AGTR1 A1166C gene polymorphism is associated with the effectiveness of valsartan monotherapy in Chinese patients with essential hypertension:A retrospective analysis

Objective:To investigate whether angiotensinⅡtype 1 receptor(AGTR1 A1166C)gene polymorphism was associated with the effectiveness of valsartan monotherapy in Chinese patients with essential hypertension.Methods:This retrospective analysis included 198 patients(≥18 years of age)who received valsartan monotherapy(80 mg/day)for newly developed essential hypertension at the authors’center between January 1,2020 and December 31,2023.Genotyping for AGTR1 A1166C gene polymorphism was done by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-melting curve analysis of genomic DNA from peripheral blood samples.A dominant genetic model for AGTR1 A1166C(AA genotype versus AC+CC genotype)was used.Multivariate regression analysis of baseline variables and AGTR1 polymorphism was conducted to identify predictors of target blood pressure attainment(<140/90 mmHg)at the 4-week follow-up.Results:The median age of the 198 patients was(53.7±13.5)years,and 58%were men.Genotyping assays showed that 164 patients had the AA genotype,and 34 patients were of the AC/CC genotype,including 30 with the AC genotype and 4 with the CC genotype.Allele distribution was consistent with Hardy Weinberg equilibrium.109 Patients(55.1%)attained the blood pressure target.Multivariate analysis showed that smoking(versus no smoking,HR 0.314,95%CI 0.159-0.619,P=0.001)and AGTR1 A1166C AA genotype(versus AC/CC,HR 2.927,95%CI 1.296-6.611,P=0.023)were significant and independent predictors of target attainment.25 Patients(73.5%)with AGTR1 A1166C AC/CC genotype attained the target versus 51.2%(51/164)of patients with AGTR1 A1166C AA genotype(P=0.017).Patients with AGTR1 A1166C AC/CC genotype had a significantly greater reduction in systolic blood pressure[(33.1±10.8)mmHg versus(29.2±11.7)mmHg in AA carriers;(P=0.029)].Conclusions:Hypertensive patients carrying one or two C alleles of the AGTR1 A1166C gene were more responsive to valsartan treatment.

Distribution of gene polymorphisms associated with aspirin antiplatelet in the Han NSTEMI population

Objective:To analyze the genotype and allele distribution characteristics of GPⅢa PLA2(rs5918),PEAR1(rs12041331),and PTGS1(rs10306114)genes related to the antiplatelet pharmacological effects of aspirin,providing reference for individualized treatment of Chinese Han NSTEMI patients.Methods:A total of 107 Han patients with NSTEMI in Beijing Luhe Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2016 to December 2022 were selected as the research subjects.The genotypes of GPⅢa PLA2(rs5918),PEAR1(rs12041331)and PTGS1(rs10306114)were detected by fluorescence staining in situ hybridization.The frequency distribution and allele distribution of genotype were analyzed.The results were analyzed whether there were statistical differences in the distribution of related alleles between the Han NSTEMI population and some populations in the 1000 Genomes database.Results:In the Han NSTEMI population,the genotype frequencies of GPⅢa PLA2(rs5918)locus were TT 97.20%,TC 2.80%and CC 0%,the allele frequencies were T 98.60%and C 1.40%.The genotype frequencies of PEAR1(rs12041331)locus were GG 42.06%,GA 44.86%and AA 13.08%,the allele frequencies were G 64.49%and A 35.51%.The genotypes at the PTGS1(rs10306114)locus were all AA(100%),no AG or GG genotype was found.Conclusion:In the NSTEMI population of Han nationality,the mutation at GPⅢa PLA2(rs5918)site related to aspirin antiplatelet pharmacology is rare,and there is no mutation at PTGS1(rs10306114)site.Wild homozygotes are dominant in these two gene loci,while mutations in PEAR1(rs12041331)are more common.Some of the findings in this study are similar to those in previous reports or other populations included in the relevant database;however,some results differ from previous reports or other populations。

Glutamate decarboxylase 1 gene polymorphisms are associated with respiratory symptoms in panic disorder

