Structure of the circumsporozoite protein gene in 18 strains of Plasmodium falciparum

Using the cloned circumsporozoite (CS) protein gene of a Brazilian strain of Plasmodium falciparum as probe, we have analyzed the structure of the CS protein gene from 17 other Asian, African, Central and South American parasite strains by nucleic acid hybridization. Each strain appears to have one CS protein gene which hybridizes readily to the Brazilian strain probe. The 5' and 3' thirds of the genes are invariant in size in all 18 strains whereas the central third containing the 12 base pair tandem repeats varies in size over a range of about 100 base pairs. Several differences were found in the locations of Sau3A sites in the genes. The Sau3A sites are significant because each of the minority Asn-Val-Asp-Pro repeats in the cloned gene has a Sau3A site. DNA melting of hybrids revealed a high degree of homology between the sequences of the cloned gene and genes from an Asian strain and an African strain. A 14 base oligodeoxynucleotide with a sequence from the central repeat region hybridized to all strains tested. We conclude that the CS protein gene is highly conserved among strains of P. falciparum and that malaria vaccine development with the CS protein is unlikely to be complicated by strain variation.     

Protease-activated receptor 2 exerts local protection and mediates some systemic complications in acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Protease-activated receptor 2 can be stimulated by interstitially released trypsin during acute inflammation of the pancreas. In this study, we investigated the roles of pancreatic and circulatory protease-activated receptor 2 in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis by using in vitro and in vivo model systems. METHODS: Physiological and pathologic effects of protease-activated receptor 2 activation were measured in isolated pancreatic cells and in rats with experimental pancreatitis. Consequences of protease-activated receptor 2 activation on the systemic and inflammatory responses were measured after treatments with trypsin or protease-activated receptor 2-activating peptide. RESULTS: Stimulation of protease-activated receptor 2 in rat pancreatic acinar cells activated short-lasting (Ca(2+) signaling) and long-lasting (extracellular signal-related kinase) signaling pathways and protected the cells against bile-induced cell damage. More importantly, protease-activated receptor 2 activation ameliorated the pathologic effects observed in the in vivo model of cerulein-induced pancreatitis. Trypsin in the circulation of rats with taurocholate-induced severe acute pancreatitis reached levels sufficient to activate endothelial and immune cells to stimulate nitric oxide and interleukin-8 production, respectively. Most notably, activation of systemic protease-activated receptor 2 by circulating protease-activated receptor 2 agonists induced a hemodynamic response pattern similar to that observed in rats with severe acute pancreatitis. The effects of protease-activated receptor 2 agonists and acute pancreatitis were not additive. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that protease-activated receptor 2 may have a dual role in acute pancreatitis: protecting acinar and duct cells against pancreatitis-induced cell damage while mediating or aggravating the systemic complications of acute pancreatitis, which are the major cause of mortality in the early phase of necrotizing pancreatitis.     

IL1B and IL1RN polymorphic genes and Helicobacter pylori cagA strains decrease the risk of reflux esophagitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Proinflammatory interleukin (IL)-1 gene polymorphisms associated with high levels of IL-1beta activity increase the risk for hypochlorhydria and distal gastric carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether carriers of these polymorphic genes are protected against gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). TNFA-308 polymorphisms were also studied. METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 385 patients without gastric cancer and peptic ulcer. Of these patients, 383 (98 with GERD and 285 controls) were successfully genotyped for all cytokines studied. The cagA status of Helicobacter pylori isolates was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). IL1B-511/-31, IL1RN, and TNFA-308 polymorphisms were genotyped by PCR, PCR/restriction fragment length polymorphism, or PCR/confronting 2-pair primers. Histologic gastritis was assessed according to the updated Sydney system. The role of the proinflammatory cytokine genotypes in the genesis of GERD was evaluated before and after stratification by H. pylori status in logistic regression models controlling for confounding factors. RESULTS: IL1B-31 (a near-complete linkage disequilibrium between polymorphism at -31 and -511 was found) and IL1RN*2 allele polymorphisms were associated with GERD. After stratification, in the group of H. pylori-positive patients, cagA-positive status, IL1B-31 polymorphic alleles, IL1RN*2 alleles, and the degree of corpus gastritis were negatively associated with GERD. In the H. pylori-negative group, IL1B-31C/C genotype was inversely associated with GERD even after adjustment for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence supporting the independent protective role of cagA-positive H. pylori status and IL1B and ILRN allele polymorphisms against GERD.     

The 4977 bp deletion of mitochondrial DNA in human skeletal muscle,heart and different areas of the brain: A useful biomarker or more?

