scholarly journals The common H202D variant in GDF-15 does not affect its bioactivity but can significantly interfere with measurement of its circulating levels

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanislava Karusheva ◽  
Matt Ratcliff ◽  
Audrey Melvin ◽  
Alexander Moerseburg ◽  
Naveed Sattar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Prognostic Biomarker ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
A Cell ◽  
The Common ◽  
Human Participants ◽  
Circulating Levels ◽  
Correction Equations ◽  
Variant Peptide

Genetic variants in proteins can interfere with measurement of their circulating concentrations. Given the growing biomedical importance of GDF-15, we wished to establish whether a common histidine to aspartate variant present in position 6 of the mature GDF-15 protein (H202D variant) interfered with its measurement by two commonly used immunoassays. We first examined the detectability of recombinant monomers, homodimers and heterodimers of GDF-15 by assays and/or reagents used in two widely used immunoassays (Roche Elecsys GDF-15 and the R&D antibody combinations used in their Quantikine and DuoSet ELISAs). The Roche assay detected the H and D containing peptides similarly but the assays based on the R&D reagents consistently underreported concentrations of the D-containing variant peptide. Measurements of plasma concentrations of GDF-15 in genotyped human participants showed that the R&D reagents reported values in heterozygotes were ~25% lower, and in homozygotes, 50% lower than the Roche assay. We finally studied the activation of the GDF-15 receptor, GFRAL-Ret, in a cell based assay and found that the activities of the HH and DD containing GDF-15 peptide were indistinguishable. These results have implications for the interpretation of genetic epidemiological studies which have used the R&D reagents to measure GDF-15, and for the emerging clinical use of GDF-15 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. We provide correction equations, which may be of utility for the analysis of data generated with the R&D reagents where the genotype of the participants is known.

Migraine: Genetic Variants and Clinical Phenotypes

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (34) ◽  
pp. 6207-6221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Innocenzo Rainero ◽  
Alessandro Vacca ◽  
Flora Govone ◽  
Annalisa Gai ◽  
Lorenzo Pinessi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Mthfr Gene ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Clinical Phenotypes ◽  
Network Analyses ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Relationship

Migraine is a common, chronic neurovascular disorder caused by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors. In the last two decades, molecular genetics of migraine have been intensively investigated. In a few cases, migraine is transmitted as a monogenic disorder, and the disease phenotype cosegregates with mutations in different genes like CACNA1A, ATP1A2, SCN1A, KCNK18, and NOTCH3. In the common forms of migraine, candidate genes as well as genome-wide association studies have shown that a large number of genetic variants may increase the risk of developing migraine. At present, few studies investigated the genotype-phenotype correlation in patients with migraine. The purpose of this review was to discuss recent studies investigating the relationship between different genetic variants and the clinical characteristics of migraine. Analysis of genotype-phenotype correlations in migraineurs is complicated by several confounding factors and, to date, only polymorphisms of the MTHFR gene have been shown to have an effect on migraine phenotype. Additional genomic studies and network analyses are needed to clarify the complex pathways underlying migraine and its clinical phenotypes.

scholarly journals Lack of an association between gallstone disease and bilirubin levels with risk of colorectal cancer: a Mendelian randomisation analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Culliford ◽  
Alex J. Cornish ◽  
Philip J. Law ◽  
Susan M. Farrington ◽  
Kimmo Palin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Gallstone Disease ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Mendelian Randomisation ◽  
Linear Relationships ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Circulating Levels

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies of the relationship between gallstone disease and circulating levels of bilirubin with risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) have been inconsistent. To address possible confounding and reverse causation, we examine the relationship between these potential risk factors and CRC using Mendelian randomisation (MR). Methods We used two-sample MR to examine the relationship between genetic liability to gallstone disease and circulating levels of bilirubin with CRC in 26,397 patients and 41,481 controls. We calculated the odds ratio per genetically predicted SD unit increase in log bilirubin levels (ORSD) for CRC and tested for a non-zero causal effect of gallstones on CRC. Sensitivity analysis was applied to identify violations of estimator assumptions. Results No association between either gallstone disease (P value = 0.60) or circulating levels of bilirubin (ORSD = 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.96–1.03, P value = 0.90) with CRC was shown. Conclusions Despite the large scale of this study, we found no evidence for a causal relationship between either circulating levels of bilirubin or gallstone disease with risk of developing CRC. While the magnitude of effect suggested by some observational studies can confidently be excluded, we cannot exclude the possibility of smaller effect sizes and non-linear relationships.

