A FEMALE CASE OF SPINOCEREBELLAR ATAXIA TYPE 10 WITH SUICIDAL BEHAVIOR AND ENDOCRINPATHIES ASSOCIATED WITH A MASSIVE EXPANSION (ATTCT) OF THE GENE ATXN10.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10) is characteri- zed by ataxia, psychiatric disorders convulsions, and locus at 22q13.311. It is caused by expansions between 800-4500 pentanucleotide ATTCT repeats in intron 9 of the ATXN10 gene1-2. The ATXN10 gene encodes ataxin-10 protein (known as E46L) involved in neuritogenesis 1. SCA10 has a founder origin in Mexican, Brazilian, Argentine populattons but is rare in others.

CD44 Genotypes Are Associated with Susceptibility and Tumor Characteristics in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Colorectal cancer is the third cause of cancer and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The CD44 gene plays a key role in malignant processes, including growth, survival, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and metastasis. It is also known that some variants as rs187116 (c.67+4883G>A) and rs7116432 (c.2024+779A>G) can modulate the function of the CD44 gene and malignant transformation in several neoplasms. This study aims to explore, for the first time, the association of the CD44 rs187116 and rs7116432 variants in patients with colorectal cancer. Genomic DNA from 250 patients and 250 healthy blood donors were analyzed. The identification of variants was made by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methodology. Association was calculated by the odds ratio (OR) test and multivariate analysis. Individuals carrying the G/A and A/A genotypes for the rs187116 polymorphism showed an increased risk for colorectal cancer (OR = 3.11, 95% CI: 1.87-5.16, P = 0.001 and OR = 3.59, 95% CI: 2.06-6.25, P = 0.001, respectively). After adjusting for age and gender, these same genotypes and the G/G genotype of the rs7116432 polymorphism were associated with TNM stage and tumor location in the colon. Moreover, the A-G (rs187116 and rs7116432) haplotype was associated with increased risk; while, the haplotype G-A (rs187116 and rs7116432) was related with decreased risk. In conclusion, our results suggest that the here analyzed CD44 variants are involved with risk, TNM stage and tumor location in colorectal cancer.

A clinical report of the massive CAG repeat expansion in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2: Severe onset in a Mexican child and review previous cases.

The spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 is a neurodegenerative disease with autosomal dominant inheritance; clinically characterized by progressive cerebellar ataxia, slow ocular saccades, nystagmus, ophthalmoplegia, dysarthria, dysphagia, cognitive deterioration, mild dementia, peripheral neuropathy. Infantile onset is a rare presentation that only has been reported in four instances in the literature. In the present work a boy aged 5 years 7 months was studied due to horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus, without saccades, ataxic gait, dysarthria, dysphagia, dysmetria, generalized spasticity mainly pelvic, bilateral Babinsky. The mother aged 27 years-old presented progressive cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, dysmetria, dysdiadochokinesis, limb ataxia and olivopontocerebellar atrophy. The molecular analysis was made by identifying the expansion repeats in tandem by long PCR to analyze the repeats in the ATXN2 gene. We found an extreme CAG expansion repeats of ~884 repeats in the child. We describe a Mexican child affected by SCA2 with an infantile onset, associated with a high number of CAG repeats previously no reported and anticipation phenomenon.

Genetic Polymorphisms in APC, DVL2, and AXIN1 Are Associated with Susceptibility, Advanced TNM Stage or Tumor Location in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of death worldwide. The named "destruction complex" has a critical function in the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway regulating the level of ß-catenin in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Alterations in this complex lead to the cellular accumulation of ß-catenin, which participates in the development and progression of CRC. This study aims to determine the contribution of polymorphisms in the genes of the ß-catenin destruction complex to develop CRC, specifically adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) (rs11954856 G>T and rs459552 A>T), axis inhibition protein 1 (AXIN1) (rs9921222 C>T and rs1805105 C>T), AXIN2 (rs7224837 A>G), and dishevelled 2 (DVL2) (2074222 G>A and rs222836 C>T). Genomic DNA from 180 sporadic colorectal cancer patients and 150 healthy blood donors were analyzed. The identification of polymorphisms was made by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methodology. Association was calculated by the odds ratio (OR) test. Increased susceptibility to CRC was associated with the polymorphic variants rs11954856 (APC), rs222836 (DVL2), and rs9921222 (AXIN1). Decreased susceptibility was associated with the polymorphisms rs459552 (APC) and 2074222 (DVL2). Association was also observed with advanced Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stages and tumor location. The haplotypes G-T in APC (rs11954856-rs459552) and A-C in DVL2 (rs2074222-rs222836) were associated with decreased risk of CRC, while the G-T haplotype in the DVL2 gene was associated with increased CRC risk. In conclusion, our results suggest that variants in the destruction complex genes may be involved in the promotion or prevention of colorectal cancer.

