Association of Variants of the NFE2L2 Gene with Metabolic and Kidney Function Parameters in Patients with Diabetes and/or Hypertension.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and high blood pressure (HBP) are the main risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Relationships between variants within the NFE2L2 gene and the presence of environmental risk factors for CKD, such as HBP and hyperglycemia have been suggested; however, their interactions remains unclear. Aim: To analyze the association of NFE2L2 variants with metabolic and kidney parameters. Materials and Methods: Six-hundred and fifty-one patients grouped according to the diagnosis of T2DM (n =166), T2DM+HBP (n =348) and HBP (n =137) were included. Metabolic characteristics were evaluated to identify risk factors and presence of CKD. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using two pairs primers for rs35652124 and rs6721961 and by real-time PCR for rs2364723. Logistic regression analyses, adjusted for confounding factors and correction for multiple tests were performed. Results: Significant associations between decreased risk for presenting with CKD and the rs35652124 (A allele) and the rs2364723 (G allele) variants were detected. Other variables consistently associated with these alleles were HBP, BMI, waist circumference, uric acid and triglycerides. Haplotypes AAC and GCG (loci order: rs35652124-rs6721961-rs2364723) showed similar trends. After adjustment for age and sex and correction for multiple tests, only rs35652124 (Odds Ratio [OR] = 0.5; Confidence Interval at 95% (CI95%), 0.3-0.9; p = 0.04) and rs2364723 (OR = 0.3; CI95%, 0.1-0.8; p = 0.009) variants remained associated with deceased risk for CKD in T2DM patients. Conclusion: This study showed for the first time that NFE2L2 variants are associated with decreased risk for CKD in the presence of environmental/metabolic risk factors related to kidney damage, including HBP, hyperuricemia and albuminuria in Mexican patients with diabetes.

Human B lymphocytes and B lymphomas express PPAR-gamma and are killed by PPAR-gamma agonists.

This paper evaluates the expression and functional significance of PPAR-gamma on human B cells. Recent interest in PPAR-gamma has focused on its adipogenic effects on non-bone marrow-derived cells. PPAR-gamma agonists also have been proposed as anti-inflammatory agents owing to inhibition of NF-kappa B activation. We report herein the first study evaluating PPAR-gamma expression and functional significance in human B lineage cells. Interestingly, normal human B cells and a variety of B lymphoma cells (e.g., Daudi, Ramos, and Raji) express PPAR-gamma protein as determined by immunocytochemistry. The expression of 80-kDa PPAR-gamma on human B lymphocytes and B lymphomas was confirmed by Western blot analysis. 15-Deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ(2) (15d-PGJ(2)), a natural PPAR-gamma agonist, has a dose-dependent antiproliferative and cytotoxic effect on normal and malignant B cells as shown by [(3)H]thymidine and MTT assays. Only PPAR-gamma agonists (thiazolidinediones) and not PPAR-alpha agonists mimicked the effect of 15d-PGJ(2) on B lineage cells, indicating that the mechanism by which 15d-PGJ(2) negatively affects B lineage cells involves, in part, PPAR-gamma. The mechanism whereby PPAR-gamma agonists induce cytotoxicity is via apoptosis as shown by Annexin V staining and as confirmed by DNA fragmentation detected using the TUNEL assay. This is the first study evaluating PPAR-gamma expression and its significance on human B lymphocytes. PPAR-gamma agonists may serve as a counterbalance to the stimulating effects of other prostaglandins, namely PGE(2), which promotes B cell immunoglobulin class switching. Finally, the use of prostaglandins such as 15d-PGJ(2) and synthetic PPAR-gamma agonists to induce apoptosis in B lineage cells may lead to the development of novel therapies for potentially fatal B lymphomas.

Prostaglandins as modulators of immunity.

Prostaglandins are potent lipid molecules that affect key aspects of immunity. The original view of prostaglandins was that they were simply immunoinhibitory. This review focuses on recent findings concerning prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and the PGD2 metabolite 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ2, and their divergent roles in immune regulation. We will highlight how these two seminal prostaglandins regulate immunity and inflammation, and play an emerging role in cancer progression. Understanding the diverse activities of these prostaglandins is crucial for the development of new therapies aimed at immune modulation.