scholarly journals On Exact and Approximate Approaches for Stochastic Receptor-Ligand Competition Dynamics—An Ecological Perspective

Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 1014
Author(s):  
Polly-Anne Jeffrey ◽  
Martín López-García ◽  
Mario Castro ◽  
Grant Lythe ◽  
Carmen Molina-París
Keyword(s):  
Summary Statistics ◽  
Steady State Distribution ◽  
State Distribution ◽  
Cellular Receptors ◽  
Stochastic Description ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Common Resource ◽  
A Cell ◽  
The Common ◽  
Cellular Medium

Cellular receptors on the cell membrane can bind ligand molecules in the extra-cellular medium to form ligand-bound monomers. These interactions ultimately determine the fate of a cell through the resulting intra-cellular signalling cascades. Often, several receptor types can bind a shared ligand leading to the formation of different monomeric complexes, and in turn to competition for the common ligand. Here, we describe competition between two receptors which bind a common ligand in terms of a bi-variate stochastic process. The stochastic description is important to account for fluctuations in the number of molecules. Our interest is in computing two summary statistics—the steady-state distribution of the number of bound monomers and the time to reach a threshold number of monomers of a given kind. The matrix-analytic approach developed in this manuscript is exact, but becomes impractical as the number of molecules in the system increases. Thus, we present novel approximations which can work under low-to-moderate competition scenarios. Our results apply to systems with a larger number of population species (i.e., receptors) competing for a common resource (i.e., ligands), and to competition systems outside the area of molecular dynamics, such as Mathematical Ecology.

scholarly journals The mechanism of end-organ resistance to 1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in the common marmoset

1985 ◽  
Vol 227 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Takahashi ◽  
S Suda ◽  
T Shinki ◽  
N Horiuchi ◽  
Y Shiina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rhesus Monkeys ◽  
World Monkey ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Normal Growth ◽  
Common Marmoset ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Normal Diet ◽  
The Common ◽  
Diet Intake ◽  
Circulating Levels

The common marmoset, a New World monkey, requires a large amount of cholecalciferol (110 i.u./day per 100g body wt.) to maintain its normal growth. In a previous report, we demonstrated that the circulating levels of 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1 alpha,25(OH)2D3] in the marmosets are much higher than those in rhesus monkeys and humans, but the marmosets are not hypercalcaemic [Shinki, Shiina, Takahashi, Tanioka, Koizumi & Suda (1983) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 14, 452-457]. To compare the effect of the daily intake of cholecalciferol, two rhesus monkeys were given a large amount of cholecalciferol (900 i.u./day per 100g body wt). Their serum levels of calcium, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 24R,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol were markedly elevated, but the serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 levels remained within a range similar to those in the rhesus monkeys fed the normal diet (intake of cholecalciferol 5 i.u./day per 100g body wt). Intestinal cytosols prepared from both monkeys contained similar 3.5 S macromolecules to which 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 was bound specifically. However, the cytosols from the marmosets contained only one-sixth as many 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 receptors as those from the rhesus monkeys. Furthermore, the activity of the 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3-receptor complex in binding to DNA-cellulose was very low in the marmosets. These results suggest that the marmoset possesses an end-organ resistance to 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 and is a useful animal model for studying the mechanism of vitamin D-dependent rickets, type II.

