RESUMO
The pathogenic mechanisms underlying Schizophrenia (SZ), one of the most frequent mental disorders, are complex and poorly understood. Several evidences suggest that inflammatory processes may underpin some of its neurobiological correlates. The aim of this study was: (i) to analyze the potential association between circulating levels of the C-reactive protein (CRP), a crucial inflammatory marker, and Schizophrenia in Tunisian patients and healthy controls (HC) cohorts; (ii) to investigate the genetic diversity of three CRP variants (rs1417938, rs1130864 and rs1205) and; (iii) to analyze a potential relationship between expression and genetic data and clinical and socio demographical characteristics. CRP polymorphisms were exanimated for 155 patients and 203 HC by taqMan5'-nuclease. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) serum level was measured in 128 clinically stable out-patient SZ patients and 63 HC subjects via an automated biochemical analyzer. We found that hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in SZ patients as compared to HC. No significant differences were found when the proportions of CRP variants were compared in patients and HC. Further analysis according to clinical and socio demographical characteristics revealed a positive association with age and hypertension. Our data on an original Tunisian sample confirm the previous finding in others population groups.
Assuntos
Proteína C-Reativa/análise , Esquizofrenia/sangue , Esquizofrenia/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Biomarcadores/análise , Biomarcadores/sangue , Proteína C-Reativa/metabolismo , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Estudos de Coortes , Suscetibilidade a Doenças , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fatores de Risco , Esquizofrenia/etiologia , Tunísia/epidemiologia , Adulto JovemAssuntos
Educação Médica/tendências , Medicina , África do Norte/epidemiologia , Anatomia/educação , Educação Médica/história , Educação Médica/métodos , Educação Médica/organização & administração , História do Século XXI , Humanos , Internato e Residência/normas , Internato e Residência/tendências , Satisfação no Emprego , Medicina/métodos , Medicina/organização & administração , Medicina/tendências , Patologia Clínica/educação , Tunísia/epidemiologiaRESUMO
The interleukin 12 (IL-12) cytokine, encoded by polymorphic genes, plays a central role in the T helper 1 cell-mediated immunity against tumors. We investigated whether the 3' untranslated region +1188 A/C polymorphism (rs 3212227) influences the nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) risk in Tunisian patients. DNA analysis of 247 patients and 284 healthy individuals showed a higher frequency of the 1188 C allele and the CC genotype in patients than in controls (P = 0.00001 and P = 0.00005) suggesting that the C variant allele is associated with the susceptibility to NPC. Additional testing showed that the homozygous CC genotype is also associated with advanced stage of the tumor extension at presentation (P = 0.022). Our data suggest that the impaired production of IL-12 behaves as a risk factor for NPC occurrence and progression.