[Ataxina-2, nuevo blanco en enfermedades genéticas complejas].

El gen de la ataxina-2 es un blanco en la patogénesis de enfermedades complejas, entre ellas los factores de riesgo cardiovascular y enfermedades neurodegenerativas. El gen ATXN2 tiene un VNTR en el exón 1, cuya expansión por encima de las 30 repeticiones provoca al desarrollo de ataxia espinocerebelosa tipo 2; las repeticiones en rango menor se asocian con diabetes tipo 2 o esclerosis lateral amiotrófica. También este locus está ligado con fenotipos metabólicos e inflamatorios. En conclusión, el gen puede ser utilizado como marcador clínico de fenotipos metabólicos y neurológicos, lo cual está relacionado con su efecto pleiotrópico.

The ataxin 2 gene is a target in the pathogenesis of complex diseases, including cardiovascular risk factors and neurodegenerative diseases. ATXN2 gen has VNTR in exon 1, whose expansion exceeding 30 repetitions leads to the development of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2; lower-range repetitions are associated with type 2 diabetes or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This locus is also linked with metabolic and inflammatory phenotypes. In conclusion, this gene can be used as a clinical marker of metabolic and neurological phenotypes, which is related to its pleiotropic effect.

Association analysis of calpain 10 gene variants/haplotypes with gestational diabetes mellitus among Mexican women.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolically complex disease with major genetic determinants. GDM has been associated with insulin resistance and dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells, so the GDM candidate genes are those that encode proteins modulating the function and secretion of insulin, such as that for calpain 10 (CAPN10). This study aimed to assess whether single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-43, SNP-44, SNP-63, and the indel-19 variant, and specific haplotypes of the CAPN10 gene were associated with gestational diabetes mellitus. We studied 116 patients with gestational diabetes mellitus and 83 women with normal glucose tolerance. Measurements of anthropometric and biochemical parameters were performed. SNP-43, SNP-44, and SNP-63 were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphisms, while the indel-19 variant was detected by TaqMan qPCR assays.  The allele, genotype, and haplotype frequencies of the four variants did not differ significantly between women with gestational diabetes mellitus and controls. However, in women with gestational diabetes mellitus, glucose levels were significantly higher bearing the 3R/3R genotype than in carriers of the 3R/2R genotype of the indel-19 variant (p = 0.006). In conclusion, the 3R/3R genotype of the indel-19 variant of the CAPN-10 gene influenced increased glucose levels in these Mexican women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Analysis of cytokine gene polymorphisms in Mestizo and native populations from Mexico.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the well-known genetic structure of the Mexican population observed with other multiallelic markers can be detected by analyzing functional polymorphisms of cytokine and other inflammatory-response-related genes. METHODS: A total of 834 Mestizo individuals from five Mexican cities and 92 Lacandonians - an Amerindian group from southeastern Mexico - were genotyped for 14 polymorphisms in the CRP, IL10, IL6, TGFB1, TNFA, LTA, ICAM1 IFNG, and IL1RN genes. Allele and haplotype frequencies were used for genetic structure analysis using F-statistics pairwise distances and multidimensional scaling plot. Ancestry analysis was performed, as well. RESULTS: Significant interpopulational differences at the allele and haplotype frequency level were observed, mainly between Northern (Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Culiacan) and Southern (Tierra Blanca and Puebla) Mexican populations. Also, low but significant substructure was detected between some populations from these two broad regions. Interestingly, both Lacandonian populations were highly differentiated from each other and with respect to Mestizos. Consistent with previous data, Amerindian ancestry in the Southern Mexican groups was higher compared to Northern ones. CONCLUSIONS: The Mexican population exhibits regional differences in functional polymorphisms of inflammatory-response genes, as observed for other genetic markers. This information constitutes a reference for epidemiological studies that include these genetic markers to assess the susceptibility of the Mexican population to several immune-response-related diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, and renal disease, which have been shown to be common in the Mexican population but with prevalence differences within this country.

Gene expression profiling demonstrates WNT/ß-catenin pathway genes alteration in Mexican patients with colorectal cancer and diabetes mellitus.

