Aberraciones cromosómicas in vitro para evaluar genotoxicidad de extractos de Abuta grandifolia (abuta) y Alchornea castaneifolia (hiporuro) / In vitro chromosome aberration analysis to evaluate genotoxicity of extracts of Abuta grandifolia (abuta) and Alchornea castaneifolia (hiporuro)

La evaluación de plantas medicinales usando parámetros de genotoxicidad, nos permite indicar si alguno de sus componentes puede provocar daño al material genético, a niveles génico o cromosómico. Este daño puede estimarse y determinará si el uso de la planta es conveniente o si por el contrario, el efecto benéfico aludido, se ve opacado por el probable efecto genotóxico. De forma alternativa, esta misma metodología permitiría detectar el efecto protector de una planta frente a la acción de mutágenos, lo cual redundaría en beneficio de los usuarios. Objetivo: Evaluar, in vitro, el efecto genotóxico del extractos de Abuta grandifolia, ôAbutaõ y Alchornea castaneifolia, ôHiporuroõ. Materiales y método: se realizaron cultivos de linfocitos obtenidos de sangre periférica, agregando los extractos de Abuta grandifolia, ôAbutaõ y Alchornea castaneifolia, ôHiporuroõ a diferentes concentraciones. Posteriormente, se realizó la evaluación citológica de aberraciones cromosómicas. Resultados: Se encontró un número elevado de aberraciones cromosómicas, tanto para el cultivo con Abuta como para el de Hiporuro. Este efecto se observó a diferentes concentraciones de extracto. Conclusiones: Las aberraciones cromosómicas encontradas en el presente trabajo, implicarían un efecto genotóxico de ambas plantas medicinales en el sistema in vitro empleado. Se requiere más estudios a diferentes niveles de organización que complementen los resultados reportados de este trabajo.

The evaluation of plants used in traditional medicine base don genotoxic parameters, allows researchers to determinate if some component could promote, genetic or chromosomal damage. This damage can be measured and, allow to determine the convenience of its use or, on the contrary, if its beneficial effect in undermined by the genotoxic effect. Moreover, this method would make it possible to detect the protective effect of the plant as opposed to a mutagen, which would enhance the benefit of its use. Objective: To evaluate the genotoxic effect of extracts of Abuta grandifolia, ôAbutaõ and Alchornea castaneifolia, ôHiporuroõ, using an in vitro test. Materials and method: Lymphocytes were cultured from peripheral blood, adding Abuta or Hiporuro extracts in different doses. Cytological evaluation of chromosome aberration was performed and registered. Results: An increased number of chromosome aberrations in Abuta and Hiporuro culture were found for different doses of extract. Conclusions: Chromosome aberrations found in the present work, would implicate a genotoxic effect in both plants in the system used. More studies are needed to complement the results of this research.

Identification of COL6A1 as a differentially expressed gene in human astrocytomas

Diffuse infiltrating gliomas are the most common tumors of the central nervous system. Gliomas are classified by the WHO according to their histopathological and clinical characteristics into four classes: grade I (pilocytic astrocytoma), grade II (diffuse astrocytoma), grade III (anaplastic astrocytoma), and grade IV (glioblastoma multiforme). Several genes have already been correlated with astrocytomas, but many others are yet to be uncovered. By analyzing the public SAGE data from 21 patients, comprising low malignant grade astrocytomas and glioblastomas, we found COL6A1 to be differentially expressed, confirming this finding by real time RT-PCR in 66 surgical samples. To the best of our knowledge, COL6A1 has never been described in gliomas. The expression of this gene has significantly different means when normal glia is compared with low-grade astrocytomas (grades I and II) and high-grade astrocytomas (grades III and IV), with a tendency to be greater in higher grade samples, thus rendering it a powerful tumor marker.

