Disease Markers - Volume 24, issue 2

Authors: Artieda, Marta | Gañán, Alberto | Cenarro, Ana | García-Otín, Ángel Luis | Jericó, Ivonne | Civeira, Fernando | Pocoví, Miguel

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Apolipoprotein E (apo E) plays a major role in lipid metabolism, and its genetic variations have been associated with cardiovascular risk. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of the APOE promoter (−491 A/T, −427 T/C and −219 G/T) and coding region (APOE ε2/ε3/ε4) polymorphisms in atherosclerosis disease by association and linkage disequilibrium analyses. Materials and methods: We analyzed these polymorphisms in a sample of 286 …subjects with atherosclerosis disease: 153 subjects with atherothrombotic stroke (ATS) and 133 subjects with ischemic heart disease (IHD); and in two control groups, 103 newborns and 114 elderly subjects. Results: The ε4 allele was associated with more severe carotid stenosis in the ATS group, being the percentages of ε4 carriers 26.7% and 11.4% for the higher and lower carotid stenosis groups, respectively (p=0,066). The −491 T/T IHD subjects presented higher vessel scores than subjects A/A and A/T genotypes at that position (p=0,041), and the frequencies of −2 (5.1% versus 14.1%, p=0,060) and −427C (10.3% versus 24.4%, p=0,019) alleles were lower in IHD subjects with higher extent score versus lower extent score. The ε2 allele was in linkage disequilibrium with the −427C allele in all studied groups, and the −219T allele was associated with the ε4 allele in the IHD group. Conclusion: In summary, the ε2 allele was in linkage disequilibrium with the −427C allele in all studied groups, and only slight associations between the analyzed APOE polymorphisms in the promoter and in the coding region and carotid and coronary vascular disease have been observed. Show more

Keywords: Apolipoprotein E, atherosclerosis, atherothrombotic stroke, ischemic heart disease, polymorphisms

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 65-72, 2008

Authors: Lee, Sang-Ah | Wen, Wanqing | Xiang, Yong-Bing | Fazio, Sergio | Linton, MacRae F. | Cai, Qiuyin | Liu, Dake | Zheng, Wei | Shu, Xiao-Ou

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The reliability and stability of plasma lipid biomarkers and their association with dietary fat intake were evaluated among 48 subjects who were randomly chosen from the participants of a validation study of the population-based cohort, the Shanghai Men's Health Study (SMHS). Four spot blood samples, one taken each season, were measured for total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol levels. The reliability and stability of these measurements were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficients …(ICC) and by the correlations between a randomly chosen measurement with the mean of measurements across seasons using a bootstrap approach. The median levels for total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol were 177.5, 164.5, 41.0, and 102.5 (mg/dl), respectively. The ICCs of the biomarkers ranged from 0.58 (LDL-cholesterol) to 0.83 (HDL-cholesterol). The correlation between randomly chosen spot measurements and the mean measurement were 0.91, 0.86, 0.93, and 0.83 for total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol, respectively. The correlations of lipid biomarkers with dietary fat intake and other lifestyle factors were comparable to other previous reports. In conclusion, this study suggests that measurements of lipid biomarkers from a single spot blood sample are a good representation of the average blood levels of these biomarkers in the study population and could be a useful tool for epidemiological studies. Show more

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 73-79, 2008

Authors: Balcerzyk, Anna | Zak, Iwona | Krauze, Jolanta

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Background: Genetic susceptibility to CAD may be determined by polymorphic variants of genes encoding isoforms involved in the processes important in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, including lipids disorders. Participation of single polymorphic variants is relatively small, however its significance may increase in the presence of specific genetic or environmental background. Aim: The aim of the study was an evaluation a possible association between single polymorphic variants of PON1, APOE, …ABCA1 and PPARA genes and CAD and looking for specific multigene genotype patterns which differentiate study groups. Materials and methods: We studied 358 subjects:178 patients with angiographically confirmed CAD and 180 blood donors without history of CAD. Polymorphisms were genotyped using PCR-RFLP method. Results: We observed statistically significant differences in the frequencies of R allele and R allele carriers of PON1 gene between CAD and controls. The distribution of genotypes and alleles of other analyzed genes did not differentiate the study groups, however the presence of specific genotypes (APOE& ndash; ε3ε3, ε3ε2, ABCA1 – AG, PPARA – GG) increased the protective effect of R allele. Conclusion: The present study revealed an independent protective association between carrier-state of PON1 R allele and CAD. This protective effect was especially strong in the presence of specific genotype arrangements of other analyzed genes. Show more