PURPOSE: Several studies have shown a strong association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). The fundamental mechanisms that support this association are not entirely understood; however, it is believed that hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia may be involved. Some proposed mechanisms include upregulation of mitogenic signaling pathways like MAPK, PI3K, mTOR, and WNT, which are involved in cell proliferation, growth, and cancer cell survival. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gene expression profile and identify differently expressed genes involved in mitogenic pathways in CRC patients with and without DM. METHODS: In this study, microarray analysis of gene expression followed by quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed in cancer tissue from CRC patients with and without DM to identify the gene expression profiles and validate the differently expressed genes. RESULTS: Among the study groups, some differently expressed genes were identified. However, when bioinformatics clustering tools were used, a significant modulation of genes involved in the WNT pathway was evident. Therefore, we focused on genes participating in this pathway, such as WNT3A, LRP6, TCF7L2, and FRA-1. Validation of the expression levels of those genes by qPCR showed that CRC patients without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) expressed significantly more WNT3Ay LRP6, but less TCF7L2 and FRA-1 compared to controls, while in CRC patients with DM the expression levels of WNT3A, LRP6, TCF7L2, and FRA-1 were significantly higher compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that WNT/ß-catenin pathway is upregulated in patients with CRC and DM, demonstrating its importance and involvement in both pathologies.

PADI4 haplotypes in association with RA Mexican patients, a new prospect for antigen modulation.

Peptidyl arginine deiminase IV (PAD 4) is the responsible enzyme for a posttranslational modification called citrullination, originating the antigenic determinant recognized by anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA). Four SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) have been described in PADI4 gene to form a susceptibility haplotype for rheumatoid arthritis (RA); nevertheless, results in association studies appear contradictory in different populations. The aim of the study was to analyze if the presence of three SNPs in PADI4 gene susceptibility haplotype (GTG) is associated with ACPA positivity in patients with RA. This was a cross-sectional study that included 86 RA patients and 98 healthy controls. Polymorphisms PADI4_89, PADI4_90, and PADI4_92 in the PADI4 gene were genotyped. The susceptibility haplotype (GTG) was more frequent in RA patients; interestingly, we found a new haplotype associated with RA with a higher frequency (GTC). There were no associations between polymorphisms and high scores in Spanish HAQ-DI and DAS-28, but we did find an association between RARBIS index and PADI4_89, PADI4_90 polymorphisms. We could not confirm an association between susceptibility haplotype presence and ACPA positivity. Further evidence about proteomic expression of this gene will determine its participation in antigenic generation and autoimmunity.

Presence of HPV DNA in placenta and cervix of pregnant Mexican women.

PURPOSE: To identify the presence of HPV DNA in cervical as well as in placental tissue of pregnant Mexican women and to determine which type is more frequent. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 56 placental samples were obtained from 72 pregnant women. HPV DNA was extracted and amplified with polymerase chain reaction using a consensus primer and then identified by type using RsaI endonuclease. The main outcome measures were placenta with/without HPV relation and HPV types in placenta. RESULTS: HPV DNA was identified in 75% of cervical tissue samples and 47.2% of placental tissue samples. Type 18 was the most frequently identified HPV type. CONCLUSIONS: There was a higher frequency of HPV DNA found in the cervix of Mexican women during pregnancy than reported in the previous studies. Its identification in full-term placental tissue has no relation to the type of delivery in childbirth.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ORF3a induces the expression of ACE2 in oral and pulmonary epithelial cells and the food supplement Vita Deyun® diminishes this effect.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become a serious global health problem and numerous studies are currently being conducted to improve understanding of the components of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, as well as to identify solutions that mitigate the effects of COVID-19 symptoms. The nutritional supplement Vita Deyun® is composed of silymarin, glutathione, vitamin C and selenium. Studies of its individual components have demonstrated their benefits as anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants and enhancers of the immune response. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro effects of Vita Deyun on the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in diverse cell lines, as well as in the presence or absence of the SARS-CoV-2 open reading frame (ORF)3a protein. Through reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, the use of viral particles containing SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a and bioinformatics analysis via the National Center for Biotechnology Information databases, ACE2 was determined to be highly expressed in oral and skin epithelial cells, with a lower expression observed in lung cells. Notably, the expression of SARS-CoV-2 ORF3a increased the level of ACE2 expression and Vita Deyun treatment diminished this effect. In addition, Vita Deyun treatment markedly decreased interleukin-18 mRNA levels. The combination of phytonutrients in Vita Deyun may help to boost the immune system and could reduce the effects of COVID-19. Ongoing clinical studies are required to provide evidence of the efficacy of Vita Deyun.