BACKGROUND Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of panic disorder(PD).However,the effect of genetic variants on PD remains controversial.AIM To evaluate the associations between glutamate decarboxylase 1(GAD1)gene polymorphisms and PD risk and assess the effect of GAD1 gene polymorphisms on the severity of clinical symptoms in PD.METHODS We recruited 230 PD patients and 224 healthy controls in this study.All participants were assessed for anxiety and panic symptom severity using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale(HAM-A)and Panic Disorder Severity Scale(PDSS).GAD1 gene polymorphisms(rs1978340 and rs3749034)were genotyped and assessed for allele frequencies.RESULTS There were no significant differences between cases and controls in the genotype distributions or allele frequencies of GAD1(rs1978340 and rs3749034).In addition,the effect of GAD1(rs1978340 and rs3749034)on PD severity was not significant.However,regarding respiratory symptoms,patients with the GAD1 rs1978340 A/A genotype had significantly higher scores than those with the A/G or G/G genotype.CONCLUSION Here,we showed that the A/A genotype of GAD1 rs1978340 was associated with increased severity of respiratory symptoms in patients with PD.

Maternal TMPRSS6 Gene Polymorphism rs855791SNP in Women with Preeclampsia

Introduction: Preeclampsia can lead to several maternal and perinatal adverse effects. There are few published data on the association between transmembrane serine protease 6 (TMPRSS6) gene polymorphism and preeclampsia. Objective: To assess the association between TMPRSS6 gene polymorphism rs855791SNP in women with preeclampsia compared with healthy pregnant women. Method: A case-control study (60 women in each arm) was conducted at Saad Abuaela Maternity Hospital in Khartoum, Sudan. Sociodemographic and clinical data were gathered through a questionnaire. The participant was genotype for TMPRSS6 gene rs855791SNP using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The results were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Result: There was no significant difference in the median of age, parity, and body mass index. The distribution of the genotypes and alleles of TMPRSS6 rs855791 was consistent with the HWE. The overall TMPRSS6 rs855791 polymorphism was not significantly associated with preeclampsia. However, the proportion of heterozygotes (TC) was considerably higher in the women with preeclampsia (46.7%) than in the control group (23.3%) (p = 0.001;OR = 2.71;95% CI = 1.21 - 6.07). The proportion of homozygotes (TT) and T alleles was not significantly different between women with preeclampsia and the control group. Conclusion: The overall TMPRSS6 rs855791 polymorphism was not significantly associated with preeclampsia and healthy control.

Cytokine and apoptosis gene polymorphisms influence the outcome of hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is thought to be chronic and the factors leading to viral clearance or persistence are poorly understood.This study was undertaken to investigate the possibility of a significant relationship between the spontaneous clearance or the persistence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cytokine and apoptosis gene polymorphisms in Tunisian patients on hemodialysis.METHODS:Polymorphisms of the genes IL-1 (-889 IL-1α,-511 and +3954 IL-1β,IL-1Ra),IL-18 (-137 and-607),IL-12 (-1188) and Apo1/Fas (-670) were determined by PCR-RFLP,PCR-SSP and PCR-VNTR in 100 healthy blood donors and 100 patients infected with HCV and undergoing hemodialysis.The patients were classified into two groups:G1 consisted of 76 active chronic hepatitis patients (positive for HCV RNA) and G2 consisted of 24 hemodialysed patients who spontaneously eliminated the virus (negative for HCV RNA).RESULTS:The frequency of genotype association [-137GC/-607CA] IL-18 was higher in G2 (41.7%) than in G1 (15.8%) (P=0.008;OR=0.26;95% CI,0.10-0.73).We also found a higher frequency of the AA genotype of the Apo1/Fas gene in G2 (41.6%) than in G1 (17.5%) (P=0.026;OR=3.49;95% CI,1.13-10.69).Adjustment for known covariate factors (age,gender and genotype) confirmed these univariate findings and revealed that the genotype association GC-CA of the (-137 and-607) IL-18 gene and the AA genotype of the Apo1/Fas gene were associated with the clearance of HCV (P=0.041 and 0.017,respectively).CONCLUSION:The two genotypes GC-CA of the (-137 and-607) IL-18 polymorphism and the AA genotype of the Apo1/Fas gene influence the outcome of HCV infection in Tunisian patients on hemodialysis.

