Ancestry informative markers and selected single nucleotide polymorphisms in immunoregulatory genes on preterm labor and preterm premature rupture of membranes: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: A genetic predisposition to Preterm Labor (PTL) and Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) has been suggested; however the relevance of polymorphisms and ancestry to susceptibility to PTL and PPROM in different populations remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of maternal and fetal SNPs in the IL1B, IL6, IL6R, TNFA, TNFR, IL10, TLR2, TLR4, MMP9, TIMP1 and TIMP2 genes and the influence of ancestry background in the susceptibility to PTL or PPROM in Brazilian women. METHODS: Case-control study conducted at a tertiary hospital in São Paulo State, Brazil. We included women with PTL or PPROM and their babies (PTL: 136 women and 88 babies; PPROM: 65 women and 44 babies). Control group included 402 mother-babies pairs of term deliveries. Oral swabs were collected for identification of AIMs by fragment analysis and SNPs by Taqman® SNP Genotyping Assays and PCR. Linkage Disequilibrium and Hardy-Weinberg proportions were evaluated using Genepop 3.4. Haplotypes were inferred using the PHASE algorithm. Allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies were compared by Fisher's exact test or χ (2) and Odds Ratio. Logistic regression was performed. Clinical and sociodemographic data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney. RESULTS: PTL was associated with European ancestry and smoking while African ancestry was protective. The fetal alleles IL10-592C (rs800872) and IL10-819C (rs1800871) were also associated with PTL and the maternal haplotype TNFA-308G-238A was protective. Maternal presence of IL10-1082G (rs1800896) and TLR2A (rs4696480) alleles increased the risk for PPROM while TNFA-238A (rs361525) was protective. Family history of PTL/PPROM was higher in cases, and time to delivery was influenced by IL1B-31T (rs1143627) and TLR4-299G (rs4986790). CONCLUSION: There is an association between European ancestry and smoking and PTL in our Brazilian population sample. The presence of maternal or fetal alleles that modify the inflammatory response increase the susceptibility to PTL and PPROM. The family history of PTL/PPROM reinforces a role for genetic polymorphisms in susceptibility to these outcomes.

Platelet-derived growth factor A mRNA in platelets is associated with the degree of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.

INTRODUCTION:: Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are the main cytokines related to hepatic fibrogenesis. METHODS:: RNA isolated from the platelets and hepatic tissue of 43 HCV carriers was used for quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine TGFB1, PDGFA, and PDGFB RNA expression. RESULTS:: The mRNA expression of PDGFA in platelets was significantly lower in the group with advanced fibrosis than in the group with early-stage fibrosis. TGFB1 was more frequently expressed in platelets than in hepatic tissue, which was different from PDGFB. CONCLUSIONS:: A pathway mediated by overexpression of TGFB1 via PDGFA in megakaryocytes could be involved in the development of fibrosis.

The absence of the human platelet antigen polymorphism effect on fibrosis progression in human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatic fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infections has been associated with viral and host factors, including genetic polymorphisms. Human platelet antigen polymorphisms are associated with the rapid development of fibrosis in HCV-monoinfected patients. This study aimed to determine whether such an association exists in human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients. METHODS: Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid from 36 human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients was genotyped to determine the presence of human platelet antigens-1, -3, or -5 polymorphisms. Fibrosis progression was evaluated using the Metavir scoring system, and the patients were assigned to two groups, namely, G1 that comprised patients with F1, portal fibrosis without septa, or F2, few septa (n = 23) and G2 that comprised patients with F3, numerous septa, or F4, cirrhosis (n = 13). Fisher's exact test was utilized to determine possible associations between the human platelet antigen polymorphisms and fibrosis progression. RESULTS: There were no deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in the human platelet antigen systems evaluated. Statistically significant differences were not observed between G1 and G2 with respect to the distributions of the allelic and genotypic frequencies of the human platelet antigen systems. CONCLUSION: The greater stimulation of hepatic stellate cells by the human immunodeficiency virus and, consequently, the increased expression of transforming growth factor beta can offset the effect of human platelet antigen polymorphism on the progression of fibrosis in patients coinfected with the human immunodeficiency virus-1 and the hepatitis C virus.

Coexistence of HIV-1 variants with dipeptidic insertion in the reverse transcriptase gene.

The aim of this communication was to describe the detection of the coexistence of HIV-1 variant with dipeptide insertion between codons 69 and 70 of reverse transcriptase. These variants were isolated from a 16-year-old male patient, undergoing treatment in the city of Marilia, SP, Southeastern Brazil. After confirmation of treatment failure, resistance to antiretroviral drugs testing was performed and two variants with the insertions of the aminoacids Ser-Gly/Ser-Ala at codon 69 of reverse transcriptase were detected, besides the T69S mutation. These insertions have low prevalence, have not been reported in situations of coexistence in Brazil and are related to multidrug resistance, which makes this epidemiological finding relevant.

Platelet-derived growth factor A mRNA in platelets is associated with the degree of hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are the main cytokines related to hepatic fibrogenesis. METHODS: RNA isolated from the platelets and hepatic tissue of 43 HCV carriers was used for quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine TGFB1, PDGFA, and PDGFB RNA expression. RESULTS: The mRNA expression of PDGFA in platelets was significantly lower in the group with advanced fibrosis than in the group with early-stage fibrosis. TGFB1 was more frequently expressed in platelets than in hepatic tissue, which was different from PDGFB. CONCLUSIONS: A pathway mediated by overexpression of TGFB1 via PDGFA in megakaryocytes could be involved in the development of fibrosis.

The absence of the human platelet antigen polymorphism effect on fibrosis progression in human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus coinfected patients

Hepatic fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infections has been associated with viral and host factors, including genetic polymorphisms. Human platelet antigen polymorphisms are associated with the rapid development of fibrosis in HCV-monoinfected patients. This study aimed to determine whether such an association exists in human immunodeficiency virus-1/hepatitis C virus-coinfected patients.