The case for strategic international alliances to harness nutritional genomics for public and personal health

Nutrigenomics is the study of how constituents of the diet interact with genes, and their products, to alter phenotype and, conversely, how genes and their products metabolise these constituents into nutrients, antinutrients, and bioactive compounds. Results from molecular and genetic epidemiological studies indicate that dietary unbalance can alter gene-nutrient interactions in ways that increase the risk of developing chronic disease. The interplay of human genetic variation and environmental factors will make identifying causative genes and nutrients a formidable, but not intractable, challenge. We provide specific recommendations for how to best meet this challenge and discuss the need for new methodologies and the use of comprehensive analyses of nutrient-genotype interactions involving large and diverse populations. The objective of the present paper is to stimulate discourse and collaboration among nutrigenomic researchers and stakeholders, a process that will lead to an increase in global health and wellness by reducing health disparities in developed and developing countrie

Association between 894G>T Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene Polymorphisms and Metabolic Syndrome 1366 Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab 2008;52/8 copyright © ABE&M todos os direitos reservados

AbstrAct Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and type II diabetes. Here, we performed a case-control study analyzing the association between 894G>T endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism (NOS3) and MS in 616 subjects. Genotype frequencies were TT= 9.3%, GG= 37.2 and TG= 53.6% and the allelic frequencies were T=0.36 and G= 0.64. We observed a higher TT genotype frequency in the male MS group than control subjects (p=0.02), independent of other variables. We found an association between hypertension and TT genotype in females. Our data suggests that 894G>T plays a significant role in the mechanistic interaction between metabolic risk such as hypertension and MS, although sex-related differences may exist. A síndrome metabólica (SM) é um agrupamento de fatores de riscos cardiovasculares, tais como hipertensão, dislipidemia, obesidade e diabetes tipo 2. Realizou-se um estudo caso-controle para analisar a associação entre o polimorfismo (894G>T do gene da enzima endotelial oxido nítrico sintetase (NOS3) e a SM em 616 voluntários. As freqüências genotípicas foram: TT = 9,3%, GG = 37,2% e TG = 53,6%, e as freqüências alélicas T = 0,36 e G = 0,64. Observou-se freqüência mais alta do genótipo TT em homens com SM do que nos controles, independentemente de outros fatores (p = 0,02). Também observou-se associação entre hipertensão e o genótipo TT nas mulheres. Os dados do estudo sugerem que o polimorfismo 894G>T pode ter papel significativo na interação entre riscos metabólicos, tais como a hipertensão e a SM, ainda que existam diferenças relacionadas ao sexo

Horizons in nutritional science : The case for strategic international alliances to harness nutritional genomics for public and personal health.

Nutrigenomics is the study of how constituents of the diet interact with genes, and their products, to alter phenotype and, conversely, how genes and their products metabolise these constituents into nutrients, antinutrients, and bioactive compounds. Results from molecular and genetic epidemiological studies indicate that dietary unbalance can alter gene–nutrient interactions in ways that increase the risk of developing chronic disease. The interplay of human genetic variation and environmental factors will make identifying causative genes and nutrients a formidable, but not intractable, challenge. We provide specific recommendations for how to best meet this challenge and discuss the need for new methodologies and the use of comprehensive analyses of nutrient–genotype interactions involving large and diverse populations. The objective of the present paper is to stimulate discourse and collaboration among nutrigenomic researchers and stakeholders, a process that will lead to an increase in global health and wellness by reducing health disparities in developed and developing countries

Preditores cardiovasculares da mortalidade em idosos longevos Cardiovascular mortality predictors in the oldest old

O objetivo deste trabalho é investigar a associação entre fatores de risco e morbidade cardiovascular com mortalidade em idosos longevos. Noventa e um por cento da população com idade <FONT FACE=Symbol>&sup3;</FONT> 80 anos (n = 193) de Veranópolis, Rio Grande do Sul, no ano de 1996, foram avaliados para a detecção de fatores de risco e morbidade cardiovascular. Acompanhou-se esta população durante 3 anos e registraram-se os casos de óbitos. Os dados foram analisados por análise univariada e multivariada por regressão logística. Ocorreram 41 (21%) óbitos (20 homens e 21 mulheres). As mortes foram distribuídas ao longo do período estudado como se segue: 3 (7,3%) no primeiro ano, 8 (19,5%) no segundo ano e 30 (73,2%) no terceiro ano. Observou-se associação significativa de óbito com as seguintes características: pressão arterial diastólica (PAD), colesterol total (CT), LDL-C, ApoA-I, acidente vascular encefálico prévio (AVC), bloqueio do ramo direito (BRD) e hipertrofia ventricular esquerda (HVE) ao ECG. Os sobreviventes apresentaram níveis mais elevados de PAD, CT, LDL-C e ApoA-I. AVC, BRD e HVE. A análise multivariada mostrou que as variáveis eram fatores de risco independentes. Os fatores de risco cardiovascular parecem atuar de forma diferenciada em longevos.<br>This article investigates the association between cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the oldest old. In 1996, 91% of the population <FONT FACE=Symbol>&sup3;</FONT> 80 years of age from Veranópolis, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, were evaluated to detect cardiovascular risk factors and morbidity. The sample was followed up for three years, with the assessment of deaths. The analysis was done using univariate statistics and multivariate logistic regression analysis. There were 41 deaths (21%): 20 men and 21 women. Deaths were distributed by year as follow: 03 (7.3%) in the first year, 08 (19.5%) in the second, and 30 (73.2%) in the third. There was a significant and independent association between death and the following variables: diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, ApoA-I, prior stroke (CVA), right bundle branch block (RBBB), and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) by ECG. Survivors presented higher levels of DBP, TC, LDL-C, ApoA-I, CVA, RBBB and LVH. According to the multivariate analysis, the variables were independent risk factors for mortality. Cardiovascular risk factors appear to have a distinct impact on the oldest old

Associations among Metabolic Syndrome, Ischemia, Inflammatory, Oxidatives, and Lipids Biomarkers

Context: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is described as a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors. Studies suggest that ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) is a biomarker of cardiovascular diseases. IMA levels could be associated with cardiometabolic risks and represent a possible indication of microvascular dysfunction in MS patients