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Biomedical subjects

E Taioli

Publications and source records attributed to E Taioli.

134 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Association of metabolic gene polymorphisms with alcohol consumption in controls.

The objectives were to study the association between metabolic genes involved in alcohol metabolism (CYP2E1 RsaI, CYP2E1 DraI, ADH1C, NQO1) and alcohol consumption in a large sample of healthy controls. Healthy subjects were selected from the International Collaborative Study on Genetic Susceptibility to Environmental Carcinogens (GSEC). Subjects with information on both alcohol consumption and at least one of the studied polymorphisms were included in the analysis (n=2224). Information on the amount of alcohol consumption was available for a subset of subjects (n=844). None of the studied genes was significantly associated with drinking habits. A significant heterogeneity with age was observed when studying the association between CYP2E1 RsaI and alcohol drinking. CYP2E1 RsaI polymorphism was significantly associated with being a never drinker at older ages (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-4.8; at ages above 68 years), while the association was reversed at ages below 47 years (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-1.4). For subjects with detailed information on alcohol intake, no association between alcohol quantity and polymorphisms in metabolic genes was observed; subjects carrying the NQO1 polymorphism tended to drink more than subjects carrying the wild-type alleles. Therefore, no significant association between CYP2E1 RsaI, CYP2E1 DraI, ADH1C, NQO1 polymorphisms and alcohol consumption was observed in healthy controls.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

MTHFR C677T polymorphism, GSTM1 deletion and male infertility: a possible suggestion of a gene-gene interaction?

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a gene involved in the process of DNA synthesis and methylation. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism has been associated with male infertility. A prospective study was conducted on men seeking care at the infertility clinic in Milano to determine if the MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with infertility, and if such an association is modified by a common deletion of one of the glutathione transferases, GSTM1. One year after enrolment, 46 subjects reported having had a child, while 59 were still childless. Subjects carrying the MTHFR C677T homozygous variant polymorphism were at increased risk of being infertile after 1-year follow-up (OR 3.7, 95% CI?=?1.4-10.4); carriers of the homozygous variant MTHFR genotype and of a functional copy of GSTM1 appear to have a significantly higher risk of infertility (n=11; OR?=?22.0 95% CI?=?3.8-127.9) than subjects who carry the wild-type genotype for both genes. Such risk becomes non-significant when the GSTM1 deletion is also present (n=5; OR?=?1.1 95% CI?=?0.2-5.1). A possible explanation of this unexpected result could lie in the known involvement of glutathione transferases in the metabolic pathways of both methylation and transulfuration. The interaction found deserves confirmation and replication in a larger population, since it may be relevant to several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Base Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Preliminary report on a simple new assay for DNA-protein cross-links as a biomarker of exposures experienced by welders.

A method originally developed to detect topoisomerase DNA complexes has been adapted to determine DNA-protein cross-links formed in cells following their exposure in vitro and in vivo to cross-linking agents. A preliminary study on welders and controls has been carried out to assess the feasibility of this assay to detect human exposure to chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) that are associated with increased DNA-protein cross-links. The percentage of cross-link was significantly higher among welders (1.85% +/- 1.14) than among controls (1.17% +/- 0.46; p = .01) Cross-links were not affected by age, weight, or smoking status. The assay developed has substantial advantages over previous methods, being considerably more simple, inexpensive, and sensitive.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between genotype and function of the human CYP1A1 gene.

A comparative study of human CYP1A1 genotypes and enzymatic activity was performed in a racially diverse population in order to determine frequencies of CYP1A1 genetic polymorphisms and the relationship between CYP1A1 genotype and function. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses revealed significantly higher frequencies of a variant Msp1 polymorphism in Asians versus European-Americans, while African-American CYP1A1 genotypic frequencies more closely approximated those of Asians. Comparison of CYP1A1 genotypes at the Msp1 locus to a polymorphic site in exon 7 of the gene revealed a higher frequency of variant genotypes at the Msp1 site. Measurement of lymphocyte CYP1A1 enzyme activity by the ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase assay revealed significantly elevated levels of inducible enzyme activity among variant exon 7 genotypes when compared to wild-type genotypic individuals. These results demonstrate racially distinct patterns of CYP1A1 genotypes, and suggest a functional link between genotype and catalytic activity of the cytochrome P-450 protein responsible for the metabolism of many carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Base Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Distribution of composite CYP1A1 genotypes in Africans, African-Americans and Caucasians.