The genomic landscape of Mexican Indigenous populations brings insights into the peopling of the Americas.

The genetic makeup of Indigenous populations inhabiting Mexico has been strongly influenced by geography and demographic history. Here, we perform a genome-wide analysis of 716 newly genotyped individuals from 60 of the 68 recognized ethnic groups in Mexico. We show that the genetic structure of these populations is strongly influenced by geography, and our demographic reconstructions suggest a decline in the population size of all tested populations in the last 15-30 generations. We find evidence that Aridoamerican and Mesoamerican populations diverged roughly 4-9.9 ka, around the time when sedentary farming started in Mesoamerica. Comparisons with ancient genomes indicate that the Upward Sun River 1 (USR1) individual is an outgroup to Mexican/South American Indigenous populations, whereas Anzick-1 was more closely related to Mesoamerican/South American populations than to those from Aridoamerica, showing an even more complex history of divergence than recognized so far.

Association of the -629C>A (rs1800775) CETP Polymorphism with the Development of Essential Hypertension in Mexican Population.

Introduction: Polymorphisms in the CETP gene promoter have been associated with cardiovascular risk and lipid alterations; however, their role in the development of hypertension has not been extensively explored. We evaluated four polymorphisms of the CEPT gene -827C>T, -631C>A, -630C>A, and -629C>A in patients with essential hypertension (EH). Materials and Methods: A total of 160 hypertensive (HT) patients and 160 normotensive (NT) individuals were studied. Blood pressure was measured and blood samples were collected for biochemical anlayses and DNA extraction. Polymorphisms were identified using Sanger sequencing. Genotype, genotype combination, allele, and haplotype frequencies were analyzed. Associations between the SNPs and EH were explored using multiple linear regression models. Results: Under the dominant model, the -629A allele reduced the odds of having EH (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34-0.98; p = 0.04), whereas the genotype combination -631CC/-629CC increased the risk of HT (OR = 2.21, 95% CI, 1.23-3.95, p = 0.008). In HT patients, the -629A allele was associated with increased insulin levels (ß = 4.0, 95% CI, 1.21-6.68, p = 0.005), and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (ß = 0.9, 95% CI, 0.17-1.72, p = 0.018), and in NT individuals it was associated with increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (ß = 3.0, 95% CI, 0.20-5.78, p = 0.036). Conclusion: The CETP -629A allele reduces the odds of having essential arterial hypertension in the Mexican population. Moreover, it exerts a variable effect on diverse biomarkers analyzed in both NT and HT groups.

The rs822396 Polymorphism of the ADIPOQ Gene Is Associated with Anthropometric, Clinical, and Biochemical Alterations Related to the Metabolic Syndrome in the Mexican Population.

Background: Adiponectin, encoded by the ADIPOQ gene, is produced mainly by adipose tissue, and meaning as a metabolic and immunological regulator. The polymorphism rs822396 in ADIPOQ gene was previously associated with diabetes mellitus type 2, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome components in Caucasian and Asiatic populations. The aim was to evaluate the association of the rs822396 polymorphism of the ADIPOQ gene with anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical alterations related to the metabolic syndrome in the Mexican population. Materials and Methods: Measurements, as well as peripheral blood for DNA extraction, were obtained from 434 participants from Mexico. The rs822396 polymorphism genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Statistical analysis was made with IBM-SPSSv20. Results: The rs822396G allele frequency was 22.1% in the Mexican population analyzed. In this study were detected differences according to G allele or GG genotype with the highest means, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage, visceral fat, systolic arterial tension, glucose levels, triglyceride levels, total cholesterol (TC) levels, very low-density lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase and with triglycerides/glucose index. Significant differences were found with increased risk in the dominant model (AG/GG) of anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical alterations with regard to metabolic syndrome as the BMI [odds ratio (OR) = 2.19], WC (OR = 2.00), waist/hip index (OR = 1.65), body fat percentage (OR = 2.76), visceral fat (OR = 1.84), glucose levels (OR = 1.95), triglyceride levels (OR = 2.75), TC levels (OR = 1.63), high-density lipoprotein (OR = 1.86), and insulin resistance surrogated by the Triglyceride/glucose index (OR = 2.64). Conclusion: The rs822396 polymorphism of the ADIPOQ gene seems to be a risk factor for obesity and metabolic alterations with regard to the metabolic syndrome in the Mexican population.