UGT1A1 gene polymorphism: Impact on toxicity and efficacy of irinotecan-based regimens in metastatic colorectal cancer

AIM: To investigate the correlation between uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) gene polymorphisms and irinotecan-associated side effects and parameters of drug efficacy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) receiving a low-dose weekly irinotecan chemotherapeutic regimen. METHODS: Genotypes were retrospectively evaluated by gene scan analysis on the ABI 310 sequencer of the TATAA box in the promoter region of the UGT1A1 gene in blood samples from 105 patients who had received 1st line irinotecan-based chemotherapy for mCRC. RESULTS: The distribution of the genotypes was as follows: wild type genotype (WT) (6/6 ) 39.0%, heterozygous genotype (6/7) 49.5%, and homozygous genotype (7/7) 9.5%. The overall response rate (OR) was similar between patients carrying the (6/7, 7/7) or the WT genotype (6/6) (44.3% vs 43.2%, P = 0.75). Neither time to progression [(TTP) 8.1 vs 8.2 mo, P = 0.97] nor overall survival [(OS) 21.2 vs 18.9 mo, P = 0.73] differed significantly in patients who carried the(6/6) when compared to the (6/7, 7/7) genotype. No significant differences in toxicity were observed: Grade 3 and 4 delayed diarrhoea [(6/7, 7/7) vs (6/6); 13.0% vs 6.2%, P =0.08], treatment delays [(6/7, 7/7) vs (6/6); 25.1% vs 19.3%, P = 0.24] or dose reductions [(6/7, 7/7) vs (6/6); 21.5% vs 27.2%, P = 0.07].CONCLUSION: This analysis demonstrates the non-significant influence of the UGT1A1 gene polymorphism on efficacy and rate of irinotecan-associated toxicity in mCRC patients receiving low-dose irinotecan based chemotherapy.

Risk factors and gene polymorphisms of inflammatory bowel disease in population of Zhejiang,China

AIM:To identify the risk factors and three single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) of NOD2/CARD15 gene in inflammatory bowel disease(IBD) of the population in Zhejiang,China.METHODS:A case-control study was conducted using recall questionnaire to collect data on demographic,socioeconomic,lifestyle characteristics and dietary behaviors from 136 determined IBD patients and 136 paired healthy controls.COX regression method was used to screen the statistically significant risk factors for IBD.The polymorphisms of NOD2/CARD15 gene Arg702Trp,Gly908Arg and Leu1007fsinsC were genotyped and further compared between 60 patients with IBD and 60 healthy controls by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism.RESULTS:IBD occurred primarily in young and middle-aged people.The mean age for IBD patients was 42.6 years.The ratio of males to females was 1.23:1.COX regression indicated a higher statistical significance in milk,fried food and stress compared with the other postulated risk factors for IBD.None of the patients with IBD and healthy controls had heterozygous or homozygous SNPs variants.CONCLUSION:Milk,fried food and stress are associated with increased risk of IBD.The common variants in NOD2/CARD15 gene are not associated with IBD in China's Zhejiang population.

Plasma Homocysteine and Gene Polymorphisms Associated with the Risk of Hyperlipidemia in Northern Chinese Subjects

Objective To examine the relationship between occurrence of hyperlipidemia, plasma homocysteine and polymorphisms of methylenetetra hydrofolate reductase （MTHFR） gene and methionine synthase （MS） gene. Methods A total of 192 hyperlipidemia patients were selected and divided into hypercholesterolemia group, hypertriglyceridemia group, and combined hyperlipidemia group. Another 208 normal individuals were selected as control. Total plasma homocysteine （tHcy） concentration was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography （HPLC）. Lipid profiles were measured for all subjects The polymorphisms of MTHFR gene C677T and MS gene A2756G were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Results The tHcy concentration in the combined hyperlipidemia patients was significantly higher than that in the control （15.95μmol/L vs 13.43 μmol/L, P〈0.05）. The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia （HHcy） in the combined hyperlipidemia group was significantly higher than that in the control （42.2% vs 23.0%, P=0.015）, with the odds ratio （OR） of 3.339 （95%CI： 1.260-8.849）. The hyperlipidemia patients with HHcy had a higher concentration of total cholesterol （TC） than that in the normal tHcy patients （5.67±0.95 mmol/L vs 5.47±0.92 retool/L, P=0.034）. There was no significant difference in genotype or allele frequencies of MTHFR C677T between the hyperlipidemic and control groups. The hyperlipidemia patients with MTHFR CT/TT genotype had a higher concentration of triglyceride （TG） than those with CC genotype （2.24±1.75 mmol/L vs 1.87±0.95 mmol/L, P〈0.05）. Individuals with CT/TT genotype had a higher concentration of tHcy than those with 677CC genotype both in the hyperlipidemia group （12.61±1.24μmol/L vs 11.20±1.37 μmol/L, P〈0.05） and in the control group （14.04±1.48 μmol/L vs 12.61±1.24 μmol/L, P〈0.05）. The percentage of MS 2756 GG/AG genotype in the combined hyperlipidemia group was significantly higher than that in the control （26.7% vs 13.0%, P=0.012）, with the OR of 3.121 （95%C1： 1.288-7.65/）. The hyperlipidemia patients with MS 2756AG/GG genotype had a higher concentration of TC （5.87±0.89 mmol/L vs 5.46±0.93 retool/L, P〈0.05） and LDL-C （3.29±0.81 mmol/L vs 2.94±0.85 retool/L, P〈0.05） than those with AA genotype. However, individuals with 2756AG/GG genotype showed no significant difference in tHcy among those with AA genotype. Conclusion HHcy and MS A2756G mutation may be the risk factors for combined hyperlipidemia. Further study is needed to confirm the role of HHcy and MS A2756G mutation in the development of hyperlipidemia.

