Combined use of RFLP and PCR-ASO typing for HLA-DR-Dw and DQw typing.

Due to some limitations of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis in HLA-DR-DQ typing, we present a combined use of RFLP and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-allele-specific oligonucleotide (ASO) typing. This scheme consists in selectively amplifying the few RFLP ill-defined genes (DR1/DR'Br' and DR4-Dw subsets) using PCR with allele specific primers to avoid cross-hybridization.     

PCR-SSO typing for DR4-Dw subtypes: application to unrelated bone marrow transplant donor selection

Thirty-seven DR4-positive patient-unrelated bone marrow donor pairs previously DR/DQ restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) typed and tested in mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), have been DR4-Dw subtyped retrospectively using sequence specific oligonucleotide probes. We found that DR4-Dw subtyping substantially increased the accuracy of pre-MLC matching and could potentially accelerate donor searches by avoiding unnecessary MLC tests on Dw-mismatched donors.     

Lipid screening in HIV-infected veterans

BACKGROUND: Lipid screening is recommended for patients taking protease inhibitors (PIs). METHODS: We examined data from the Veterans Administration Immunology Case Registry to assess lipid screening among HIV-infected veterans who received PIs for at least 6 consecutive months during 1999 and 2001. We estimated crude and adjusted associations between lipid screening and patient characteristics (age, gender, HIV exposure, and race/ethnicity), comorbidities (AIDS, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and hyperlipidemia), and facility characteristics (urban location, case management, guidelines, and quality improvement programs). RESULTS: Among 4065 patients on PIs, clinicians screened 2395 (59%) for lipids within 6 months of initiating treatment. Adjusting for patient characteristics, comorbidities, facility traits, and clustering, lipid screening was more common among patients who were cared for in urban areas (relative risk [RR] = 1.3, confidence limits: 1.0-1.5), diabetic (RR = 1.2, confidence limits: 1.1-1.3), or previously hyperlipidemic (RR = 1.4, confidence limits: 1.3-1.5) and less common among patients with a history of intravenous drug use (IVDU) (RR = 0.90, confidence limits: 0.79-1.0) or unknown HIV risk (RR = 0.85, confidence limits: 0.75-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Six in 10 patients taking PIs receive lipid screening within 6 months of PI use. Systemic interventions to improve overall HIV quality of care should also address lipid screening, particularly among patients with unknown or IVDU HIV risk and those cared for in nonurban areas.     

A bi-allelic VNTR in the human TNFR2 (p75) gene promoter

We describe a bi-allelic VNTR polymorphism within a 42 bp region in the promoter of the tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 gene (TNFR2). Within this region there are one (Allele 1) or two (Allele 2) repeats of a 15 bp sequence, 5'-GCCGGGC AGGTGGAG-3'. Allele frequencies observed in a Caucasian population were 0.3 (Allele 1) and 0.7 (Allele 2).     

Cytokine gene polymorphism in human disease: on-line databases

The pathologies of many infectious, autoimmune and malignant diseases are influenced by the profiles of cytokine production in pro-inflammatory (TH1) and anti-inflammatory (TH2) T cells. Interindividual differences in cytokine profiles appear to be due, at least in part, to allelic polymorphism within regulatory regions of cytokine gene. Many studies have examined the relationship between cytokine gene polymorphism, cytokine gene expression in vitro, and the susceptibility to and clinical severity of diseases. A review of the findings of these studies is presented. An on-line version featuring appropriate updates is accessible from the World Wide Web site, http://www.pam.bris.ac.uk/services/GAI/cytokine4.htm.