Genome-wide genetic and transcriptomic investigation of variation in antibody response to dietary antigens.

Increased immunoglobulin G (IgG) response to dietary antigens can be associated with gastrointestinal dysfunction and autoimmunity. The underlying processes contributing to these adverse reactions remain largely unknown, and it is likely that genetic factors play a role. Here, we estimate heritability and attempt to localize genetic factors influencing IgG antibody levels against food-derived antigens using an integrative genomics approach. IgG antibody levels were determined by ELISA in >1,300 Mexican Americans for the following food antigens: wheat gliadin; bovine casein; and two forms of bovine serum albumin (BSA-a and BSA-b). Pedigree-based variance components methods were used to estimate additive genetic heritability (h(2) ), perform genome-wide association analyses, and identify transcriptional signatures (based on 19,858 transcripts from peripheral blood lymphocytes). Heritability estimates were significant for all traits (0.15-0.53), and shared environment (based on shared residency among study participants) was significant for casein (0.09) and BSA-a (0.33). Genome-wide significant evidence of association was obtained only for antibody to gliadin (P = 8.57 × 10(-8) ), mapping to the human leukocyte antigen II region, with HLA-DRA and BTNL2 as the best candidate genes. Lack of association of known celiac disease risk alleles HLA-DQ2.5 and -DQ8 with antigliadin antibodies in the studied population suggests a separate genetic etiology. Significant transcriptional signatures were found for all IgG levels except BSA-b. These results demonstrate that individual genetic differences contribute to food antigen antibody measures in this population. Further investigations may elucidate the underlying immunological processes involved.

Tryptanthrin derivatives as Toxoplasma gondii inhibitors--structure-activity-relationship of the 6-position.

A panel of derivatives of the natural product tryptanthrin was synthesized and screened for its in vitro activity against the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. We concentrated on the modification of the 6-keto group of tryptanthrin and prepared a series of oximes, hydrazones and alcohols based on tryptanthrin. We evaluated parasite growth inhibition and host cell cytotoxicity. Our results indicate that in particular alcohol analogs are promising candidates for further investigation.

Mycobacterium minnesotense sp. nov., a photochromogenic bacterium isolated from sphagnum peat bogs.

Several intermediate-growing, photochromogenic bacteria were isolated from sphagnum peat bogs in northern Minnesota, USA. Acid-fast staining and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis placed these environmental isolates in the genus Mycobacterium, and colony morphologies and PCR restriction analysis patterns of the isolates were similar. Partial sequences of hsp65 and dnaJ1 from these isolates showed that Mycobacterium arupense ATCC BAA-1242(T) was the closest mycobacterial relative, and common biochemical characteristics and antibiotic susceptibilities existed between the isolates and M. arupense ATCC BAA-1242(T). However, compared to nonchromogenic M. arupense ATCC BAA-1242(T), the environmental isolates were photochromogenic, had a different mycolic acid profile and had reduced cell-surface hydrophobicity in liquid culture. The data reported here support the conclusion that the isolates are representatives of a novel mycobacterial species, for which the name Mycobacterium minnesotense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DL49(T) (=DSM 45633(T) = JCM 17932(T) = NCCB 100399(T)).

Structure-activity studies of some berberine analogs as inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii.

The shortfalls of the current treatment options against infections with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) necessitates the development of non-toxic and well-tolerated alternatives. To address this problem a structurally diverse panel of berberine alkaloids was synthesized and evaluated for in vitro inhibition of T. gondii tachyzoites. Inhibitory doses (ID(50)) of less than 50 nM and therapeutic indices (TI) up to 4000 were observed.

rac-(6S)-6-Hy-droxy-6-{2-[2-(propan-2-yl-idene)hydrazinyl-idene]prop-yl}indolo[2,1-b]quinazolin-12(6H)-one.

