Offspring of parents with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy have higher C-reactive protein levels suggestive of inflammatory processes: a longitudinal study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite the characteristic extensive tubulointerstitial fibrosis, Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) is usually considered a non-inflammatory disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined a marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP), in the offspring of patients with BEN, a population at risk for BEN, prior to development of established disease to determine if an inflammatory process could be identified in the early stages of the disease. In 2003/04, 102 adult offspring whose parents had BEN and a control group of 99 adult offspring of non-BEN patients were enrolled in this prospective study. This cohort was re-examined yearly for four consecutive years. Levels of serum CRP were measured in years 3 and 4 and compared between groups. The data were analyzed with mixed models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared to controls, offspring of BEN parents had statistically higher CRP levels in two consecutive years, suggestive of early inflammatory reactivity. Whenever the mother was affected by BEN (both parents, or mother only), serum CRP was significantly increased, but not if only the father had BEN. CRP was inversely related to kidney cortex width but not to markers or renal function.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Early stages of BEN may involve inflammatory processes. The observation of a maternal involvement supports the concept of fetal programming, which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of other chronic kidney diseases.</p

Silencing and Nuclear Repositioning of the λ5 Gene Locus at the Pre-B Cell Stage Requires Aiolos and OBF-1

The chromatin regulator Aiolos and the transcriptional coactivator OBF-1 have been implicated in regulating aspects of B cell maturation and activation. Mice lacking either of these factors have a largely normal early B cell development. However, when both factors are eliminated simultaneously a block is uncovered at the transition between pre-B and immature B cells, indicating that these proteins exert a critical function in developing B lymphocytes. In mice deficient for Aiolos and OBF-1, the numbers of immature B cells are reduced, small pre-BII cells are increased and a significant impairment in immunoglobulin light chain DNA rearrangement is observed. We identified genes whose expression is deregulated in the pre-B cell compartment of these mice. In particular, we found that components of the pre-BCR, such as the surrogate light chain genes λ5 and VpreB, fail to be efficiently silenced in double-mutant mice. Strikingly, developmentally regulated nuclear repositioning of the λ5 gene is impaired in pre-B cells lacking OBF-1 and Aiolos. These studies uncover a novel role for OBF-1 and Aiolos in controlling the transcription and nuclear organization of genes involved in pre-BCR function

Transient transformation of sunflower leaf discs via an Agrobacterium-mediated method: applications for gene expression and silencing studies

The sunflower belongs to the Compositae family and is an economically important crop because of the quality of its oil. Unfortunately, molecular analyses are limited due to the lack of genomic information, mutant libraries and efficient and rapid transformation protocols. In a wide variety of species, Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation is a useful tool that can provide valuable insight into many biological processes. However, this technology has not been routinely applied to the sunflower because of difficulties with infiltration. Here, we present an optimized protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transient transformation of leaf discs. Using this procedure, we were able to quickly overexpress or silence a given gene, enabling us to study several biochemical processes and characterize sunflower regulatory sequences. One of the major advantages of this approach is that in only 1 work-week it is possible to acquire considerable molecular information while avoiding the use of controversial heterologous systems. Transforming heterologous species is frequently unacceptable, as the conservation of molecular events in many cases is not well documented.Fil: Manavella, Pablo Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Chan, Raquel Lia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral; Argentin