Psoriasis and cardiovascular risk: Immune-mediated crosstalk between metabolic, vascular and autoimmune inflammation

Introduction and background In the last few years, a substantial body of evidence indicates that cutaneous psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, underlying mechanism remains not completely understood. In this review we discuss the role of the immune system in the development of atherosclerosis, focusing on available data implicating the role of an enhanced immune-mediated proinflammatory status in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis diseases. Methods A systematic search was performed on Pubmed until November 2014, with preference to the sources published within the past 8 years, including epidemiological studies (prospective and retrospective); cross-sectional case–control studies and reviews. Articles were selected according critical associations using the following keywords: arthritis, immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, and psoriasis. These were combined with closely related keywords reflecting cardiovascular diseases: atherogenesis, endothelial dysfunction, intima media thickness, subclinical atherosclerosis, plaque, thrombosis, thrombus, fibrinolysis, coagulation, and reactive oxygen species. Both types of disease selected terms were separately combined with non-traditional (innate and adaptive pro and anti-inflammatory immune molecules and cells) and traditional (metabolic related conditions and molecules) cardiovascular risk factors. Results and conclusions Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis diseases illustrate that immune-mediated activated crossroads of inflammation beyond enhanced cardiovascular risk factors are the result of an interplay between different proatherogenic mediators derived from metabolic, vascular and autoimmune joint and skin inflamed target tissue. Consistent with this point of view, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis diseases offer an invaluable opportunity to reinforce our knowledge about atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.Fil: Kolliker Frers, Rodolfo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital Gral.de Agudos "ramos Mejia"; ArgentinaFil: Bisoendial, R. J.. University Of Amsterdam; Países BajosFil: Montoya, S. F.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital Gral.de Agudos "ramos Mejia"; ArgentinaFil: Kerzkerg, E.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital Gral.de Agudos "ramos Mejia"; ArgentinaFil: Castilla Lozano, Maria del Rocio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); ArgentinaFil: Tak, P. P.. University Of Amsterdam; Países BajosFil: Milei, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); ArgentinaFil: Capani, Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas (i); Argentina. Universidad Arg."john F.kennedy"; Argentin

Targeted LC–MS derivatization for aldehydes and carboxylic acids with a new derivatization agent 4-APEBA

Based on the template of a recently introduced derivatization reagent for aldehydes, 4-(2-(trimethylammonio)ethoxy)benzeneaminium dibromide (4-APC), a new derivatization agent was designed with additional features for the analysis and screening of biomarkers of lipid peroxidation. The new derivatization reagent, 4-(2-((4-bromophenethyl)dimethylammonio)ethoxy)benzenaminium dibromide (4-APEBA) contains a bromophenethyl group to incorporate an isotopic signature to the derivatives and to add additional fragmentation identifiers, collectively enhancing the abilities for detection and screening of unknown aldehydes. Derivatization can be achieved under mild conditions (pH 5.7, 10 °C). By changing the secondary reagent (1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide instead of sodium cyanoborohydride), 4-APEBA is also applicable to the selective derivatization of carboxylic acids. Synthesis of the new label, exploration of the derivatization conditions, characterization of the fragmentation of the aldehyde and carboxylic acid derivatives in MS/MS, and preliminary applications of the labeling strategy for the analysis of aldehydes in urine and plasma are described

Use of AFLP and RAPD molecular genetic markers and cytogenetic analysis to explore relationships among taxa of the Patagonian Bromus setifolius complex

Bromus setifolius var. pictus (Hook) Skottsb., B. setifolius var. setifolius Presl. and B.setifolius var. brevifolius Ness are three native Patagonian taxa in the section Pnigma Dumort of the genus Bromus L. AFLP and RAPD analysis, in conjunction with genetic distance measurements and statistical techniques, revealed variation within this group and indicated that B. setifolius var. brevifolius was closely related to B. setifolius var. pictus, with both taxa being more distantly related to B. setifolius var. setifolius. Cytogenetic analysis confirmed the chromosomal number of B. setifolius var. pictus (2n = 70) and B. setifolius var. setifolius (2n = 28) and showed for the first time that B. setifolius var. brevifolius had 2n = 70. The combination of molecular genetic and cytogenetic evidence supported a species status for two of the three taxa and suggested hypotheses for the evolutionary origin of these complex taxa. Species status was also indicated for B. setifolius var. setifolius. Based on these findings, we suggest that B. setifolius var. pictus be referred to as B. pictus Hook var. pictus, and B. setifolius var brevifolius as B. pictus Hook var brevifolius. The correlation between AFLP diversity and variation in ecological parameters suggested that this marker system could be used to assess breeding progress and to monitor the domestication of Patagonian Bromus species for agronomic use

Sexually Antagonistic “Zygotic Drive” of the Sex Chromosomes

Genomic conflict is perplexing because it causes the fitness of a species to decline rather than improve. Many diverse forms of genomic conflict have been identified, but this extant tally may be incomplete. Here, we show that the unusual characteristics of the sex chromosomes can, in principle, lead to a previously unappreciated form of sexual genomic conflict. The phenomenon occurs because there is selection in the heterogametic sex for sex-linked mutations that harm the sex of offspring that does not carry them, whenever there is competition among siblings. This harmful phenotype can be expressed as an antagonistic green-beard effect that is mediated by epigenetic parental effects, parental investment, and/or interactions among siblings. We call this form of genomic conflict sexually antagonistic “zygotic drive”, because it is functionally equivalent to meiotic drive, except that it operates during the zygotic and postzygotic stages of the life cycle rather than the meiotic and gametic stages. A combination of mathematical modeling and a survey of empirical studies is used to show that sexually antagonistic zygotic drive is feasible, likely to be widespread in nature, and that it can promote a genetic “arms race” between the homo- and heteromorphic sex chromosomes. This new category of genomic conflict has the potential to strongly influence other fundamental evolutionary processes, such as speciation and the degeneration of the Y and W sex chromosomes. It also fosters a new genetic hypothesis for the evolution of enigmatic fitness-reducing traits like the high frequency of spontaneous abortion, sterility, and homosexuality observed in humans