The chiral title compound, C(21)H(20)N(4)O(2), crystallizes as a racemic mixture. In the crystal, mol-ecules form centrosymmetric π-overlapping dimers [inter-planar distance = 3.338 (6) Å], which are further connected along the a axis forming centrosymmetric dimers via O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds. C-H⋯O inter-actions are also observed. The indolo[2,1-b]quinazoline group is somewhat bent, with a small dihedral angle of 6.3 (4)° between the plane of the quinazoline system and the plane of the benzene ring of the indole moiety. The C=N-N=C atoms of the azine group is oriented almost perpendicular [84.1 (2)°] to the mean plane of the quinazoline system.

Immune activation by casein dietary antigens in bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES: Inflammation and other immune processes are increasingly linked to psychiatric diseases. Antigenic triggers specific to bipolar disorder are not yet defined. We tested whether antibodies to bovine milk caseins were associated with bipolar disorder, and whether patients recognized different epitopes of the casein protein than control individuals. METHODS: Anti-bovine casein immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were measured with solid-phase immunoassays in 75 individuals with bipolar disorder and 65 controls. Epitope recognition was evaluated in immunoassays by cross neutralization with anti-bovine casein polyclonal antibodies of defined reactivity. Group-specific reactivity and associations with symptom severity scores were detected with age-, gender-, and race-controlled regression models. RESULTS: Individuals with bipolar disorder had significantly elevated anti-casein IgG (t-test, p ≤0.001) compared to controls. Casein IgG seropositivity conferred odds ratios of 3.97 for bipolar disorder [n=75, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.31-12.08, p ≤0.015], 5.26 for the bipolar I subtype (n=56, 95% CI: 1.66-16.64, p ≤0.005), and 3.98 for bipolar disorder with psychosis (n=54, 95% CI: 1.32-12.00, p ≤0.014). Lithium and/or antipsychotic medication did not significantly affect anti-casein IgG levels. Casein IgG measures correlated with severity of manic (R(2) =0.15, 95% CI: 0.05-0.24, p ≤0.02) but not depressive symptoms. Unlike controls, sera from individuals with bipolar disorder did not inhibit binding of casein-reactive animal sera (t-test/χ(2) , p ≤0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Anti-casein IgG associations with bipolar I diagnoses, psychotic symptom history, and mania severity scores suggest that casein-related immune activation may relate to the psychosis and mania components of this mood disorder. Case-control differences in epitope recognition implicate disease-related alterations in how the casein molecule is digested and/or how resulting casein-derived structures are rendered immunogenic.

Markers of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease in recent-onset psychosis and multi-episode schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Increased immune sensitivity to gluten has been reported in schizophrenia. However, studies are inconsistent about this association. METHODS: The sample of 471 individuals included 129 with recent-onset psychosis, 191 with multi-episode schizophrenia, and 151 controls. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA antibodies to gliadin and to tissue transglutaminase, and IgG antibodies to deamidated gliadin were measured. Quantitative levels of antibodies in the psychiatric groups were compared with controls. All participants were categorized as to whether their levels of antibodies met standardized cutoffs for celiac disease. HLA DQ2 and HLA DQ8 alleles were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Individuals with recent-onset psychosis had increased levels of IgG (odds ratio [OR] 5.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.65-11.42) and IgA (OR 2.75; 95% CI 1.31-5.75) antibodies to gliadin compared with control subjects. Individuals with multi-episode schizophrenia also had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin (OR 6.19; 95% CI 2.70-14.16). IgG antibodies to deamidated gliadin and IgA antibodies to tissue transglutaminase were not elevated in either psychiatric group, and fewer than 1% of individuals in each of the groups had levels of these antibodies predictive of celiac disease. There were no significant differences in the distribution of the HLA DQ2/8 alleles among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with recent-onset psychosis and with multi-episode schizophrenia who have increased antibodies to gliadin may share some immunologic features of celiac disease, but their immune response to gliadin differs from that of celiac disease.

Subunit and whole molecule specificity of the anti-bovine casein immune response in recent onset psychosis and schizophrenia.

