Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk due to Prevalence of BRCA1 and BRCA2 Variants in Pakistani Population: A Pakistani Database Report

Introduction. Pakistani population has a very rich anthrogeneological background with waves of migration from neighboring regions. Incidence rates of breast and ovarian cancer in Pakistan are on such a rapid rise that it is necessary to check the contributory factors, genetic and nongenetic. An insight into the prevalence data emphasizes the formulation of a BRCA1 and BRCA2 database for the Pakistani population. Method. In this study conducted by authors, data from diagnosed cases of both sporadic and inherited female breast and ovarian cancer cases was gathered after performing molecular genetic analysis by screening for alterations in the coding sequence of the BRCA gene. The region of interest was analyzed by the aid of various molecular biology tools such as automated DNA sequencer. Bioinformatics software was used to interpret the results, and database was prepared. Results. Mutational screening of the exons in all the samples of our study group did not reveal any pathogenic mutation. These results along with the results of the previous Pakistani studies for both BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were summed up to prepare a Pakistani database. Percentage involvement of these genes was estimated. Nine percent of these cancers show alterations in BRCA1 gene while 3 percent have shown BRCA2 variants. The remaining 88 percent of breast and ovarian cancers can be attributed to the involvement of other genes

Maternally Inherited Type 2 Diabetes and Deafness: Clinical and Molecular Aspect in Pakistan

Background:. A3243G mutation in tRNA Leu (UUR) leads to a specific clinical syndrome characterized by diabetes and sensorineural hearing defect, hence called as “Maternally Inherited Diabetes and Deafness (MIDD)”.. Methods: The study was retrospective, analytical case control study. Non - probability convenient sampling technique was used. Subjects were divided into two groups. Thirty-nine patients with phenotype of mitochondrial diabetes and a strong maternal history of diabetes (group 1) and 40 non – diabetic individuals (controls) with no maternal history of diabetes (group 2). MtDNA, isolated from peripheral blood leukocytes, was analyzed to detect A3243G tRNALeu(UUR) gene mutation .Results: In spite of the presence of characteristic features of maternally inherited diabetes and deafness, A3243G tRNALeu(UUR) gene mutation was absent in patients and controls. Mean age of onset of diabetes was +34.06 years and of deafness was +47.56 years. Mean plasma glucose, HbA1c, cholesterol and triglyceride level in patients was significantly higher (p< 0.001) whereas body mass index (BMI) of diabetics was significantly low (p< 0.001) as compared with controls. Conclusion: Although A3243G tRNALeu(UUR) gene mutation was not likely to be a frequent cause of mitochondrial diabetes in selected group of patients, other mitochondrial diabetogenic mutations as well as mechanisms involved in pathogenesis of mitochondrial diabetes must be considered

Association analysis of -429T/C receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene polymorphism with type 2 diabetic retinopathy and serum soluble RAGE levels in Pakistani patients

Objective: To investigate the association of receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) gene polymorphism 429T/C (rs1800625) with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and serum soluble RAGE (sRAGE) levels in Pakistani patients with Type 2 diabetes. Methods: A case-control study, conducted from January 2017 to December 2018, including 150 healthy controls (HC), 150 diabetics without retinopathy (DWR) and 150 DR patients. Ethical approval was taken from Ethics Review Committee of Islamic International Medical College - Riphah International University (RIU). Genotyping for 429T/C was done by Tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system – polymerase chain reaction (T-ARMS-PCR). Serum sRAGE levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Data was analysed to calculate descriptive and inferential statistics to compare genotype/allelic frequencies, biochemical markers and serum sRAGE among three study groups. Results: The frequency of TT, TC and CC genotypes of 429T/C polymorphism were: 91.3%, 6.7%, 2% in HC, 88.6%, 8.7%, 2.7% in DWR and 84.7%, 12.0%, 3.3 % in DR groups. No significant association of 429T/C genotypic and allelic frequencies with DWR and DR along with its subtypes, non- proliferative (NPDR) and proliferative (PDR) was observed. Upon further stratifying NPDR into mild, moderate and severe, an association of heterozygous TC with severe NPDR was observed compared to DWR in univariate and multinomial regression analysis. Serum sRAGE levels were significantly high in PDR patients compared to DWR and were positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in DR group. Continuous..

Analysis of clinical and biochemical spectrum of Wilson Disease patients

Background and Aims: Wilson disease (WD) is autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism. Wilson disease patients usually suffer from hepatic or neuropsychiatric complications. The symptoms appear between ages five to 35 but it can vary from two years to 72 years. Materials and Methods : Study was carried out from June 2008 to November 2010. This study included nine families with eleven cases of WD to determine clinical presentation, diagnostic findings (including laboratory results) and liver histology. It included 11 patients who presented with hepatic manifestations and/or Neuropsychiatric manifestations and/or family history suggesting features of WD. Patients with hepatitis B and C and those with history of taking antipsychotic drugs were excluded from the study. Patient′s data was included in a well designed performa. Liver function test, serum ceruloplasmin, serum copper, 24 hour urinary copper, blood complete picture were analyzed. Quantitative data such as age, hemoglobin etc were expressed as mean with ± SD and quantitative variables such as sex, movement disorders, hepatic involvement etc were expressed as frequency and percentage. Results: There were five male and six female patients with evidence of various manifestations here (i) hepatic in which they had only liver dysfunction (ii) hepatic and neurological (iii) neurological. The mean age of presentation was 8.7±3.92 years (range 4-19 years) and 45% were male patients. Decreased serum ceruloplasmin, enhanced 24-h urinary copper excretion and signs of chronic liver damage were confirmed in all patients and Kayser-Fleischer rings (KF rings) in 72% of patients. In severe WD patients, serum prothrombin activity was less than 50%, serum ceruloplasmin were low and serum copper levels were high than those in non-severe WD patients. High degree of suspicion leads to early treatment with good outcome. Conclusions: The WD is rare but important cause of chronic liver disease. Clinical and biochemical analysis in cases of patients with unexplained liver disease with high degree of suspicion can lead to early treatment with good outcome

