Genetic variants in mannose receptor gene (MRC1) confer susceptibility to increased risk of sarcoidosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Mannose receptor (MR) is a member of the C-type lectin receptor family involved in pathogen molecular-pattern recognition and thought to be critical in shaping host immune response. The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations of genetic variants in the <it>MRC1 </it>gene with sarcoidosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), encompassing the <it>MRC1 </it>gene, were genotyped in a total of 605 Japanese consisting of 181 sarcoidosis patients and 424 healthy controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Suggestive evidence of association between rs691005 SNP and risk of sarcoidosis was observed independent of sex and age in a recessive model (<it>P </it>= 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that <it>MRC1 </it>is an important candidate gene for sarcoidosis. This is the first study to imply that genetic variants in <it>MRC1</it>, a major member of the C-type lectin, contribute to the development of sarcoidosis.</p

Genetic Impact of a Butyrophilin-like 2 (BTNL2) Gene Variation on Specific IgE Responsiveness to Dermatophagoides farinae (Der f) in Japanese

Background: Dermatophagoides farinae (Derf) is one of the most frequently implicated allergens in several allergic diseases. Several genome-wide screens have identified a linkage between chromosome 6p21 and mite-specific IgE responsiveness. Butyrophilin-like 2 (BTNL2) is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily and, on the basis of its homology to B7-1, has been implicated as a costimulatory molecule involved in T-cell activation. BTNL2 resides in the HLA region on chromosome 6p21, and significant associations between BTNL2 gene polymorphisms and several inflammatory diseases have been reported. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether BTNL2 gene polymorphisms are associated with specific IgE responses to Der f. Methods: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including 2 coding SNPs and 1 intron SNP, were studied. One of the coding SNPs was the rs2076530 A>G, which has a functional consequence. A total of 863 unrelated Japanese subjects (447 positive and 416 negative for IgE to Der f) were recruited for a case–control study. Results: Controlling for gender, age, smoking, and the presence of asthma, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that homozygosity of the rs2076530 A allele, which has been reported to be a risk allele for sarcoidosis, was associated with a risk of sensitization towards Der f (Odds ratio; 1.55, p=0.0060). Conclusions: Although an association which may be due to the linkage disequilibrium with other genes in 6p 21 needs to be ruled out, the present findings suggest that the BTNL2 gene might be one of the candidate genes that is responsible for the pathogenesis of Derf-specific IgE responsiveness

Community structure and photosynthetic physiology of phytoplankton in the northwest subarctic Pacific during an in situ iron fertilization experiment (SEEDS-II)

Temporal changes in the abundance, community composition, and photosynthetic physiology of phytoplankton in surface waters were investigated during the second in situ iron (Fe) fertilization experiment in the NW subarctic Pacific (SEEDS-II). Surface chlorophyll a concentration was 0.75 mg m-3 on the day before the first Fe enrichment (i.e. Day 0), increased ca. 3-fold until Day 13 after two Fe additions, and thereafter declined with time. The photochemical quantum efficiency (Fv/Fm) and functional absorption cross-section (σPSII) of photosystem II for total phytoplankton in surface waters increased and decreased inside the Fe-enriched patch through Day 13, respectively. These results indicate that the photosynthetic physiological condition of the phytoplankton improved after the Fe infusions. However, the maximum Fv/Fm value of 0.43 and the maximum quantum yield of carbon fixation (φmax) of 0.041 mol C (mol photon)-1 during the development phase of the bloom were rather low, compared to their theoretical maximum of ca. 0.65 and 0.10 mol C (mol photon)-1, respectively. Diatoms, which were mainly composed of oceanic species, did not bloom, and autotrophic nanoflagellates such as cryptophytes and prasinophytes became predominant in the phytoplankton community inside the Fe-enriched patch. In ferredoxin/flavodoxin assays for micro-sized (20-200 μm in cell length) diatoms, ferredoxin was not detected but flavodoxin expressions consistently occurred with similar levels both inside and outside the Fe-enriched patch, indicating that the large-sized diatoms were stressed by Fe bioavailability inside the Fe-enriched patch even after the Fe enrichments. Our data suggest that the absence of a Fe-induced large-sized diatom bloom could be partly due to their Fe stress throughout SEEDS-II. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Association between Smoking Status and Obesity in a Nationwide Survey of Japanese Adults.

OBJECTIVE:A positive association between the number of cigarettes smoked per day and obesity has been reported, whereas how other smoking-related indices, such as pack-years and duration of smoking, are related with obesity has been less investigated. We analyzed the age-adjusted cross-sectional association between smoking and obesity in a general Japanese population. METHODS:We used data from a nationwide epidemiological study of Japanese adults (N = 23,106). We compared the prevalence of obesity (defined as body mass index ≥ 25kg/m2) among groups classified by smoking behavior, pack-years, number of cigarettes per day, duration of smoking, and duration and time of smoking cessation. RESULTS:In men, current smokers had a lower odds ratio (OR) for obesity of 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72-0.88) compared to non-smokers, whereas past smokers had a higher OR of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.09-1.37) compared to current smokers. In women, there were no differences in obesity between the three groups classified by smoking behavior. However, in both sexes, the prevalence of obesity tended to increase with pack-years and the number of cigarettes per day, but not with duration of smoking in current and past smokers. Further, in male smokers, the risks for obesity were markedly higher in short-term heavy smokers compared with long-term light smokers, even with the same number of pack-years. Regarding the impact of smoking cessation, female past smokers who quit smoking at an age > 55-years had an elevated OR of 1.60 (95% CI:1.05-2.38) for obesity. CONCLUSIONS:In a general Japanese population, obesity is progressively associated with pack-years and number of cigarettes per day, but not with the duration of smoking. When investigating the association between obesity and cigarette smoking, the daily smoking burden and the duration of smoking require to be independently considered

Characteristics of the Groups Classified by Smoking Status.

<p>Characteristics of the Groups Classified by Smoking Status.</p

Comparison of prevalence of obesity and odds ratio for obesity in male smokers stratified by duration of smoking.

<p>Comparison of prevalence of obesity and odds ratio for obesity in male smokers stratified by duration of smoking.</p

Association between age and the prevalence of obesity by smoking status in men and women.

<p>Data were determined using the second order logistic regression model with intercept, linear, and quadratic terms: logit(P) = intercept +αAge +β(Age-mean Age)2.</p