81 research outputs found
Genetic risk factors for Parkinson’s disease in Ukraine
The paper focuses on the genetic risk factors for Parkinson’s disease (PD) such as polymorphisms in genes CYP1A1, GSTM1 and APOE. A total number of 516 people were examined. 300 persons were in the control group (mean age 67,0 ± 0,4 years; 200 males and 100 females) and 216 persons were patients with PD (mean age 65,0 ± 0,7 years, 116 males and 100 females). Whole blood samples collected from each person were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. Amplification and restriction results were assessed by conducting vertical agarose gel electrophoresis. The study analyzed marker с.2452C>A in the CYP1A1 gene. In the control group, allele C frequency was 0.79, and allele A frequency – 0.21. Genotype frequencies were: CC – 0.61, AC – 0.36, AA – 0.03. In the group of patients alleles C and A frequencies were 0.64 and 0.36 correspondingly. Genotype frequencies were: CC – 0.35, AC – 0.58, AA – 0.07. There was a significant difference between both groups in allele A frequency. It is considered that 0/0 genotype for the GSTM1 gene is a risk factor for PD. In the controls, +/+ and 0/0 genotypes frequencies were 0.67 and 0.33 correspondingly. In the group of patients +/+ genotype frequency was 0.55 and 0/0 genotype frequency – 0.45. The difference was statistically significant. In the control group genotype frequencies for the АРОЕ gene were 0.715 (Е3/Е3), 0.077 (Е3/Е4), 0.009 (Е4/Е4), 0.167 (Е2/Е3), 0.031 (Е2/Е4) and 0.000 (Е2/Е2). In the group of patients with PD they were 0.634 (Е3/Е3), 0.148 (Е3/Е4), 0.032 (Е4/Е4), 0.157 (Е2/Е3), 0.023 (Е2/Е4) and 0.000 (Е2/Е2). Е3/Е4 genotype frequency was significantly higher in the group of patients with PD than in the control group. Pathogenic allele с.2452C>A of the CYP1A1 gene is associated with increased risk of PD (OR = 1.72). 0/0 genotype carriers have higher risk to develop PD (OR = 1.72). Allele έ4 of the АРОЕ gene may be associated with increased risk of PD. Risk of the disease is higher in έ2 allele carriers (OR = 2.35) and έ4 allele carriers (OR=1.97). People with genotype Е4/Е4 have chances to be affected by PD 3.48 times higher (OR = 3.48). Associations revealed in the different human populations between genetic factors and PD may vary that is associated with the genetic heterogeneity and proportion of environmental factors which affect people. Despite the results are sometimes controversial, they can be helpful in developing DNA-tests for early diagnosis of PD
Additional Impact of Glucose Tolerance on Telomere Length in Persons With and Without Metabolic Syndrome in the Elderly Ukraine Population
Rationale: Association between different components of metabolic syndrome and the rate of age-related telomere shortening was reported repeatedly, although some findings are inconsistent across studies, suggesting the need for further research on the topic. In the present study, we examined relationships between different components of metabolic syndrome (MetS); glucose tolerance reflected in 2-h post-load plasma glucose (2hPG) levels and age on the leukocyte telomere length (LTL) in Ukraine population.Methods: The study was conducted on the 115 adult individuals residing in the Kyiv region (Ukraine). Among them, 79 were diagnosed with MetS according to the International Diabetes Federation definition. LTL were determined by a qPCR-based method. Multivariate logistic regression (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) modeling were used for the analysis of the results. ROC-analysis was also performed to compare the predictively values of this models.Results: MetS was associated with a high (OR = 3.0 CI 1.3–6.7; p = 0.01) risk of having shorter telomeres that remained significant after adjusting for age, gender and 2hPG levels. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and other MetS components did not affect the magnitude of the relationship and did not reveal the independent influence of these factors. The level of 2hPG in turn, demonstrated a significant relationship (OR = 1.3 CI 1.0–1.6 per 1 mmol/l; p = 0.04) with LTL regardless of the presence of MetS. The non-linearity of the interactions between age, gender and 2hPG level was revealed by neural network modeling (AUC = 0.76 CI 0.68–0.84).Conclusion: Our study found that impaired glucose tolerance, but not FPG levels, affected the association between LTL and MetS, which may be also indicative for pathophysiological differences in these hyperglycemia categories. 2hPG levels can provide an opportunity for a more accurate diagnostics of MetS and for evaluating the rate of aging in patients with MetS. Further research, however, is needed to verify this assumption
FoxO1, A2M, and TGF-beta 1 : three novel genes predicting depression in gene X environment interactions are identified using cross-species and cross-tissues transcriptomic and miRNomic analyses
