Association of interleukin-4 promoter polymorphisms in Taiwanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Many factors have been implicated in the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Recently, immune response and inflammation were suggested to play certain roles in the development and complications of T2DM. The aim of this study is to investigate the putative correlation between the promoter polymorphisms of interleukin-4 (IL-4), one of the immune-regulatory type 2 helper T-cell cytokines, and T2DM. Genomic DNA from 425 Taiwanese T2DM patients and 148 nondiabetic control study subjects were extracted, and their IL-4 promoter polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Both of the distribution of IL-4 C-589T (P=.013) and C-34T (P=.05) genotypes were significantly different between T2DM patients and control subjects. Significant association between IL-4 C-589T alleles (P=.002) and T2DM, as well as C-34T alleles and T2DM (P=.024), was also identified. In addition, a statistically significant association between homologous IL-4 -589 C/C genotype and lower circulatory high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was observed. Our results suggested that IL-4 promoter polymorphisms are associated with T2DM. A significant association between IL-4 -589 C/C genotype and lower circulatory high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was observed as well. The above results suggested that IL-4 may participate in lipid metabolism and diabetic susceptibility. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Polymorphisms of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 and cytokine genes in Taiwanese patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Cytokines, costimulatory and counter-regulatory molecules play important roles in the regulation of inflammatory response, and are good candidates involved in the development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This study investigated the genotypic distribution of proinflammatory cytokines and T-cell negative regulator cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) in healthy subjects and AS patients. Genomic DNA was extracted from 143 AS patients and 166 ethnic-matched healthy subjects. Nine polymorphisms within the genes of interleukin-4 (IL-4) (-34T > C, -81A > G, -285C > T and -589T > C), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (-174G > C), interleukin-10 (IL-10) (-592A > C and -819T > C) and CTLA-4 (-318C > T and +49A > G) were examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Significantly less AS patients carried the CTLA-4 high-expressing -318 T allele (P = 0.040). The CTLA-4 +49A > G genotypes were associated with circulatory levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) (P = 0.022). Our study documented the most complete genetic information of Taiwanese AS patients. The observations that CTLA-4 +49A > G genotypes are associated with circulatory CRP levels and significantly less AS subjects carrying CTLA-4 higher-secretor -318 T allele suggest the level and regulation of inflammation in AS subjects may be pre-determined by and associated with CTLA-4 genotypes

Up-Regulation of Interleukin-17 Expression by Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E6 in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 infection is associated with nonsmoking lung cancer. In this study, the authors investigated a putative correlation between interleukin (IL)-17 expression and HPV infection in clinical nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and examined the effects of HPV infection on a human NSCLC cell line. METHODS: IL-17 expression was investigated in 79 NSCLC tumor tissues by immunohistochemistry. Growth rate, IL-17 mRNA, and secreting protein levels were also examined in HPV 16/18 E6-transfected H1299 human NSCLC cells. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical data showed that 48.1% of lung tumors had IL-17 staining, which was significantly associated with patients' sex (P=.03), HPV infection (P=.002), and tumor stage (P=.03). Significant correlations of IL-17 with IL-6 (P<.001) and IL-17 with Mcl-1 (P<.001) expression were also observed. Cell growth rate was increased, and IL-17/Mcl-1 expression levels were elevated in HPV 16 E6-transfected H1299 cells. The transfected E6 oncoproteins can significantly up-regulate expression levels of IL-17 and antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that HPV infection-induced IL-17 levels can stimulate Mcl-1 expression through the PI3K pathway and promote lung tumor cell progression through a p53-and IL-6-independent pathway. Cancer 2010; 116: 4800-9. (C) 2010 American Cancer Society

Inclusão de milheto em dietas para alevinos de tilápia-do-nilo formuladas com base na proteína e energia digestíveis Millet perls inclusion on feeding of Nile tilapia fingerlings on the basis of digestible protein and energy

Avaliou-se a inclusão de milheto em rações com 30% de proteína digestível e 3.000 kcal de energia digestível/kg para alevinos de tilápia-do-nilo. O experimento foi realizado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco rações (0,00; 7,00; 14,00; 21,00 e 28,00% de inclusão de milheto), cada uma com cinco repetições. Utilizaram-se 200 alevinos de tilápia-do-nilo, linhagem tailandesa, revertidos sexualmente, com peso médio de 0,92 g e 35 dias de idade, distribuídos em 25 tanques de 150 L. Avaliaram-se o ganho de peso, a conversão alimentar aparente, a taxa de sobrevivência, o índice hepato-somático, o rendimento de carcaça e a porcentagem de gordura na carcaça. Os desempenho dos alevinos não diferiu entre as rações, o que indica que os níveis de energia não influenciaram as características de desempenho. O milheto pode ser utilizado na alimentação de alevinos de tilápia-do-nilo em substituição total à energia e proteína do milho, pois não prejudica o desempenho nem a qualidade da carcaça dos animais.<br>It was evaluated the inclusion of millet perls in rations with 30% of digestible protein and 3,000 kcal/kg of digestible energy for Nile tilapia fingerlings. The experiment was carried out in complete randomized design with five rations (0.00; 7.00; 14.00; 21.00 and 28.00% millet perls inclusion), each one with five replicates. It was used 200 sexual reverted Thai lineage Nile tilapia fingerlings, at 0.92g of initial weight and 35 days of age, distributed in 25 tanks (150 L). Weight gain, apparent feed conversion, survival rate, hepatic-somatic rate, carcass yield and carcass fat percentage were evaluated. The performance of the fingerlings did not differ among rations, indicating that levels of energy did not influence the characteristics of performance. Millet pearls can be used in feeds for Nile tilapia fingerlings totally replacing energy and protein of corn without effect on performance and carcass quality of the animals