Association of SOD1 gene variants (50 bp Ins/Del, rs4817415, rs2070424, rs1041740, rs17880135) with plasma protein levels in vitiligo patients and their analysis in silico

OBJECTIVE

Vitiligo is a common systemic, idiopathic autoimmune disease. The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency of variants of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene (50 bp Ins/Del, rs4817415, rs2070424, rs1041740, rs17880135) and circulating plasma protein levels through in-silico analysis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Blood samples were collected from adult patients of both sexes with a clinical diagnosis of vitiligo. ELISA tests for SOD and analysis of gene variants by qPCR were compared to a disease-free reference group.

RESULTS

The population analyzed was young people between 29 and 37 years old, with a higher percentage of women. The population was found in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The 50 bp Ins/Del, rs4817415, and rs2070424 variants showed no significant difference between groups (p > 0.05). Although, in the dominant model, the CT and CTTT genotypes of the rs1041740 and rs17880135 variants showed an association with susceptibility to vitiligo compared to the control. Plasma SOD levels showed significant differences between the groups, and when stratified according to the genotypes of each variant, there was a significant difference, except with the rs17880135 variant. The haplotypes InsCGTC and InsAGCC are shown to be risk factors for susceptibility to vitiligo. The in-silico analysis demonstrated that the rs4817415, rs2070424, rs1041740, and rs17880135 variants of the SOD1 gene participate in the modification of selected regulatory elements for differentiating the protein, transcription factors, and long non-coding RNA.

CONCLUSIONS

Information regarding the pathogenesis of vitiligo helps recognize risk factors and identify the relationship of diagnostic markers of cell damage inherent to the disease. This will help improve aspects of prevention and the choice of treatment alternatives appropriate to each case.

Cognitive disorder and dementia in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Insulin, a key pleiotropic hormone, regulates metabolism through several signaling pathways in target tissues including skeletal muscle, liver, and brain. In the brain, insulin modulates learning and memory, and impaired insulin signaling is associated with metabolic dysregulation and neurodegenerative diseases. At the receptor level, in aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) models, the amount of insulin receptors and their functions are decreased. Clinical and animal model studies suggest that memory improvements are due to changes in insulin levels. Furthermore, diabetes mellitus (DM) and insulin resistance are associated with age-related cognitive decline, increased levels of β-amyloid peptide, phosphorylation of tau protein; oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokine production, and dyslipidemia. Recent evidence shows that deleting brain insulin receptors leads to mild obesity and insulin resistance without influencing brain size and apoptosis development. Conversely, deleting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) affects brain size and development, and contributes to behavior changes. Insulin is synthesized locally in the brain and is released from the neurons. Here, we reviewed proposed pathophysiological hypotheses to explain increased risk of dementia in the presence of DM. Regardless of the exact sequence of events leading to neurodegeneration, there is strong evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in AD and DM. A triple transgenic mouse model of AD showed mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and loss of synaptic integrity. These alterations are comparable to those induced in wild-type mice treated with sucrose, which is consistent with the proposal that mitochondrial alterations are associated with DM and contribute to AD development. Alterations in insulin/IGF-1 signaling in DM could lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and low antioxidant capacity of the cell. Thus, insulin/IGF-1 signaling is important for increased neural processing and systemic metabolism, and could be a specific target for therapeutic strategies to decrease alterations associated with age-related cognitive decline.

Nutritional Status in Patients with Probable Alzheimer's Disease: Effect of Rivastigmine

IMPORTANCE

Altough disease-modifying factors such as malnutrition and diet have been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), little is known about the effects of pharmacological therapies on the nutritional status of AD patients.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the nutritional status, prealbumin, and albumin serum levels and several anthropometric measurements in patients with probable moderate-stage AD, with and without rivastigmine drug treatment.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

34 patients were included, 17 with rivastigmine treatment and 17 without pharmacological treatment, over 60 years of both sexes.

MEASUREMENTS

The nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Albumin and prealbumin (transthyretin) levels and anthropometric evaluation were assessed using standard methods.

