Specificities of multi-primer polymerase chain reaction optimization for the detection of infectious pneumonia agents in human

Objectives. The objectives of this work are the development of a multi-primer system based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) aimed at the simultaneous detection of six bacterial pathogens that cause human pneumonia and the determination of the parameters important for the optimization of this multi-primer system, including solid-phase PCR systems (biological microarrays).Methods. To determine the optimal parameters of the system, PCR methods were used in monoplex and multiplex formats.Results. Primers for Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenza, Legionella pneumophila, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Streptococcus pneumoniae detection were designed, and the PCR cycling conditions were optimized. The patterns of primer design for solidphase PCR were revealed.Conclusions. The developed prototype of a system specifically identifies six clinically significant bacterial pathogens. It could be expanded for the analysis of viral and fungal pathogens and used in clinical diagnostics. A prototype of a system for pathogenic agent detection in the immobilized phase (biological microarray) was created.

An Antisense Circular RNA Regulates Expression of RuBisCO Small Subunit Genes in Arabidopsis

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a novel class of endogenous long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and participates in diverse physiological process in plants. From the dataset obtained by high-throughput RNA sequencing, we identified a circRNA encoded by the sense strand of the exon regions spanning two RuBisCO small subunit genes, RBCS2B and RBCS3B, in Arabidopsis thaliana. We further applied the single specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Sanger sequencing techniques to verify this circRNA and named it ag-circRBCS (antisense and across genic-circular RNA RBCS). Using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), we found that ag-circRBCS shares a similar rhythmic expression pattern with other RBCS genes. The expression level of ag-circRBCS is 10–40 times lower than the expression levels of RBCS genes in the photosynthetic organs in Arabidopsis, whereas the Arabidopsis root lacked ag-circRBCS expression. Furthermore, we used the delaminated layered double hydroxide lactate nanosheets (LDH-lactate-NS) to deliver in vitro synthesized ag-circRBCS into Arabidopsis seedlings. Our results indicate that ag-circRBCS could significantly depress the expression of RBCS. Given that ag-circRBCS was expressed at low concentration in vivo, we suggest that ag-circRBCS may represent a fine-tuning mechanism to regulating the expression of RBCS genes and protein content in Arabidopsis.

Interleukin-18 and interferon-γ single nucleotide polymorphisms in Egyptian patients with tuberculosis

Background Interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) are cytokines of crucial role in inflammation and immune reactions. There is a growing evidence supporting important roles for IL-18 and IFN γ in tuberculosis (TB) infection and anti-tuberculosis immunity. Objective To evaluate the role of polymorphisms in IL-18-607 and -137 and INF-γ +874 in susceptibility to TB infection among Egyptian patients. Methods A case control study was conducted to investigate the polymorphism at IL-18-607, -137 and INF-γ+874 by sequence specific primer-polymerase chain reaction (SSP- PCR) in 105 patients with pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis and 106 controls. Results A significant protective effect against TB was found in homozygous CC genotype at IL-18 -137G/C, in addition to a 7-fold risk with GG and GC genotypes in the recessive model. Apart from a decreased risk with the AC genotype, no association was detected between the susceptibility to TB and different genotypes or alleles at the IL-18 -607A/C site. The homozygous AA genotype in INF-γ+874 showed a significant higher risk to TB than the homozygous TT or heterozygous AT genotypes with nearly a 2-fold risk of TB infection with the A allele. Regarding haplotype association, the GC haplotype was strongly associated with TB infection compared to other haplotypes. Conclusion These findings suggest; for the first time in Egypt; a significant risk to TB infection with SNP at the IL-18-137G/C with no LD with SNP at the IL-18-607 site. The homozygous AA genotype in INF-γ+874 showed a significant higher risk to TB than the homozygous TT or heterozygous AT genotypes.

Association of HLA-DR Alleles With Pulmonary Cystic Fibrosis

Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease in white Caucasians. It affects many organs including the lung, pancreas, and liver. Whilst CF is a monogenic disease, several studies revealed a complex relationship between genotype and clinical phenotype of diseases. Objective of study: We examined the expression of HLA class II alleles among Iranian CF patients in relation to disease-related bacterial infection. Materials and methods: This study was conducted on 50 CF patients (27 males, 23 females aged 15.5±6.5 years) hospitalized in the Masih Daneshvari hospital in Tehran, Iran and 50 healthy age- and gender-matched control subjects. 5ml whole blood was harvested and after isolation of genomic DNA, HLA-DRB1 subtypes were determined by Single Specific Primer Polymerase Chain Reaction (SSP-PCR) methods. Results: HLA-DRB1*10 was less frequent than HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DRB1*11 but none reached significance. 16 CF patients with high serum IgE levels (430.25 ± 219.7 IU/ml) and 27 CF patients positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization were most closely associated with the HLA-DRB1*04 allele. 31 CF patients had candida Albicans colonization which was most closely associated with HLA-DRB1*11. 3 CF patients had allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and two were diabetic. Discussion: The DR4 and DR11 serotypes that recognize the HLA-DRB1*04 and HLA-DRB1*11 gene products respectively, are not significantly enriched in the Iranian CF population. Further research should be conducted on DR4 and DR11 in CF patients to understand their possible role in infection and IgE expression.Trial registration: The study was approved by Ethical committee of Masih Daneshvari Hospital IR.SBMU.NRITLD.1395.234

