Hypospadias and variants in genes related to sex hormone biosynthesis and metabolism

We examined whether variants in genes related to sex hormone biosynthesis and metabolism were associated with hypospadias in humans. We examined 332 relatively common tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs) in 20 genes. Analyses included 633 cases (84 mild, 322 moderate, 212 severe and 15 undetermined severity) and 855 population-based non-malformed male controls born in California from 1990 to 2003. We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each SNP. Several of the 332 studied SNPs had p < 0.01: one in CYP3A4, four in HSD17B3, one in HSD3B1, two in STARD3, 10 in SRD5A2 and seven in STS. In addition, haplotype analyses gave several associations with p < 0.01. For HSD17B3, 14-SNP and 5-SNP blocks had ORs of 1.5 (95% CI 1.1, 2.0, p < 0.001) and 2.8 (95% CI 1.6, 4.8, p < 0.001) respectively. For SRD5A2, 9-SNP, 3-SNP and 8-SNP blocks had ORs of 1.7 (95% CI 1.3, 2.2, p < 0.001), 1.4 (95% CI 1.1, 1.8, p = 0.008) and 1.5 (95% CI 1.2, 1.9, p = 0.002) respectively. Our study indicates that several genes that contribute to sex hormone biosynthesis and metabolism are associated with hypospadias risk.

Study of lipids, insulin metabolism, and paraoxonase-2-311 polymorphism in patients with different subtypes of Alzheimer's disease (translated version)

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the characteristics of blood lipids, insulin metabolism, and paraoxonase-2-311 (PON2-311) polymorphism among patients with Alzheimer's disease with different types of dementia.

METHODS

A total of 84 patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, and the Alzheimer's disease and Related Disorders Association clinical criteria for 'possible Alzheimer's disease', and with no family history of the condition, were enrolled. They were then categorised into 3 groups (senile dementia, presenile dementia, and mixed dementia) according to the diagnostic criteria of the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders, third edition. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to determine the presence of PON2-311 polymorphism. Serum cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and fasting blood sugar were measured. Fasting plasma insulin was measured using chemiluminescence. The basal-state method was used to assess insulin resistance expressed as insulin sensitivity index. The cognitive rating scale of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Activities of Daily Living scale, and Hachinski Ischemic Scale were used to establish the clinical features and severity of cognitive impairment. Differences in PON2-311C/S polymorphism, serum insulin, blood glucose, blood lipids, and neuropsychological score were analysed.

RESULTS

The serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels of the presenile dementia group were significantly higher than those of the senile and mixed dementia groups (p < 0.01). The high-density lipoprotein level of the senile dementia group was significantly higher than that of the mixed dementia group (p < 0.05). The serum insulin level of the presenile dementia group was significantly higher than that of the senile (p < 0.05) and mixed dementia groups (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in distribution of the PON2-311 genotypes C/C, C/S, and S/S between the senile and mixed dementia groups, and no significant differences in C-allele and S-allele frequency between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The differences in serum triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and insulin levels between Alzheimer patients with senile, presenile, and mixed dementia found in this study suggest that patients with presenile dementia should monitor their lipid and insulin metabolism. No significant differences were found for PON2-311 genotypes or allele frequencies in patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

Application and a proposed modification of the 2010 McDonald criteria for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in a Canadian cohort of patients with clinically isolated syndromes

Background:

The 2005 and 2010 McDonald criteria utilize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to provide evidence of disease dissemination in space (DIS) and time (DIT) for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients who have clinically isolated syndromes (CIS).

Methods:

Data from 109 CIS patients not satisfying the 2005 criteria at entry into a randomized controlled minocycline trial were analyzed to determine the proportion who would have been diagnosed with MS at screening based on 2010 criteria. The impact of including symptomatic, as well as asymptomatic, MRI lesions to confirm DIT was also explored.

Results:

Thirty percent (33/109) of patients, retrospectively, met the 2010 criteria for a diagnosis of MS at baseline. When both symptomatic and asymptomatic lesions were used to confirm DIT, three additional patients met the 2010 criteria. There was a significant 10.1% increase in the proportion of patients who met the 2010 DIS criteria, compared with the 2005 DIS criteria; however, two patients satisfied the 2005 DIS but not 2010 DIS criteria.

