VDR, SOD-2, and CYP24A1 Gene Expression in Different Genotypes of BsmI SNP of the Vitamin D Receptor Gene in Individuals with Hypovitaminosis.

BACKGROUND: Hypovitaminosis D is a public health problem due to its implications for various diseases. Vitamin D has numerous functions, such as modulating the metabolism of cellular tissues, and it is expressed through the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene that may influence gene expression modulation, which plays an important role in vitamin D metabolism. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the genotypes of BsmI single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the VDR gene on VDR, SOD2, and CYP24A1 gene expression in individuals with low serum vitamin D levels. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analytical study. After signing the informed consent form, individuals were invited to participate and answered a structured questionnaire with identification data. Blood was collected for biochemical analysis, and vitamin D was measured by chemiluminescence; BsmI polymorphism was determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays with TaqMan allelic discrimination, and gene expression was conducted by qRT-PCR using QuantiFast SYBR® Green PCR Master Mix. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 software, and differences were considered significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS: 98 individuals with vitamin D ≤ 20 ng/dL were evaluated, and the BsmI SNP of the VDR gene showed CYP24A1 overexpression and low SOD2 expression. CONCLUSION: BsmI SNP of the VDR gene can modulate the expression of the genes evaluated without interfering with serum levels.

Association of IL-10 to coronary disease severity in patients with metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of risk factors that increase the risk for heart disease. Little is known about the role of IL-10 in the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with MetS. We investigated plasma levels of IL-10 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients with MetS with or without severe CAD. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with healthy and MetS individuals. IL-10 and other pro-inflammatory interleukins were analyzed in 90 subjects divided into 3 groups: group 1 (n = 30), patients with MetS without severe CAD; group 2 (n = 30), patients with MetS and severe CAD (history of myocardial infarction or revascularization performed through surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with or without stent placement); and group 3 (n = 30), healthy individuals. RESULTS: Levels of IL-12 (p = .018), TNF-α (p = .007) and IL-6 (p = .010) were significantly higher in group 1 when compared to group 3 (p = .003; p = .002; p = .001, respectively). In addition, group 1 presented significantly higher levels of IL-12 (p = .019), TNF-α (p = .026) and IL-6 (p = .020) when compared to group 2. IL-10 levels were significantly higher in group 1 (p = .003) when compared to group 2 (p = .014) and group 3 (p < .001). Only the level of IL-10 was significant to explain the presence of severe CAD, as a protective factor (OR: 0.896; 95%CI: 0.818-0.981) in the logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: Higher IL-10 levels in patients with MetS are associated with lower incidence of severe CAD, suggesting a protective effect through its anti-inflammatory activity even in the presence of higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.