Lipoproteína (a) está associada com níveis basais de insulina em pacientes com Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2

FUNDAMENTO: Ainda não foi claramente estabelecido se a resistência/deficiência insulínica leva diretamente à aterogênese ou através de sua associação com outros fatores de risco como os níveis de lipoproteína (a)[Lp(a)]. OBJETIVO: O objetivo do estudo foi estabelecer a relação entre os níveis basais de insulina, lípides e lipoproteína (a) em pacientes com diabetes mellitus (DM) tipo 2. MÉTODOS: Amostras de sangue foram colhidas em jejum e os níveis de insulina, lipoproteína (a), colesterol total (CT), triglicérides (TG), lipoproteína de baixa densidade (LDL-C), lipoproteína de alta densidade (LDL-C), glicose e hemoglobina glicada (HbA1c) foram medidos em 60 pacientes com DM tipo 2 e 28 indivíduos saudáveis. Nós dividimos os pacientes em dois grupos baseados nos níveis basais de insulina: > 10 µIU/ml e < 10 µIU/ml. RESULTADOS: Os níveis de insulina eram mais altos nos indivíduos diabéticos do que nos controles [p < 0,05]. Os níveis de CT (p< 0,01), LDL-C (p< 0,05), razão CT/HDL (p< 0,01), e TG (p< 0,05) eram mais altos e os níveis de HDL- C eram significantemente mais baixos em ambos os grupos de diabéticos, quando comparados aos controles. Os níveis de Lp(a) eram significantemente mais baixos em diabéticos com insulina basal > 10 µIU/ml comparados com aqueles que apresentavam insulina basal < 10 µIU/ml (p < 0.05). A análise de regressão mostrou uma relação significante da Lp(a) com os níveis de insulina (r = 0,262, p < 0,05) e razão Insulina/Glicose(r = 0,257, p < 0,05). CONCLUSÃO: Os níveis de Lp(a) se correlacionam inversamente com os níveis de insulina em pacientes com DM tipo 2. Os níveis de Lp(a) podem ser um dos fatores de risco cardiovascular em pacientes com DM tipo 2 com maior duração da doença. (Arq Bras Cardiol 2009;93(1):28-33

Frequencies of two functionally significant SNPs and their haplotypes of organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 SLCO1B1 gene in six ethnic groups of Pakistani population

Objective(s):Organic anion transporter polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1) encoded by solute carrier organic transporter 1B1 (SLCO1B1) gene; a transporter involved in the uptake of drugs and endogenous compounds is present in hepatocyte sinusoidal membrane. Aim of this study was to investigate the frequencies of functionally significant SNPs (388A>G and 521T>C) and their haplotypes in 6 ethnic groups of Pakistani population through the development of rapid and efficient Tetra amplification refractory mutation system (T. ARMS) genotyping assay. Materials and Methods: Frequencies of alleles, genotype, and haplotypes of two functionally significant Single nucleotide polymorphism in 180 healthy Pakistani subjects and distributions in six ethnic groups by using a single step T. ARMS genotyping assay. Results: The allelic frequency for 388A>G SNP was 50% in total Pakistani population with distributions of 9.7%, 15.1%, 19.4%, 16.1%, 18.3%, and 21.5% in Punjabi, Sindhi, Balouchi, Pathan, Kashmiri and Hazara/Baltistan groups respectively; and for 521T>C SNP it was 23.9% in total Pakistani population with distributions of 11.1%, 8.9%, 15.6%, 11.1%, 31.1% and 22.2% in Punjabi, Sindhi, Balouchi, Pathan, Kashmiri, and Hazara/Baltistan groups. Both functionally significant SNPs occurred in four major haplotypes with a frequency of 35.5% for 388A/521T (*1A), 40.5% for 388G/521T (*1B), 14.4% for 388A/521C (*5), and 9.4% for 388G/521C (*15) with varying distributions among six ethnic groups. Conclusion: The 388A>G and 521T>C genotypes and corresponding haplotypes are present at varying frequencies in various ethnic groups of Pakistani population. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynami

Hypolipidemic Effect of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Diabetic Rats

Background: To evaluate the effect of monounsaturatedfatty acid and phenolic compounds enriched extra virginolive oil on correction of dyslipidemia in diabetic rats.Methods: In this randomized control trial eighty albinorats of Sprague-Dawley strain weighing 200-250 gramswere randomly divided into two groups of 40 rats each.Rats were made diabetic by injecting streptozotocin.Group 1 and Group 2 were given normal rodent diet andextra virgin olive oil supplemented diet respectively for 06weeks. At the end of experimentation lipid profile wasmeasured.Results: There was significant increase of high densitylipoprotein and significant decrease of serum totalcholesterol, serum triglycerides and low densitylipoprotein of Group II rats when it was compared withGroup I (control).Conclusion: Extra virgin olive oil can significantlyimprove lipid profile in diabetic rats

Association of ADIPOQ C-11377G (rs266729), TNF-alpha G-308A (rs1800629) and TNF-alpha G-238A (rs361525) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Pakistani Population

Objective: To determine the frequencies of adiponectin (ADIPOQ) C-11377G, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) G-308A and TNF-alpha G-238A single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and their association with serum levels in Pakistani T2DM and healthy population