Genetic polymorphisms for vascular endothelial growth factor in perinatal complications

Low birth weight (LBW) infants have increased susceptibility to perinatal complications. An immature and impaired vascular system may possibly participate in these complications. There is evidence that supports the notion that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which is an essential regulator of embryonic angiogenesis, plays a central role in the pathogenesis of perinatal complications. We aimed to test whether functional genetic polymorphisms of VEGF are associated with the risk of preterm birth or perinatal morbidity. We enrolled 128 LBW infants (<= 1500 grams). VEGF T-460C, VEGF C-2578A and VEGF G+405C polymorphisms were determined by real-time PCR or PCR-RFLP, respectively. Their genotypes were compared with VEGF genotypes of 200 healthy, term neonates. The prevalence of the VEGF+405 C allele was higher in LBW infants than in healthy, term neonates (OR [95% CI]: 1.29 [1.01-1.65]). Carrier state for the VEGF -2578A allele was an independent risk factor for enterocolitis necrotisans (NEC) (adjusted OR [95% CI]: 2.77 [1.00-7.65]). The carrier state for the VEGF -2578AA genotype was associated with a decreased risk of acute renal failure (ARF) (adjusted OR [95% CI]: 0.2 [0.05-0.78]). These results suggest that VEGF G+405C polymorphism might be associated with a higher risk of preterm birth and that VEGF C-2578A polymorphism may participate in the development of perinatal complications such as NEC and ARF

A vasháztartást szabályzó hepcidin kimutatása és szerepe a perinatalis vasháztartásban = Role of iron metabolism-regulator hepcidin in perinatal iron homeostasis

A hepcidin egy nemrégiben felfedezett, defenzin típusú peptid, amely központi szerepet játszik a vasháztartás szabályozásában. A hepcidin csökkenti a vastranszportban szerepet játszó molekulák expresszióját, így gátolja a vas gastrointestinalis rendszerből való felszívódását, makrofágokból való felszabadulását, csökkentve ezzel a szérum vasszintjét. A hepcidin vasháztartásban betöltött szerepének tisztázása segíthet a gyulladásos és krónikus betegségekben bekövetkező anémia pontosabb megértésében. Munkánk kezdetén a hepcidin kimutatására alkalmas, kereskedelmi forgalomban elérhető módszer nem állt rendelkezésre. Célunk volt egy, a vizelethepcidin kimutatására alkalmas módszer kidolgozása, valamint hogy ezen módszer segítségével vizsgáljuk a hepcidin jelentőségét a perinatalis vasháztartásban. Munkánk során a natív, emberi hepcidin aminosav-szekvenciájának megfelelően állítottunk elő peptidszármazékokat, amelyek közül az 1-7 peptidszármazékról igazoltuk, hogy alkalmas lehet a natív hepcidin standard helyettesítésére immunreakción alapuló módszerek fejlesztésekor. Kidolgoztunk egy, az emberi vizelethepcidin mennyiségi meghatározására alkalmas, lézerdeszorpciós tömegspektrometriás, szemikvantitatív módszert, amelyben az általunk szintetizált acetil-1-25 peptidszármazékot mint hepcidinszerű belső standardot elsőként alkalmaztuk. Kidolgoztunk a vizelet tisztítására és a vizelethepcidin koncentrálására alkalmas, szilárd fázisú extrakción alapuló módszert. Az általunk kidolgozott módszerrel elsőként mértük egészséges újszülöttek vizelethepcidin-szintjét, valamint egy kereskedelmi forgalomban elérhető módszerrel a szérumprohepcidin-szintjét. Kimutattuk, hogy az érett újszülöttek korai adaptációja során a szérumprohepcidin-szint nem változik, a vizelethepcidin viszont szignifikánsan nő. A szérumprohepcidin- és a vizelethepcidin-szintek egymással nem mutattak összefüggést. Kimutattuk, hogy az érett újszülöttek vasháztartásának korai adaptációja során a szérumprohepcidin-szintek kizárólag a vörösvérsejtek átlagos hemoglobinkoncentrációjával, míg a vizelethepcidin-szintek a szérumvasszinttel és teljes vaskötő kapacitással mutattak összefüggést. Kimutattuk, hogy az érett újszülöttek vasháztartásának korai adaptációja során a köldökzsinórvér-mintákban az alacsonyabb szérumprohepcidin-szintek esetén szabad vas jelenléte igazolható. Összefoglalva: Eredményeink alapján elmondhatjuk, hogy a hepcidinnek valószínűleg szerepe van az újszülöttek korai, a vasháztartást érintő adaptációjában, azonban további vizsgálatok szükségesek ahhoz, hogy ezt az összefüggést biztosan megállapíthassuk. | Hepcidin is a recently recognized defensin-like peptide, which is considered to be the central regulator of iron metabolism. Hepcidin decreases the expression of iron transporting molecules. Hepcidin reduces gastrointestinal iron absorption, iron release from the macrophages, and hence it decreases serum iron levels. Clarification of hepcidin role in iron homeostasis could provide an explanation to anemia of inflammation and chronic diseases. At start of our work there was no commercially available method for measuring urine hepcidin levels. The aim of our study was to develop an easily achievable, reliable quantification method for the determination of urine hepcidin levels in human, in addition to examine a possible association of hepcidin with neonatal iron homeostasis. According to the sequence of native, human hepcidin we have synthesized peptide derivatives from which 1-7 peptide derivatives might be suitable representatives of the 25-amino-acid form of hepcidin in immune adsorption method. We presented a novel laser-desorption mass spectrometry based semi-quantitative, reproducible method for measuring hepcidin concentration in human urine first using the synthesized peptide derivative acetyl-1-25 peptide as hepcidin related internal standard. We described an easy and quickly achievable solid-phase extraction method which is suitable for purification of urine and concentration of hepcidin. In our study we have first measured serum prohepcidin and urine hepcidin in healthy human newborns. Serum prohepcidin levels showed no significant changes, however, urine hepcidin levels increased significantly during the first postnatal days. Serum prohepcidin and urine hepcidin levels showed no significant association in healthy human newborns. Associations have been demonstrated between cord blood prohepcidin values and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration as well as between urine hepcidin levels and serum iron and total iron binding capacity values. We have demonstrated that neonates with detectable non-protein-bound iron levels in cord blood were presented with lower prohepcidin concentrations. In summary, our results suggest a possible link between hepcidin and early iron adaptation of newborn’s, however, further investigations should be done to elucidate this issue