It has been suggested that deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are important players with regard to the ageing process. Since the early 1990s, the 4977 bp deletion has been studied in various tissues, especially in postmitotic tissues with high energy demand. Unfortunately, some of these studies included less than 10 subjects, so the aim of our study was to quantify reliably the deletion amount in nine different regions of human brain, heart and skeletal muscle in a cohort of 92 individuals. The basal ganglia contain the highest deletion amounts with values up to 2.93% and differences in deletion levels between early adolescence and older ages were up to three orders of magnitude. Values in frontal lobe were on average an order of magnitude lower, but lowest in cerebellar tissue where the amount was on average only 5 x 10(-3) of the basal ganglia. The deletion started to accumulate in iliopsoas muscle early in the fourth decade of life with values between 0.00019% and 0.0035% and was highest in a 102-year-old woman with 0.14%. In comparison to skeletal muscle, the overall abundance in heart muscle of the left ventricle was only one-third. The best linear logarithmic correlation between amount of the deletion and age was found in substantia nigra with r=0.87 (p<0.0005) followed by anterior wall of the left ventricle (r=0.82; p<0.0005). With regard to mitochondrial DNA damage, we propose to use the 4977 bp deletion as an ideal biomarker to discriminate between physiological ageing and accelerated ageing. The biological meaning of mitochondrial deletions in the process of ageing is under discussion, but there is experimental evidence that large-scale deletions impair the oxidative phosphorylation in single cells and sensitize these cells to undergo apoptosis.     

Mitochondrial DNA 4977bp Deletion Mutation in Peripheral Blood Reflects Atrial Remodeling in Patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation

Purpose

Recently, mitochondrial DNA 4977bp deletion (mtDNA4977^-mut), a somatic mutation related to oxidative stress, has been shown to be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). We hypothesized that patient age, as well as electroanatomical characteristics of fibrillating left atrial (LA), vary depending on the presence of mtDNA4977^-mut in peripheral blood among patients with non-valvular AF.

Materials and Methods

Analyzing clinical and electroanatomical characteristics, we investigated the presence of the mtDNA4977^-mut in peripheral blood of 212 patients (51.1±13.2 years old, 83.5% male) undergoing catheter ablation for non-valvular AF, as well as 212 age-matched control subjects.

Results

The overall frequency of peripheral blood mtDNA4977^-mut in patients with AF and controls was not significantly different (24.5% vs. 19.3%, p=0.197). When the AF patient group was stratified according to age, mtDNA4977^-mut was more common (47.4% vs. 20.0%, p=0.019) in AF patients older than 65 years than their age-matched controls. Among AF patients, those with mtDNA4977^-mut were older (58.1±11.9 years old vs. 48.8±11.9 years old, p<0.001). AF patients positive for the mtDNA mutation had greater LA dimension (p=0.014), higher mitral inflow peak velocity (E)/diastolic mitral annular velocity (Em) ratio (p<0.001), as well as lower endocardial voltage (p=0.035), and slower conduction velocity (p=0.048) in the posterior LA than those without the mutation. In multivariate analysis, E/Em ratio was found to be significantly associated with the presence of mtDNA4977^-mut in peripheral blood.

Conclusion

mtDNA4977^-mut, an age-related somatic mutation detected in the peripheral blood, is associated with advanced age and electro-anatomical remodeling of the atrium in non-valvular AF.     

父源性HLA-G基因14bp缺失多态性与早发型重度子痫前期的相关性研究

目的:探讨父源性HLA-G基因14bp缺失多态性与早发型重度子痫前期的相关性。方法:采用PCR方法,对中国地区汉族人群中40对早发型重度子痫前期父儿和50对正常晚孕者父儿进行HLA-G基因第8外显子14bp缺失多态性的等位基因分型,比较两组父亲之间和两组新生儿之间等位基因及基因型的频率分布,通过父/儿基因型配伍,比较两组间基因型配伍频率分布的差异。结果:①早发型重度子痫前期组新生儿HLA-G-14bp频率52.5%和-14bp/-14bp基因型频率显著低于对照组(P=0.024;P=0.010);②早发型重度子痫前期组父(-14bp/-14bp)/儿-14bp/-14bp基因型配伍频率显著低于对照组(P=0.013);③早发型重度子痫前期父亲组HLA-G 14bp缺失多态性的等位基因频率分布与正常对照组比较差异虽无统计学意义,但是有差异性趋势(P=0.051)。结论:父源性HLA-G基因14bp缺失多态性可能与早发型重度子痫前期的发病相关,父(-14bp/-14bp)/儿-14bp/-14bp基因型配伍可能会降低母亲患重度子痫前期的风险。