Search for a Novel Allergen in Hen's Egg Allergy Using an IgE Immunoblotting Assay.

BACKGROUND: Food allergy is a serious health issue affecting roughly 4% of children, with a substantial effect on quality of life. Chicken egg allergy is frequently observed in infants. Therefore, some of them have to exclude hen's eggs from their daily diet to avoid allergenic symptoms. Hen's egg is composed of 2 soluble parts; one is egg white, which has been characterized as the major source of allergenicity, while the other is egg yolk, which is estimated as a miner source. Only 2 allergens from egg yolk, α-livetin (Gal d 5) and YGP42 (Gal d 6), have been described to date. METHODS: Sera from 53 patients allergic to hen's eggs and 2 patients allergic to sesame were obtained from the Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Hospital. The study was performed using SDS-PAGE, IgE immunoblotting, and dot blotting. RESULTS: Seven bands of egg yolk were detected by IgE immunoblotting. Out of these bands, a possible new allergen was further characterized by LC-MS/MS. The 33-kDa band was identified as yolk glycoprotein (YGP40) by LC-MS/MS. A total of 21 of the 53 patients (47%) had YGP40 detected by dot blotting. CONCLUSIONS: We identified YGP40 as a new hen's egg yolk allergen and detected 4 sites of YGP40 as linear epitopes.

Association between AUTS2 haplotypes and alcohol dependence in a Japanese population.

OBJECTIVE: Recent genome-wide analysis has indicated that the autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene is involved in the regulation of alcohol consumption. We hypothesised that AUTS2 might be associated with the development of alcohol dependence. Therefore, in this exploratory study, we compared the genotype and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms rs6943555 and rs9886351 in the AUTS2 gene between patients with alcohol dependence and healthy control subjects living in a Japanese provincial prefecture. We also examined whether or not the haplotypes consisting of these polymorphisms are related to alcohol dependence. METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 64 patients with alcohol dependence and 75 unrelated healthy people. The AUTS2 genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. RESULTS: No significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of the polymorphisms AUTS2 rs6943555 and rs9886351 were found between alcohol dependence and control subjects. On the other hand, the frequencies of the AUTS2 haplotypes were significantly different between them, and the rs6943555 and rs9886351 A-A haplotype was associated with alcohol dependence (p=0.0187). CONCLUSION: This suggests that the rs6943555 and rs9886351 A-A haplotype might affect the vulnerability to alcohol dependence pathogenesis. Further studies are needed to confirm the reproducibility of the results of this study with increased numbers of subjects.

No Relationships between Psychosis and the Diazepam Binding Inhibitor rs2276596 (C/A) Polymorphism in Japanese: An Exploratory Study.

OBJECTIVE: Our recent study for the first time reported genotyping method of the diazepam binding inhibitor (DBI) rs2276596 polymorphism using a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymor- phism (PCR-RFLP), and revealed a significant relationships between this polymorphism and alcohol depend- ence. In this study, to facilitate elucidation of the pathogeneses of psychoses including schizophrenia and mood (affective) disorders, we investigated the relationship between the DBI rs2276596 polymorphism (C/A) and psychoses. METHOD: We analyzed the DBI genotypes using the PCR-RFLP method in healthy controls, and psychotics including schizophrenia and mood (affective) disorders (including recurrent depressive disorder and bipolar affective disorder) (ICD-10: F31, F33). RESULT: There was no significant difference in the rs2276596 genotype and allele frequencies of the DBI gene between these psychoses and healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The present data suggested that a mutated allele of the DBI was not one of the risk factors for schizophrenia and mood (affective) disorders, as for the rs2276596 polymorphism. [Original].

Psychological Evaluation of Animal-assisted Intervention (AAI) Programs Involving Visiting Dogs and Cats for Alcohol Dependents: A Pilot Study.

The purpose of this study was to develop an evaluation method for animal-assisted intervention (AAI) programs involving Mood Check List-Short form.2 (MCL-S.2) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for psychiatric daycare of Japanese alcohol. dependents. A total of 36 alcohol dependents completed the study and questionnaires assessing their state. A single session of AAI reduced both subjective and physiological measures of state anxiety (A-State); and this program induced a significant reduction in the anxiety after an AAI program session with the dogs and cats involved in the intervention (p = 0.001). The Wilcoxon t-test showed that there were also significant differences in the "anxiety", "pleasantness", and "relaxation". scores for MCL-S.2 among the alcohol dependents, before and after AAI; a significantly decreased "anxiety" score (p = 0.006), and increased "pleasantness" (p = 0.002) and "relaxation" (p=0.012) scores for MCL-S.2 after AAI. The results of this study indicated that alcohol dependents who experienced a group AAI session-program exhibited significant improvements in their feeling; decreased anxiety, and increased pleasantness and relaxation.