Genetic polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor in severe pre-eclampsia

Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE). VEGF is a key component in the regulation of vascular remodelling and the survival of cytotrophoblasts in the placenta. In this case-control study, we aimed to test whether VEGF genetic polymorphisms are associated with the risk of severe PE. We enrolled 84 nulliparous pregnant women with severe PE (PE group). Their VEGF G(+405)C and VEGF C(-2578)A genotypes were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) from venous blood samples and were compared with the corresponding VEGF genotypes of 96 nulliparous patients with uncomplicated pregnancies (control group). Carriers of the VEGF(+405)G allele occurred less frequently in PE than in the control group [P = 0.039; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.28, range: 0.08-0.93]. Hypertension and proteinuria were diagnosed earlier (by 1.6 weeks and 1.9 weeks, respectively) in PE patients with VEGF(-2578)A only after adjustment of this association for risk factors of PE. Our results suggest that carriers of VEGF(+405)G allele have a decreased susceptibility to PE and that the progression of PE may be modified by the presence of VEGF(-2578)A allele. Nevertheless, the clinical significance of these findings remains to be determined

Increased mucosal expression of toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4 in coeliac disease

Objectives: The dysregulation of adaptive immunity is extensively investigated in celiac disease (CD). Recent data also suggest, however, the implication of innate immunity in CD. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a central role in the initiation or maintenance of innate immune responses. The aim of this study was to characterise the expression of TLR2, TLR3, and TLR4 in duodenal biopsy samples taken from children with CD and from controls. Patients and Methods: Duodenal biopsy specimens were collected from 16 children with untreated CD, 9 children with treated CD, and 10 controls. The mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR3, and TLR4 was determined by semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Protein levels of TLRs were determined by Western blot. Results: We found higher TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression and protein levels in the duodenal mucosa of children with treated CD and untreated CD compared with controls. TLR2 and TLR4 mRNA expression and protein levels were even higher in the; duodenal mucosa of children with treated CD than in untreated, CD. TLR3 mRNA expression was increased in the duodenal mucosa of children with treated CD compared with untreated CD and controls. We were able to detect TLR3 protein only in the biopsy specimens of treated patients with CD. Conclusions: The alteration of TLR2 and TLR4 expression in the duodenal mucosa of patients with CD supports the potential implication of innate immune system in the pathomechanism of this disease

Genetic polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor and angiopoietin 2 in retinopathy of prematurity

Angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin 2 (Ang2) contribute to development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We aimed to test whether polymorphisms of these factors are associated with ROP. VEGF(-2578) and Ang2(-35) polymorphisms were analyzed with PCR-RFLP method in 200 preterm infants without ROP or with ROP stages 1-5. Our results suggest that there is no association between carrier state of VEGF(-2578) and Ang2(-35) and risk of ROP in preterm infants. The prevalence of VEGF(-2578) "A allele was lower in preterm boys with severe ROP (stages 4-5) than in those without or with mild ROP (stages 1-3)