Keywords: Coronary artery disease, apolipoprotein E, paraoxonase 1, ATP-binding cassette transporter 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 81-88, 2008

Authors: Tsai, Wen-Chiuan | Chu, Chi-Hong | Yu, Cheng-Pin | Sheu, Lai-Fa | Chen, Ann | Chiang, Hung | Jin, Jong-Shiaw

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the expression of matriptase and survivin in breast carcinoma and correlate with clinicopathological parameters. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of matriptase and survivin were performed in tissue microarray slides of 290 cases, including 11 normal breast tissue; 27 fibrocystic disease; 17 fibroadenoma; 6 atypical ductal hyperplasia; 39 ductal carcinoma in situ, low grade (DCIS, low grade); 39 ductal carcinoma in situ, high grade (DCIS, high …grade); 27 invasive ductal carcinoma, grade I (IDC, grade I); 78 invasive ductal carcinoma, grade II (IDC, grade II); and 46 invasive ductal carcinoma, grade III (IDC, grade III). Results: The average immunostaining scores of matriptase were 44.1 in normal breast tissue, 52.7 in fibrocystic disease, 76.5 in fibroadenoma, 81.7 in atypical ductal hyperplasia, 133.7 in low-grade DCIS, and 155.8 in high-grade DCIS. Among 151 breast IDC cases, the average immunostaining scores of matriptase were 172.7 in grade I, 211.7 in grade II, and 221.2 in grade III. Additionally, the average immunostaining scores of surviving also correlate with tumor grades and stages. Conclusions: Higher expressions of matriptase and survivin correlate significantly with clinicopathological parameters in breast cancer and the malignant potential in premalignant lesions. In addition, higher survivin expression had poorer prognosis of breast IDC cases. Show more

Keywords: Atypical ductal hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, matriptase, survivin

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 89-99, 2008

Authors: Zitt, Matthias | Untergasser, Gerold | Amberger, Albert | Moser, Patrizia | Stadlmann, Sylvia | Zitt, Marion | Müller, Hannes M. | Mühlmann, Gilbert | Perathoner, Alexander | Margreiter, Raimund | Gunsilius, Eberhard | Öfner, Dietmar

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: Gene expression of Dickkopf-3 (Dkk-3) has been shown to be upregulated in tumor endothelium of colorectal cancer (CRC). For the first time, we analyzed Dkk-3 protein expression in CRC and its potential as a marker for neoangiogenesis. We used tissue microarrays (TMAs) to investigate Dkk-3 in microvessels of 403 CRC samples, 318 appropriate adjacent non-cancerous samples and 127 normal colorectal samples. Of cancer samples with CD31-positive microvessels, 67.7% were positive for Dkk-3. Dkk-3 staining was demonstrated …in endothelial cells of all microvessels in nearly all cases. Dkk-3-positive samples showed a higher mean microvessel count than did Dkk-3-negative samples (P=0.001). Dkk-3 expression increased with rising numbers of microvessels per sample (P<0.0001). In adjacent samples with CD31-positive microvessels, 56% were Dkk-3-positive in all microvessels. Similar to cancer samples, Dkk-3-positive adjacent samples had a higher mean microvessel count than did Dkk-3-negative samples (P<0.0001), and Dkk-3 expression also increased with rising numbers of microvessels (P<0.0001). All microvessels in normal mucosa samples were negative for Dkk-3. Dkk-3 can be considered a putative pro-angiogenic protein in neovascularization and may possibly be a marker for neoangiogenesis in CRC. Further investigations will elucidate whether Dkk-3 is a target structure for novel therapies. Show more

Keywords: Dickkopf-3, neoangiogenesis, colorectal cancer, adjacent tissue, tissue microarrays

