Atherogenesis in Psoriasis: Evaluation of the Serum Activities of Non-high-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Other Lipids Among Newly Diagnosed Psoriasis Patients

Introduction 

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder which commonly affects people aged between 15-25 years with a 2-3 % prevalence rate throughout the world. Psoriasis is a systemic inflammatory disease associated with severe co-morbidities that include cardiovascular risk. Although changes in the atherogenic lipids among psoriasis patients is already documented, very little is known about their role in atherogenesis among the new onset cases of psoriasis. Hence, this study is undertaken to assess the activities of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) and other lipids among newly diagnosed psoriasis patients.

Methods

The study included 25 new onset cases of psoriasis patients aged between 20-60 years (mean age 38.2 years) attending the Dermatology outpatient department (OPD) of the Chalmeda Anandrao Institute of Medical Sciences (CAIMS), Karimnagar, Telangana, India, a tertiary care teaching hospital. An equal number of healthy individuals were included as controls. Blood was collected from all the subjects included in the study and was analyzed for various lipid parameters that included total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, and triglycerides. The non-HDL-C and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were later calculated manually by using the standard formulae. The data were tabulated using Microsoft Excel and was analyzed for their statistical significance using the Student t-test.

Results

The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference in the lipid parameters between the cases and controls. Among the parameters measured, the pro-atherogenic lipids including the LDL-C and non-HDL-C activities among the cases (LDL-C 171.46±17.13, p=0.0002; non-HDL-C 213.27±20.17, p ≤ 0.0001) and controls (LDL-C 91.04±11.41, p=0.0002; Non-HDL-C 119.0± 12.28, p ≤ 0.0001) were found to be statistically significant. The ratios of non-HDL-C to HDL-C and total cholesterol to HDL-C both among the cases (7.10±0.1, 8.13±1.2) and control groups (3.05±0.30, 4.03±0.42) were also showing a statistically significant difference.

Conclusion

The results clearly demonstrate the significance of the evaluation of lipids among newly diagnosed cases of psoriasis patients. The activities of different lipoproteins including the non-HDL-C and LDL-C revealed an increase among the psoriasis patients. The ratios of non-HDL-C to HDL-C and TC to HDL-C also showed significant variability. Further, to establish their clinical utility in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and to manage appropriately, a regular follow-up of such parameters both before and after initiation of treatment is required.

A Complete Absence of Missense Mutation in Myosin Regulatory and Essential Light Chain Genes of South Indian Hypertrophic and Dilated Cardiomyopathies

BACKGROUND

Myosin is a hexameric contractile protein composed of 2 heavy chains associated with 4 light chains of 2 distinct classes - 2 regulatory light chains (MYL2) and 2 essential light chains (MYL3). The myosin light chains stabilize the long alpha helical neck of the myosin head and regulate the myosin ATPase activities.

OBJECTIVES

Mutations in MYL2 and MYL3 are reported to be associated with cardiomyopathies. However, there is no study available on these genes in Indian cardiomyopathies, and therefore we planned to study them.

METHOD

For the first time we sequenced MYL2 and MYL3 genes in a total of 248 clinically well-characterized cardiomyopathies consisting of 101 hypertrophic and 147 dilated cases along with 207 healthy controls from south India.

RESULTS

Our study revealed a total of 10 variations - 7 in MYL2 and 3 in MYL3, of which 3 are novel variations observed exclusively in cases. However, the 15 causative missense mutations previously reported are totally absent in our study, which showed that the sequences of MYL2 and MYL3 are highly conserved in Indian cases/controls.

CONCLUSIONS

MYL2 and MYL3 mutations are rare and the least cause of cardiomyopathies in Indians.

Coexistence of Digenic Mutations in Both Thin (TPM1) and Thick (MYH7) Filaments of Sarcomeric Genes Leads to Severe Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a South Indian FHCM

Mutations in sarcomeric genes are the leading cause for cardiomyopathies. However, not many genetic studies have been carried out on Indian cardiomyopathy patients. We performed sequence analyses of a thin filament sarcomeric gene, α-tropomyosin (TPM1), in 101 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients and 147 dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients against 207 ethnically matched healthy controls, revealing 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Of these, one mutant, S215L, was identified in two unrelated HCM cases-patient #1, aged 44, and patient #2, aged 65-and was cosegregating with disease in these families as an autosomal dominant trait. In contrast, S215L was completely absent in 147 DCM and 207 controls. Patient #1 showed a more severe disease phenotype, with poor prognosis and a family history of sudden cardiac death, than patient #2. Therefore, these two patients and the family members positive for S215L were further screened for variations in MYH7, MYBPC3, TNNT2, TNNI3, MYL2, MYL3, and ACTC. Interestingly, two novel thick filaments, D896N (homozygous) and I524K (heterozygous) mutations, in the MYH7 gene were identified exclusively in patient #1 and his family members. Thus, we strongly suggest that the coexistence of these digenic mutations is rare, but leads to severe hypertrophy in a South Indian familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHCM).

Association of vascular endothelial growth factor single nucleotide polymorphisms on the prognosis of breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major mediator of vascular permeability and angiogenesis, may play a pivotal role in mediating the development and progression of breast cancer. In the present study, we examined the genetic variations of the VEGF gene to assess its possible relation to breast cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 200 patients with histologically confirmed cases of breast cancer and 200 healthy women were genotyped for VEGF single nucleotide polymorphisms (405G > C and -1154G > A) by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Pre-operative plasma VEGF levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 200 women with breast cancer and in 200 normal female controls.

RESULTS

The genotype frequencies of the +405G > C, -1154G > A polymorphisms did not show a significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg expectation. The minor allele frequencies of the +405G > C and -1154G > A polymorphisms among cases and controls were 33.5% (C allele), 31.5% (A allele) and 35% (C allele), 34.5% (A allele) respectively. +405GG and -1154GG genotypes were associated with higher levels of VEGF among breast cancer cases and controls. Increased plasma VEGF levels were significantly associated with, clinical stage of the disease (P = 0.035).

CONCLUSION

Although none of the polymorphisms were significantly associated with breast cancer, some of the VEGF genotypes may influence tumor growth through an altered expression of VEGF and tumor angiogenesis.

Correlation of total heterotrophic bacterial load in relation with hydrographical features of Pazhayakayal estuary, Tuticorin, India

An investigation was made on total heterotrophic bacterial (THB) load in relation with hydrographical features of Pazhayakayal estuary, Tuticorin, from July 2009 to June 2010. The watertemperature (25 to 32 degrees C), pH (7 to 10), and salinity (0 per thousand to 35.7 per thousand) were maximum during summer season (April-June) and minimum during monsoon season (October-December). The dissolved oxygen (DO) varied from 0.2 to 9.95 mg l(-1). The THB load was high (42.0 x 10(-7) cfu m(-1)) during monsoon season and low (1.2 x 10(-7) cfu ml(-1)) during summer. The correlation was insignificant between temperature, pH and THB load, however THB load was negatively correlated with salinity. Almost in all the stations (I-VI), THB load were found to be maximum (40.0 x 10(-7), 36.0 x 10(-7), 30.0 x 10(-7), 36x10(-7), 42.0 x 10 x 10(-7) and 29.6 x 10(-7) cfu ml(-1)) during monsoon season might be due to the bulk rainfall and freshwater input.