The Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Insertion/Deletion polymorphism is not associated with an increased risk of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia in ventilated very low birth weight infants

BACKGROUND: The ACE gene contains a polymorphism consisting of either the presence (insertion, I) or absence (deletion, D) of a 287 bp alu repeat in intron 16. The D allele is associated with increased ACE activity in both tissue and plasma. The DD genotype is associated with risk of developing ARDS and mortality. The frequency of the D allele is higher in patients with pulmonary fibrosis, sarcoidosis and berylliosis. The role of this polymorphism has not been studied in the development of BPD in the premature newborn. METHODS: ACE I/D genotype was determined in 245 (194 African-American, 47 Caucasian and 4 Hispanic) mechanically ventilated infants weighing less than 1250 grams at birth and compared to outcome (death and/or development of BPD). RESULTS: The incidence of the D allele in the study population was 0.58. Eighty-eight (35.9%) infants were homozygous DD, 107 (43.7%) were heterozygous ID and 50 (20.4%) were homozygous II. There were no significant differences between genotype groups with respect to ethnic origin, birth weight, gestation, or gender. There was no effect of the ACE I/D polymorphism on mortality or development of BPD (O(2 )on 28 days or 36 weeks PCA). Secondary outcomes (intraventricular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia) similarly were not influenced by the ACE ID polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS: The ACE I/D polymorphism does not significantly influence the development of BPD in ventilated infants less than 1250 grams

Angiotensinogen M235T gene variants and its association with essential hypertension and plasma renin activity in Malaysian subjects: A case control study

BACKGROUND: Essential hypertension is a major public health concern worldwide where its prevalence accounts for various cerebrovascular diseases. A common molecular variant of angiotensinogen (AGT), the precursor of potent vasoactive hormone angiotensin II, has been incriminated as a marker for genetic predisposition to essential hypertension in some ethnics. This case-control study was designed not only to determine the association of the AGT M235T gene variants with essential hypertension, but also its relationship to Plasma Renin Activity (PRA) in subjects attending the Health Clinic, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. METHODS: The study involved 188 subjects, 101 hypertensives and 87 normotensives. Consents were obtained from all the participated subjects. M235T gene variants were investigated using allele specific polymerase chain reaction and PRA was determined by radioimmunoassay. Hypertensinogenic factors such as dietary habits, physical activity, smoking and drinking habits were assessed using a pre-tested questionnaire. RESULTS: The genotype and allele distribution of the M235T variant differed significantly in hypertensives and normotensives (χ(2 = )23.184, P < 0.001 and χ(2 )= 21.482, P < 0.001, respectively). The odds ratio for hypertension was 1.36 (95% confidence interval 1.03–1.80) for subjects with homozygous mutated allele TT of the M235T variant compared with other genotypes or 1.98 (95% confidence interval 1.46–2.67) for those carrying T allele compared to those carrying M allele. Plasma Renin Activity is also significantly higher in hypertensive subjects (PRA = 3.8 ± 2.5 ngAI/ml/hr for hypertensives, PRA = 2.6 ± 1.3 ngAI/ml/hr for normotensives, P < 0.001), but was not significantly different between groups of genotypes (P = 0.118). CONCLUSION: The M235T variant of the AGT is significantly associated with essential hypertension whereas the genotype TT or allele T is a possible genetic marker or risk factor for hypertension in Malaysian subjects

