A novel Van91 I polymorphism in the 1st intron of the parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) receptor gene and its effect on the urinary cAMP response to PTH

Associations of vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor (Cdx-2, Fok I, Bsm I and Taq I) polymorphisms with the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma

BACKGROUND

Vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms are known to be significantly associated with high myopia. Whether this genetic variant may impact primary open-angle glaucoma is largely unknown. This study investigated whether vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms are altered in primary open-angle glaucoma subjects carrying the risk allele, and whether vitamin D deficiency is an important factor in the development of glaucoma.

METHODS

Seventy-three POAG patients and 71 age-matched controls from the Han population were enrolled. Serum levels of 1a, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 were measured by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay. Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms (Cdx-2, Fok I, Bsm I and Taq I) were analyzed using real-time polymerase-chain reaction high resolution melting analysis.

RESULTS

Serum levels of 1a, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin in primary open-angle glaucoma patients were lower than in age-matched controls. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in the allelic frequencies of the BsmI and TaqI genotypes between primary open-angle glaucoma patients and age-matched controls, while other polymorphisms did not show any significant differences.

CONCLUSIONS

Vitamin D deficiency and the presence of the BsmI 'B' allele and the TaqI 't' allele are relevant risk factors in the development of glaucoma.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Trials.gov: NCT02539745 . The study was registered retrospectively on August 3rd, 2015. The first participant was enrolled on July 4th, 2013.

Exploiting cellular-developmental evolution as the scientific basis for preventive medicine

In the post-genomic era, we must make maximal use of this technological advancement to broaden our perspective on biology and medicine. Our understanding of the evolutionary process is undermined by looking at it retrospectively, perpetuating a descriptive rather than a mechanistic approach. The reintroduction of developmental biologic principles into evolutionary studies, or evo-devo, allows us to apply embryologic cell-molecular biologic principles to the mechanisms of phylogeny, obviating the artificial space and time barriers between ontogeny and phylogeny. This perspective allows us to consider the continuum between the proximate and ultimate causes of speciation, which was unthinkable when looked at from the descriptive perspective. Using a cell-cell interactive 'middle-out' approach, we have gained insight to the evolution of the lung from the swim bladder of fish based on gene regulatory networks that generate both lung ontogeny and phylogeny, i.e. decreased alveolar size, decreased alveolar wall thickness, and increased alveolar wall strength. Vertical integration of cell-cell interactions predicts the adaptivity and maladaptivity of the lung, leading to novel insights for chronic lung disease. Since we have employed principles involved in all of development, this approach is amenable to all biologic structures, functions, adaptations, maladaptations, and diseases, providing an operational basis for preventive medicine.

Haplotype frequencies and linkage disequilibrium analysis of four frequent polymorphisms at the PTH/PTH-related peptide receptor gene locus

The parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related peptide receptor is a critical component in the control of mineral ion metabolism and in bone development. This receptor is encoded by a single gene (PTHR1) on chromosome 3p21.1-p24.2, and mutations in this gene have been found in several clinical disorders of bone and mineral metabolism. To facilitate future genetic studies of this important gene, we determined haplotype frequencies and performed linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis of four different polymorphisms at the PTHR1 locus. Combined analysis of Caucasian, African-American and Asian individuals indicated that LD exists between all but one pair of the four polymorphisms. However, the pattern of LD differed substantially among the three subpopulations; for example, LD between two closely spaced (154-bp apart) single nucleotide polymorphisms appeared to be present only in Asians. Depending on the population under study, genetic association studies may need to test even more closely spaced polymorphic markers when screening the PTHR1 locus. These findings may thus affect the design and interpretation of future genetic studies involving PTHR1.