To date, gene-environment (GxE) interaction studies in depression have been limited to hypothesis-based candidate genes, since genome-wide (GWAS)-based GxE interaction studies would require enormous datasets with genetics, environmental, and clinical variables. We used a novel, cross-species and cross-tissues "omics" approach to identify genes predicting depression in response to stress in GxE interactions. We integrated the transcriptome and miRNome profiles from the hippocampus of adult rats exposed to prenatal stress (PNS) with transcriptome data obtained from blood mRNA of adult humans exposed to early life trauma, using a stringent statistical analyses pathway. Network analysis of the integrated gene lists identified the Forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1), Alpha-2-Macroglobulin (A2M), and Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) as candidates to be tested for GxE interactions, in two GWAS samples of adults either with a range of childhood traumatic experiences (Grady Study Project, Atlanta, USA) or with separation from parents in childhood only (Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, Finland). After correction for multiple testing, a meta-analysis across both samples confirmed six FoxO1 SNPs showing significant GxE interactions with early life emotional stress in predicting depressive symptoms. Moreover, in vitro experiments in a human hippocampal progenitor cell line confirmed a functional role of FoxO1 in stress responsivity. In secondary analyses, A2M and TGF-beta 1 showed significant GxE interactions with emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in the Grady Study. We therefore provide a successful 'hypothesis-free' approach for the identification and prioritization of candidate genes for GxE interaction studies that can be investigated in GWAS datasets.Peer reviewe
Establishing a generalized polyepigenetic biomarker for tobacco smoking
Large-scale epigenome-wide association meta-analyses have identified multiple 'signatures'' of smoking. Drawing on these findings, we describe the construction of a polyepigenetic DNA methylation score that indexes smoking behavior and that can be utilized for multiple purposes in population health research. To validate the score, we use data from two birth cohort studies: The Dunedin Longitudinal Study, followed to age-38 years, and the Environmental Risk Study, followed to age-18 years. Longitudinal data show that changes in DNA methylation accumulate with increased exposure to tobacco smoking and attenuate with quitting. Data from twins discordant for smoking behavior show that smoking influences DNA methylation independently of genetic and environmental risk factors. Physiological data show that changes in DNA methylation track smoking-related changes in lung function and gum health over time. Moreover, DNA methylation changes predict corresponding changes in gene expression in pathways related to inflammation, immune response, and cellular trafficking. Finally, we present prospective data about the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and epigenetic modifications; these findings document the importance of controlling for smoking-related DNA methylation changes when studying biological embedding of stress in life-course research. We introduce the polyepigenetic DNA methylation score as a tool both for discovery and theory-guided research in epigenetic epidemiology.This article is freely available via Open Access. Click on the Publisher URL to access it via the publisher's site.The Dunedin Longitudinal Study is funded by the New Zealand Health Research Council, the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment, the National Institute on Aging (AG032282), and the Medical Research Council (MR/P005918/1). The E-Risk Study is funded by the Medical Research Council (G1002190) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD077482). Additional support was provided by a Distinguished Investigator Award from the American Asthma Foundation to Dr. Mill, and by the Jacobs Foundation and the Avielle Foundation. Dr. Arseneault is the Mental Health Leadership Fellow for the U.K. Economic and Social Research Council. Dr. Belsky is a Jacobs Foundation Fellow. This work used a high-performance computing facility partially supported by grant 2016-IDG-1013 (“HARDAC + : Reproducible HPC for Next-generation Genomics”) from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. Illumina DNA methylation data are accessible from the Gene Expression Omnibus (accession code: GSE105018).pre-print, post-print, publisher's PD
Neonatal exposure to permethrin pesticide causes lifelong fear and spatial learning deficits and alters hippocampal morphology of synapses
