Antiapoptotic Gene Genotype and Allele Variations and the Risk of Lymphoma

BACKGROUND

The findings of earlier investigations of antiapoptotic gene genotypes and allele variants on lymphoma risk are ambiguous. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the mutation in the antiapoptotic genes and lymphoma risk among Saudi patients.

METHODS

This case-control study included 205 patients, 100 of whom had lymphoma (cases) and 105 who were healthy volunteers (controls). We used tetra amplification refractory mutation polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify antiapoptotic genes such as B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL2-938 C > A), MCL1-rs9803935 T > G, and survivin (BIRC5-rs17882312 G > C and BIRC5-rs9904341 G > C). Allelic-specific PCR was used to identify alleles such as BIRC5-C, MCL1-G, and BIRC5-G.

RESULTS

The dominant inheritance model among cases showed that mutations in all four antiapoptotic genes were more likely to be associated with the risk of lymphoma by the odds of 2.0-, 1.98-, 3.90-, and 3.29-fold, respectively, compared to controls. Apart from the BCL-2-A allele, all three specified alleles were more likely to be associated with lymphoma by the odds of 2.04-, 1.65-, and 2.11-fold, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Unlike healthy individuals, lymphoma patients are more likely to have antiapoptotic gene genotypes and allele variants, apart from BCL-2-A alterations. In the future, these findings could be used to classify and identify patients at risk of lymphoma.

Expression of Apoptosis-Related Genes in Cat Testicular Tissue in Relation to Sperm Morphology and Seasonality-A Preliminary Study

Simple Summary

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a crucial process in spermatogenesis, responsible for the elimination of abnormal sperm cells and for the reduction of testicular volume outside the breeding season. Poor sperm morphology (teratozoospermia) and lower semen quality out of season are commonly observed in domestic cats, but the exact reasons and mechanisms are not known. The aim of this study was to use gene expression analysis to identify which apoptotic processes and pathways are expressed in the phenomenon of teratozoospermia and seasonality in the domestic cat. The results showed a higher expression of two antiapoptotic genes and one proapoptotic gene during the non-reproductive season, with no differences noted between normozoospermic and teratozoospermic cats. We hypothesize that during the non-breeding season there is a potential detrimental factor which activates a cascade of caspases, against which germ cells mount a defense by producing anti-apoptotic proteins. Further identification of this factor may help in the amelioration of semen quality of cats and improve feline breeding.

Abstract

Apoptosis is a crucial process in spermatogenesis, responsible for the elimination of abnormal sperm cells and testicular regression out of breeding season. The aim of this study was to assess if the expression of apoptosis-related genes in testicular tissue of domestic cats differed: (1) between normozoospermic and teratozoospermic donors, and (2) between reproductive and non-reproductive season. The expression of genes: BCL2L1, BCL2, BAX, BAD, FAS, FASLG, and caspases (CASP3, CASP8, CASP9, and CASP10) was analyzed by qRT-PCR in testicular tissue samples. During non-reproductive season significantly higher expression of two anti-apoptotic genes (BCL2L1 and BCL2) was observed. Additionally, there was a significant higher expression of CASP10 in teratozoospermic cats during non-reproductive than during reproductive season. No differences were noted between normozoospermic and teratozoospermic groups. Upregulation of some genes during the non-reproductive season indicates engagement of apoptotic mechanisms in the seasonal changes of semen quality in cats, however further studies on protein levels and analysis of changes on distinct testicular germinal layers are required. At the same time, teratozoospermia in the general population of cats seems to be not connected with dysregulation of apoptosis in the testes.

Protection of rat pancreatic islet function and viability by coculture with rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

The maintenance of viable and functional islets is critical in successful pancreatic islet transplantation from cadaveric sources. During the isolation procedure, islets are exposed to a number of insults including ischemia, oxidative stress and cytokine injury that cause a reduction in the recovered viable islet mass. A novel approach was designed in which streptozotocin (STZ)-damaged rat pancreatic islets (rPIs) were indirectly cocultured with rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (rBM-MSCs) to maintain survival of the cultured rPIs. The results indicated that islets cocultured with rBM-MSCs secreted an increased level of insulin after 14 days, whereas non-cocultured islets gradually deteriorated and cell death occurred. The cocultivation of rBM-MSCs with islets and STZ-damaged islets showed the expression of IL6 and transforming growth factor-β1 in the culture medium, besides the expression of the antiapoptotic genes (Mapkapk2, Tnip1 and Bcl3), implying the cytoprotective, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects of rBM-SCs through paracrine actions.