GPX3 rs8177412 Polymorphism Modifies Risk of Upper Urothelial Tumors in Patients with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy

Current data suggest that aristolochic acid (AA) exposure is a putative cause of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), a chronic kidney disease strongly associated with upper tract urothelial carcinoma. The cellular metabolism of AA is associated with the production of reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative distress. Purpose: Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze individual, combined and cumulative effect of antioxidant gene polymorphisms (Nrf2 rs6721961, KEAP1 rs1048290, GSTP1AB rs1695, GSTP1CD rs1138272, GPX3 rs8177412 and MDR1 rs1045642), as well as GSTP1ABCD haplotypes with the risk for BEN development and associated urothelial cell carcinoma in 209 BEN patients and 140 controls from endemic areas. Experimental method: Genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTTP) methods. Results: We found that female patients carrying both variant GPX3 rs8177412 and MDR1 rs1045642 genotypes in combination exhibited significant risk towards BEN (OR 1 = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.16-9.60, p = 0.025; OR 2 = 3.79, 95% CI = 1.27-11.24, p = 0.016). Moreover, significant association was determined between GPX3rs8174412 polymorphism and risk for urothelial carcinoma. Carriers of variant GPX3*TC + CC genotype were at eight-fold increased risk of BEN-associated urothelial tumors development. There was no individual or combined impact on BEN development and BEN-associated tumors among all examined polymorphisms. The haplotype consisting of variant alleles for both polymorphisms G and T was associated with 1.6-fold increased risk although statistically insignificant (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 0.75-3.58; p = 0.21). Conclusions: Regarding GPX3 rs8177412 polymorphism, the gene variant that confers lower expression is associated with significant increase in upper urothelial carcinoma risk. Therefore, BEN patients carrying variant GPX3 genotype should be more frequently monitored for possible upper tract urothelial carcinoma development.

Identification of gene candidates associated with Irritable bowel syndrome

Background/Aim: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) belongs to the gastrointestinal disorders characterised by abdominal discomfort and pain, altered constipation, diarrhoea and stomach distension. The aim was to assess relationship between the selected genetic polymorphisms with IBS, their combined genotype effect as well as to assess a difference in the distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of selected loci between case and control group. Methods: This was a prospective study which included 29 participants, 20 individuals diagnosed with IBS based on Rome III criteria and 9 healthy individuals. The study analysed the selected genetic polymorphisms as possible risk factors for IBS according to the model of the case-control study. Genotyping was performed for FKBP5, DRD2 and DAT polymorphisms qualified as risk factors for IBS in previous researches. Results: The results revealed a significant association between DAT polymorphism with IBS, both, at the allelic level (p = 0.006) and genotype level (p = 0.031). Individuals with 434 allelic variant in the genotype have six time higher probability for developing IBS, in comparison to the individuals without this allelic variant. The statistical association between other analysed polymorphism and IBS was not reached. The analysis of combined effects of selected polymorphisms revealed no association with IBS, except FKBP5 and DAT which result was at the level of statistical significance (p = 0.05). Conclusion: Further analysis which would include DAT polymorphism with larger sample size, as well as other genes involved in dopamine neurotransmitter system would be of great interest to define closer conclusion of IBS aetiology.

Findings from ACGH in patient with psychomotor delay-case report

Initial testing of children with psychomotor delays considers karyotype analysis   and   metabolic   tests.   However,   introduction of Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (ACGH) has become the standard method of diagnostics worldwide. ACGH is a highly  sensitive  method  which  enables  detection  of  unbalanced  chromosomal  aberrations and  aneuploidies.  In  this  case  report,  a  patient  is  a  sixteen  year  old  girl  born  to  unrelated parents  with  mild  mental  retardation  and  psychomotor  delay, hyperacusis,  epilepsy,  silent nasal speech, clinodactyly of the V finger on left hand, as well as low set ears. Patient had a karyotype interpreted as normal using GTG band analysis.  Array  CGH  was  performed  using Agilent SurePrint  G3 custom  CGH+SNP  Microarray  8x60K  (UCSC,  hg19,  NCBI  Build  37, February,2009).  Results were analyzed by CytoGenomics 3.0 Agilent software.  Results of  aCGH  revealed  clinically  significant  duplication  of  17q25.1-q25.3  region  with  the  size  of~7.96Mb. Within the duplicated region 217 genes are present, of which 36 are described as OMIM morbid.  Duplications  of  similar  size  are  described  in  DECIPHER  date  base  in  patients with  psychomotor  delay,  hyperactivity  and  neoplasm  of  CNS.  Besides duplication, a ~755kb clinically significant deletion was detected in the 17q25.3 region. Deletion involves 18 genes of which 2 are described as OMIM morbid: TBCD (MIM604649) and ZNF750 (MIM610226). Patient with similar deletion was described in DECIPHER date base with notable psychomotor delay.  Based  on  these  results  FISH  analysis  is  recommended  for  both  parents  in  order  to determine the possible carrier of inversion in the region of 17qter.