Distribution of Glucosinolates in Brassica oleracea cultivars

Glucosinolates are important secondary compounds, commonly found in Brassicaceae. To what extent these sulfur and nitrogen containing compounds contribute to the total sulfur pool was investigated. In various cultivars of Brassica oleracea viz. curly kale, pointed cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage and white cabbage, total glucosinolate content and composition of the glucosinolate pool (aliphatic, aromatic and indolyl glucosinolates) were measured, together with determination of the total and inorganic sulfur and nitrogen contents. Differences in the contents of the individual glucosinolates were found between cultivars and plant parts. In all cultivars the total glucosinolate content was highest in the roots. Roots of curly kale had the highest gluconasturtiin content (12.6 mumol g(-1) DW), while the shoot of white cabbage had the lowest glucoiberin content (0.3 mumol g(-1) DW). Between all cultivars significant differences in glucosinolate content per class were found. Aromatic glucosinolates were highest in the roots of curly kale, accounting for 63% of the total content, while the roots of savoy cabbage had the highest aliphatic glucosinolate content (8.1 mumol g(-1) DW). Expression of the total glucosinolate fraction on a total sulfur basis showed that the contribution of the glucosinolate fraction was very low (1-2%). Since a large amount of total sulfur was present as sulfate (70-88%). total glucosinolate content was also expressed on an organic sulfur basis. These values ranged between 10-23%, for white cabbage and savoy cabbage, respectively. We conclude that expression on an organic sulfur basis is a better parameter to assess the fraction of glucosinolates than on a total sulfur basis. In addition, the organic fraction appears to be a better parameter to define the sulfur requirement for structural growth

Impact of atmospheric H₂S, salinity and anoxia on sulfur metabolism in <i>Zea mays</i>

Plants in coastal salt marshes have to deal with salinity, anoxia and excessive reduced sulfur at the same time. Sulfur metabolism is presumed to have significance in plant stress-tolerance. In order to obtain more insight into the physiological significance of sulfur metabolism in plant responses to multiple abiotic stress factors, the glycophyte maize (Zea mays) was exposed to atmospheric H2S, salinity and anoxia. Maize seedlings appeared to be rather unsusceptible for the potentially toxic effects of these stressors. A 7-day exposure to 0.25 µl l-1 H2S and/or anoxia (anoxic root conditions) slightly enhanced biomass production, whereas it was not affected upon exposure to 100 mM NaCl. A simultaneous exposure of plants to salinity with H2S and/or anoxia resulted in a decreased biomass production. The total sulfur content of the shoot and root was hardly affected by H2S exposure, whereas it was strongly decreased upon anoxia. The total sulfur content of the shoot was decreased upon exposure to salinity. The decreases in total sulfur content could be predominantly ascribed to a decrease in the sulfate content. H2S exposure only resulted in an enhanced content of the water-soluble non-protein thiol content in shoots, whereas it was not affected by salinity and anoxia. Only a simultaneous exposure of plants to H2S, salinity and/or anoxia resulted in an enhanced water-soluble non-protein thiol content of the root. Anoxia and salinity exposure induced aerenchyma formation in the root, and the increased root thiol contents might be the result of the direct diffusion of atmospheric H2S via the stomata through the aerenchyma and subsequent metabolism in the root

Polymorphisms of the renin-angiotensin system and the severity of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection vary in their rates of fibrosis progression. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) regulates fibrosis. Polymorphisms in the genes of the RAS may contribute to the outcome of renal and cardiovascular disease. We studied four RAS gene polymorphisms in 195 patients with chronic HCV infection. Patients were grouped by Ishak stage of fibrosis on liver biopsy: group 1 (fibrosis score 0 or 1; n = 97), group 2 (fibrosis score 2 or 3; n = 73) and group 3 (fibrosis score 4-6; n = 25). Polymorphisms of the angiotensinogen (AGT) gene (M235T and AT-6), the angiotensin I converting enzyme gene and the type 1 angiotensin II receptor gene were assayed. There was no difference in the distribution of these polymorphisms of the RAS between the fibrosis groups. There did not appear to be any increased prevalence of fibrosis if two or even three of the polymorphisms associated with increased RAS effect were present. On multivariate analysis factors significantly associated with fibrosis were necroinflammatory activity (P &lt; 0.001) and age (P &lt; 0.001). No association was identified between these four RAS polymorphisms and fibrosis in chronic HCV infection