The GATO gene annotation tool for research laboratories

Large-scale genome projects have generated a rapidly increasing number of DNA sequences. Therefore, development of computational methods to rapidly analyze these sequences is essential for progress in genomic research. Here we present an automatic annotation system for preliminary analysis of DNA sequences. The gene annotation tool (GATO) is a Bioinformatics pipeline designed to facilitate routine functional annotation and easy access to annotated genes. It was designed in view of the frequent need of genomic researchers to access data pertaining to a common set of genes. In the GATO system, annotation is generated by querying some of the Web-accessible resources and the information is stored in a local database, which keeps a record of all previous annotation results. GATO may be accessed from everywhere through the internet or may be run locally if a large number of sequences are going to be annotated. It is implemented in PHP and Perl and may be run on any suitable Web server. Usually, installation and application of annotation systems require experience and are time consuming, but GATO is simple and practical, allowing anyone with basic skills in informatics to access it without any special training. GATO can be downloaded at [http://mariwork.iq.usp.br/gato/]. Minimum computer free space required is 2 MB.

Evaluación de la prevalencia de los genes polimorfícos de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina y del angiotensinógeno en hipertensos primarios de la población peruana / Evaluation of the prevalence of the polymorphic genes of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and of the angiotensinogen in hypertense primary of the Peruvian population

Se decidió identificar la prevalencia en nuestra población de los polimorfismos genéticos más importantes en las enfermedades cardiovasculares como son el polimorfismo I/D del gen de Enzima Convertidora de Angiotensina (ECA) y el polimorfismo M235T del gen del Angiotensinógeno (AGT), así como su asociación con la HTA primaria. Este estudio también pretendió demostrar que el genotipo DD del gen ECA, se asocia a mayores niveles de ECA sÚrico en HTA primaria. Este estudio de tipo Caso-Control, Multicéntrico Nacional incluyó 238 pacientes de ambos sexos, siendo 118 hipertensos, provenientes de 48 familias que se compararon con 120 normotensos. Se extrajeron muestras para ADN, se realizó el analisis del polimorfismo por PCR en los genes ECA y AGT, dosaje de ECA sérico y la determinación bioquímica del perfil lipídico. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que la prevalencia de DD fue (13/118) 11 por ciento y de TT (78/118) 66 por ciento. Obtuvimos diferencias significativas en los valores del ECA sérico: DD 44 _ 20 U/l, ID 33 _ 19 U/L, 13 _ 9.8 U/l (p menor que 0,001), no se encontró asociación de HTA con estos genotipos. Como conclusión tenemos que en nuestro grupo muestral la prevalencia del genotipo TT es mayor que la de DD. Existe un mayor nivel de ECA sérico en los portadores del genotipo DD, respecto a los portadores de ID y de II. No encontramos asociación de estos genotipos con la HTA primaria.

Evaluation of the Prevalence on the Polymorphic genes from the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme and from angiotensinogen on Primary Hypertense People on Peruvian Population We have decided to identify the prevalence in our population about the most important genetic polymorphisms in the cardiovascular diseases such as the I/D polymorphism of the gene at the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) and the polymorphism of the gene at the angiotensinogen (AGT), and also his association with primary High Blood Pressure (HBP). This study has also tried to show that the DD genotype of ACE gene is associated with greater levels of serum ACE at HBP. This study of the type: Case - Control, National Multicentric has included 238 patients, males and females, being 118 hypertensives, who come from 48 families that are compared with 120 normotensives. Some samples have been extracted for the DNA, it has been made the polymorphism analysis for the PCR at the ACE and AGT genes, dosage of serum ACE and the biochemical determination of the lipidic profile. Results: The DD prevalence was of (13/118) 11% and the TT prevalence was (78/118) 66%. We have obtained significant differences on the values of serum ACE: DD 44 ± 20 U/1, ID 33 ± 19 UIL, 13 ± 9.8 U/1 (p<0,001), it has not been association from HBP with those genotypes. Conclusion: We must say that in our sample group the prevalence of TT genotype is bigger than the prevalence of DD genotype. There is a higher level of serum ACE at the DD genotype carriers. We haven't fount any association of those genotypes with the primary HBP.