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 101-109, 2008

Authors: Rodríguez-Pérez, N. | Aguinaga-Barrilero, A. | Gorroño-Echebarría, Marina B. | Pérez-Blas, Mercedes | Martín-Villa, J.M.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: We wished to analyse the frequency of Crohn's disease-linked CARD15 polymorphisms (P268S, R702W, G908R and 1007fs) in a group of Spanish patients with idiopathic uveitis. To this aim, DNA samples were obtained from 111 unrelated patients. P268S, R702W and G908R polymorphisms were detected using TaqMan Genotyping kits (Applied Biosystems), and the 1007fs variation by direct DNA sequencing. Control group consisted of 105 healthy subjects. None of the polymorphisms studied revealed a significant increase in the groups of …patients, when compared to the control group. Thus, P268S is found in 50% of patients (gene frequency 0.284) vs 44% of control individuals (gene frequency 0.245); R702W in 7% of patients (0.036) vs 7% (0.033); G908R in 2% of patients (0.009) vs 4% (0.019) and, finally, 1007 fs in 2% of uveitis patients (0.008) vs 4% (0.021). Moreover, DNA sequencing has allowed us to define two new intronic polymorphisms in phase, in the 5' and 3' boundaries of the exon 11 (GenBank accession number #DQ 869189). Altogether, our results suggest that the Crohn's disease-linked CARD15 polymorphisms do not seem to predispose to idiopathic uveitis in the Spanish population. Show more

Keywords: Uveitis, CARD15, SNPs

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 111-117, 2008

Authors: Polonikov, Alexey V. | Ivanov, Vladimir P. | Solodilova, Maria A. | Khoroshaya, Irina V. | Kozhuhov, Mikhail A. | Ivakin, Vladimir E. | Katargina, Ludmila N. | Kolesnikova, Ol'ga E.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: The present study was designed to test whether common polymorphism G-50T within the promoter of human CYP2J2 gene is associated with increased risk of essential hypertension in a Russian population. We studied 576 unrelated subjects, including 295 patients with hypertension and 281 healthy subjects. Genotyping for polymorphism G-50T of the CYP2J2 gene was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques. The frequency of a −50T variant allele of …CYP2J2 gene was significantly higher in patients with hypertension versus healthy controls (OR 4.03 95%CI 1.80–9.04 p=0.0004). The association of a −50GT genotype with hypertension remained significant after adjustment for age, gender and family history of hypertension by multivariate logistic regression (OR 4.78 95%CI 1.87–12.27 p=0.001). It has been found that OR for −50GT genotype × gender interaction (OR 4.48 95%CI 1.93–10.39 p=0.00048) was slightly higher than OR for −50GT genotype (OR 4.43 95%CI 1.91–10.29 p=0.00052), suggesting a weak effect of gender on the risk of hypertension in the heterozygous carriers of −50GT genotype. A family history of hypertension has no effect on the association between a −50GT genotype and hypertension. In present study we demonstrate for the first time that a CYP2J2*7 allele of the CYP2J2 gene is clearly associated with an increased risk of essential hypertension. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of P-450 epoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism in the pathogenesis of hypertensive disease. Show more

Keywords: Essential hypertension, arachidonic acid metabolism, cytochrome P450 CYP2J2, single nucleotide polymorphism, disease susceptibility, case-control studies

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 119-126, 2008

Authors: Gao, Jingfang | Zhang, Hong | Arbman, Gunnar | Sun, Xiao-Feng

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: RAD50 protein is essential for DNA double-strand break repair and maintaining genomic integrity. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological significance of hRAD50 expression and mutation in microsatellite stable (MSS) and unstable (MSI) colorectal cancers (CRCs). hRAD50 expression was examined in primary CRC (n=268), the corresponding distant (n=69) and adjacent normal mucosa (n=138), and lymph node metastasis (n=44) by immunohistochemistry. hRAD50 mutation was analyzed in 87 primary CRCs by PCR-SSCP-DNA sequencing. hRAD50 …expression was increased in MSS primary CRCs, but not MSI ones, compared with distant/adjacent normal mucosa (p<0.05). There was no difference in the hRAD50 expression between primary and metastatic CRCs. The increased hRAD50 expression in MSS primary CRCs was related (p<0.05) or tended to be related (p=0.05) to early tumor stage, better differentiation, high inflammatory infiltration, p53 overexpression. Frameshift mutations of (A)_{9} at coding region of hRAD50 were only found in MSI CRCs. Our results suggest that hRAD50 may play different roles in the development of MSS and MSI CRCs: increased hRAD50 expression in MSS CRCs {may be a cellular response against tumor from further progression}, while hRAD50 mutation may be involved in the development of MSI CRCs. Show more

Keywords: Colorectal cancer, hRAD50, immunohistochemistry, microsatellite instability, microsatellite stability

Citation: Disease Markers, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 127-134, 2008