Transforming growth factor-β1 gene polymorphisms are associated with progression of liver fibrosis in Caucasians with chronic hepatitis C infection

AIM: Considerable attention is focused on polymorphisms in the gene encoding transforming growth factor-pi (TGF-β1), a multifunctional cytokine that is in turn a potent growth inhibitor involved in wound healing and differentiation. In humans, it promotes the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis, atherosclerosis, cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, keloid disease, and hypertrophic scarring. For this reason, much emphasis has been placed on studies elucidating the impact of TGF-β1 and its gene variations for the susceptibility and pathogenesis of these diseases. Unfortunately, some studies have serious limitations. METHODS: We have recently described a high-throughput method for investigation the Arg25Pro polymorphism of human TGF-β1 gene and showed that the frequency of the Pro25 allele is significantly associated with hepatic fibrogenesis. In this report, we describe two novel LightCyder (LC) techniques that facilitate the examination of the two other known alterations in the coding region of TGF-β1. We investigated whether these polymorphisms contribute to hepatitis-induced progression of fibrogenesis in Chinese and Caucasians. RESULTS: In the Chinese ancestry, the gene polymorphisms at codons 25 and 263 were not found and the genetic variant at codon 10 is unlikely to confer susceptibility to hepatic fibrosis. Contrarily, in Caucasians TGF-β1 allelic variations are more frequent and the presence of prolines either in codon 25 or 10 is associated with the interindividual variability in developing more severe fibrosis during chronic hepatitis C infection. CONCLUSION: In summary, these results confirm the hypothesis that TGF-β1 polymorphisms are associated with fibrosis progression in Caucasians chronically infected with hepatitis C.

Relationship between IFN-γ gene polymorphism and susceptibility to intrauterine HBV infection

AIM： To explore the susceptibility of children to intrauterine HBV infection by studying the relationship between IFN-γ gene polymorphism, including IFN-γ＋874A/T single nucleotide polymorphism（SNP） and CA repeat microsatellite polymorphism and intrauterine HBV infection. METHODS： A TaqMan fluorescence polymerase chain reaction in the IFN-γ＋874A/T single nucleotide polymorphism was tested in the intrauterine HBV infection group（group Ⅰ） and the normal immune children group（group Ⅱ）. Capillary electrophoresis was performed in the above two groups to assay the IFN-γ, CA repeat microsatellite polymorphism. RESULTS： Frequencies of AA, AT and TT genotypes were 67.4%, 19.6% and 13.0% in the intrauterine HBV infection group, and 45.2%, 30.1% and 24.7% in the normal immune children group, respectively. A significant difference was found in the frequency distribution of IFN-γ＋874 genotype between the two groups （x^2 = 5.102, P = 0.02389）. In the intrauterine HBV infection group the AA genotype was more common than in the normal immune group. Frequency of IFN-γ＋874A allele was 77.17% in the intrauterine HBV infection group, and 60.27% in the normal immune children group. In the intrauterine HBV infection group the IFN-γ＋874A allele was more common than in normal immune group. A significant difference was found in the frequency distribution between the two groups （x^2= 7.238, P= 0.02389, OR = 2.228, 95% CI = 1.244-3.992）. （CA12）^＋/（CA12）^＋ of IFN-γ CA microsatellite polymorphism was 11.90% in the intrauterine HBV infection group and 26.47% in the normal immune children group. A significant difference was found in the frequency distribution between the two groups （x^2 = 5.64, P = 0.0176）. Frequency of IFN-γ CA repeat was 25% in the intrauterine HBV infection group and 43.38% in the normal immune children group. The frequency of IFN-γ CA repeat was less in the intrauterine HBV infection group than in normal immune group. A significant difference was found in the frequency distribution between the two groups （x^2 = 7.548, P= 0.0060）. CONCLUSION： There is a relationship between IFN-γ＋874A/T SNP and intrauterine HBV infection as well as between IFN-γ CA microsatellite polymorphism and intrauterine HBV infection. IFN-γ gene polymorphism might be important in determining individual＇s susceptibility to intrauterine HBV infection.

