Glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 genetic polymorphisms are not related to the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a study in the Spanish population.

Glutathione S-transferases constitute a superfamily of enzymes that catalyse the inactivating conjugation of endogenous and environmental substrates involved in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and glutathione. Genes encoding either glutathione S-transferase Mu-1 or Theta-1 (GSTM1 and GSTT1, respectively) isoforms are polymorphic. Homozygotes for the mutated inactive alleles of each gene are devoid of any specific enzymatic activity (null genotypes). Our aim was to investigate whether individuals with null GST genotypes have a higher risk of developing HCC. A total of 184 Caucasian Spanish patients with a diagnosis of HCC and 329 healthy controls of the same ethnic origin were included. Polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were identified through multiplex polymerase chain reactions, and the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene was used as internal control. No differences were found between the frequencies of GSTM1 (47.8% versus 45.3%) and GSTT1 (28.8% versus 23.1%) null genotypes in cases and controls, respectively, nor in the proportion of carriers of two, one or no active genotypes. Gender, age at diagnosis, tobacco use, chronic infection with hepatitis B or C virus and alcohol abuse did not influence these results. In conclusion, polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes are not related to the incidence of HCC in a high-risk Spanish population.

[Screening of hemoglobinopathies in a cohort of newborns in Madrid]. / Cribado de hemoglobinopatías en una cohorte de recién nacidos en la Comunidad de Madrid.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Congenital structural hemoglobinopathies are a group of disorders whose incidence has experienced an increase in recent years, due to the higher number of immigrants living in the Region of Madrid. Given the possibility of starting early prophylactic measures, it seems advisable to carry out an screening of hemoglobinopathies in this region. The objective of this work was to know the current incidence of hemoglobinopathies in the Hospital Clinico San Carlos and to analyze the more suitable laboratory diagnostic tests. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: An ambispective cohort study, with 3,365 newborns studied at the Hospital Clinico San Carlos from May 2003 to June 2004. All were studied by cation exchange HPLC [Variant (Bio-Rad)] and pathologic specimens were analyzed by reversed phase HPLC. RESULTS: Hemoglobinophaty was detected in 26 children with the HPLC Variant, with a global incidence of 7.7 per 1,000 newborns: 1 case of sickle cell disease, 18 cases of sickle cell trait, 1 HbC, 1 HbE/A2 and five indeterminate cases. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal screening for hemoglobinopathies in the Region of Madrid is necessary, and the HPLC Variant is an appropriate technique.

[Association of hemoglobinopathy and alpha thalassemia. Study of 45 patients]. / Asociación de hemoglobinopatía S y alfatalasemia. Análisis de 45 casos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hemoglobin S (HbS) alpha-thalassemia together with ss-thalassemia and hemoglobins C, E and D are named common hemoglobinopathies. In this study, we analyzed the frequency of the association between alpha-thalassemia and HbS and its phenotypic expression. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Since January 1995 to March 2003 we studied 83 cases of HbS, which were diagnosed by electrophoretic and chromatographic criteria. The molecular study was carried out by Southern blot with the restriction enzymes Bam HI and Bgl II and a (1.5 Kb Pst) and z (1.8 Kb Sac Y) probes. RESULTS: 45 cases (54.2%) had a-thalassemia (36 -alpha3,7/aa; 1-alpha4,2/alphaalpha; 6 -alpha3,7/-alpha3,7; 1-alpha4,2/-alpha4,2); 36 had not alpha-thalassemia and in two cases there were a triplication of a genes. The patients with HbS heterozygote associated with alpha-thalassemia showed a percentage of HbS (p < 0.0001), CMV (p = 0.004), MCH (p = 0.002) and MCHC (p = 0.02) significantly lower than the cases of HbS without this association. However, no differences between both groups were found with regard to the rest of parameters analyzed (Hb p = 0.56; PVC p = 0.84; RDW p = 0.06; Reticulocytes p = 0.26; HbF p = 0.76; HbA2 p = 0.13). In the cases with a severe form of disease (HbS homozygote; HbS/Hb C; HbS/beta-thalassemia), patients with alpha-thalassemia had a number of leukocytes that was significantly lower than that of patients without alpha-thalassemia (p = 0.034). CONCLUSION: An association between HbS and alpha-thalassemia was common (> 50%). Screening for this association is of great interest because the clinical expression in the cases of HbS homozigote will be modulated. This association must be suspected in cases of homozygous HbS in which levels of HbS are lower than expected.