Previous studies show increased antibody levels to bovine casein in some individuals with schizophrenia. The immunogenicity of specific domains of bovine casein varies among people with milk sensitivities and thus could vary among different neuropsychiatric disorders. Using ELISAs and immunoblotting, we characterized IgG class antibody specificity to whole bovine casein and to the alpha(s), beta, and kappa subunits in individuals with recent onset psychosis (n=95), long-term schizophrenia (n=103), and non-psychiatric controls (n=65). In both patient groups, we found elevated IgG to casein proteins, particularly to whole casein and the alpha(s) subunit (p

7,9-Dichloro-6H,12H-indolo[2,1-b]quinazoline-6,12-dione.

There are two independent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(15)H(6)Cl(2)N(2)O(2). The conjugated four-ring system is essentially planar in each mol-ecule [maximum deviation = 0.089 (2) Å]. In the crystal, weak inter-molecular C-H⋯Cl, C-H⋯O and C-H⋯·N inter-actions help to stabilize the packing.

9-O-Ethyl-berberrubinium iodide monohydrate.

IN THE TITLE COMPOUND (SYSTEMATIC NAME: 9-eth-oxy-10-meth-oxy-5,6-dihydro-1,3-dioxolo[4,5-g]isoquinolino-[3,2-a]isoquin-olin-7-ium iodide monohydrate), 2C(21)H(20)NO(4) (+)·2I(-)·H(2)O, two independent mol-ecules pack in the unit cell, where interactions between the molecules are stabilized by weak inter-molecular π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid-centroid distances in the range 3.571 (4) to 3.815 (4)Å]. Inter-molecular C-H⋯O inter-actions are also observed. The iodide anions are disordered with occupancy ratios of 0.94 (1):0.06 (1) and 0.91 (1):0.09 (1). The cationic molecule is planar in structure with a small torsion resulting from the dihydropyridine ring.

Inhibition of Toxoplasma gondii by indirubin and tryptanthrin analogs.

New drugs are needed for treatment of Toxoplasma gondii infections. We tested derivatives of principles found in Isatis indigotica for in vitro efficacy against T. gondii infection. Indirubin-3'-oxime analogs showed modest micromolar activity, while tryptanthrin derivatives displayed 50% inhibitory doses in the low nanomolar range. Tryptanthrins have potential as anti-Toxoplasma infection therapeutics.

Association between cognitive functioning, exposure to Herpes Simplex Virus type 1, and the COMT Val158Met genetic polymorphism in adults without a psychiatric disorder.

Previous studies have documented that serologic evidence of infection with the neurotropic human herpesvirus Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) is associated with increased levels of cognitive dysfunction in individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The catechol-o-methyl transferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism has also been associated with cognitive dysfunction in individuals with psychiatric disorders as well as in some control populations. We examined whether these factors are independently associated with cognitive functioning in adults without a history of a psychiatric disorder. A total of 240 individuals were evaluated with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). We measured IgG antibodies to HSV-1 by enzyme immunoassay and employed real time PCR to measure COMT Val158Met genotypes. Serological evidence of HSV-1 was significantly associated with a lower RBANS total score independent of demographic factors and the COMT Val158Met genotype. The strongest association between cognitive functioning and serological evidence of HSV-1 infection was with the domain of delayed memory. Serological evidence of HSV-1 infection was associated with an 18-fold increased odds of having a severe impairment in this domain. The Val/Val genotype of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism was also significantly associated with the RBANS total score and with a moderate decrease in the domain of attention. Infections with HSV-1 and the COMT Val158Val genotype are risk factors for cognitive deficits in non-elderly persons without a psychiatric disorder.

The catechol O-methyltransferase Val158Met polymorphism and herpes simplex virus type 1 infection are risk factors for cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder: additive gene-environmental effects in a complex human psychiatric disorder.

