No association of two Fas gene polymorphisms with Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis is a joint pathogenic process underlying autoimmune thyroid disease. Increased programmed cell death in thyrocytes causes hypothyroidism in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, whereas in Graves' disease infiltrating lymphocytes undergo apoptosis while thyrocytes appear to proliferate under protection of anti-apoptotic signals. The Fas/Fas ligand cascade represents a major pathway initiating apoptosis. Its role in autoimmunity is well studied and genetic polymorphisms in gene loci of Fas and its ligand have been shown to be associated with autoimmune diseases. OBJECTIVE: Due to the functional relevance of the Fas pathway in autoimmune thyroid disease we were interested in the possible contribution of polymorphisms in the Fas gene to the genetic risk of thyroid autoimmunity, which so far is mainly, but incompletely, attributed to the HLA DQ region and polymorphisms in the CTLA-4 gene. DESIGN: We genotyped Caucasian families with at least one offspring affected by Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n=95) and Graves' disease (n=109) for two Fas gene polymorphisms (g-670 G-->A in the promoter region, g-154 C-->T in exon 7). METHODS: Extended transmission disequilibrium and chi(2) testing were performed. RESULTS: Neither polymorphism alone (P=0.44 and P=0.70) nor the promoter/exon 7 haplotypes (P=0.86) were associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. No association with Graves' disease was observed for the promoter polymorphism (P=0.91) and exon 7 (P=0.65) or the promoter/exon 7 haplotypes (P=0.80). CONCLUSION: In summary, our data do not suggest any significant contribution of common genetic Fas variants to the genetic risk of developing Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease

The rs1990760 polymorphism within the IFIH1 locus is not associated with Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Addison's disease

Background: Three genes have been confirmed as major joint susceptibility genes for endocrine autoimmune disease:human leukocyte antigen class II, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 and protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22. Recent studies showed that a genetic variation within the interferon induced helicase domain 1 (IFIH1) locus (rs1990760 polymorphism) is an additional risk factor in type 1 diabetes and Graves' disease (GD). Methods: The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the rs1990760 polymorphism within the IFIH1 gene in German patients with GD (n=258), Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT,n=106), Addison's disease (AD,n=195) and healthy controls (HC,n=227) as well as in 55 GD families (165 individuals, German) and 100 HT families (300 individuals, Italian). Furthermore, the interaction between rs1990760 polymorphism with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) risk haplotype DQ2(DQA*0501-DQB*0201), the risk haplotypes DQ2/DQ8 (DQA*0301-DQB*0302) and the status of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and TSH receptor antibody (TRAb) in patients and families were analysed. Results:No significant differences were found between the allele and genotype frequencies for rs1990760 IFIH1 polymorphism in patients with GD, HT, AD and HC. Also no differences were observed when stratifying the IFIH1 rs1990760 polymorphism for gender, presence or absence of thyroid antibodies (GD:TRAb and HT:TPOAb/TgAb) and HLA risk haplotypes (DQ2:for GD and HT, DQ2/DQ8:for AD). Furthermore the transmission analysis in GD and HT families revealed no differences in alleles transmission for rs1990760 IFIH1 from parents with or without HLA risk haplotype DQ2 to the affected offspring. In contrast, by dividing the HT parents according to the presence or absence of thyroid Ab titers, mothers and fathers both positive for TPOAb/TgAb overtransmitted the allele A of IFIH1 rs1990760 to their HT affected offspring (61.8% vs 38.2%;p=0.05;corrected p [pc]=0.1). However, these associations did not remain statistically significant after correction of the p-values. Conclusion: In conclusion, our data suggest, no contribution from IFIH1 rs1990760 polymorphism to the pathogenesis of either Graves' disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Addison's disease in our study populations. However, in order to exclude a possible influence of the studied polymorphism in specified subgroups within patients with autoimmune thyroid disease, further investigations in larger populations are needed

Lack of association between estrogen receptor β dinucleotide repeat polymorphism and autoimmune thyroid diseases in Japanese patients

BACKGROUND: The autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITDs), such as Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), appear to develop as a result of complex interactions between predisposing genes and environmental triggers. Susceptibility to AITDs is conferred by genes in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and genes unlinked to HLA, including the CTLA-4 gene. Recently, estrogen receptor (ER) β, located at human chromosome 14q23-24.1, was identifed. We analyzed a dinucleotide (CA)n repeat polymorphism located in the flanking region of ERβ gene in patients with AITDs and in normal subjects. High heterozygosity makes this polymorphism a useful marker in the genetic study of disorders affecting female endocrine systems. We also correlated a ERβ gene microsatellite polymorphism with bone mineral density (BMD) in the distal radius and biochemical markers of bone turnover in patients with GD in remission. RESULTS: Fourteen different alleles were found in 133 patients with GD, 114 patients with HT, and 179 controls subjects. The various alleles were designated as allele(*)1 through allele(*)14 according to the number of the repeats, from 18 to 30. There was no significant difference in the distributions of ERβ alleles between patient groups and controls. Although recent study demonstrated a significant relation between a allele(*)9 in the ERβ gene and BMD in postmenopausal Japanese women, there were no statistically significant interaction between this allele and BMD in the distal radius, nor biochemical markers in patients with GD in remission. CONCLUSIONS: The present results do not support an association between the ERβ microsatellite marker and AITD in the Japanese population. We also suggest that the ERβ microsatellite polymorphism has at most a minor pathogenic importance in predicting the risk of osteoporosis as a complication of GD

