Vitamin D receptor gene associations with pulmonary tuberculosis in a Tibetan Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: The vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates the immunological function of vitamin D3, which activates macrophages, and vitamin D deficiency has been linked to tuberculosis risk. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VDR may influence the function of vitamin D and susceptibility to tuberculosis. METHODS: This study included 217 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and 383 healthy subjects in a Tibetan Chinese population living in and near Xi'an. Association analyses of SNPs in VDR were performed with the SPSS 17.0 statistical packages, SNP stats software, Haploview software package (version 4.2), and the SHEsis software platform. RESULTS: Our results revealed a correlation between three SNPs (rs11574143, odds ratio [OR]: 1.47, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.11 - 1.94, p = 0.006, p-adjust = 0.030; rs11574079, OR: 0.48, 95 % CI: 0.25 - 0.92, p = 0.023, p-adjust = 0.115; rs11168287, OR: 2.55, 95 % CI: 2.00 - 3.25, p = 1.730E-14, p-adjust = 0.865E-13) and PTB based on Chi-square tests. We observed the allele "A" of rs11574143 and rs11168287 increased the PTB risk and the allele "A" of rs11574079 provided a protective effect against PTB. CONCLUSIONS: The goal of this study was the identification of putative associations between five SNPs (rs11574143, rs7975232, rs11574079, rs3819545 and rs11168287) in VDR and susceptibility to PTB. Our findings demonstrated associations between VDR polymorphisms and PTB development.

Association between IL-1 gene polymorphisms and tuberculosis susceptibility in the Chinese Tibetan population.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene is known to be implicated in tuberculosis (TB). The present case-control study was designed to investigate whether IL-1 polymorphisms associated with TB susceptibility in a Chinese Tibetan cohort. 300 Tibetan tuberculosis patients and 300 healthy controls were recruited for 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyping of IL-1 gene via Sequenom MassARRAY analysis. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were analyzed by unconditional logistic regression to evaluate the effect of polymorphisms on the risk of tuberculosis. Among genotyped SNPs, a significant high risk between TB and SNP rs3783550 G/T, rs3783546 G/C, rs2856838 A/G, rs1609682 G/T, rs3783521 A/G genotype within IL-1α as well as rs1143623 G/G genotype within IL-1ß was found based on multiple model analysis. In addition, IL-1α SNPs mapped in a 10 kb LD block with D'>0.98, suggesting that a significant linkage disequilibrium presence among these SNPs, and "TCATG" haplotype of IL-1α SNPs with a 1.47-fold risk for TB was observed (P = 0.007). In conclusion, our data shed new light on how IL-1 SNPs may contribute to tuberculosis susceptibility in the Chinese Tibetan population.

[Change of brainstem auditory evoked potential with different stimulating frequencies after closed diffuse brain injuries of rat].

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVE To investigate the change of peak latency (PL), interpeak latency (IPL) and peak latency ratio (PL ratio) of brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) with different stimulating frequencies after closed diffuse brain injuries of rat,and provide experimental evidence for clinical diagnosis of traumatic brain injury in early stage and also for Forensic practice. METHODS: A rat model for closed diffuse brain injury was successfully constructed by hit the parietal bone with a spring-driven steel stick. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) evoked by clicking with low stimulating frequency of 10 Hz and high stimulating frequency of 50 Hz were respectively recorded at 6 h, 12 h, 2 d, 4 d after brain injury. The results of experimented group were compared with those of control group. RESULTS: The 2 d, 4 d V PL and the 6 h, 12 h, 2 d, 4 d III-V IPL of BAEP with 50 Hz stimulating frequency of model group became longer than those of control group (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference observed between model and control group experimented with low stimulating frequency of 10 Hz (P > 0.05). The PL ratio of III/I, IV/I, V/I, IV/III and V/III with different stimulating frequencies had no significant postinjury changes. Conclusion The high stimulating frequency of BAEP is a reliable test for diagnosis of TBI in early period. Its sensitivity is superior to the low simulating frequency.