Host immune genetic variations influence the risk of developing acute myeloid leukaemia: results from the NuCLEAR consortium.

The purpose of this study was to conduct a two-stage case control association study including 654 acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients and 3477 controls ascertained through the NuCLEAR consortium to evaluate the effect of 27 immune-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on AML risk. In a pooled analysis of cohort studies, we found that carriers of the IL13rs1295686A/A genotype had an increased risk of AML (PCorr = 0.0144) whereas carriers of the VEGFArs25648T allele had a decreased risk of developing the disease (PCorr = 0.00086). In addition, we found an association of the IL8rs2227307 SNP with a decreased risk of developing AML that remained marginally significant after multiple testing (PCorr = 0.072). Functional experiments suggested that the effect of the IL13rs1295686 SNP on AML risk might be explained by its role in regulating IL1Ra secretion that modulates AML blast proliferation. Likewise, the protective effect of the IL8rs2227307 SNP might be mediated by TLR2-mediated immune responses that affect AML blast viability, proliferation and chemorresistance. Despite the potential interest of these results, additional functional studies are still warranted to unravel the mechanisms by which these variants modulate the risk of AML. These findings suggested that IL13, VEGFA and IL8 SNPs play a role in modulating AML risk.

Polymorphisms within the ARNT2 and CX3CR1 Genes Are Associated with the Risk of Developing Invasive Aspergillosis.

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a life-threatening infection that affects an increasing number of patients undergoing chemotherapy or allo-transplantation, and recent studies have shown that genetic factors contribute to disease susceptibility. In this two-stage, population-based, case-control study, we evaluated whether 7 potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the ARNT2 and CX3CR1 genes influence the risk of IA in high-risk hematological patients. We genotyped selected SNPs in a cohort of 500 hematological patients (103 of those had been diagnosed with proven or probable IA), and we evaluated their association with the risk of developing IA. The association of the most interesting markers of IA risk was then validated in a replication population, including 474 subjects (94 IA and 380 non-IA patients). Functional experiments were also performed to confirm the biological relevance of the most interesting markers. The meta-analysis of both populations showed that carriers of the ARNT2rs1374213G, CX3CR1rs7631529A, and CX3CR1rs9823718G alleles (where the RefSeq identifier appears as a subscript) had a significantly increased risk of developing IA according to a log-additive model (P value from the meta-analysis [PMeta] = 9.8 · 10-5, PMeta = 1.5 · 10-4, and PMeta =7.9 · 10-5, respectively). Haplotype analysis also confirmed the association of the CX3CR1 haplotype with AG CGG with an increased risk of IA (P = 4.0 · 10-4). Mechanistically, we observed that monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) from subjects carrying the ARNTR2rs1374213G allele or the GG genotype showed a significantly impaired fungicidal activity but that MDM from carriers of the ARNT2rs1374213G and CX3CR1rs9823718G or CX3CR1rs7631529A alleles had deregulated immune responses to Aspergillus conidia. These results, together with those from expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) data browsers showing a strong correlation of the CX3CR1rs9823718G allele with lower levels of CX3CR1 mRNA in whole peripheral blood (P = 2.46 · 10-7) and primary monocytes (P = 4.31 · 10-7), highlight the role of the ARNT2 and CX3CR1 loci in modulating and predicting IA risk and provide new insights into the host immune mechanisms involved in IA development.

Genetic variants of IL6 gene promoter influence on C-reactive protein levels but are not associated with susceptibility to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in haematological patients.

Several lines of evidence indicate that IL6 plays a major role in the pathogenesis of a number of infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to determine whether IL6 promoter polymorphisms were genetic markers of susceptibility to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA). To clarify the relationship between IL6 variants and IPA susceptibility, the IL6-174(G/C) and IL6-634(G/C) promoter single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were defined and plasma concentrations of IL6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured. The study included 130 patients with haematological malignancies and 145 unrelated healthy individuals. No significant genotypic and allelic differences were found between patients and healthy controls. IPA was diagnosed in 71 of 130 patients according to the consensus criteria. CRP values were significantly associated with both IL6-174(G/C) and IL6-634(G/C) polymorphisms. However, IL6 and CRP values were similar between IPA and non-IPA groups. Neither IL6-174(G/C) nor IL6-634(G/C) polymorphisms were associated with IPA infection (p=0.414 and p=0.184, respectively). No evidence of association was found between allelic frequencies of IL6 promoter polymorphisms and IPA infection (p=0.864 and p=0.104, respectively). Further, no association was detected between IL6 genotypes and clinical profiles in IPA patients. Haplotype analysis also revealed that IL6 gene was not associated with IPA susceptibility in a Spanish population (Global haplotype association p value: 0.31). These findings suggest that IL6 polymorphisms influence on CRP circulating levels but are not associated with IPA susceptibility. Because the sample size is relatively small in our series, larger investigations of IL6-174(G/C)/IL6-634(G/C) genotypes and haplotypes are needed to clarify the potential role of this gene in the pathophysiology of IPA infection.

Freezing of meat raw materials affects tyramine and diamine accumulation in spontaneously fermented sausages.

Biogenic amine accumulation was studied in spontaneously fermented sausages (Fuet) manufactured from unfrozen-fresh meat (U-sausages) and frozen-thawed meat (F-sausages). The aim was to investigate whether the frozen storage of raw materials affects the microbial composition and its aminogenic activity during sausage fermentation. Tyramine was the major amine in all sausages. Although the final levels were similar, tyramine accumulated more rapidly in F-sausages, which contained putrescine as the second amine. By contrast, U-sausages accumulated much more cadaverine than putrescine. F-sausages showed a slightly lower pH and free amino acid content as well as higher counts of technological flora (lactic acid and gram positive catalase positive bacteria) and lower counts of enterobacteria. Therefore, to freeze the meat raw materials for few days before sausage manufacture could be a useful practice, especially for the artisan fermented sausages (without starter), because it helps to reduce enterobacteria development and cadaverine production.