 case), encephalitis (1 case), severe sickle cell anemia (7 cases), and immunocompromised (7 cases). The incidence rate of viral infection was 11.3%; most of the cases of PVB19 infection occurred between the months of May and August. Incidence was higher in the 10–15 years age group (21%). The prevalence of IgG antibody varied and increased with age, it rises from 38.2% in preschool children (19 months–4 years) to 53.5% in those aged between 4.5 and 15 years, reaching 58% in the 10–15 years age group. The four risk factors of PVB19 infection are: (1) those aged between 4.5 and 9 years, which is the most affected age group (P = 0.0018); (2) female gender in children aged between 19 months and 4 years (P = 0.037); (3) transfusion and (4) immune deficiency (P = 0.022 and P = 0.001, respectively). The study of the prevalence of PVB19 infection shows that viral infection is acquired early in childhood, increases with age; viral transmission is favored by the community life. Because of the widespread vaccination program against measles and rubella, the systematic search of PVB19 in front of eruptive fevers becomes important.     

Prevalence of common HFE and SERPINA1 mutations in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in a Moroccan population

BACKGROUND: Hereditary hemochromatosis and SERPINA1 mutation were reported to affect liver functions. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of HFE and SERPINA1 (formerly known as alpha1-antitrypsin, AAT) mutations and assess their influence on hepatocellular carcinoma development. METHODS: This study included 222 controls and 96 cases with hepatocellular carcinoma. PCR-RFLP was used to characterize S and Z alleles in SERPINA1, as well as C282Y/H63D alleles of HFE. RESULTS: In healthy subjects and hepatocellular carcinoma patients as well, no homozygotes for the C282Y mutation were found. In controls, heterozygosity and homozygosity for the H63D mutation were 27 and 0.9%, respectively. Among patients, homozygosity for the H63D mutation was 3.1%, whereas heterozygosity for C282Y and H63D was 2.1 and 35.4%, respectively. Interestingly, albeit it does not reach significance (p=0.062), H63D was more prevalent in hepatocellular carcinoma patients than in controls (38.5 vs. 27.9%, respectively). The association was stronger when considering only male patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (47.1 vs. 23.6, p=0.001). Allele frequencies of S and Z in controls were 0.45% (95% CI=0.2-1.07) and 0.22% (95% CI=0.2-0.6), respectively, and 1 for S and 0% for Z in HCC. No significant difference was found between cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a novel appraisal of HFE and SERPINA1 mutations prevalence in the Moroccan population. Results are consistent with the worldwide spread of the H63D and S mutation and the north European restriction of the C282Y and Z. Our results show that H63D carriage is increased among hepatocellular carcinoma patients, suggesting that it may confer an increased susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma even in a heterozygous state. On the contrary, HFE C282Y and SERPINA1 mutations do not contribute to hepatocellular carcinoma development.     

Mutagenic, antimutagenic, cytotoxic, and apoptotic activities of extracts from Pituranthos tortuosus

Mutagenic and antimutagenic activities against direct acting mutagens, nifuroxazide (NF) and sodium azide (SA), and indirect acting mutagen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) of extracts prepared from aerial parts of Pituranthos tortuosus were investigated in bacterial assay systems (i.e., the Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA100, TA98, TA1538, TA1535, and the SOS chromotest with Escherichia coli PQ 37). It was found that all extracts obtained from P. tortuosus decreased the mutagenicity induced by AFB1 (10 microg/assay), SA (1.5 microg/assay), and NF (20 microg/assay). Ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and total oligomer flavenoid extracts exhibited the highest inhibition level of mutagenicity induced by the indirect mutagen AFB1. In addition, antiproliferative and apoptotic properties of these extracts have also been reported using two leukemia cell lines, L1210 and K562. The results revealed that all extracts showed a significant cytotoxic effect on these cell lines, and the effect was greater in the presence of human K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells, whereas they do not induce apoptosis.     

Antiproliferative, antioxidant, and antimutagenic activities of flavonoid-enriched extracts from (Tunisian) Rhamnus alaternus L.: combination with the phytochemical composition

A pronounced antiproliferative effect on human leukemia K562 cells was shown with flavonoid-enriched extracts from Rhamnus alaternus roots and leaves, with, respectively, IC(50) values of 165 and 210.73 microg/mL. High DPPH radical-scavenging activity (7.21 and 18.84 microg/mL, respectively) and antioxidative effects using the xanthine oxidase assay (IC(50) values of 83.33 and 103.96 microg/mL, respectively) were detected in the presence of the two tested extracts. Although no mutagenic effect was observed when using the Salmonella typhimurium assay system with TA1535 and TA100 strains, the two tested extracts exhibited a high-level protection toward the direct mutagen, sodium azide-induced response.