RESULTS

A polarity of malnutrition was detected in the untreated group. According to the MNA survey, the risk of malnutrition is higher without rivastigmine treatment (p = 0.0001). There are a less loss of appetite, less psychological stress, greater mobility and independence in those patients receiving rivastigmine (p = 0.003, 0.008, 0.016 and 0.018, respectively). The body mass index does not show a statistical difference, however, categorizing it for older adults, this index was improved in those receiving rivastigmine (p = 0.016). The serum levels of albumin and prealbumin showed no significant statistical difference between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Rivastigmine treatment shows a protective effect on malnutrition in patients with moderate-stage AD.

Effect of melatonin administration on the PER1 and BMAL1 clock genes in patients with Parkinson's disease

Sleep disorders are a widespread condition in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), which has been linked to a deregulation of the circadian cycle and therefore of the clock genes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of melatonin (MEL) on the PER1 and BMAL1 clock genes in patients with PD. A double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial pilot study was conducted in 26 patients with stage 1-3 PD according to the Hoehn & Yahr scale, who received either 25 mg of MEL or a placebo at noon and 30 min before bedtime for three months. The relative expression of the PER1 and BMAL1 genes was measured, as well as the presence of daytime, nocturnal, and global sleepiness, and the progression of PD. The levels of the PER1 and BMAL1 genes at baseline were 0.9 (0.1-3) vs. 0.56 (0.1-2.5), respectively; while after the intervention with MEL or placebo the BMAL1 levels increased to 2.5 (0-3.70) vs. 2.2 (0.10-3.30), respectively (d = 0.387). Fifty percent (50 %) of patients had daytime sleepiness and sixty-five percent (65 %) had abnormal nighttime sleepiness, yet neither group showed changes after the intervention. Patients with PD exhibited an alteration in the levels of the clock genes: MEL increased the levels of BMAL1, but the PER1 levels remained unchanged.

[Effectiveness of the modify tomographic severity index in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.]

INTRODUCTION

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a very important cause of morbidity and mortality in Mexico.In 2001 AP was the 17th cause of death. Since 1994,the computed tomography (CT) scan was accepted for the screening of the severity (a) according to the Computed Tomography Severity Index (CTSI). In 2004 Mortele et al., developed a new tomography classification, Modified Computed Tomography Severity Index (MCTSI) including pancreatic and extra pancreatic disease, obtaining a very good correlation with those with organ failure. This study proposes compare the tomography classifications as indicators of severity.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study. Were included 30 patients with acute pancreatitis; APACHE II >= 8, non improvement with medical treatment and with initial mild pancreatitis,with addition of signs of complication in the first 72 hours of evolution, under CT scan, CTSIM and CTSI were compared. Statistical analysis using X2 test was calculated, kappa concordance coefficient(k) for the severity classifications.

RESULTS

AP prevalence was 51.07%.Of the 30 patients including,19 man with mean age of 39.0 years (18-58 years),and 11 woman, with mean age of 50.9 years (22-82 years). The main causes were biliary pancreatitis in 16 cases (53.3%), and the second was alcohol,8 cases (26.7%). The kappa concordance coefficient for both tomography scans was 0.48 (p <= 0.003). For the CTSIM and CTSI sensitivity was 61% vs. 38%,specificity 66% vs. 100% and positive predictive value of 81% vs. 100%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The CTSIM is more useful for the screening in patients with severe acute pancreatitis than CTSI.

Drug-resistance mutations in antiretroviral-naive patients with established HIV-1 infection in Mexico

OBJECTIVES

To describe the prevalence of baseline drug-resistance mutations, resistance to antiretroviral drugs, and the subsequent virological response to therapy in treatment-naïve patients from Mexico with established HIV-1 infection.

METHODS

Resistance testing was performed on plasma samples from antiretroviral-naïve patients. Data on mutations associated with antiretroviral drug resistance were obtained using Stanford software (http://hivdb.stanford.edu).