Oral vanadyl sulfate in treatment of diabetes mellitus in rats

1989 ◽  
Vol 257 (3) ◽  
pp. H904-H911 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Ramanadham ◽  
J. J. Mongold ◽  
R. W. Brownsey ◽  
G. H. Cros ◽  
J. H. McNeill
Keyword(s):  
Heart Function ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Vanadyl Sulfate ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Endogenous Insulin ◽  
Body Weights ◽  
Treatment Of Diabetes ◽  
Working Heart ◽  
Circulating Levels ◽  
Insulin Like Activity

Recent reports have suggested that vanadium in the form of vanadyl (+IV) possesses insulin-like activity. Therefore, in the present study we examined the effects of administering oral vanadyl to diabetic animals. Wistar rats made diabetic with streptozotocin and age-matched controls were maintained for 10 wk in the absence and presence of vanadyl sulfate trihydrate in the drinking water. In the presence of vanadyl, decreases in rate of growth and circulating levels of insulin were the only significant alterations recorded in control animals. In contrast, diabetic animals treated with vanadyl, despite having lower body weights and insulin levels, had normal plasma concentrations of glucose, lipid, creatinine, and thyroid hormone. In addition, abnormalities in isolated working heart function and glycerol output from adipose tissue of diabetic animals were also corrected after vanadyl treatment. These results suggest that vanadium when used in the vanadyl form is effective in diminishing the diabetic state in the rat by substituting for and replacing insulin or possibly by enhancing the effects of endogenous insulin.

scholarly journals Emulation with Organic Memristive Devices of Impairment of LTP Mechanism in Neurodegenerative Disease Pathology

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Battistoni ◽  
Victor Erokhin ◽  
Salvatore Iannotta
Keyword(s):  
Neural Network ◽  
Information Transmission ◽  
Common Sense ◽  
Artificial Neuron ◽  
Cell Network ◽  
Neuron Networks ◽  
A Cell ◽  
The Common ◽  
Major Progress ◽  
Single Synapse

We explore and demonstrate the extension of the synapse-mimicking properties of memristive devices to a dysfunctional synapse as it occurs in the Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology. The ability of memristive devices to reproduce synapse properties such as LTP, LTD, and STDP has been already widely demonstrated, and moreover, they were used for developing artificial neuron networks (perceptrons) able to simulate the information transmission in a cell network. However, a major progress would be to extend the common sense of neuromorphic device even to the case of dysfunction of natural synapses. Can memristors efficiently simulate them? We provide here evidences of the ability of emulating the dysfunctional synaptic behavior typical of the AD pathology with organic memristive devices considering the effect of the disease not only on a single synapse but also in the case of a neural network, composed by numerous synapses.

scholarly journals Genetic variants of the EGFR ligand-binding domain and their association with structural alterations in Arab cancer patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Marzouq ◽  
Ali Nairouz ◽  
Noureddine Ben Khalaf ◽  
Sonia Bourguiba-Hachemi ◽  
Raed Quaddorah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Cancer ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Growth Factor Receptor ◽  
Genomic Analysis ◽  
Egfr Ligand ◽  
Energetic State ◽  
Epidermal Growth ◽  
The Common ◽  
Heterozygous Form

Abstract Objective This study aimed to identify novel genetic variants in the CR2 extracellular domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in healthy individuals and patients with six different types of adenocarcinoma, in Arabian peninsula populations. It also aimed to investigate the effects of these variants on the EGFR structure and their eventual relevance to tumorigenesis. Results We detected seven new EGFR genetic variants in 168 cancer patients and 114 controls. A SNP rs374670788 was more frequent in bladder cancer but not significantly associated to. However, a missense mutation (V550M) was significantly associated to colon, ovary, lung, bladder and thyroid cancer samples (p < 0.05). Three mutations (H590R, E602K and T605T) were found in the heterozygous form only in colon cancer patients. Genomic analysis of the synonymous mutation (G632G) showed that the T/A genotype could be associated to thyroid cancer in Arab patients (p < 0.05). An additional novel SNP rs571064657 was observed in control individuals. Computational analysis of the genetic variants revealed a reduction in the stabilization of the EGFR tethered form for both V550M and the common R521K variant with low energetic state (− ∆∆G). Molecular interactions analysis suggested that these mutations might affect the receptor’s function and promote tumorigenesis.