Role of matrix metalloproteinase,tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase and tumor necrosis factor-α single nucleotide gene polymorphisms in inflammatory bowel disease

AIM:To study the (functional) relevance of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-1,-2,-3,-9,tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1,-2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the etiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD),that may enhance susceptibility and/or disease severity. METHODS:Genomic DNA from 134 Crohn's disease (CD),111 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 248 control subjects was isolated from resected intestinal tissue or blood. Allelic composition at SNP loci was determined by PCR-RFLP or tetra primer ARMS PCR. RESULTS:The TIMP-1 genotype TT in women and T in men at SNP +372 T/C was found to increase CD susceptibility (39% vs 23.8%,P=0.018 and 67.9% vs 51.6%,P=0.055,respectively),while women with this genotype were less prone to development of fistulae during follow-up (41.4% vs 68.3%,P=0.025). Male IBD or CD patients carrying the TIMP-1 +372 T-allele expressed lower levels of TIMP-1 in surgically resected macroscopically inflamed tissue (0.065 < P < 0.01). The 5T5T genotype at MMP-3 SNP -1613 5T/6T increased the chance of stenotic complications in CD during follow-up (91.2% vs 71.8%,P = 0.022) but seemed to protect against colonic involvement of this disease at first endoscopic/radiologic examination (35.3% vs 59.5%,P=0.017). CONCLUSION:Allelic composition at the examinedSNPs in genes coding for TIMP-1 and MMP-3 affect CD susceptibility and/or phenotype,i.e.,fistulizing disease,stricture pathogenesis and first disease localisation. These findings reinforce the important role of these proteins in IBD.

Inflammatory cytokine gene polymorphisms increase the risk of atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia

AIM: To investigate the effects of interleukin-8 (IL-8 ), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF ) gene polymorphisms, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) infection, on the risk of developing severe chronic atrophic gastritis (SCAG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM). METHODS: A total of 372 cases were selected from a cohort study in Linqu County, a high risk area for gastric cancer (GC) in northern China. To obtain a sufficient group size, patients with normal or superficial gastritis were included. Based on an average follow-up period of 56 mo, the 372 cases were divided into no progres-sion group (no histological progression from normal or superficial gastritis, n = 137), group Ⅰ (progressed from normal or superficial gastritis to SCAG, n = 134) and group Ⅱ (progressed from normal or superficial gastritis to IM, n = 101). IL-8 , MIF gene polymorphisms were detected by polymerase chain reaction-based denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography analysis and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: An increased risk of SCAG was found in subjects with IL-8-251 AA genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 2.62, 95% CI: 1.23-5.72] or IL-8-251 A allele carriers (AA + AT) (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.06-3.09). An elevated risk of IM was found in subjects with IL-8-251 AT genotype (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.25-4.14) or IL-8-251 A allele carriers (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.16-3.69). An increased risk of SCAG was found in subjects with MIF-173 GC genotype (OR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.38-4.02) or MIF-173 C allele carriers (GC + CC) (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.21-3.55). An elevated risk of IM was found in subjects with MIF-173 CC genotype (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.16-4.46) or MIF-173 C allele carriers (OR = 3.84, 95% CI: 1.58-9.34). The risk of SCAG and IM was more evident in subjects carrying IL-8-251 A allele (OR = 6.70, 95% CI: 1.29-9.78) or MIF-173 C allele (OR = 6.54, 95% CI: 2.97-14.20) and positive for H. pylori infection. CONCLUSION: IL-8-251 and MIF-173 gene polymorphisms are significantly associated with the risk of SCAG and IM in a population with a high risk of GC in Linqu County, Shandong Province, China.