Conclusion:

Using 2010 McDonald criteria, 30% of the CIS patients could be diagnosed with MS using a single MRI scan. Inclusion of symptomatic lesions in the DIT criteria further increases this proportion to 33%.

Psoriasis and dyslipidemia: a population-based study analyzing the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

BACKGROUND

Psoriasis has been linked to an increased incidence of coronary artery disease, stroke, myocardial infarctions and cardiovascular deaths. Dyslipidemia, a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease, involves inflammatory pathways that are also implicated in psoriasis. An understanding of the relationship between psoriasis and dyslipidemia may have a substantial clinical impact.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine the association between psoriasis and multiple measurements of dyslipidemia, which include levels of triglycerides, apolipoprotein B, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, HDL/LDL ratio and total cholesterol.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2006 and 2009-2010. NHANES is a national research survey programme conducted biennially to evaluate the health and nutritional status of the U.S. population. The survey uses a multistage, stratified design. NHANES data were collected from questionnaires, physical examination and laboratory values.

RESULTS

The sample population consisted of 13 418 adults who provided responses to their psoriasis status. A total of 353 (2.63%) participants reported a health care provider-given diagnosis of psoriasis. The multivariate analysis showed that psoriasis was not significantly associated with certain measures of dyslipidemia from this population. Specifically, in psoriasis patients, the weighted odds ratio (OR) of total cholesterol >200 mg/dL was 0.96 (95% CI 0.74-1.24); weighted OR of HDL-cholesterol <40 mg/dL was 0.92 (95% CI 0.65-1.30); weighted OR of LDL-cholesterol >130 mg/dL was 0.67 (95% CI 0.43-1.03); weighted OR of triglycerides >150 mg/dL was 1.20 (95% CI 0.89-1.63); weighted OR of apolipoprotein B >130 mg/dL was 1.29 (95% CI 0.69-2.41); weighted OR of HDL/LDL <0.4 was 1.20 (95% CI 0.8-1.79).

CONCLUSION

Based on the NHANES data 2003-2006 and 2009-2010, psoriasis is not significantly associated with alterations in certain lipid levels. Larger sample sizes may be necessary to detect appreciable differences in the lipid levels between patients with and without psoriasis.

ER stress-mediated apoptosis induced by celastrol in cancer cells and important role of glycogen synthase kinase-3β in the signal network

HeLa cells treated with celastrol, a natural compound with inhibitive effect on proteasome, exhibited increase in apoptotic rate and characteristics of apoptosis. To clarify the signal network activated by celastrol to induce apoptosis, both the direct target proteins and undirect target proteins of celastrol were searched in the present study. Proteasome catalytic subunit β1 was predicted by computational analysis to be a possible direct target of celastrol and confirmed by checking direct effect of celastrol on the activity of recombinant human proteasome subunit β1 in vitro. Undirect target-related proteins of celastrol were searched using proteomic studies including two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis and iTRAQ-based LC-MS analysis. Possible target-related proteins of celastrol such as endoplasmic reticulum protein 29 (ERP29) and mitochondrial import receptor Tom22 (TOM22) were found by 2-DE analysis of total cellular protein expression profiles. Further study showed that celastrol induced ER stress and ER stress inhibitor could ameliorate cell death induced by celastrol. Celastrol induced translocation of Bax into the mitochondria, which might be related to the upregulation of BH-3-only proteins such as BIM and the increase in the expression level of TOM22. To further search possible target-related proteins of celastrol in ER and ER-related fractions, iTRAQ-based LC-MS method was use to analyze protein expression profiles of ER/microsomal vesicles-riched fraction of cells with or without celastrol treatment. Based on possible target-related proteins found in both 2-DE analysis and iTRAQ-based LC-MS analysis, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was established using bioinformatic analysis. The important role of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) in the signal cascades of celastrol was suggested. Pretreatment of LiCL, an inhibitor of GSK3β, could significantly ameliorate apoptosis induced by celastrol. On the basis of the results of the present study, possible signal network of celastrol activated by celastrol leading to apoptosis was predicted.