No abstract

No-reflow phenomenon is defined as the reduced blood flow after myocardial ischemia. If prolonged it leads to profound damages in the myocardium. The lack of a detailed knowledge about the cells mediating no-reflow restricts the design of effective therapies. Recently, O'Farrell et al. (2017) by using state-of-the-art technologies, including high-resolution confocal imaging in combination with myocardial ischemia/reperfusion mouse model, reveal that pericytes contribute to the no-reflow phenomenon post-ischemia in the heart. Strikingly, intravenous adenosine increased vascular diameter at pericyte site after cardiac ischemia. This study provides a novel therapeutic target to inhibit no-reflow phenomenon after myocardial ischemia.

No abstract

BackgroundThe MDM2 gene is the major negative regulator of p53, a tumor suppressor protein. Single nucleotide polymorphism in promoter region of MDM2 gene leads to increased expression resulting in higher levels of MDM2 protein. This event increases the attenuation of the p53 pathway. Polymorphisms in this gene can interfere in the regulation of cellular proliferation. We evaluated whether MDM2 SNP309 (rs2278744) associated or not with the use of oral contraceptive can heighten susceptibility to development of cervical lesions in women HPV infected.MethodsMDM2 SNP309 (rs2278744) was genotyped in a total of 287 patients using the PCR-RFLP technique. The results were analyzed by UNPHASED v.3.121 and SNPStats programs.ResultsThe three groups (SIL, LSIL and HSIL) showed no significant differences in either genotype or allelic frequencies for MDM2 polymorphisms, except when HSIL was compared with LSIL (p = 0.037; OR = 1.81). Furthermore, in the analysis of contraceptives, a significant association was found between the use of contraceptives and the MDM2 variant in the development of high-grade cervical lesions for the TG genotype (p = 0.019; OR = 2.21) when HSIL was compared with control. When HSIL was compared with LSIL (p = 0.006; OR = 2.27).ConclusionThe results of this study suggest that MDM2 SNP309 might be a good marker for assessing the progression of LSIL to HSIL. In addition, they also show that oral contraceptives alone, did not have any effect on the progression or development of cervical lesions. However, they may act synergistically with MDM2 SNP309 (rs2278744) and HPV infection in the development of cervical lesions.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The course of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is regulated by mainly two antagonistic cytokines that are produced and secreted by T cells, TNF-α and IL-10. Differences in TNFα and IL10 genes expression and protein production affected by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been demonstrated influence PTB susceptibility. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate a possible association between the functional polymorphisms of TNFα (-308G/A, rs1800629) and IL10 (-1082A/G, rs1800896) cytokines genes with susceptibility or resistance to active PTB in patients from Pernambuco state. We carried out a case-control study of 71 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB + group), 105 patients with nonspecific lung disease (TB- 1 and TB- 2 groups) and 101 clinically healthy individuals (healthy control), to explore the association of cytokine polymorphisms, sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological variables with developing of PTB. TNFα -308G/A and IL10 -1082A/G genotyping was performed by TaqMan qPCR system. The univariate and logistic regression analyses demonstrated statistically association of male sex (OR = 13.741; 95%CI = 5.794–32.589; P = < 0,001) and age (OR = 1.030; 95%CI = 1.005–1.055; P = 0.017) with PTB susceptibility, as risk factors. Regarding genetic variables, IL10 -1082 G variant allele, AG and GG genotypes were also associated with developing of PTB as risk factors (OR = 2.777, 95%CI = 1.710–4.544, P = < 0.001; OR = 2.289, 95%CI = 1.095–4.849, P = 0.024; and OR = 6.572, 95%CI = 2.262–21.242, P = < 0.001, respectively), and maintained associated in the logistic regression dominant model (OR = 7.998, 95%CI = 2.719–23.519, P = < 0.001). Significant association was also observed between TNFα -308 GA genotype and PTB susceptibility, but as protector factor in univariate analysis (OR = 0.375, 95%CI = 0.179–0.766, P = 0.005), and logistic regression dominant model associated the genotypes carrying A allele variant (OR = 0.386, 95%CI = 0.172–0.865, P = 0.021). The study showed important role of IL10 and TNFα SNPs in developing PTB in a Brazilian population, being possible biomarkers for tuberculosis susceptibility.