Effect of B vitamin supplementation on plasma homocysteine levels in celiac disease

AIM: To investigate the effect of vitamin supplements on homocysteine levels in patients with celiac disease. METHODS: Vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and fasting plasma homocysteine levels were measured in 51 consecutive adults with celiac disease [median (range) age 56 (18-63) years; 40% men, 26 (51%) had villous atrophy, and 25 (49%) used B-vitamin supplements] and 50 healthy control individuals matched for age and sex. Finally, the C677T polymorphism of 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) was evaluated in 46 patients with celiac disease and all control individuals. RESULTS: Patients with celiac disease and using vitamin supplements had higher serum vitamin B6 (P = 0.003),folate (P < 0.001), and vitamin B12 (P = 0.012) levels than patients who did not or healthy controls (P = 0.035, P < 0.001, P = 0.007, for vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12, respectively). Lower plasma homocysteine levels were found in patients using vitamin supplements than in patients who did not (P = 0.001) or healthy controls (P = 0.003). However, vitamin B6 and folate, not vitamin B12, were significantly and independently associated with homocysteine levels. Twenty-four (48%) of 50 controls and 23 (50%) of 46 patients with celiac disease carried the MTHFR thermolabile variant T-allele (P = 0.89). CONCLUSION: Homocysteine levels are dependent on Marsh classification and the regular use of B-vitamin supplements is effective in reduction of homocysteine levels in patients with celiac disease and should be considered in disease management.

Comparative genome analysis of deleted genes in Shigella flexneri 2a strain 301

Comparative genome analysis is performed between Shigella flexneri 2a strain 301 and its close relatives, the nonpathogenic E. Coli K-12 strain MG1655. Result shows that there are 136 DNA segments whose size is larger than 1000 bp absent from Shigella flexneri 2a strain 301, which is up to 717253 bp in total length. These deleted segments altogether contain 670 open reading frames (ORFs). Prediction of these ORFs indicates that there are 40% genes of unknown function. The other genes of definite functions encode metabolic enzymes, structure proteins, transcription regulatory factors and some elements correlated with horizontal transfer. Here we compare the complete genomic sequences of the two closely related species, which differ in pathogenic phenotype. To our knowledge, this not only reveals the difference of genomic sequence between the two important enteric pathogens for the first time, but also provides valuable clues to further researches in its process of physiological activity, pathogenesis and the evolution of enteric bacteria.