We present the genotype distribution of the CYP1A1 gene in a sample of over 300 subjects of various ethnic origins. Genotypes are presented as composites of eight possible alleles, taking into account the three major polymorphisms, including a recently described African-American-specific MspI RFLP. A new nomenclature system is presented for clarifying the various haplotypes. Interesting interracial differences in allelic frequencies and admixture rates were observed for the three polymorphisms. Because of the importance of the CYP1A1 gene (which encodes the aromatic hydrocarbon hydroxylase) as a biomarker of genetic susceptibility to environmental carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, these data may provide a useful reference for future studies of relationships between CYP1A1 genotype and disease susceptibility.

Africa, Western↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Homocysteine, vitamin B12, and serum and erythrocyte folate in peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High levels of plasma Hcy have been observed in end-stage renal disease patients. Few studies have compared peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) patients and few data are available on erythrocyte folate (ery-F) levels in dialysis patients. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate plasma Hcy concentrations, vitamin B12 (B12), and folate status in dialysis patients; to analyze the possible causes of high Hcy levels; to follow up changes in folate and B12 concentrations after 6 months. DESIGN: A cross-sectional observational study. SETTING: Nephrology division and laboratory of hematology in a university and clinical research hospital. PATIENTS: The study included 82 patients treated with PD for 37 + 37 months and 70 patients treated with HD for 136 + 95 months. LABORATORY METHODS: Plasma Hcy was measured by the immunoenzymatic IMx Hcy FPIA method (Abbott Laboratories, Diagnostic Division, Abbott Park, IL, U.S.A.), serum folate (s-F) and ery-F by the Stratus folate fluorometric enzyme-linked assay, and B12 by the Stratus vitamin B12 fluorometric enzyme-linked assay (DADE-Behring, Newark, DE, U.S.A.). RESULTS: Ninety-six percent of PD and 97% of HD patients had Hcy levels above the cutoff (13.5 micromol/L). Homocysteine level was higher in HD than in PD patients, while the prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was similar with the two techniques. Erythrocyte folate was significantly higher in PD (1333 +/- 519 pmol/L) than in HD (1049 +/-511 pmol/L, p < 0.01). Statistically significant correlations were observed between Hcy and B12, s-F, ery-F, and dialysis duration. Multivariate analysis showed a strong correlation between s-F and Hcy. After 6 months there were no differences in Hcy, B12, s-F, and ery-F levels. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma Hcy levels were high in more than 95% of our dialysis patients, with no relation to the type of dialysis. Vitamin B12 and folate were normal in the majority of our patients. However, serum folate was the major determinant of Hcy levels. Such a relation between Hcy and folate suggests that levels of folate within the reference interval are inadequate for dialysis patients.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[European multicenter cross-sectional study on exposure to low doses of benzene].

A cross-sectional multicenter european study has been carried out to evacuate the relations between exposure to low level of benzene and biological markers of internal dose (t,t-MA, S-PMA) and early biological effect (DNA-SSB). The research has shown significantly increased levels (adjusted for smoking habits) of the urinary excretion of t,t-MA, S-PMA and DNA-SSB in petrochemical workers (mean benzene level = 5,694 micrograms/m3) but not in filling station attendants, traffic police officers, and bus drivers compared to referent workers. Dose-response relations were detected between benzene air levels, t,t-MA, S-PMA and DNA-SSB in petrochemical workers, with significantly increased levels of DNA-SSB detected for benzene exposure levels in the range 391-1,800 micrograms/m3 (0.12-0.58 ppm).

Benzene↗