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of two cases with constitutional distal 11q duplication/triplication.

Here, we report two cases with isolated distal 11q rearrangement and multiple congenital anomalies. The first patient is a two-and-a-half year old male referred to our genetics clinic due to dysmorphic features and developmental delay including speech delay. Using conventional and molecular cytogenetic techniques, we demonstrate that he carries a recombinant chromosome with duplication of the 11q23.3q24.2 region resulting from an intrachromosomal insertion in the father. The second patient was originally reported by Partida-Perez, et al. [Partida-Perez et al., 2006] as having a tandem duplication of the 11q23.3 region. We performed array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) on this patient in order to map the exact region of the duplication, and demonstrated that the patient actually had a triplication within 11q23.3. We compare the clinical features of our two patients with those previously reported to further delineate the phenotype of isolated distal 11q duplication. Our study also demonstrates the clinical usefulness of whole genome high resolution aCGH analysis as a powerful molecular cytogenetic tool capable of detecting genomic imbalances due to cytogenetically visible but uncertain rearrangements.

Association of the insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene with type 2 diabetes in two ethnic groups of Jerba Island in Tunisia.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism on the prediction of type 2 diabetes in two ethnic populations from Jerba Island,Tunisia. METHODS: In this study, we analysed the genotypic and the allelic distributions of the ACE I/D polymorphism and conducted a case/control association study between healthy normoglycaemic controls and diabetic patients in the two studied groups.ACE gene polymorphism was analysed by polymerase chain reaction in 272 individuals consisting of 172 diabetic subjects and 100 controls. RESULTS: The genotype frequencies for DD, ID and II were 75.50%, 19.60% and 4.89% inArabs and 76.66%, 16.66% and 6.67% in Berbers, respectively, in the case group, and 42.85%, 35.71% and 21.43% inArabs and 57.50%, 22.50% and 20.00% in Berbers, respectively, in the control group.The DD frequency was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (p<0.001), suggesting that the DD genotype is associated with an increased susceptibility to type 2 diabetes in our study populations. CONCLUSIONS: The current investigation provides new evidence regarding the role of the ACE I/D polymorphism in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes in Jerbian populations. Furthermore, it underlines the importance of ethnicity, which should be considered in all studies aiming to test the genetic effects on the susceptibility to type 2 diabetes.

Analysis of the association of preeclampsia with polymorphisms of the INS, INSR and IRS1 genes in Mexican women.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been proposed that preeclampsia is a metabolic syndrome of pregnancy. The polymorphisms PstI and MaeIII of INS, NsiI of INSR and Ala513Pro and Gly972Arg of IRS1 have been associated with metabolic syndrome; moreover, the products of these genes are functionally contiguous during insulin signaling. The aim of this study was to assess whether these polymorphisms are associated with preeclampsia. METHODS: 46 normotensive pregnant women and 43 preeclamptic patients were included in the study to develop a clinical, biochemical and genotypic profile of preeclampsia. Clinical evaluation consisted of measurement of blood pressure, height and weight. Peripheral blood samples were collected for determination of fasting glucose and insulin concentrations and for extraction of genomic DNA. Proteinuria was determined. Polymorphisms were detected using PCR-RFLP. RESULTS: The normotensive and preeclampsia groups did not differ significantly in clinical and biochemical traits, except for systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001). Polymorphisms previously associated with metabolic syndrome in Mexican populations were not associated with preeclampsia in Mexican women (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The lack of an association between preeclampsia and the polymorphisms studied suggests that other genes whose products do not have direct functional interaction with metabolic syndrome or epigenetic factors may play a role in preeclampsia.