Gut bacteria alteration in obese people and its relationshipwith gene polymorphism

AIM:To investigate the differences in cultivable gut bacteria and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2(PPAR-γ2) gene Pro12Ala variation in obese and normal-weight Chinese people.METHODS:Using culture methods,the amounts of Escherichia coli,Enterococci,Bacteroides,Lactobacilli,Bif idobacteria and Clostridium perfringens(C.perfringens) in the feces of 52 obese participants [body mass index(BMI):≥ 28 kg/m2] and 52 participants of normalweight(BMI:18.5-24 kg/m2) were obtained.Study participants completed comprehensive questionnaires and underwent clinical laboratory tests.The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-PFLP) assay was used to analyze PPAR-γ2 gene Pro12Ala variation.RESULTS:The obese group exhibited a lower amount of C.perfringens(6.54 ± 0.65 vs 6.94 ± 0.57,P = 0.001)and Bacteroides(9.81 ± 0.58 vs 10.06 ± 0.39,P = 0.012) than their normal-weight counterparts.No major differences were observed in Pro12Ala genotype distribution between the two groups;however,obese individuals with a Pro/Ala genotype had a signif icantly lower level of Bacteroides(9.45 ± 0.62 vs 9.93 ± 0.51,P = 0.027) than those with a Pro/Pro genotype.In addition,the obese group demonstrated a higher stool frequency(U = 975,P < 0.001) and a looser stool(U = 1062,P = 0.015) than the normal-weight group.CONCLUSION:Our results indicated interactions among cultivable gut flora,host genetic factors and obese phenotype and this might be helpful for obesity prevention.

Correlating interleukin-10 promoter gene polymorphisms with human cerebral infarction onset

Evidence suggests that interleukin-10（IL-10） deficiency exacerbates inflammation and worsens the outcome of brain ischemia. In view of the critical role of the single nucleotide polymorphic sites-1082（A/G） and-819（C/T） in the promoter region of the IL-10 gene, we hypothesized that they are associated with cerebral infarction morbidity in the Chinese Han population. We genotyped these allelic gene polymorphisms by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction methods in 181 patients with cerebral infarction（cerebral infarction group） and 115 healthy subjects（control group）. We identified significant differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency of the IL-10-1082 A/G allele between cerebral infarction and control groups（χ2 = 6.643, P = 0.010）. The IL-10-1082 A allele frequency was significantly higher in the cerebral infarction group（92.3%） than in the control group（86.1%）（P = 0.015）. Moreover, cerebral infarction risk of the AA genotype was 2-fold higher than with the AG genotype（OR = 2.031, 95%CI： 1.134-3.637）. In addition, AA genotype together with hypertension was the independent risk factor of cerebral infarction（OR = 2.073, 95%CI： 1.278-3.364）. No statistical difference in genotype distribution or allele frequency of IL-10-819 C/T was found between cerebral infarction and control groups（P 〉 0.05）. These findings suggest that the IL-10-1082 A/G gene polymorphism is involved in cerebral infarction, and increased A allele frequency is closely associated with occurrence of cerebral infarction.

Effect of cytokine gene polymorphism on histological activity index, viral load and response to treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 3

AIM： To investigate the association between cytokine gene polymorphism and disease status in chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 by liver biopsy, ALl, HCV RNA levels and response to treatment. METHODS： Patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 3 were analyzed for single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin （IL）-10, IL-1 beta, interferon-gamma （IFN-y）, tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-y） and transforming growth factor-beta （TGF-β） by polymerase chain reaction using sequence-specific oligonucleotide primers. Liver biopsies were assessed by modified histological activity index （HAI） scoring system using a scale of 0-18 for grading the necro-inflammatory activity and 0-6 for staging the fibrosis. HCV RNA levels were determined by bDNA assay. The patients were treated with interferon alpha and ribavirin for 6 mo. Sustained virological response was assessed 6 mo after the completion of the treatment. RESULTS： Out of the 40 patients analyzed, 26 were males. Mean age was 40.5±12.5 years （range 18- 65 years）. The frequencies of different dimorphic polymorphisms based on single nucleotide substitution were as follows： IL-10-1082 G/A 85%, A/A 12.5%, G/ G 2.5%; IL-10-819 A/C 87.5%, C/C 10%, A/A 2.5%; IL-10-592 C/A 72.5%, C/C 27.5%; IL-1 C 90%, U 10%; IFN-874 T/A 50%, T/T 27.5%, A/A 22.5%; TNF-308 A/G 95%, G/G 5%; TGF-10 T/C 52.5%, C/C 35%, T/T 12.5%. The mean grades of necroinflammatory activity of different genotypes of IL-10 at promoter site -1082 were A/A = 3.6, A/G = 5.0, and G/G = 10.0 and the difference was significant （P = 0.029）. The difference in the stage of disease at a scale of 0-6 was A/A 0.8, A/G 2.3, and G/G 4.0 （P = 0.079）. The difference in the HAI seemed to be related to the presence of allele -1082G.For IL-10 -819 genotypes, mean scores of fibrosis were A/A = 6.0, A/C = 2.2, and C/C = 1.0 （P = 0.020） though the inflammatory activity was not much different. No significant differences in HAI were noted among polymorphisms of other cytokines. Moreover, ALT and HCV RNA levels were not significantly different among different cytokine polymorphisms. There was a significant correlation of HAI and HCV RNA levels with the duration of disease. TGFI3 -10 genotype CC patients had a better end of treatment response than those with other genotypes （P = 0：020）. Sustained virological response to the treatment was not influenced by the cytokine polymorphism. No effect of other factors like viral load, degree of fibrosis, gender, steatosis, was observed on sustained virological response in this population infected with genotype 3. CONCLUSION： There is no significant correlation between cytokine polymorphisms and HAI except for the polymorphisms of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, which may influence hepatic inflammatory activity and fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 3. Sustained virological response in this genotype does not seem to be influenced by cytokine gene polymorphisms.

