Variability of the chloroplast dna of sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg. Ehrendorfer, 1967) in Serbia

Genetic variability of sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg. Ehrendorfer, 1967) in Serbia is estimated applying cpDNA universal primer pairs that were characterized by a high informative level for chloroplast genome variability assessment in previous investigations. Five different haplotypes were detected in the analyzed sample material from populations in Serbia

NOS3 gene variants and male infertility: Association of 4a/4b with oligoasthenozoospermia

Results of recent studies confirmed that oxidative stress negatively affects sperm motility and causes sperm DNA damage. Produced by nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3), nitric oxide is considered to be one of the important mediators of oxidative stress in testis tissue. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association of three genetic variants (rs2070744, rs1799983 and intron variant 4a/4b) in NOS3 gene and infertility occurrence in two groups of infertile men (idiopathic azoospermia and oligoasthenozoospermia) and fertile controls. Genotypes for the single-nucleotide genetic variants rs1799983 and rs2070744 were determined by PCR-RFLP, while genotyping of intron 4 variant 4a/4b was performed by gel electrophoresis of PCR products. Statistical analysis was performed by SNPStats software. No significant association between the three genetic variants of the NOS3 gene and infertility risk was determined comparing allele and genotype frequencies among group of patients diagnosed with azoospermia and the control group. Nevertheless, there was a significant positive association between 4a/4b and infertility in the group of males diagnosed with oligoasthenozoospermia, under overdominant genetic model. Our findings suggest that tandem repeat variant within intron 4 of the NOS3 gene is associated with an increased risk of infertility in men diagnosed with idiopathic oligoasthenozoospermia.Andrologia (2017): e1281

Comparison of temporal and stride characteristics in myotonic dystrophies type 1 and 2 during dual-task walking

Objective: We analyzed temporal and stride characteristics in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2) while performing dual mental and motor tasks, and investigated correlations between gait parameters and cognitive impairments. Method: Dual-task walking was performed by 37 patients (20 DM1 and 17 DM2) and 48 healthy subjects divided into two groups, age-and gender-matched control group for DM1 (HC1) and age-and gender-matched control group for DM2 (HC2). The subjects performed a basic walking task, dual-motor task, dual-mental task, and combined motor and mental task. Results: DM1 and DM2 patients differed significantly in temporal and stride characteristics compared to HC. Main differences in DM1 were slower gait and shorter stride length, while both DM1 and DM2 patients had a higher degree of variation of the swing time during dual-task gait, a parameter that reflects posture and balance. Impact of the cognitive dual task on gait pattern changes was also observed. Visuospatial ability correlated with gait changes in DM1, while executive functions had stronger influence in DM2 (p lt 0.01). Both patient groups had leg muscle weakness. Conclusion: Gait pattern was impaired in both patient groups concerning temporal and stride characteristics. Dual-task walking paradigm may discover mild initial gait changes and could provide early identification of fall risks and predict possible falls in DM patients

Correlation between polymorphisms at promoter region of the NOS3 gene and prostate cancer in Serbian population

Objective: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common malignant disease in men in the Western Hemisphere. The NOS3 has a role in vascular development, regulation of the vascular tone and tumor growth in PC. In previous studies, the -786 T > C polymorphism was found to be the most important promoter alteration of the NOS3 gene that may affect the PC progression. The purpose of this study was to evaluate 786 T > C, -764A > G, -714 G > T, -690 C > T and -649 G > A polymorphisms in the promoter region of NOS3 gene as genetic indicators of the relative risk of the PC occurrence in Serbian population. Method: In this study, we characterized these polymorphisms by PCR amplification, followed by capillary electrophoresis sequencing in the peripheral blood samples from 50 patients with PC, 50 benign hyperplasia patients and 50 individuals over 40 years of age who showed no clinical signs of any prostatic disease, that were used as controls. Results: Three of the analyzed polymorphisms (-764A > G, -714 G > T and -649 G > A) were not detected during this study. It is interesting to observe that when the -786 T > C polymorphism was present, -690 C > T polymorphism was also found. Conclusion: This study demonstrates no association between the -786 T > C polymorphism in the promoter of the NOS3 gene and the development of PC

Analysis of two single nucleotide polymorphisms at locus 17q12 associated with prostate cancer in Serbian population

Introduction & Objectives: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most prevalent type of cancer in males, comprising about 29% of all malignant tumors. Association with race, family and specific gene variants suggests strong role of genetics in prostate cancer etiology. Two nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 17q12 locus have been associated with the risk of developing prostate cancer in several previous genome-wide association studies. The correlation between the prostate cancer and rs7501939 and rs3760511 has already been confirmed in other populations, the goal of this study is to test whether it applies to Serbian population. material & methods: Analyses were done on 150 peripheral blood samples, taken from 100 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer whose prostate-specific antigen (PSA) serum levels and Gleason score were available and from 50 patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) , while the controls were 100 DNA swab samples taken from healthy individuals. The work proceeded through PCR amplification of two regions surrounding SNPs, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and random capillary gel electrophoresis of PCR samples from each SNP group as a control of RFLP analysis. The differences in genotype frequencies between case and control subjects were tested using a chisquare test with 1 degree of freedom. Results: The Chi-square test was used to determine if there is a statistical correlation between the SNP and PC and BPH. In the case of rs3760511 there was no correlation between the controls and the PC, but at the same time, there was a major statistical correlation between the BPH and PC samples, and also between BPH and the controls. The rs7501939 also showed no statistical correlation between the controls and PC samples, but showed correlation between controls and BPH as well as between BPH and PC samples. Also, there is no statistical correlation between the Gleason score, PSA levels and the SNP’s studied. Conclusions: The two SNP’s studied are not correlated to the PC in Serbian population.Poster Session 1 PROSTATE CANCER I Friday, 28 Octobe