Analysis of a RECQL splicing mutation, c.1667_1667+3delAGTA, in breast cancer patients and controls from Central Europe.

RECQL is a DNA helicase required for genomic stability. Two studies have recently identified RECQL as a novel breast cancer susceptibility gene. The most common RECQL mutation, the 4 bp-deletion c.1667_1667+3delAGTA, was five-fold enriched in Polish breast cancer patients, but the exact magnitude of the risk is uncertain. We investigated two hospital-based breast cancer case-control series from Belarus and Germany, respectively, comprising a total of 2596 breast cancer patients and 2132 healthy females. The mutation was found in 9 cases and 6 controls, with an adjusted Odds Ratio 1.23 (95% CI 0.44-3.47; p = 0.69) in the combined analysis. Among the cases, heterozygosity for c.1667_1667+3delAGTA was linked with estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer. There was no significant difference in age at diagnosis between carriers and non-carriers, and only one of the carriers reported a first-degree family history. Meta-analysis with the initial study from Poland suggests an about two-fold increase in risk for this mutation (OR 2.51; 95% CI 1.13-5.57, p = 0.02). Altogether, the data indicate that RECQL* c.1667_1667+3delAGTA is not a high-risk mutation for breast cancer though it could represent a moderate-risk breast cancer susceptibility allele. Further studies will be required to determine the clinical significance of testing for this RECQL mutation.

Prevalence of Nutrition and Health-Related Claims on Pre-Packaged Foods: A Five-Country Study in Europe.

This study is part of the research undertaken in the EU funded project CLYMBOL ("Role of health-related CLaims and sYMBOLs in consumer behaviour"). The first phase of this project consisted of mapping the prevalence of symbolic and non-symbolic nutrition and health-related claims (NHC) on foods and non-alcoholic beverages in five European countries. Pre-packaged foods and drinks were sampled based on a standardized sampling protocol, using store lists or a store floor plan. Data collection took place across five countries, in three types of stores. A total of 2034 foods and drinks were sampled and packaging information was analyzed. At least one claim was identified for 26% (95% CI (24.0%-27.9%)) of all foods and drinks sampled. Six percent of these claims were symbolic. The majority of the claims were nutrition claims (64%), followed by health claims (29%) and health-related ingredient claims (6%). The most common health claims were nutrient and other function claims (47% of all claims), followed by disease risk reduction claims (5%). Eight percent of the health claims were children's development and health claims but these were only observed on less than 1% (0.4%-1.1%) of the foods. The category of foods for specific dietary use had the highest proportion of NHC (70% of foods carried a claim). The prevalence of symbolic and non-symbolic NHC varies across European countries and between different food categories. This study provides baseline data for policy makers and the food industry to monitor and evaluate the use of claims on food packaging.

Dually inducible TetON systems for tissue-specific conditional gene expression in zebrafish.

Systems for spatial and temporal control of gene expression are essential for developmental studies and are of particular importance for research in adult model organisms. We present two modified dually inducible TetON systems for tissue-specific conditional control of gene expression in zebrafish based on (i) a tetracycline inducible transcriptional activator (TetActivator) fused to the ligand binding domain of a mutated glucocorticoid receptor (TetA-GBD) and (ii) a TetActivator fused with a domain of the Ecdysone receptor (TetA-EcR). Both systems showed strong induction of tetracycline-responsive promoters upon administration of the appropriate ligands (doxycycline and dexamethasone for TetA-GBD, and doxycycline and tebufenozide for TetA-EcR), and undetectable leakiness when compared with classical TetActivators. Combinations of transgenic lines expressing TetA-GBD specifically in the heart or the CNS with different Tet-responsive transgenic lines allows conditional and tissue-specific control of gene expression in embryos and adults. Importantly, induction is fully reversible and tunable by the doses of drugs used. The TetA-EcR system avoids the possible side effects of dexamethasone and displays improved sensitivity both in zebrafish and in mammalian cells. These results show that dually inducible TetON systems are convenient tools for reversible and very tightly controlled conditional gene expression in zebrafish.