[Association between GSK3ß polymorphisms and the smoking habits in young Japanese].

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder show high comorbidity with smoking dependence. Several previous studies reported that glycogen synthase kinase 3ß (GSK3ß), which is widely expressed in the brain including the dopamine projection areas such as the amygdala, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus, may play a role in neuropsychiatric disorders and dopamine- and serotonin-mediated behavior. In this study, we have analyzed the association of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within GSK3ß gene (rs3755557, rs334558, rs6438552) with the smoking habits and age at smoking initiation in a sample of 384 young adult Japanese, which included 172 smokers and 212 non-smokers. As a result, rs334558 was significantly associated with smoking habits in genotype frequency and allelic frequency (P < 0.05). Furthermore, higher haplotype 3 (T-T-T) and haplotype 5 (A-T-C) frequencies were observed in non-smokers than smokers (P < 0.05). Three functional polymorphisms examined in this study reportedly increase transcriptional activity when they have a high-activation allele such as the A allele of -1727A/T (rs3755557), the T allele of -50T/C (rs334558) or T allele of -157T/C (rs6438552). Thus, it was suggested in this study that changes in GSK3ß activity may have an impact on smoking habits.

[Association between norepinephrine transporter gene polymorphism and alcohol dependence in Japanese].

Several studies have suggested that the norepinephrine transporter (NET) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether the NET gene polymorphism is a susceptibility factor for alcohol dependence in 64 alcoholics and 73 healthy controls. In addition, we examined whether the combination of the NET and serotonin transporter genotypes are associated with alcohol dependence. The NET (1287G/A, -182T/C, and -3081A/T) and serotonin transporter (5-HTT3'UTR) genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)--restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. No significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of the NET and serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms were found between alcoholics and controls. The haplotype frequencies of the NET gene polymorphisms were not also significantly different between them. Furthermore, the combination of the NET and serotonin transporter genotypes had not significant effects on alcohol dependence. The present study suggests that the polymorphisms of 1287G/A, -182T/C and -3081A/T in NET gene are not.risk factors in alcohol dependence.

Relationship between alcohol dependence and the DBI rs2276596 (C/A) polymorphism in Japanese.

To facilitate elucidation of the pathogenesis of alcohol dependence, we investigated the relationship between a genetic variant of diazepam biding inhibitor (DBI) C/A polymorphism (rs2276596) and alcohol dependence. We determined the DBI genotypes using a novel method involving PCR-RFLP in healthy controls and alcoholics with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence by ICD-10 (F10.20). There was a significant difference in the rs2276596 polymorphism C/A allele frequency of the DBI gene (P < 0.0001) between alcoholics and healthy controls. The present data suggested that a mutant allele of the DBI was one of the risk factors for alcohol dependence as for the rs2276596 polymorphism.

[The relationship between BDNF gene polymorphisms and alcoholics in Japan].

As a help of the mechanism elucidation of alcoholism, we studied the relationship between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rs6265, 270 C/T (ID number has not yet been determined), and rs10835210 gene polymorphisms, which are reported to be related to bipolar disorder, and alcoholics. We genotyped the three polymorphisms in the BDNF gene using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in 65 alcoholics and 71 healthy controls. In this study, there was no significant difference in the frequency of rs6265 and 270 C/T polymorphisms between alcoholics and controls (P > 0.05). However, there was a significant difference in the genotype frequency of rs10835210 polymorphism between alcoholics and controls (P < 0.05), in which the CA heterozygote genotype and A allele frequency was higher in alcoholics than in the controls. It suggests the possibility that the BDNF rs10835210 gene polymorphism affects the etiology of alcoholism.

[Haplotype analysis of GSK-3beta gene polymorphisms and smoking behavior].

In this study, the relationship between the haplotypes consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of GSK-3beta -50T/C and -1727A/T and the derivation of smoking was studied among 102 smokers and 103 non-smokers. It was shown that the GSK-3beta -50T/C polymorphism may be linked with the smoking. There is significantly lower T-allele frequency in the smokers than non-smokers (chi2 (2) = 21.01, P = 0.000027; chi2 (1) 13.28, P = 0.00026). According to haplotype analysis, there was an association between smokers and non-smokers (global P = 0.00029). Higher haplotype 1 (T-A) frequency was observed in non-smokers than in smokers (P = 0.00036), whereas higher haplotype 2 (C-A) frequency was observed in smokers than in non-smokers (P = 0.000053). Pairwise D' and r2 values between the two SNPs in this study were 0.51 and 0.042, respectively. The two SNPs showed weak linkage disequilibrium with each other. This study suggests that GSK-3beta -50T/C polymorphism and two haplotypes may be related to smoking behavior.

