Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene polymorphism and cardiovascular disease in end-stage renal disease patients

Sex-specific association of RAGE and HMGB1 genotype variations with susceptibility to ischemic stroke in Caucasians

BACKGROUND

The role of genotype variants of HMGB1 and RAGE in susceptibility to acute ischemic stroke remains inconclusive.

METHODS

Caucasian acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to three hospitals within a large healthcare system in the U.S. between 2009 and 2017 were reviewed. For each stroke case, three age and sex-matched non-stroke patients were identified as controls. Associations of phased-genotype data for RAGE (rs1035798, rs2070600, rs1800624, rs1800625) and HMGB1 (rs1360485, rs1045411, rs3742305, rs2249825, rs1412125) single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes with stroke susceptibility were analyzed. The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure was performed.

RESULTS

Collectively, 4,264 patients, 1,066 acute ischemic stroke and 3,198 controls were identified. Genotype distributions were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. None of the SNPs alternate allele frequencies differed from the NCBI SNP database. No differences were found in the genotype distributions when analyzing each SNP and the two most common haplotypes in a covariate adjusted model. In a sex-specific stratification, males harboring the RAGE SNP rs1800625 AG or GG genotype had an independently increased risk for ischemic strokes compared to controls (adjusted OR = 1.27,95%CI 1.03-1.57, p_a = 0.0276). After the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure, a trend towards this association remained (p_BH = 0.1104).

CONCLUSION

No association of RAGE and HMGB1 genotypes variations with risk for overall ischemic stroke or specific stroke subtypes could be observed. Congruent with the literature, a sex-specific role of RAGE SNPs might associate with stroke susceptibility. The functional role of the HMGB1-RAGE axis in this context warrants further exploration.

Association of genetic variants at CETP, AGER, and CYP4F2 locus with the risk of atrophic age-related macular degeneration

Background

Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly individuals. The etiology of AMD includes environmental and genetic factors.

Methods

We aimed to determine the association between CETP (rs5882; rs708272; rs3764261; rs1800775; rs2303790), AGER (rs1800624; rs1800625), and CYP4F2 (rs1558139) gene polymorphisms and development of atrophic AMD. About 52 patients with atrophic AMD and 800 healthy control subjects were evaluated. The genotyping of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in CETP, AGER, and CYP4F2 was carried out using the real‐time‐PCR method.

Results

Genetic risk models in the analysis of CETP rs5882 revealed statistically significant variables with increased risk of atrophic AMD in the codominant (p < .001), dominant (p < .001), recessive (p < .001), and additive (p < .001) models with the highest 25.4‐fold increased risk of atrophic AMD in the codominant model (p < .001). The AGER rs1800625 was associated with a highly increased risk of atrophic AMD in the codominant (p < .001), recessive (p < .001), and additive (p < .001) genetic models.

Conclusion

We identified two polymorphisms with a higher risk of atrophic AMD (CETP rs5882 and AGER rs1800625).

Quantification of Furosine (Nε-(2-Furoylmethyl)-l-lysine) in Different Parts of Velvet Antler with Various Processing Methods and Factors Affecting Its Formation

Furosine (Nε-(2-furoylmethyl)-l-lysine) is formed during the early stages of the Maillard reaction from a lysine Amadori compound and is frequently used as a marker of reaction progress. Furosine is toxic, with significant effects on animal livers, kidneys, and other organs. However, reports on the formation of furosine in processed velvet antler are scarce. In this study, we have quantified the furosine content in processed velvet antler by using UPLC-MS/MS. The furosine contents of velvet antler after freeze-drying, boiling, and processing without and with blood were 148.51–193.93, 168.10–241.22, 60.29–80.33, and 115.18–138.99 mg/kg protein, respectively. The factors affecting furosine formation in processed velvet antler, including reducing sugars, proteins, amino acids, and process temperature, are discussed herein. Proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars are substrates for the Maillard reaction and most significantly influence the furosine content in the processed velvet antler. High temperatures induce the production of furosine in boiled velvet antler but not in the freeze-dried samples, whereas more furosine is produced in velvet antler processed with blood, which is rich in proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars, than in the samples processed without blood. Finally, wax slices rich in proteins, amino acids, and reducing sugars produced more furosine than the other parts of the velvet antler. These data provide a reference for guiding the production of low-furosine velvet antler and can be used to estimate the consumer intake of furosine from processed velvet antler.

Polymorphism related to cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis subjects: a systematic review

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of mortality in hemodialysis (HD) subjects. In addition to the traditional risk factors that are common in these individuals, genetic factors are also involved, with emphasis on single nucleotide polymorphs (SNPs). In this context, the present study aims to systematically review the studies that investigated the polymorphisms associated with cardiovascular risk in this population. In general, the SNPs present in HD individuals are those of genes related to inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular calcification, also able of interfering in the cardiovascular risk of this population. In addition, polymorphisms in genes related to recognized risk factors for CVD, such as dyslipidemia, arterial hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, also influence cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Genetic predisposition to ischaemic stroke by RAGE and HMGB1 gene variants in Chinese Han population

Emerging evidence suggests that the multiligand receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and its ligand high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) contribute to the pathophysiology of ischaemic stroke (IS). The present study aimed to investigate the association of RAGE and HMGB1 variants with the risk of IS. A total of 1,034 patients and 1,015 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were genotyped to detect five genetic variants of the RAGE gene and four genetic variants of the HMGB1 gene using the Multiplex SNaPshot assay. We found that the rs2070600 variant of RAGE was associated with an increased risk of IS (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02-1.38, P = 0.043), whereas the rs2249825 variant of HMGB1 was associated with a decreased risk of IS (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.71-0.98, P = 0.041). Further stratification by IS subtypes revealed that the presence of the TT genotype of the RAGE rs2070600 variant confers a higher risk of the large artery atherosclerosis subtype of IS (P = 0.036). Moreover, patients with the variant T allele of the RAGE rs2070600 variant presented with reduced serum soluble RAGE production. Patients carrying the variant G allele of the HMGB1 rs2249825 variant exhibited significantly lower infarct volumes than those with the major CC genotype. These clues may help in the development of optimal personalized therapeutic approaches for IS patients.