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder is associated with deficits in cognitive functioning. The etiology of cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder may relate to both genetic and environmental factors. A valine/methionine polymorphism of the catechol O-methyltransferase gene at amino acid 158 (COMT Val158Met polymorphism) has been identified as a risk factor for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia. Serological evidence of infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) has also been identified as a risk factor for cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder. METHODS: We used Taqman technology to measure COMT Val158Met alleles in 107 individuals with bipolar disorder and in 95 controls. We also measured antibodies to HSV-1 in sera obtained from the same individuals. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status and the Letter-Number Sequencing Test. The effects of the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and antibodies to HSV-1 on cognitive functioning were analyzed with multinomial logistic regressions. RESULTS: The COMT Val158Val genotype and serological evidence of infection with HSV-1 are independent risk factors for cognitive impairment in individuals with bipolar disorder, particularly in the domains of immediate and delayed memory. Individuals with bipolar disorder with the COMT158 Val/Val genotype and serological evidence of HSV-1 infection were more than 85 times more likely to be in the lowest quintile of cognitive functioning when compared with the highest quintile when controlling for potential confounding variables such as symptom severity and education. Control individuals did not display this association. CONCLUSION: Both the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and serological evidence of HSV-1 infection affect cognitive functioning in individuals with bipolar disorder.

Antibodies to infectious agents in individuals with recent onset schizophrenia.

We investigated the levels of antibodies to infectious agents in the serum and cerebral spinal fluids (CSFs) of individuals with recent onset schizophrenia and compared these levels to those of controls without psychiatric disease. We found that untreated individuals with recent onset schizophrenia had significantly increased levels of serum and CSF IgG antibody to cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii as compared to controls. The levels of serum IgM class antibodies to these agents were not increased. Untreated individuals with recent onset schizophrenia also had significantly lower levels of serum antibody to human herpesvirus type 6 and varicella zoster virus as compared to controls. Levels of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1, herpes simplex virus type 2, and Epstein Barr virus, and did not differ from cases and controls. We also found that treatment status had a major effect on the levels of antibodies in this population. Individuals who were receiving treatment had lower levels of antibodies to cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii, and higher levels of serum antibodies to human herpesvirus type 6 as compared to untreated individuals. The level of antibodies to Toxoplasma and human herpesvirus type 6 measured in treated individuals did not differ from the levels measured in controls. In the case of cytomegalovirus, the levels of CSF antibodies in treated individuals did not differ from those of controls, while the level of serum IgG antibodies to CMV remained slightly greater than controls in this population. Our studies indicate that untreated individuals with recent onset schizophrenia have altered levels of antibodies to cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii, and human herpesvirus type 6 while the levels of these antibodies in treated individuals with recent onset schizophrenia are similar to those of controls. These findings indicate that infectious agents may play a role in the etiopathogenesis of some cases of schizophrenia.

Infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 is associated with cognitive deficits in bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: In a previous investigation, we found an association between reduced cognitive functioning and the prevalence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 1 in individuals with schizophrenia. The current study was undertaken to determine if this association also occurs in individuals with bipolar disorder. METHODS: Cognitive functioning and serologic evidence of infection with potentially neurotropic herpesviruses were measured in 117 individuals with bipolar disorder and in 100 individuals without a history of psychiatric disorder. Cognitive functioning was evaluated with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. For each patient, serologic evidence of infection was ascertained by the measurement of serum immunoglobulin G class antibodies with specificities for six potentially neurotropic human herpesviruses. The association between serologic evidence of herpesvirus infection and cognitive functioning was analyzed by univariate analyses, as well as multivariate analyses that included demographic and clinical factors associated with cognitive functioning. RESULTS: Serologic evidence of infection with herpes simplex virus type 1 was an independent predictor of decreased cognitive functioning in the individuals with bipolar disorder (F = 20.5, p <.0001). Discriminant function analysis indicated that most of the difference in cognitive functioning between individuals who were antibody positive and antibody negative for herpes simplex virus type 1 could be attributed to immediate verbal memory (F = 12.07, p <.001). There was no significant association between cognitive functioning and the other human herpesviruses. No association between antibodies to herpesviruses and cognitive functioning was found in the control individuals without a history of psychiatric disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Serologic evidence of herpes simplex virus type 1 infection is associated with cognitive impairment in individuals with bipolar disorder.