Genetic association between common beta-2 adrenoreceptor polymorphism and asthma severity in school-age children

Recent studies have suggested that polymorphism of the beta-2 adrenergic receptor [beta2AR] gene at codon 16 affect an individual's airway responsiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the association between beta-2 adrenoreceptor genotypes at position 16 and asthma severity among 59 school-aged children. They were divided into two groups: control group including 19 healthy children and 40 asthmatic children as the study group. The study group was also divided into 20 mild asthmatic children and the remaining 20 patients suffered from severe asthma. Blood samples were collected from Chest Department, Pediatrics Hospital, Ain Shams University, from February 2008 to March 2009. Molecular analysis was performed at Science Faculty, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Venous blood sample were collected and genotyping of beta2AR gene polymorphism at position 16 was identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, using the NcoI restriction enzyme. We found a highly statistically significant difference of polymorphisms' distribution of beta2AR gene at codon 16 among asthmatic patients and control subjects [chi[2] = 11.904; P = 0.0026], also among severe asthmatics and mild/moderate asthmatics [chi[2] = 10.108; P = 0.0064]. There was a strong association of heterozygous Arg16Gly of beta2AR with severe asthmatics rather than that in control subjects [70% vs. 5.3%, P < 0.001], with odd ratio [OR] 42 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.520-390.297], the highest OR in heterozygous Arg16Gly [42] suggests a dominant mode of action of the heterozygous Arg16Gly in development of asthma severity. So, we concluded that heterozygous Arg16Gly of beta2AR gene appeared to be an important genetic factor in the expression of asthma severity

Growth patterns and antigenic analysis of Egyptian trichomonas vaginalis isolates

In this study, the vaginal washouts from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients were examined by wet mount examination and culture on modified TYM medium. Among the 320 examined cases, 10 were positive for T. vaginalis trophozoites by wet mount examination and culture. Modified TYM medium proved to be very satisfactory for the isolation as well as the maintenance of the ten T. vaginalis isolates. The comparison between the growth patterns of all isolates, by counting the number of viable organisms every 24 hours for 7 days, showed that there is a wide variability in the growth characteristics, as regards lengths of log phase, growth peaks reached, generation times, division rate and number of divisions. The antigenic differentiation of the ten T. vaginalis isolates through sodium dodecyl sulfate- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [SDS-PAGE] demonstrated a total of 34 bands using 10% resolution gel. The bands ranged in molecular weight from 12-189 kDa. Most of the bands were common among several isolates, while isolate 2 appeared different than other isolates with two characteristic bands, one at 136 kDa and the other at 25 kDa. Also, isolates 4 and 8 had characteristic bands at 163 kDa and 189 kDa, respectively