[Association of schizophrenia with variations in genes encoding transcription factors].

Alterations in neuronal plasticity and immune system play a key role in pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Identification of genetic factors contributing to these alterations will significantly encourage elucidation of molecular etiopathomechanisms of this disorder. Transcription factors c-Fos, c-Jun, and Ier5 are the important regulators of neuronal plasticity and immune response. In the present work we investigated a potential association of schizophrenia with a number of single nucleotide polymorphisms of c-Fos-,c-Jun and Ier5 encoding genes (FOS, JUN, and IER5 respectively). Genotyping of DNA samples of patients with schizophrenia and healthy individuals was performed using polymerase chain reaction with allele specific primers. The results obtained demonstrated association between schizophrenia and FOS rs1063169, FOS rs7101, JUN rs11688, and IER5 rs6425663 polymorphisms. Namely, it was found that the inheritance of FOS rs1063169*T, JUN rs11688*A, and IER5 rs6425663*T minor variants decreases risk for development of schizophrenia whereas the inheritance of FOS rs7101*T minor variant, especially its homozygous form, increases risk for development of this disorder.

Transcriptional activity of neutrophils exposed to high doses of colchicine: short communication.

Colchicine is an antimitotic drug which binds to tubulin and at high doses results in cytoskeleton disruption. Colchicine is believed to be an anti-inflammatory agent, though its modulatory effects on the level and transcriptional activity of genes is still a matter of debate. There is growing evidence that alterations in the cytoskeleton exert specific effects on the expression of various genes. This study was undertaken to analyze whether disrupting the microtubule cytoskeleton by colchicine modulates transcriptional levels of MEFV, NF-κB p65, NLRP3, HMGB1, and caspase-3 in neutrophils from patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and healthy subjects. In the present study, colchicine caused increased expression of NLRP3 (p=0.007) and MEFV (p=0.03), but had no effect on caspase-3, NF-κB p65 and HMGB1 genes in healthy neutrophils. FMF neutrophils were less responsive to the drug treatment. This study supports the hypothesis that, being an anti-inflammatory agent, colchicine at relatively high concentrations might lead to the activation of pro-inflammatory signalling pathways in neutrophils.

[Study of gene expression of transcription factors T cells during aging].

The level of expression of transcription factor genes (GATA-3, TBX21, IL23A), and changing of oxidative modification of proteins in young and elderly healthy persons was studied. The results of evaluation of gene expression, GATA-3 in lymphocytes showed the increased expression of GATA-3 in elderly people in comparison with the young. Women demonstrated higher expression of GATA-3 in compare with men. Study of IL-2p showed reduced levels of expression in aged humans compared to young. TVH21 expression level showed a reduction expression in both men and women. Comparative analysis of protein oxidation in blood plasma of young and elderly people showed an increase in the intensity of oxidative modification of proteins in the elderly.

Interleukin-6 promoter polymorphism and plasma levels in patients with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disease with inflammatory component. Several studies indicated the increased blood levels of proinflammatory interleukin-6 cytokine in schizophrenia. However, only limited studies explored the relationship between excess production and genetic variations of this cytokine in schizophrenia, and the results were controversial. Here, we investigated possible association of the interleukin-6 gene (IL6) rs1800795 (-174G/C) polymorphism with schizophrenia and relationship between this polymorphism and interleukin-6 protein (IL-6) blood levels. This polymorphism was found by other researchers to associate with different transcription rates and different plasma levels of IL-6. A total of 208 unrelated Armenians were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers, and IL-6 levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The IL6 rs1800795 alleles and genotypes in both groups were in Hardy-Weinberg (H-W) equilibrium. We found that rs1800795*C allele [38% vs 24%, P = 0.002, odds ratio (OR) = 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18-2.14] and its carriers (62% vs 42%, P = 0.003, OR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.13-1.94) were more frequent in patients than in controls. IL-6 in patients was 1.5-fold higher than in controls (mean ± SD: 6.41 ± 2.47 pg/ml vs 4.15 ± 1.42 pg/ml, P = 1.9E-19). In both groups, higher IL-6 in rs1800795 GG compared to rs1800795*C allele carriers was observed (GG vs GC + CC, patients: 7.02 ± 2.83 pg/ml vs 5.39 ± 1.2 pg/ml, P = 0.0006; controls: 5.21 ± 1.17 pg/ml vs 3.38 ± 1.03 pg/ml, P = 1.6E-15). In conclusion, we report an association of IL6 rs1800795 and higher IL-6 with schizophrenia. We also conclude that IL6 rs1800795*C allele is linked to increased IL-6 blood levels and may be a risk factor for schizophrenia development at least in Armenian population.