Job Stress, Gene Polymorphism of β_2-AR, and Prevalence of Hypertension

Objective To study the interactive effect of job stress and genetic susceptibility （or gene polymorphism） on hypertension. Methods A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 452 workers from a thermal power plant in China. Extrinsic effort, occupational reward, and over-commitment were measured. Hypertensive patients were defined by three phases of screening, reexamination, and final diagnosis. β2-AR genotypes and allele frequencies at amino acid positions 16 （β2-AR-16： Arg→Gly） and 27 （β2-AR-27： Gln→Glu） were identified by PCR-RFLE Results Job stress was related with the prevalence of hypertension in males （P〈0.05）, whereas no significant relationship was found in females （P〉0.05）. Differences in genotypes and allele frequencies of the β2-AR-16 were statistically significant between the hypertension and control groups （P〈0.05）, whereas those of β2-AR-27 were not （P〉0.05）. The prevalence of hypertension was higher in individuals carrying Gly16 allele than in those carrying Arg16 allele of the high job stress group （P〈0.01 or 0.05）. Conclusion High job stress and polymorphism of β2-AR-16 have an interactive effect on the prevalence of hypertension in male workers.

Phase I/II enzyme gene polymorphisms and esophageal cancer risk: A meta-analysis of the literature

AIM:Phase I/II enzymes metabolize environmental carcinogens and several functional polymorphisms have been reported in their encoding genes. Although their significance with regard to esophageal carcinogenicity has been examined epidemiologically, it remains controversial. The present systematic review of the literature was performed to clarify associations. METHODS: Eligible studies were case-control or cohort studies published until September 2004 that were written in any language. From PubMed and a manual review of reference lists in relevant review articles, we obtained 16 studies related to the CYP1A1 Ile-Val substitution in exon 7, CYP1A1 MspI polymorphisms, CYP2E1 Rsal polymorphisms, GSTM1 null type, GSTT1 null type and GSTP1 Ilel04Val. All were of case-control design. Summary statistics were odds ratios (ORs) comparing heterozygous-, homozygous-non-wild type or these two in combination with the homozygous wild type, or the null type with the non-null type for GSTM1 and GSTT1, A random effect model was used to estimate the summary ORs. A meta-regression analysis was applied to explore sources of heterogeneity. RESULTS: Individuals with the Ile-Val substitution in CYP1A1 exon 7 had increased esophageal cancer risk, with ORs (95%CI) compared with lie/lie of 1.37 (1.09-1.71), 2.52 (1.62-3.91) and 1.44 (1.17-1.78) for Ile-Val, Val/Val genotype and the combined group. No significant association was found between esophageal cancer risk and the other genetic parameters. CONCLUSION: A significant association exists between the CYP1A1 Ile-Val polymorphism and risk of esophageal cancer. Polymorphisms that increase the internal exposure to activated carcinogens may increase the risk of esophageal cancer.

Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Polymorphisms Associated with Susceptibility to High Altitude Pulmonary Edema in Chinese Railway Construction Workers at Qinghai-Tibet over 4500 Meters above Sea Level

Objective To examine whether the polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene are associated with the susceptibility to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) in Chinese railway construction workers at Qinghai-Tibet where the altitude is over 4 500 m above sea level. Methods A case-control study was conducted including 149 HAPE patients in the construction workers and 160 healthy controls randomly recruited from their co-workers, matching the patients in ethnicity, age, sex, lifestyle, and working conditions. Three polymorphisms of eNOS gene, T-786C in promoter, 894G/T in exon 7, and 27bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) in intron 4, were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and confirmed with DNA sequencing. Results The frequencies of 894T allele and heterozygous G/T of the 894G/T variant were significantly higher in HAPE patients group than in the control group (P=0.0028 and P=0.0047, respectively). However, the frequencies of the T-786C in promoter and the 27bp VNTR in intron 4 were not significantly different between the two groups. Haplotypic analysis revealed that the frequencies of two haplotypes (H3,T-T-b, b indicates 5 repeats of 27 bp VNTR; H6, C-G-a, a indicates 4 repeats of 27 bp VNTR) were significantly higher in HAPE patients (both P<0.0001). On the contrary, the frequencies of H1 (T-G-b) and H2 (T-G-a) were lower in HAPE patients than in healthy controls (both P<0.001). Conclusions Two haplotypes (T-T-b and C-G-a) may be strongly associated with susceptibility to HAPE. Compared with the individual alleles of eNOS gene, the interaction of multiple genetic markers within a haplotype may be a major determinant for the susceptibility to HAPE.

Role of gene polymorphisms in gastric cancer and its precursor lesions:Current knowledge and perspectives in Latin American countries

Latin America shows one of the highest incidence rates of gastric cancer in the world,with variations in mortality rates among nations or even within countries belonging to this region.Gastric cancer is the result of a multifactorial complex process,for which a multistep model of carcinogenesis is currently accepted.Additionally to the infection with Helicobacter pylori,that plays a major role,environmental factors as well as genetic susceptibility factors are significant players at different stages in the gastric cancer process.The differences in population origin,demographic structure,socio-economic development,and the impact of globalization lifestyles experienced in Latin America in the last decades,all together offer opportunities for studying in this context the influence of genetic polymorphisms in the susceptibility to gastric cancer.The aim of this article is to discuss current trends on gastric cancer in Latin American countries and to review the available published information about studies of association of gene polymorphisms involved in gastric cancer susceptibility from this region of the world.A total of 40 genes or genomic regions and69 genetic variants,58%representing markers involved in inflammatory response,have been used in a number of studies in which predominates a low number of individuals(cases and controls)included.Polymorphisms of IL-1B(-511 C/T,14 studies;-31 T/C,10 studies)and IL-1RN(variable number of tandem repeats,17 studies)are the most represented ones in the reviewed studies.Other genetic variants recently evaluated in large metaanalyses and associated with gastric cancer risk were also analyzed in a few studies[e.g.,prostate stem cell antigen(PSCA),CDH1,Survivin].Further and better analysis centered in gene polymorphisms linked to other covariates,epidemiological studies and the information provided by meta-analyses and genome-wide association studies should help to improve our understanding of gastric cancer etiology in order to develop appropriate health programs in Latin America.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Polymorphism C677T is Associated with Increased Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Chinese Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Objective Chronic cardiovascular diseases induced by long-term poor blood glucose control are the main cause of death in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Previous researches report that methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene(MTHFR)polymorphisms might influence the occurrence of coronary heart disease(CHD)in T2DM patients.The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether MTHFR C677T and A1298C mutations are associated with the risk of CHD inT2DM patients.Methods A total of 197 subjects with T2DM were studied,of which 95 patients with CHD.The genotypes of MTHFR C677T and A1298C were analyzed by using dideoxy chain-termination method,and compared between patients with CHD and those without CHD.Results We found that the frequency of the 677T allele was significantly higher in T2DM patients with CHD than those without CHD(P=0.011).However,there was no significant difference in any of the examined haplotypes between T2DM patients with and without CHD.Furthermore,the 677T allele was associated with a higher risk of CHD development in diabetic patients with lower homocysteine(Hey)levels(≤15μmol/L)(P=0.006),while no effect of MTHFR gene polymorphism on the incidence of CHD was found in patients with higher Hey levels(>15 μmol/L)(P=0.491).Conclusion The MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism is associated with the risk of CHD of diabetic patients and could be used as an effective marker for CHD in Chinese diabetic populations with normal Hey levels.