Human Variome Project country nodes: documenting genetic information within a country

The Human Variome Project (http://www.humanvariomeproject.org) is an international effort aiming to systematically collect and share information on all human genetic variation. The two main pillars of this effort are gene/disease-specific databases and a network of Human Variome Project Country Nodes. The latter are nationwide efforts to document the genomic variation reported within a specific population. The development and successful operation of the Human Variome Project Country Nodes are of utmost importance to the success of Human Variome Project's aims and goals because they not only allow the genetic burden of disease to be quantified in different countries, but also provide diagnosticians and researchers access to an up-to-date resource that will assist them in their daily clinical practice and biomedical research, respectively. Here, we report the discussions and recommendations that resulted from the inaugural meeting of the International Confederation of Countries Advisory Council, held on 12th December 2011, during the 2011 Human Variome Project Beijing Meeting. We discuss the steps necessary to maximize the impact of the Country Node effort for developing regional and country-specific clinical genetics resources and summarize a few well-coordinated genetic data collection initiatives that would serve as paradigms for similar projects.

Concentration of indocyanine green does not significantly influence lymphatic function as assessed by near-infrared imaging

BACKGROUND

Absorbance of near-infrared (600-800 nm) light by the tissue components water, melanin, and hemoglobin is minimal. This property allows the use of near-infrared-emitting fluorophores for noninvasive, in vivo, real-time imaging of tissue, without the interference of autofluorescence experienced with imaging in other wavelength ranges. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging has been used to noninvasively image lymphatic architecture and pumping function in animals, as well as in humans. The effects of different doses of a NIR dye, indocyanine green (ICG), on lymphatic function have been questioned. This study aims to address these concerns in the context of a mouse inguinal-to-axillary lymphatic imaging model.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We measured lymph propulsive velocity and frequency using an imaging system composed of a laser diode for excitation of the dye, an image intensifier, and an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera to capture real-time images. At 0.32, 0.645, and 1.3 mM ICG, no significant differences in lymphatic propulsive velocity or frequency were observed. Additionally, the use of other NIR imaging agents did not result in significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of different concentrations of ICG and the use of other near-infrared fluorophores for optical imaging of lymphatics does not significantly affect lymphatic propulsive velocity or frequency.

WHO's budgetary allocations and burden of disease: a comparative analysis

BACKGROUND

Ministers of health, donor agencies, philanthropists, and international agencies will meet at Bamako, Mali, in November, 2008, to review global priorities for health research. These individuals and organisations previously set health priorities for WHO, either through its regular budget or extra-budgetary funds. We asked what insights can be gained as to their priorities from previous decisions within the context of WHO.

METHODS

We compared the WHO biennial budgetary allocations with the burden of disease from 1994-95 to 2008-09. We obtained data from publicly available WHO sources and examined whether WHO allocations varied with the burden of disease (defined by death and disability-adjusted life years) by comparing two WHO regions-Western Pacific and Africa-that are at differing stages of epidemiological transition. We further assessed whether the allocations differed on the basis of the source of funds (assessed and voluntary contributions) and the mechanism for deciding how funds were spent.

FINDINGS

We noted that WHO budget allocations were heavily skewed toward infectious diseases. In 2006-07, WHO allocated 87% of its total budget to infectious diseases, 12% to non-communicable diseases, and less than 1% to injuries and violence. We recorded a similar distribution of funding in Africa, where nearly three-quarters of mortality is from infectious disease, and in Western Pacific, where three-quarters of mortality is from non-communicable disease. In both regions, injuries received only 1% of total resources. The skew towards infectious diseases was substantially greater for the WHO extra-budget, which is allocated by donors and has risen greatly in recent years, than for the WHO regular budget, which is decided on by member states through democratic mechanisms and has been held at zero nominal growth.

INTERPRETATION

Decision makers at Bamako should consider the implications of the present misalignment of global health priorities and disease burden for health research worldwide. Funds allocated by external donors substantially differ from those allocated by WHO member states. The meeting at Bamako provides an opportunity to consider how this disparity might be addressed.

Evidence for JNK-dependent up-regulation of proteoglycan synthesis and for activation of JNK1 following cyclical mechanical stimulation in a human chondrocyte culture model

OBJECTIVE

To examine the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in human chondrocytes, to investigate whether selective activation of MAPKs is involved in up-regulation of proteoglycan (PG) synthesis following cyclical mechanical stimulation (MS), and to examine whether MS is associated with integrin-dependent or independent activation of MAPKs.

METHODS

The C-28/I2 and C-20/A4 human chondrocyte cell lines were mechanically stimulated in monolayer cell culture. PG synthesis was assessed by [(35)S]-sulphate incorporation in the presence and absence of the p38 inhibitor SB203580, and the extracellular-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) inhibitor PD98059. Kinase expression and activation were assessed by Western blotting using phosphorylation status-dependent and independent antibodies, and by kinase assays. The Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 and the anti-beta(1) integrin (CD29) function-blocking antibody were used to assess JNK activation and integrin dependence, respectively.

RESULTS

Increased PG synthesis following 3 h of cyclic MS was abolished by pretreatment with 10 microM SB203580, but was not affected by 50 microM PD98059. The kinases p38, ERK1/ERK2 and JNKs were expressed in both stimulated and unstimulated cells. Phosphorylated p38 was detected at various time points following 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 h MS in C-28/I2, but not detected in C-20/A4 cell lines. Phosphorylation of ERK1 and ERK2 was not significantly affected by MS. Phosphorylation of the 54 and 46 kDa JNKs increased following 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 h of MS, and following CO(2) deprivation. MS-induced JNK phosphorylation was inhibited by SB203580 at concentrations > or =5 microM and activation of JNK1 following MS was blocked by SP600125 and partially inhibited by anti-CD29.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest JNK, rather than p38 or ERK dependent increases in PG synthesis, and selective, partially integrin-dependent, activation of JNK kinases in human chondrocyte cell lines following cyclical MS. JNK activation is also very sensitive to changes in CO(2)/pH in this chondrocyte culture model.

X-ray Crystallographic Structures of Murine Cytomegalovirus MHC-I-like Molecules Reveal Distinct Modes of Exploitation of the MHC-I Fold (93.18)

The mouse cytomegalovirus (mCMV), a β-herpesvirus that encodes more than 170 open reading frames (ORFs), serves as a model for infection by the human CMV. Protein homology suggests that at least 10 of the mCMV ORFs might be related in structure to MHC-I molecules. Several of these putative viral MHC-I like molecules (MHC-Iv) have been shown to function as immunoevasins. To establish a structural basis for the function and evolution of MHC-Iv molecules, we have initiated a structural survey, and report here the X-ray crystallographic structures of two mCMV molecules, m144 and m153. m144 crystallized in complex with the light chain, β2-microglobulin (β-2m), and its structure was determined to 1.9 Å resolution by molecular replacement. m153 formed fragile crystals that diffracted to 2.4 Å and its structure was solved by the single anomalous dispersion method. Both molecules reveal readily identifiable α1 and α2 helices and Ig-like α3 domains. Neither molecule has any bound peptide or other small molecule ligand. m144 interacts with β2-m, while m153 lacks a light chain. m153, which purifies as a non-covalently associated dimer, reveals an extended amino terminus stabilized by a unique disulfide bond, and has a lengthy α2 helix that extends into the α3 domain. The m153 dimer is confirmed by sedimentation analysis. Comparison of m144 and m153 structures reveals conservation in the α3 domain, and shows unique features in both α1 and α2. These structures offer insight into the evolution of MHC-Iv molecules and illustrate the versatility of the MHC-I fold.

This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the NIH, NIAID.