RESULTS

Ninety-six treatment-naïve individuals were enrolled in the study during 2002-2003. Of these, 83 patients (86%) had at least one resistance mutation and 15 (16%) had drug resistance. At baseline, the mean plasma viral load was 299 834 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL, and at follow-up it was 37 620 copies/mL (P<0.0001). Primary mutations in the reverse transcriptase region were observed in 15% of patients. For nucleoside inhibitors, mutations T215Y/C and F77L (3%) and D67N/S, T69N and M184V (2%), were detected. For nonnucleoside inhibitors, mutations K103N/R (6%), Y181C (3%) and G190A (2%) were detected. Overall, 6% of patients showed resistance to delavirdine and nevirapine, 4% to efavirenz, and 2% to lamivudine and nelfinavir. Twelve patients showed no response to treatment and three of these patients had antiretroviral drug resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of baseline drug-resistance mutations found in this study was similar to that found in previous reports for newly HIV-infected individuals, although access to and management of antiretrovirals in Mexico are different.

Neuronal death and tumor necrosis factor-alpha response to glutamate-induced excitotoxicity in the cerebral cortex of neonatal rats

Neuronal death and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were evaluated in the cerebral cortices of neonatal rats after exposure to monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) to induce neuroexcitotoxicity. A time-response profile for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) expression was drawn, with measurements taken every 6 h after the first dose of MSG during the first 8 postnatal days, and at days 10 and 14 after birth. An increase in neuronal loss accompanied by high LDH activity and high TNF-alpha levels was observed at 8 and 10 days. These results indicate that neuronal loss may occur via an apoptosis-like mechanism directed selectively against neurons that express glutamate receptors, mainly the N-methyl-D-aspartate, which it may be strengthen by high TNF-alpha levels through a feedback mechanism to induce cell death via apoptosis.

Use of topical ketanserin for the treatment of ulcers in leprosy patients

A comparative study was carried out in which 66 leprosy patients with ulcers were randomly divided in two groups of 33 patients each: Group A (experimental group) was treated with ketanserin gel (2%) and group B with clioquinol cream and/or Lassar paste during a three month period. At the end of the study, when ulcer sizes in the two groups were compared, the group treated with topical ketanserin showed superior results (p < 0.001 using Kolmogorov-Smirnov's test). We conclude that the drug is useful as coadjuavant treatment for healing ulcers in these patients.

[Effect of potassium iodide on the immune response in the sporotrichosis.]

Potassium iodide (KI), the specific treatment for sporotrichosis, apparently does not have a direct action on Sporothrix schenckii. The spontaneous healing and the variability of the clinical presentation in the disease have strengthened the idea that the KI rather interacts with the immune response of the host. The phagocytic process is inefficient in individuals with sporotrichosis in whom the microbicidal mechanism of halogenation fails to control the disease. There is evidence that blocking of free radicals decreases in the presence of KI. Humoral and cellular immunity are present in sporotrichosis but its participation is uncertain; it is yet to be determined if in this mycosis the KI influences other processes or factors of immune response.

[Effects of health legislation against HIV in blood donation in Guadalajara, Mexico]

In México, since may 1986, the mandatory detection of antibodies against HIV in blood and derivates for the use by humans was legislated, one year later the prohibition of blood trade took effect. The impact of the Sanitary Normativity in the seroprevalence of anti HIV antibodies between blood donors one year before and one year after it took result was compared. A sample was taken from 4743 serums of donors of 6 blood banks in Guadalajara between june 1986 and june 1988; 4020 in the first year and 723 the next. In all the samples the presence of anti HIV antibodies was determined by the ELISA assay and the positive ones were confirmed by indirect immunofluorescence and by Western blot. During the first year, the seroprevalence fluctuated between 2.02 and 30.15 percent depending on different factors, differing from the second year where the seroprevalence was 0.14 percent. It is concluded that the mandatory detection of antibodies against HIV and the prohibition of blood trade, have been definitive factors to decrease the incidence of HIV in blood donors.