[Haplotype analysis of serotonin 2A receptor gene polymorphisms and smoking behavior].

In this study, the relationship between the haplotypes consisting of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2AR) gene (HTR2A) 102T/C (rs6313) and -1438A/G (rs6311) and smoking behavior was studied among 101 smokers and 99 non-smokers. It was shown that the genotypic and allelic frequencies of these polymorphisms were not associated with the smoking behavior. However, according to haplotype analysis, higher haplotype 1 ((-1438G) G-(102)T) frequency was observed in smokers than in non-smokers (P < 0.05). Pairwise D' and gamma2 values between the two SNPs in this study were 0.916 and 0.805, respectively. The two SNPs thus showed strong linkage disequilibrium with each other. This study suggests that 5-HT2AR gene haplotype (G-T) may be related to smoking behavior.

Evaluation of cerebral activity in the prefrontal cortex in mood [affective] disorders during animal-assisted therapy (AAT) by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS): a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown the possibility that animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is useful for promoting the recovery of a patient's psychological, social, and physiological aspect. As a pilot study, we measured the effect that AAT had on cerebral activity using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and examined whether or not NIRS be used to evaluate the effect of AAT biologically and objectively. METHODS: Two patients with mood [affective] disorders and a healthy subject participated in this study. We performed two AAT and the verbal fluency task (VFT). RESULTS: The NIRS signal during AAT showed great [oxy-Hb] increases in most of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the two patients. When the NIRS pattern during AAT was compared with that during VFT, greater or lesser differences were observed between them in all subjects. CONCLUSION: The present study suggested that AAT possibly causes biological and physiological changes in the PFC, and that AAT is useful for inducing the activity of the PFC in patients with depression who have generally been said to exhibit low cerebral activity in the PFC. In addition, the possibility was also suggested that the effect of AAT can be evaluated using NIRS physiologically and objectively.

[The association between beta-adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms and personality traits].

The relationship between the polymorphisms (SNPs) of the beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) gene and personality assessed by TCI (Temperament and Character Inventory), was studied among 192 healthy Japanese subjects (121 male subjects and 71 female subjects). In this study, the statistical analyses were performed overall and separately for each sex. As a result, it was shown that there were significant relationships between SD (self-directedness) and 49Ser/Gly (rs1801252) in ADRB1, P (persistence) and 389Arg/Gly (rs1801253) in ADRB1, and ST (self-transcendence) and 27Gln/Glu (rs1042714) in ADRB2 overall. Among the male subjects, there were further significant relationships between ST and 49Ser/Gly in ADRB1, NS (novelty-seeking), HA (harm avoidance) and P and 389Arg/Gly in ADRB1, and P and 64Arg/Trp(rsrs4994) in ADRB3. Among the female subjects, there were also significant relationships between SD and 49Ser/Gly in ADRB1, and C (cooperativeness) and 389Arg/Gly in ADRB1. Thus it was shown that there were correlations between beta-AR gene polymorphisms and several subscales of TCI.

[Association between lithium sensitivity and GSK3beta gene polymorphisms in bipolar disorder].

GSK-3beta codes for an enzyme which is a target for the action of mood stabilizers, lithium and possibly of valproic acid. The relationship between the polymorphisms (SNPs) of GSK-3beta-50T/C and -1727A/T and the effect of lithium was studied among 29 Japanese bipolar patients. It was shown that GSK-3beta-50T/C may be linked with the effect of lithium treatment. There is a significantly higher T-allele frequency in the lithium responders than non-responders (df = 1, chi2 = 6.971, 0.01 > P > 0.001; Yates' continuity correction). However, there is not a significant relationship between the polymorphisms of GSK-3beta-1727A/T and the effect of lithium treatment.

[The relationship between glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3B) -50T/C -1727A/T polymorphisms and alcoholism].

As a help of the mechanism elucidation of alcoholism, we studied the relationship between glycogen synthase kinase 3-beta (GSK3B) -50T/C and -1727A/T polymorphisms, which are reported to relate to bipolar disorder. We genotyped the two polymorphisms in GSK3B gene using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 71 health controls and 47 alcoholics. In this study, there was no significant difference in the frequency of GSK3B -50T/C and -1727A/T polymorphisms between alcoholics and controls. We suggested that there was no significant association of GSK3B -50T/C and -1727A/T polymorphisms with alcoholism.

[Relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C and DBI +529A/T polymorphisms in Japanese alcoholics].

As a help of the relationship between bipolar disorder and alcoholism, we studied the relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism, which is reported to the relationship for bipolar disorder, and Japanese alcoholics. And we investigated the relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism and DBI +529A/T polymorphisms, which is reported to one of the risk factor for alcoholism. We analyzed the GSK-3 beta genotype using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and DBI genotype using PCR with confronting two-pair novel primers (PCR-CTPP) in 75 health controls and 64 alcoholics. In this study, there was no significant difference in the frequency of GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism between alcoholics and controls (p = 0.883), and there was no significant difference in the frequency of DBI +529A/T polymorphism (p = 0.131). Also, there was no relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism and DBI +529A/T allele in alcoholism (p = 0.907). We suggested that bipolar disorder may not be one of the pathogenesis of alcoholism, and that there was no relationship between GSK-3 beta -50T/C polymorphism and DBI +529A/T polymorphism.

[Electroencephalographic background activity and blood biochemistry data in patients with chronic renal failure during chronic hemodialysis].

There is no particular electroencephalographic activity known to be associated with consciousness disturbance in uremic patients; however, a slow wave activity is generally observed during consciousness disturbance. Abnormal electroencephalographic activity was observed in 30 (67%) of 45 chronic renal failure patients during chronic hemodialysis without consciousness disturbance, and slow wave activity was observed in 58%. The frequency of the electroencephalographic background activity correlated with blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum Ca levels, but not with K, IP, and creatinine levels. Electroencephalographic activity can be estimated with reference to BUN or serum Ca levels in the blood of uremic patients.

[A daycare program of animal assisted therapy for affective disorder patients during psychotropic drug therapy: evaluation of the relaxation effect by fNIRS (functional near-infrared spectroscopy)].

During daycare programs of animal assisted therapy (AAT), we collected data on the brain function of two affective disorder patients who received psychotropic drug therapy with fNIRS, after written informed consent was obtained. A male patient at first showed a bloodstream drop, seen in the lower inside part of frontal lobe. In both patients, at least a slight activation of the function of the frontal lobe was seen during the therapy. Therefore, an activation effect of AAT was seen at least objectively by fNIRS.

A review of smoking behavior and smokers evidence (chemical modification, inducing nicotine metabolism, and individual variations by genotype: dopaminergic function and personality traits).

The nicotine metabolism of CYP2A6 (CYP2A6*1A,*1B, and *1C), and the cholecystokinin (CCK; which modulates the release of dopamine) and CCK-A receptor gene and personality traits for NEO-FFI, was investigated for the mechanism for elucidation of the smoking behavior in Japanese populations. The frequency of the CYP2A6*4C allele, which is a whole deleted allele of the human CYP2A6 gene, was higher, whereas that of CYP2A6*1A/*1B heterozygotes with higher nicotine metabolism activity was lower in nonsmokers than in smokers. There was also a significant difference between the current smoking and nonsmoking groups in the allele frequency of the CCK -45C/T polymorphism. It was also shown that the Openness (O) factor for smokers was significantly higher than that of nonsmokers; however, there were no significant differences in the Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E), Agreeable (A), and Conscientiousness (C) scores among smokers than nonsmokers. It was suggested that the CYP2A6*4C allele may prevent the carrier from smoking, and being a CYP2A6*1A/*1B heterozygote and the CCK T allele may be risk factors for developing smoking behavior. Also, it is possible that persons with a low score in Openness may be refraining from smoking because they have a general negative impression toward smoking.

[Electroencephalographic examination in alcohol dependents].

It has been reported that electroencephalographic (EEG) examinations of alcohol dependents reveal a few abnormal findings. However, we show abnormal findings in 47 (64%) of 73 alcohol dependents in whom disturbance of consciousness, convulsions, disturbance of memory, emotional disorders and hallucination were present. Our results indicate that EEG examination may be necessary for real time assessment of brain function in alcoholism.

[Serotonin receptor gene polymorphism and analgesic sensitivity].

There are gene polymorphisms changing the expression or activation of the serotonin (5-HT) receptors, which are associated with pain. This review showed an availability of 5-HT2A receptor gene polymorphism in analgesic sensitivity. To search gene polymorphisms related to analgesic sensitivity is important to further effective pain management. In future 5-HT2A receptor gene polymorphisms, together with polymorphisms of other genes, may greatly contribute to effective postoperative pain management and personalized medicine.