Prevalence of filaggrin loss-of-function variants in Chilean population with and without atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Filaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function variants are major genetic risk factors for atopic dermatitis (AD), but these have not been studied in Latin American populations with and without AD.

METHODS

FLG variants R501X and 2282del4 were genotyped in 275 Chilean adults with and without AD from the "Early origins of allergy and asthma" (ARIES) cohort and in 227 patients from an AD cohort based in Santiago, Chile.

RESULTS

Among adults in the ARIES cohort, 3.3% were carriers of R501X and 2.9% of 2282del4 variants, all heterozygotes. In this cohort, 6.2% were FLG variant carriers: 11.1% of subjects reporting AD were carriers of FLG variants vs. 5.2% in those without AD (P = 0.13). In this first cohort, FLG variants were not significantly associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis, or food allergy. In the AD cohort, the prevalence of FLG variants was 7% for R501X, 2.2% for the 2282del4 variant, and 9.3% for the combined genotype. In this cohort, FLG variants were present in 15.5% of severe AD vs. 7.1% of mild-to-moderate AD subjects (P = 0.056). Evaluation of Chilean population from both cohorts combined (n = 502) revealed that FLG variants were not significantly associated with AD (OR = 1.92 [95% CI 0.95-3.9], P = 0.067) but were associated with asthma (OR = 2.16 [95% CI 1.02-4.56], P = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to evaluate FLG loss-of-function variants R501X and 2282del4 in Latin American population, revealing a similar prevalence of these FLG variant carriers to that of European populations. Among Chileans, FLG variants were significantly associated with asthma but not AD.

Bioclimatic Prosthesis: Experimental dataset for a low-cost Trombe wall to existing social housing refurbishment for an intermediate valley (Chillán) city in the south of Chile

This dataset is part of the article entitled "Design and experimental study of a low-cost prefab Trombe Wall to improve indoor temperatures in social housing in the Biobío Region in Chile" [1], [2]. The dataset represents the outcome of experimental measurements during a 1-year monitoring campaign to assess the performance of an adaptable and low-cost prefabricated Trombe Wall (TW) with a vertical water storage system. The experiments include periods with mobile insulation during winter nights and external shading during summer which were added to test their effect on the thermal performance. Temperature sensors were used to measure and compare the temperature in two test cells: one with and one without the TW. Following the National Chilean Standard [3], the experiment was done in the interior valley (Chillan), a Mediterranean climate (Csb), according to the Köppen climate classification [4]. The two test cells were designed to represent the most used area of a social housing unit in combination with the most widely used type of window in north façades in the region. One test cell was built exactly as the social housing unit, while the second test cell included a low-cost Trombe wall. Five temperature sensors were installed in the test cells. The thermal performance of the TW was monitored and analysed for the first time in Chile, providing insights in the thermal performance of the TW and proving the potential effectiveness of seasonal variations to improve winter and summer performances.

Assessment of groundwater vulnerability to nitrates from agricultural sources using a GIS-compatible logic multicriteria model

In the present study an overlay method to assess groundwater vulnerability is proposed. This new method based on multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) was developed and validated using an appropriate case study in Aragon area (NE Spain). The Vulnerability Index to Nitrates from Agricultural Sources (VINAS) incorporates a novel Logic Scoring of Preferences (LSP) approach, and it has been developed using public geographic information from the European Union. VINAS-LSP identifies areas with five categories of vulnerability, taking into account the hydrogeological and environmental characteristics of the territory as a whole. The resulting LSP map is a regional screening tool that can provide guidance on the potential risk of nitrate pollution, as well as highlight areas where specific research and farming planning policies are required.

Abstract B17: Role of Sall2 transcription factor under genotoxic stress: A transcriptomic approach

The induction of genotoxic stress by chemotherapy is one of the first line treatments to eliminate neoplastic cells through apoptosis or programmed cell death. Our laboratory has characterized the Sall2 transcription factor, conserved among vertebrates, as a stress-response molecule, and demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo its requirement in the cell death-response caused by genotoxic stress. Few transcriptional targets of Sall2 are known, thus, additional targets most likely remain to be identified. We isolated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from a murine model deficient in Sall2 and from its normal counterpart, and use them to characterize the Sall2-dependent transcriptional response upon genotoxic stress using RNA-seq experiments. Under control conditions we identified ninety-six Sall2-dependent genes involved in immune system, inflammation, cell adhesion and the response to wounding. Under genotoxic stress one hundred twenty six genes were differentially expressed and dependent on Sall2, these genes are mainly involved in immunity, development and cell-cycle regulation. Finally, we performed validation of the analysis using qPCR. With this experimental outline, we are expecting to gain insights on how Sall2 contributes to the transcriptional program under normal and genotoxic stress-induced conditions.

Citation Format: Carlos A. Farkas, Francisco Fuentes, Boris Rebolledo, Kateryna Makova, Anton Nekrutenko, Ariel Castro, Roxana Pincheira. Role of Sall2 transcription factor under genotoxic stress: A transcriptomic approach. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2015 Oct 23-26; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B17.