A comparative study of antioxidant system and intensity of lipid peroxidation in type 2 diabetes mellitus and ischemic stroke aggravated and not aggravated by type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The survey was conducted on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and on patients with ischemic stroke aggravated and not aggravated by type 2 diabetes mellitus. A comparative study of the function of antioxidant system and the intensity of oxidative stress induced by lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the blood was carried out. Stroke aggravated by diabetes was characterized by higher intensity of LPO than stroke not aggravated by diabetes, which, apparently, determines the more severe course of stroke in patients with diabetes. The mechanisms of compensatory response to oxidative stress at the level of antioxidants in stroke aggravated by diabetes also differed from those in stroke not aggravated by diabetes. These data indicate the need of using water-soluble low-molecular-weight antioxidants in the treatment of stroke aggravated by diabetes.

Genetic variants of the inflammatory C-reactive protein and schizophrenia in Armenian population: a pilot study.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammation marker implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. To investigate association of the CRP rs1417938, rs1800947, rs1205 variants with susceptibility to schizophrenia 208 unrelated Armenians (103 patients and 105 healthy controls) were genotyped. In this pilot study, none of studied variants was associated with schizophrenia.

Classic and alternative complement cascades in post-traumatic stress disorder.

Hemolytic activity of classic and alternative complement cascades and blood concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 were measured in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. The results attest to hyperactivity of the classic complement cascade associated with elevated content of proinflammatory cytokines and hypoactivation of the alternative complement cascade in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder in comparison with healthy individuals.

Classical pathway complement activity in Familial Mediterranean fever.

OBJECTIVES: The present study emphasizes the important role of the immune reactions in the pathogenesis of Familial Mediterranean fever. In the present study, the total hemolytic activity of the complement and the activities of individual complement components, C1, C2, C3, and C4, were determined in the blood serum of 32 patients with FMF and 28 healthy subjects. DESIGN AND METHODS: Hemolytic assay was applied, measuring THAC and individual complement components' activities. The patients were divided into 3 groups upon the regularity of colchicine therapy: patients receiving regular, irregular and not receiving colchicine treatment for at least 1 year. RESULTS: No significant changes in the hemolytic activities of the C1, C2, C3, and C4 complement components were found between the healthy subjects and those FMF patients, who were receiving regular colchicine treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data obtained have raised a number of important questions relevant to FMF pathogenesis and once again confirms the efficiency of regular colchicine treatment.

Serum levels of the MCP-1 chemokine in patients with ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction.

Chemokine-driven migration of inflammatory cells has been implicated in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis-associated conditions such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. In this study, a candidate chemokine, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, was investigated in patients with both aforementioned manifestations of atheroslerotic inflammation. MCP-1 levels in serum were determined by ELISA in 40 healthy, control subjects (C), 40 patients with ischemic stroke (IS), and in 64 patients with myocardial infarction (MI). Statistical analysis utilised Mann-Whitney test, Fisher's exact test, and Spearman's rank correlation (P < .05). In comparison to control subjects (C; median/interquartile range: 239/126 pg/mL), MCP-1 serum levels were increased in both investigated patient cohorts (IS: 384/370, P < .001; MI: 360/200, P < .002). There was a substantial variability of MCP-1 serum levels, especially in the IS group. No relationship was observed between chemokine levels and atherosclerosis risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol consumption), and MCP-1 was also not related to age or gender. Elevation of MCP-1 in circulation of patients with atherosclerosis-associated complications implicates this CC chemokine ligand (CCL)2 in inflammatory processes, which contribute to pathogenesis of myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Further investigations, including patient stratification, are however necessary to evaluate if MCP-1 can be utilised for clinical management of patients with these diseases.