GSK3ß Polymorphisms Are Associated with Tumor Site and TNM Stage in Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mutations and polymorphisms of the GSK3ß gene have been associated with several diseases including Alzheimer disease, diabetes and cancer; however, to date, no variants of this gene have been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aims to explore, for the first time, the association of the GSK3ß rs334558 and rs6438552 polymorphisms with CRC. METHODS: Genomic DNA from 330 CRC patients and healthy blood donors were analyzed. Identification of polymorphisms was made by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methodology. Association was calculated by the odds ratio (OR) test. RESULTS: Patients carrying the C/T genotype for the rs334558 (T>C) polymorphism showed an increased risk for CRC (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.05-2.79, P = 0.039); this association was also observed for TNM stage and tumor location. For the rs6438552 (T>C) polymorphism, the OR analysis showed that patients carrying C/T and C/C genotypes have a decreased risk for CRC (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.27-0.70, P = 0.001 and OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.10-0.64, P = 0.001, respectively); this decreased risk was also evident in the stratified analysis by TNM stage and tumor location. Haplotype analysis of these 2 loci of GSK3ß (rs334558 and rs6438552) showed differential distribution. The T-T and C-C haplotype was associated with a decreased risk of CRC, while the T-C haplotype was associated with an increased risk of CRC. CONCLUSION: Our results denote that GSK3ß gene polymorphisms play a significant role in promoting or preventing CRC. Additionally, variations in this gene are associated with the tumor site and the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage in these patients.

New subtype of familial achondrogenesis type IA (Houston-Harris).

BACKGROUND: Achondrogenesis is a skeletal dysplasia characterized primarily by short stature, severe micromelia, short and narrow chest, prematurity, polyhydramnios, fetal hydrops, and in utero or neonatal death. Based on the radiological and histopathological findings, there are three types of achondrogenesis: type 1A (Houston-Harris), type 1B (Fraccaro) and type 2 (Langer-Saldino). CLINICAL CASE: A premature female product was studied whose clinical, radiological and histopathological characteristics were compatible with achondrogenesis Type 1A. The family information allowed us to conclude that the 4 products of the 6 previous pregnancies were affected. Statistical analysis in at least 4 families previously described, including this family case showed significant differences between expected and observed number of members, being incongruent with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance previously reported. CONCLUSIONS: therefore, it could be considered a new subtype of achondrogenesis type 1A due to the presence of a preferential germline mutation.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La acondrogénesis es una displasia esquelética que se caracteriza principalmente por talla baja, micromelia grave, tórax corto y estrecho, prematurez, polihidramnios, hidropesía fetal y muerte fetal in utero o neonatal. Según los hallazgos radiológicos e histopatológicos existen tres tipos de acondrogénesis: tipo 1A (Houston-Harris), tipo 1B (Fraccaro) y tipo 2 (Langer-Saldino). CASO CLÍNICO: Se sometió a estudio a un producto femenino prematuro cuyas características clínicas, radiológicas e histopatológicas fueron compatibles con acondrogénesis tipo 1A. La información familiar permitió concluir que los cuatro productos de los seis embarazos previos se encontraban afectados. El análisis estadístico en por lo menos cuatro familias previamente descritas, incluyendo este caso familiar, mostró diferencias significativas entre el número de miembros esperado y el observado, siendo incongruente con el modo de herencia autosómico recesivo previamente reportado. CONCLUSIONES: Podría considerarse un nuevo subtipo de acondrogénesis tipo 1A debida a la presencia de una mutación germinal preferencial.

Interleukin-1 Alpha Polymorphisms Are Associated With Body Mass Index in Male But Not in Female Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The Interleukin (IL)-1 family of cytokines plays a key role in the inflammatory response. Genes coding for IL-1α, IL-1ß, and IL-1Ra are located together as a block gene known as the IL-1 cluster. This genomic region shows wide nucleotide variability, and some polymorphisms have been widely studied and associated with features related to the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Eight polymorphisms within three genes of the IL-1 cluster, including IL1A (rs3783553, rs17561, and rs1800587), IL1B (rs1143634, rs1143627, and rs16944) and IL1RN (rs419598 and rs2234663) were genotyped in 460 Mexican adolescents. Genotype and haplotype frequencies are reported, as well as the linkage disequilibrium analysis. Genetic associations with some anthropometric and metabolic traits were evaluated. RESULTS: Allele frequencies were similar to those found in other populations, and genotype proportions were according to the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Seven haplotypes were observed at frequencies ≥5%. Of the entire cluster, only the rs17561-rs1800587 and rs1143627-rs16944 pairs showed highest and significant linkage disequilibrium values. An haplotype of IL1A, rs17561T-rs1800587T, was significantly associated with increase in body mass index in males (p <0.008), whereas IL1B and IL1RN variants showed associations with insulin, and hs-CRP (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Some MetS parameters seem to be influenced by variations in the IL-1 gene cluster in Mexican adolescents. These variations may confer risk for metabolic alterations from early ages, and and these risks may be different when variables such as sex are considered. Strategies leading to generate protective behaviors could be designed to take into account specific variations in the IL-1 gene cluster and biological conditions such as sex.