Mating type control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: a frameshift mutation at the common DNA sequence, X, of the HML alpha locus

1984 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-211
Author(s):  
K Tanaka ◽  
T Oshima ◽  
H Araki ◽  
S Harashima ◽  
Y Oshima
Keyword(s):  
Mating Type ◽  
Base Pair ◽  
Reading Frame ◽  
Base Pair Deletion ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Alpha Gene ◽  
The Common ◽  
Type Switch ◽  
Diploid Cells ◽  
Mat Locus

A mutation defective in the homothallic switching of mating type alleles, designated hml alpha-2, has previously been characterized. The mutation occurred in a cell having the HO MATa HML alpha HMRa genotype, and the mutant culture consisted of ca. 10% a mating type cells, 90% nonmater cells of haploid cell size, and 0.1% sporogenous diploid cells. Genetic analyses revealed that nonmater haploid cells have a defect in the alpha 2 cistron at the MAT locus. This defect was probably caused by transposition of a cassette originating from the hml alpha-2 allele by the process of the homothallic mating type switch. That the MAT locus of the nonmater cells is occupied by a DNA fragment indistinguishable from the Y alpha sequence in electrophoretic mobility was demonstrated by Southern hybridization of the EcoRI-HindIII fragment encoding the MAT locus with a cloned HML alpha gene as the probe. The hml alpha-2 mutation was revealed to be a one-base-pair deletion at the ninth base pair in the X region from the X and Y boundary of the HML locus. This mutation gave rise to a shift in the open reading frame of the alpha 2 cistron. A molecular mechanism for the mating type switch associated with the occurrence of sporogenous diploid cells in the mutant culture is discussed.

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization of Pathogenicity Locus (PaLoc) and tcdC Genetic Diversity Among tcdA+B+ Clostridioides Difficile Clinical Isolates in Tehran, Iran

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mansoor Kodori ◽  
Zohreh Ghalavand ◽  
Abbas Yadegar ◽  
Gita Eslami ◽  
Masoumeh Azimirad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Molecular Characterization ◽  
Disease Severity ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Clostridioides Difficile ◽  
Pcr Rflp ◽  
The Common ◽  
Healthcare Associated

Abstract Background: Clostridioides difficile is the main cause of healthcare-associated diarrhea worldwide. It is proposed that certain C. difficile toxinotypes with distinct pathogenicity locus (PaLoc) variants are associated with disease severity and outcomes. Additionally, few studies have described the common C. difficile toxinotypes, and also little is known about the tcdC variants in Iranian isolates. We characterized the toxinotypes and the tcdC genotypes from a collection of Iranian clinical C. difficile tcdA+B+ isolates with known ribotypes (RTs).Methods: Fifty C. difficile isolates with known RTs and carrying the tcdA and tcdB toxin genes were analyzed. Toxinotyping was carried out based on a PCR-RFLP analysis of a 19.6 kb region encompassing the PaLoc. Genetic diversity of the tcdC gene was determined by the sequencing of the gene.Results: Of the 50 C. difficile isolates investigated, five distinct toxinotypes were recognized. Toxinotypes 0 (33/50, 66%) and V (11/50, 22%) were the most frequently found. C. difficile isolates of the toxinotype 0 mostly belonged to RT 001 (12/33, 36.4%), whereas toxinotype V consisted of RT 126 (9/11, 81.8%). The tcdC sequencing showed six variants (35/50, 70%); tcdC-sc3 (24%), tcdC-A (22%), tcdC-sc9 (18%), tcdC-B (2%), tcdC-sc14 (2%), and tcdC-sc15 (2%). The remaining isolates were wild-types (15/50, 30%) in the tcdC gene.Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the majority of clinical tcdA+B+ isolates of C. difficile frequently harbor tcdC genetic variants. We also found that the RT 001/ toxinotype 0 and the RT 126/ toxinotype V are the most common types among Iranian isolates. Further studies are needed to investigate the putative association of various tcdC genotypes with CDI severity and its recurrence.

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