Association of Interleukin 7 Receptor (rs1494555 and rs6897932) Gene Polymorphisms with Asthma in a North Indian Population

Background Interleukin 7R (IL-7R), a cytokine receptor gene, plays an important role in the development of innate and adaptive inflammatory response in asthma etiology. Objective IL-7R is a heterodimeric protein composed of α chain and γ chain. The α chain of IL-7R has a range of single nucleotide polymorphisms, which give rise to nonsynonymous amino-acid substitutions that might result in an increased production of inflammatory cytokines and cause asthma. Methods A case-control study was conducted with a total of 964 subjects, including 483 healthy controls and 481 patients with asthma. DNA samples were extracted from blood, and genotyping was done by using sequence-specific-primer–polymerase chain reaction. Results Statistical analysis revealed that IL-7R + 1237A/G (rs1494555) gene polymorphism shows a highly protective association toward asthma (odds ratio [OR] 0.56, p < 0.001) in AG genotype as well as in mutant GG genotype (OR 0.64, p = 0.029). However, IL-7R + 2087T/C (rs6897932) polymorphism showed an increased risk toward asthma in TC genotype (OR 1.70, p = 0.002) as well as in the CC genotype (OR 1.68, p = 0.002). Furthermore, the GT and AC haplotypes in the IL-7R polymorphisms were also found to be significantly associated with asthma (p = 0.001 and p = 0.037, respectively). Conclusions The study conducted in a north Indian population indicated that the protective association was observed for the + 1237A/G position, and a significant risk was observed for the + 2087T/C position in asthma.

Quantitative Multiplexed Detection of Common Pulmonary Fungal Pathogens by Labeled Primer Polymerase Chain Reaction

Context Invasive fungal infections are an important cause of morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients. Objective To design and evaluate a multiplexed assay aimed at quantitative detection and differentiation of the 5 molds that are most commonly responsible for pulmonary infections. Design Using labeled primer polymerase chain reaction chemistry, an assay was designed to target the 5.8S and 28S ribosomal RNA genes of Aspergillus spp, Fusarium spp, Scedosporium spp, and members of the order Mucorales (Rhizopus oryzae, Rhizopus microsporus, Cunninghamella bertholletiae, Mucor circinelloides, Lichtheimia corymbifera, and Rhizomucor pusillus). This assay was split into 2 multiplexed reactions and was evaluated using both samples seeded with purified nucleic acid from 42 well-characterized clinical fungal isolates and 105 archived samples (47 blood [45%], 42 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid [40%], and 16 tissue [15%]) collected from rabbit models of invasive pulmonary fungal infections. Results Assay detection sensitivity was less than 25 copies of the target sequence per reaction for Aspergillus spp, 5 copies for Fusarium spp and Scedosporium spp, and 10 copies for the Mucorales. The assay showed quantitative linearity from 5 × 101 to 5 × 105 copies of target sequence per reaction. Sensitivities and specificities for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, tissue, and blood samples were 0.86 and 0.99, 0.60 and 1.00, and 0.46 and 1.00, respectively. Conclusions Labeled primer polymerase chain reaction permits rapid, quantitative detection and differentiation of common agents of invasive fungal infection. The assay described herein shows promise for clinical implementation that may have a significant effect on the rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients' severe infections caused by these pulmonary fungal pathogens.

Human Platelet Antigen Alleles in 998 Taiwanese Blood Donors Determined by Sequence-Specific Primer Polymerase Chain Reaction

Polymorphism of human platelet antigens (HPAs) leads to alloimmunizations and immune-mediated platelet disorders including fetal-neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT), posttransfusion purpura (PTP), and platelet transfusion refractoriness (PTR). HPA typing and knowledge of antigen frequency in a population are important in particular for the provision of HPA-matched blood components for patients with PTR. We have performed allele genotyping for HPA-1 through -6 and -15 among 998 platelet donors from 6 blood centers in Taiwan using sequence-specific primer polymerase chain reaction. The HPA allele frequency was 99.55, and 0.45% for HPA-1a and -1b; 96.49, and 3.51% for HPA-2a and -2b; 55.81, and 44.19% for HPA-3a and -3b; 99.75, and 0.25% for HPA-4a and -4b; 98.50, and 1.50% for HPA-5a and -5b; 97.75 and 2.25% for HPA-6a and -6b; 53.71 and 46.29% for HPA-15a and -15b. HPA-15b and HPA-3a, may be considered the most important, followed by HPA-2, -6, -1, -5, and -4 systems, as a cause of FNAIT, PTP, and PTR based on allele frequency. HPA-4b and HPA-5b role cannot be excluded based on their immunogenicity. A larger-scale study will now be conducted to confirm these hypotheses and to establish an apheresis donor database for the procurement of HPA-matched apheresis platelets for patients with PTR.