A model for homeopathic remedy effects: low dose nanoparticles, allostatic cross-adaptation, and time-dependent sensitization in a complex adaptive system
BACKGROUND: This paper proposes a novel model for homeopathic remedy action on living systems. Research indicates that homeopathic remedies (a) contain measurable source and silica nanoparticles heterogeneously dispersed in colloidal solution; (b) act by modulating biological function of the allostatic stress response network (c) evoke biphasic actions on living systems via organism-dependent adaptive and endogenously amplified effects; (d) improve systemic resilience. DISCUSSION: The proposed active components of homeopathic remedies are nanoparticles of source substance in water-based colloidal solution, not bulk-form drugs. Nanoparticles have unique biological and physico-chemical properties, including increased catalytic reactivity, protein and DNA adsorption, bioavailability, dose-sparing, electromagnetic, and quantum effects different from bulk-form materials. Trituration and/or liquid succussions during classical remedy preparation create “top-down” nanostructures. Plants can biosynthesize remedy-templated silica nanostructures. Nanoparticles stimulate hormesis, a beneficial low-dose adaptive response. Homeopathic remedies prescribed in low doses spaced intermittently over time act as biological signals that stimulate the organism’s allostatic biological stress response network, evoking nonlinear modulatory, self-organizing change. Potential mechanisms include time-dependent sensitization (TDS), a type of adaptive plasticity/metaplasticity involving progressive amplification of host responses, which reverse direction and oscillate at physiological limits. To mobilize hormesis and TDS, the remedy must be appraised as a salient, but low level, novel threat, stressor, or homeostatic disruption for the whole organism. Silica nanoparticles adsorb remedy source and amplify effects. Properly-timed remedy dosing elicits disease-primed compensatory reversal in direction of maladaptive dynamics of the allostatic network, thus promoting resilience and recovery from disease. SUMMARY: Homeopathic remedies are proposed as source nanoparticles that mobilize hormesis and time-dependent sensitization via non-pharmacological effects on specific biological adaptive and amplification mechanisms. The nanoparticle nature of remedies would distinguish them from conventional bulk drugs in structure, morphology, and functional properties. Outcomes would depend upon the ability of the organism to respond to the remedy as a novel stressor or heterotypic biological threat, initiating reversals of cumulative, cross-adapted biological maladaptations underlying disease in the allostatic stress response network. Systemic resilience would improve. This model provides a foundation for theory-driven research on the role of nanomaterials in living systems, mechanisms of homeopathic remedy actions and translational uses in nanomedicine
Bisphenol A induces protection through modulation of the immune response against the helminth parasite Taenia crassiceps
The Dutch Potato Famine 1846-1847: A study on the relationships between early-life exposure and later-life mortality
Anise Hyssop Agastache foeniculum Increases Lifespan, Stress Resistance, and Metabolism by Affecting Free Radical Processes in Drosophila
Anise hyssop, Agastache foeniculum, is a widely used medicinal herb with known antioxidant properties. We studied how dietary supplementation with dried A. foeniculum leaf powder affected physiological and metabolic traits as well as activities of antioxidant enzymes and markers of oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster. Dietary hyssop extended the lifespan in a sex and genotype independent manner over a broad range of concentrations up to 30 mg/ml. Dietary supplementation with the herb significantly increased fecundity, resistance to oxidative stress and starvation. Higher transcript levels of Drosophila insulin-like peptide (dilp2) and decreased dilp3 and dilp6 transcripts together with increased levels of glycogen and triacylglycerols support an alteration of insulin signaling by the plant extract. Increased enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase and aconitase as well as elevated protein and low molecular mass thiols also supported an alteration of free radical process in flies treated with dietary A. foeniculum leaf powder. Thus, physiological and metabolic traits as well as free radical processed may be affected by active compounds detected in extracts of anise hyssop leaves and contribute to the increased lifespan and reproductive (egg-laying) activity observed
Long-term health consequences of early-life exposure to substance abuse: an epigenetic perspective
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