MicroRNAs in pathophysiology of acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock

AIM

Levels of circulating miRNA are considered to be potential biomarkers of acute myocardial infarction and disease progression.

METHODS

In this study, the expression levels of circulating miRNA-1, miRNA-133 and miRNA-124a were investigated in a group of patients with acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and cardiogenic shock (CS) compared to controls.

RESULTS

During the hospitalization period, miRNA-133 showed a significant up-regulation in the serum of STEMI and CS patients compared to controls, while the expression of miRNA-1 was significantly different only in CS. The expression of miRNA-124 was significantly higher in STEMI and CS. Furthermore, miRNA-1 expression was related to the level of circulating glucose in patients with STEMI. We also found a negative correlation between miRNA-133 and MMP-9 levels. MiRNA-124 expression was significantly related to the level of soluble ST2; the marker correlated to cardiac damage.

CONCLUSION

All selected miRNAs are potential markers of cardiac injury in cardiogenic shock, whereas miRNA-124a and -133 are markers of injury in STEMI. MiRNA-1 expression is related to circulating glucose in STEMI. None of miRNAs could be correlated to the extent of injury, progress of the disease, or prognosis of patient outcome. Therefore, the levels of circulating miRNA have no potential for becoming a biomarker of myocardial damage and as such would bring no further benefit compared to current markers (Tab. 4, Fig. 1, Ref. 47).

Relationship of resistin levels with endometrial cancer risk

Cancer of endometrium (CAE) is the most common gynecologic malignancy in industrialized nations. Increased resistin levels, an adipocytokine produced by adipose tissue and macrophages, have been considered as a risk factor in gastric, colon and breast cancer, recently. No studies associating resistin levels with endometrial cancer have been done so far. The purpose of this case-control study was to determine the relationship between serum circulating resistin levels and resistin gene -420C>G (rs3219175) variant in endometrial cancer patients. 37 Caucasian female patients and 39 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Difference in resistin levels between age and BMI matched patients group (mean 24.2 ng/ml) and control subjects (mean 10.1 ng/ml) were statistically significant (p <001). We also determined single nucleotide polymorphism -420C>G (rs3219175) within resistin gene and no significant association between resistin levels and investigated polymorphism was found. Furthermore, no significant association between higher resistin levels and diabetes mellitus 2, body mass index, smoking or age have been observed within studied groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the relationship between serum resistin levels and endometrial cancer and our results show, that patients with endometrial cancer have significantly increased circulating levels of resistin compared to control subjects.

Analysis of the inducible nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphisms in Czech patients with atopic diseases

BACKGROUND

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important mediator of physiologic processes in the airways; it plays a significant role in the regulation of the T helper type 1/type 2 balance and contributes to the development of atopic diseases.

OBJECTIVE

We analysed several polymorphisms mainly in the promoter region of the inducible NO synthase (NOS2, iNOS) gene and investigated their associations with asthma and/or atopic phenotypes.

METHODS

We performed a case-control study in 994 subjects (661 patients with atopic disorders, with subgroups of 304 patients with allergic asthma, and 333 healthy individuals), matched for sex, living in the same geographical area. Screening for polymorphisms was performed by combination of PCR and direct sequencing analysis.

RESULTS

We analysed 14 nucleotide sequence variants, seven most common of which were typed in quite large groups of our asthmatic, atopic and control populations. None of these seven frequent polymorphisms was associated with the phenotype bronchial asthma or other atopic diseases. Nevertheless, three from six common promoter polymorphisms showed a significant relation to feather's positivity (P value from 0.01 to 0.03) and the NOS2 608Leu variant was significantly associated with asthma severity [p(corr) = 0.0005; odds ratio (OR) = 5.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.88-13.33]. In haplotype analysis, the most common -2447C/-1659C/-1026G/-0.7del/-277A/Ser608 haplotype was associated with a lower risk of asthma when compared with the common haplotypes with frequency more than 5% (P = 0.01, p(corr) < 0.05; OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.56-0.77).

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that inducible NOS can play a role in atopic disorders, and several polymorphisms in its gene may be important for asthma protection or susceptibility.

Modulation of expression of the sigma receptors in the heart of rat and mouse in normal and pathological conditions

The aim of the present work was to study the effect of various stressors (hypoxia, cold, immobilization) on the gene expression of sigma receptors in the left ventricles of rat heart. We have clearly shown that gene expression of sigma receptors is upregulated by strong stress stimuli, such as immobilization and/or hypoxia. Nevertheless, cold as a milder stressor has no effect on sigma receptor's mRNA levels. Signalling cascade of sigma receptors is dependent on IP(3) receptors, since silencing of both, type 1 and 2 IP(3) receptors resulted in decreased mRNA levels of sigma receptors. Physiological relevance of sigma receptors in the heart is not clear yet. Nevertheless, based on the already published data we can assume that sigma receptors might participate in contractile responses in cardiomyocytes.

Polymorphisms of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes in patients with allergic diseases in the Czech population

BACKGROUND

Allergic diseases belong to the most common chronic disorders affecting mankind and their prevalence in population is increasing. Several studies have indicated that oxidative stress impairs pulmonary function and makes existing asthma worse. Members of the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) superfamily of genes are important in protection of cells from reactive oxygen species.

AIMS OF THE STUDY

Relationships among allergic diseases including asthma and variations in the GST mu (GSTM1) and GST theta (GSTT1) genes were investigated in 1,006 Caucasian subjects.

METHODS

The multiplex polymerase chain reaction protocol was used for simultaneous amplification of both genes for molecular analysis. Genotype frequencies among patients and controls were assessed and the associations of the genotypes with intermediary phenotypes of allergy were statistically determined.