Inherited Variation in Vitamin D Genes Is Associated With Predisposition to Autoimmune Disease Type 1 Diabetes

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] <50 nmol/L) is commonly reported in both children and adults worldwide, and growing evidence indicates that vitamin D deficiency is associated with many extraskeletal chronic disorders, including the autoimmune diseases type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Research Design and Methods: We measured 25(OH)D concentrations in 720 case and 2,610 control plasma samples and genotyped single nucleotide polymorphisms from seven vitamin D metabolism genes in 8,517 case, 10,438 control, and 1,933 family samples. We tested genetic variants influencing 25(OH)D metabolism for an association with both circulating 25(OH)D concentrations and disease status. Results: Type 1 diabetic patients have lower circulating levels of 25(OH)D than similarly aged subjects from the British population. Only 4.3 and 18.6% of type 1 diabetic patients reached optimal levels ($\geq$75 nmol/L) of 25(OH)D for bone health in the winter and summer, respectively. We replicated the associations of four vitamin D metabolism genes (GC, DHCR7, CYP2R1, and CYP24A1) with 25(OH)D in control subjects. In addition to the previously reported association between type 1 diabetes and CYP27B1 (P = 1.4 × 10$^{−4}$), we obtained consistent evidence of type 1 diabetes being associated with DHCR7 (P = 1.2 × 10$^{−3}$) and CYP2R1 (P = 3.0 × 10$^{−3}$). Conclusions: Circulating levels of 25(OH)D in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes vary seasonally and are under the same genetic control as in the general population but are much lower. Three key 25(OH)D metabolism genes show consistent evidence of association with type 1 diabetes risk, indicating a genetic etiological role for vitamin D deficiency in type 1 diabetes

Prednisolone is associated with a worse lipid profile than hydrocortisone in patients with adrenal insufficiency

Objective: Prednisolone is used as glucocorticoid replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency (AI). Recent data indicate that its use in AI is associated with low bone mineral density. Data on risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with AI treated with prednisolone are scarce, despite this condition being the predominant cause of excess mortality. We aimed to address this question using real-world data from the European Adrenal Insufficiency Registry (EU-AIR). // Design/methods: EU-AIR, comprising of 19 centres across Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, commenced enrolling patients with AI in August 2012. Patients receiving prednisolone (3–6 mg/day, n = 50) or hydrocortisone (15–30 mg/day, n = 909) were identified and grouped at a ratio of 1:3 (prednisolone:hydrocortisone) by matching for gender, age, duration and type of disease. Data from baseline and follow-up visits were analysed. Data from patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia were excluded. // Results: Significantly higher mean ± S.D. total (6.3 ± 1.6 vs 5.4 ± 1.1 mmol/L; P = 0.003) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels (3.9 ± 1.4 vs 3.2 ± 1.0 mmol/L; P = 0.013) were identified in 47 patients on prednisolone vs 141 receiving hydrocortisone at baseline and at follow-up (P = 0.005 and P = 0.006, respectively). HbA1c, high-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and waist circumference were not significantly different. // Conclusions: This is the first matched analysis of its kind. Significantly higher LDL levels in patients receiving prednisolone relative to hydrocortisone could predict a higher relative risk of cardiovascular disease in the former group

Effect of sitagliptin on cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND: Data are lacking on the long-term effect on cardiovascular events of adding sitagliptin, a dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor, to usual care in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind study, we assigned 14,671 patients to add either sitagliptin or placebo to their existing therapy. Open-label use of antihyperglycemic therapy was encouraged as required, aimed at reaching individually appropriate glycemic targets in all patients. To determine whether sitagliptin was noninferior to placebo, we used a relative risk of 1.3 as the marginal upper boundary. The primary cardiovascular outcome was a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 3.0 years, there was a small difference in glycated hemoglobin levels (least-squares mean difference for sitagliptin vs. placebo, -0.29 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.32 to -0.27). Overall, the primary outcome occurred in 839 patients in the sitagliptin group (11.4%; 4.06 per 100 person-years) and 851 patients in the placebo group (11.6%; 4.17 per 100 person-years). Sitagliptin was noninferior to placebo for the primary composite cardiovascular outcome (hazard ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.88 to 1.09; P<0.001). Rates of hospitalization for heart failure did not differ between the two groups (hazard ratio, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.20; P = 0.98). There were no significant between-group differences in rates of acute pancreatitis (P = 0.07) or pancreatic cancer (P = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, adding sitagliptin to usual care did not appear to increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, hospitalization for heart failure, or other adverse events

Позиционный электропривод механизма перемещения

Объектом исследования является позиционный асинхронный электропривод механизма горизонтального перемещения груза. Цель работы – исследовать основные характеристики асинхронного электропривода с трехконтурной системой управления положением вала двигателя. В процессе исследования проводились выбор асинхронного двигателя для механизма перемещения, расчет параметров двигателя, его статических и динамических характеристик, выбор преобразователя частоты, синтез трехконтурной системы управления следящим электроприводом на базе регулируемого с векторным управлением.The object of the study is a positional asynchronous electric drive mechanism for the horizontal movement of cargo. The purpose of the work is to investigate the basic characteristics of an asynchronous electric drive with a three-circuit control system for positioning the motor shaft. In the process of research, the choice of an asynchronous motor for the displacement mechanism, calculation of the engine parameters, its static and dynamic characteristics, choice of a frequency converter, synthesis of a three-circuit control system for a servomotor drive based on an adjustable vector control were made