CONTEO DE PLAQUETAS EN SUJETOS SANOS TRATADOS CON ANTIAGREGANTES PLAQUETARIOS / PLATELET COUNT IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS TREATED WITH ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Se evaluó el recuento plaquetario en sangre periférica de sujetos sanos tratados con antiagregantes plaquetarios. Se analizaron 20 sujetos. Se distribuyeron en dos grupos: A: 10 sujetos que recibieron Aspirina (100 mg) y B: 10 con Clopidogrel (75 mg) por 7 días. Se les realizó recuento plaquetario en sangre periférica y en PRP. Encontrándose un conteo de plaquetas antes del tratamiento con antiagregantes en sangre periférica de 258,6 ± 54,46 x 109 l 7 días después de 254 ± 41,86 x 109 l (Aspirina), 285,4±70,92 y 196,5±37,90 x 109 l (Clopidogrel) respectivamente. En el PRP de los sujetos antes de recibir Aspirina fue 486,5 ± 129,54 x 109 l y después 449,2 ± 85,51 x 109 l; antes de la ingestión de Clopidogrel fue 565,2 ± 150,41 y 592,9 ± 203,46 x 109 l después del tratamiento. Se encontraron diferencias significativas solo para el conteo plaquetario en el grupo del Clopidogrel (p< 0.05). Se observó una disminución significativa del conteo plaquetario en sangre periférica posterior a la administración del Clopidogrel, posiblemente como consecuencia del mecanismo farmacológico del mismo. Son necesarios más estudios para evaluar un mayor número de individuos y medir mejor el efecto de los antiplaquetarios.

Platelet count in peripheral blood of healthy subjects with antiplatelet drugs. 20 subjects were analized. They were distributed in two groups: subject A: 10 who received aspirin (100 mg) and B:10 with Clopidogrel (75 mg) for 7 days. In all subjects studied platelet count in peripheral blood and PRP. It found a platelet count before treatment with antiplatelet agents in peripheral blood of 258,6 ± 54,46 x 109 l and 7 days after 254 ± 41,86 x 109 l (aspirin) and 285,4 ± 70, 196,5 ± 37,90 x 109 l (Clopidogrel) respectively. In the PRP of subjects before receiving aspirin was 486,5 ± 129,54 x 109 l and after 449,2 ± 85,51 x 109 l; prior to Clopidogrel ingestion was 565,2 ± 150,41 and 592,9 ± 203,46 x 109 l after treatment. Significant differences were found only for the platelet count in the Clopidogrel Group (p < 0.05). A significant decrease in platelet count was observed in peripheral blood after administration of Clopidogrel, possibly as a result of its pharmacological mechanism. More studies are needed to assess a greater number of individuals and better measure the effect of antiplatelet agents.

Frequency of the C282Y and H63D mutations of the hemochromatosis gene (HFE) in a cohort of 1,000 neonates in Madrid (Spain).

For centuries in Europe, population movements have contributed to ethnic groups, cultures, and consequently, inheritance mixing. There are certain genetic diseases such as hereditary hemochromatosis whose distribution is directly related to the population movements. The objective of the present investigation was to determine the C282Y and H63D mutation frequency of the HFE gene in a cohort study of 1,000 neonates in the Community of Madrid (Spain), thus contributing to the HFE gene mutations distribution research in Europe and establishing the origin of the mutations in Spain. The allelic frequency of C282Y mutation was 1.7% (CI 95% 1.1-2.3) and the H63D allele was present in 16.4% of chromosomes (CI 95% 14.8-18). In Spain, the presence of C282Y mutation and its distribution could be due more to Celtic than to Viking legacy, whereas it is assumed that the one in relation to the H63D variant occurred in the Basque Country during the Paleolithic Period.

First Spanish case of thalassemia major due to a compound heterozygosity for the IVS-II-848 (C --> A) and codon 39 (C --> T) mutations of the beta-globin gene.

This report describes the first case in Spain of a severe form of beta-thalassemia (thal) due to a compound heterozygosity for the IVS-II-848 (C --> A) and the nonsense codon 39 (C --> T) mutations. Five members of a family from Cadiz (southern Spain) were studied. The proband was an 8-year-old girl diagnosed as anemic at the age of 13 months. Her father had the codon 39 (C --> T) mutation and her mother the C --> A change at nucleotide (nt) 848 of IVS-II. Haplotype analysis showed that the proband was a compound heterozygote for haplotypes I [+ --> + +] and VII [+ --> +]. This is the first description in Spain of the IVS-II-848 (C --> A) mutation. It appears, from restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, that this mutation has a different origin in the various populations, where it was found. This observation shows that in this case the association of a beta(0)- and a beta(+)-thal mutation does not lead to a thalassemia intermedia but to a severe thalassemia with very low hemoglobin (Hb) levels. From a therapeutic point of view, early introduction of a transfusion regimen may improve the clinical picture of these children, allowing for better development and growth.