RESULTS

The frequencies of GST null genotypes did not differ significantly between patients with allergic diseases (or asthma alone) and healthy controls. However, when compared with patients homozygous or heterozygous for GSTM1 functional allele, asthmatics carrying both GSTM1 null alleles displayed significantly worse lung function, assessed by forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity (FEV(1)/FVC) ratio (Tiffenau index), (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic polymorphisms of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes, both individually and in combination, were not associated with the development of allergic diseases including asthma in the Czech population, the GSTM1 gene variability, however, may influence lung functions in our asthmatics.

Association of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, lymphotoxin-alpha and HLA-DRB1 gene polymorphisms with Löfgren's syndrome in Czech patients with sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disorder showing a clear association with MHC (HLA) class I and class II genes. In order to investigate whether polymorphisms of nearby pro-inflammatory genes located within the MHC class III region may also contribute to susceptibility to sarcoidosis or to its clinical manifestation, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and lymphotoxin-alpha (LT-alpha) genes were chosen for analysis in a case-control association study. In order to evaluate the findings on the TNF-alpha and LT-alpha genes in connection with the closely linked MHC class II region, 'classical' HLA-DRB1 locus was also investigated. Polymerase chain reaction-based methodologies were used in order to characterize two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (TNF-308*G/A and LTAlpha+252*A/G) and HLA-DRB1 allele groups in 114 Czech patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and 425 healthy controls. LTA+252*G and HLA-DRB1*13 allele carriers were more frequent in patients, compared to those in controls. By contrast, HLA-DRB1*07 carriers were less frequent among sarcoidosis patients. The overrepresentation of TNF-308*A, LTAlpha+252*G and HLA-DRB1*03 allele carriers was found in a subgroup of sarcoidosis patients presenting with Lofgren's syndrome (LS) by comparison with the subgroup of patients without LS (NLS; phenotype frequency LS vs NLS: 68.8 vs 37.1% for TNF-308*A, 93.8 vs 66.3% for LTA+252*G and 68.8 vs 21.3% for DRB1*03). The data suggest that the LTAlpha and HLA-DRB1 genes themselves or a gene located nearby contributes to the susceptibility to sarcoidosis and that TNF-308*A, LTA+252*G and HLA-DRB1*03 alleles are associated (directly or via linkage with unknown causative locus) with LS as a specific manifestation of the disease.

Relationship of age and the body mass index to selected hypertensive complications in pregnancy

OBJECTIVES

Older maternal age is considered to be a risk factor for a number of pregnancy-associated pathologies. Average weight increases with age. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of maternal age on selected disorders of pregnancy independently from the influence of maternal weight.

METHODS

The retrospective study included 910 women. The following parameters were evaluated: age, p-BMI (body mass index before pregnancy), hypertension, severe hypertension, pre-eclampsia, proteinuria, severe proteinuria, thromboembolic diseases, pregnancy duration and fetal growth restriction.

RESULTS

The correlation between the p-BMI and age and BMI was confirmed (P<0.001). After filtering away the mutual influence of age and p-BMI applying logistic regression we proved a statistically significant effect of p-BMI on the incidence of hypertension, severe hypertension, proteinuria and pre-eclampsia (P<0.001). The maternal age (cleared of the p-BMI) effects only hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

Age alone proved to be a risk factor for severe hypertension or severe hypertension of the pregnant subjects. Increased risk for proteinuria, hypertension and pre-eclampsia is directly associated with p-BMI of the pregnant women, and only indirectly with their age.

Ace gene I/D polymorphism and sarcoidosis pulmonary disease severity

Previous studies of the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene in sarcoidosis have revealed both ethnic heterogeneity of I/D frequencies and controversy surrounding the association between the polymorphism and severity of disease. The objective of this study was, therefore, to clarify the role of the ACE I/D polymorphism in (1) disease susceptibility, (2) pulmonary disease severity (with particular reference to pulmonary fibrosis), and (3) pulmonary disease progression, in two distinct European sarcoidosis populations. Standard chest radiographic staging was performed on 118 UK and 56 Czech white patients with sarcoidosis at 2 yr from presentation. Pulmonary function data were analyzed, and patients were then categorized according to disease severity. A PCR-SSP assay was used to determine the ACE I/D genotype of each patient studied. The I/D allele frequencies from these patients were compared with frequencies from ethnically matched UK (n = 386) and Czech (n = 179) control subjects using a chi-square contingency table. No significant differences were seen in the distribution of the ACE I/D genotypes, allele frequencies or phenotype frequencies. Furthermore, no association was found between the ACE I/D polymorphism and pulmonary disease severity, fibrosis, and progression. We conclude that the ACE I/D polymorphism has no role in sarcoidosis susceptibility in European whites and that it is not a regulatory variant in this disease.

Bone marrow as multidimensional orbit oscillator after autologous bone marrow transplantation

The local renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in bone marrow is probably involved in the control of hematopoiesis. Earlier observations suggest the relationship between the frequency of sodium and potassium concentration changes in urine and bone marrow recovery after chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to prove the relationship between sodium and potassium excretion changes in urine and granulocyte counts in peripheral blood after autologous bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. The correlation between amplitude maximum FFmax of F=d[Na]/d[K], where d[Na] and d[K] are changes of sodium and potassium excretions in 24 h, and granulocytes, recorded k days later, was found in 12 patients with autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and/or PBSCT. In patients with successful engraftment, k ranged from 4 to 7 days. In the patient with unsuccessful BMT, k was 12 days. The results imply the interaction between systemic and bone marrow RAS.