Effects of Polymorphisms in Pre-miRNA on Inflammatory Markers in Atrial Fibrillation in Han Chinese.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNA molecules have been identified to play key roles in a broad range of physiological and pathological processes. Polymorphisms in the corresponding sequence space are likely to make a significant con-tribution to phenotypic variation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pre-miR-146a C/G (rs2910164) and pre-miR-499 T/C (rs3746444) polymorphisms and their putative association with inflammatory markers in AF in Han Chinese. METHODS: A total of 123 participants were enrolled, 65 AF patients were confirmed with electrocardiogram (ECG) or dynamic electrocardiography, 58 normal individuals were assigned to the control group. RESULTS: Genotypes of the pre-miR-146a C/G (rs2910164) and pre-miR-499 T/C (rs3746444) polymorphisms were distinguished using the method of polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. The distribution of the pre-miR-146a C/G (rs2910164) genotypes CC, CG, and GG was 33.85%, 52.31%, and 13.84% in the AF group and 37.93%, 51.72%, and 10.35% in the controls, respectively. There was no significant difference in either genotype frequency distributions (p = 0.7973) or allele frequency distributions (p = 0.5411) between these two groups. The distribution of the pre-miR-499 T/C (rs3746444) genotypes TT, TC, and CC was 72.41%, 22.41%, and 5.18% in the controls and 49.23%, 38.46%, and 12.31% in AF subjects, respec-tively (p = 0.0296). The frequency of the C allele in the AF group was significantly higher than that in the control group (31.54% vs. 16.38%, p = 0.0057). Compared with the TT genotype, the C allele carriers (TC+CC genotypes) had a 2.7070-fold increased risk of AF. After being adjusted for age, gender, leucocytes, left atrial dimension, left ventricular ejection fraction, serum levels of lipids, and inflammatory markers, the association persisted (adjusted OR = 2.3387, 95% CI =1.1094 - 4.9300, p = 0.0280). Individuals with TC+CC genotype in pre-miR-499 T/C (rs3746444) had greater serum levels of IL-6 and hs-CRP than did patients with the TT genotype. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support that the pre-miR-499 T/C (rs3746444) polymorphism is associated with AF, and the C allele has increased risk for AF in Han Chinese.

Molecularly imprinted polymer prepared with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization.

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) was utilized to prepare imprinted polymer through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT) successfully. The imprinted polymer was made with a mixture of RAFT agent, 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP), POSS monomer [PSS-(1-propylmethacrylate)-heptaisobutyl substituted, MA 0702], and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EDMA), with ketoprofen (KET) as template. The influence of polymerization variables, the amount of RAFT agent and POSS monomer, the ratio of KET to 4-VP, and the ratio of 4-VP to EDMA, were investigated on the retention factor and imprinting effect. The greatest imprinting factor of the RAFT agent-based POSS MIP was 15.2, about 1.5 times higher than the RAFT agent-free agent POSS MIP. The permeability, surface morphology, as well as pore size distribution of POSS MIP monoliths made with RAFT agent and without RAFT agent were also studied. The optimal MIP was applied to solid phase extraction for KET from commercial tablets. The mean recoveries of KET for RAFT-based POSS MIP was 85.2% with a relative standard deviation of 2.6%.

The Relationship between Interleukin-6 Promotor Polymorphisms and Slow Coronary Flow Phenomenon.

BACKGROUND: Several lines of evidence suggest that slow coronary flow (SCF) phenomenon seems to be an early form of atherosclerosis and low-grade inflammation plays a role in the development of SCF. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine, functions as a mediator of inflammatory response, and has both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relationship between IL-6 -634C/G polymorphism and SCF in Han Chinese. METHODS: 250 subjects who underwent coronary angiography and had normal coronary arteries of varying coronary flow rates without any atherosclerotic lesion were enrolled in this study. 41 patients who had thrombolysis in myocardial infarction frame counts (TFC) above the normal cutoffs were considered to have SCF and 209 subjects within normal limits served as normal coronary flow (NCF) group. The PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to assess the genotypes. RESULTS: The distribution of the IL-6 -634C/G genotypes (CC, CG, and GG) was 56.94%, 37.80%, and 5.26% in the NCF subjects, and 36.59%, 48.78%, and 14.63% in the SCF group, respectively (p = 0.0173). The frequency of the G allele in the SCF (39.02%) group was significantly higher than that in the NCF (24.16%) group (p = 0.0054). Compared with the CC genotype, the G allele carriers (CG + GG genotypes) had increased risk of SCF in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. In SCF patients, the average serum IL-6 levels (pg/mL) in CG + GG genotype (4.78 ± 0.42) were statistically higher than in CC genotype (3.93 ± 0.36) (p = 0.0000). CONCLUSIONS: Our data support that IL-6 -634C/G polymorphism is associated with SCF and the G allele has increased risk for SCF in Han Chinese.

Green synthesis of polymer monoliths incorporated with carbon nanotubes in room temperature ionic liquid and deep eutectic solvents.

In this work, an efficient method to prepare polymer monoliths with incorporated carbon nanotubes in a mixture of room temperature ionic liquid and deep eutectic solvents was developed. With assistance of the binary green solvent, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate and choline chloride/ethylene glycol, single-walled carbon nanotubes were dispersed successfully in pre-polymerization mixture without need of oxidative cutting of carbon nanotubes, which may allow depletion of the emission of volatile organic compounds into environment. The novel single-walled carbon nanotubes monolith was evaluated by capillary electrochromatography. Compared with the monolith made without single-walled carbon nanotubes, the monolith with the incorporation of single-walled carbon nanotubes exhibited high column efficiency (251,000plates/m) in the chromatographic separation. The morphology of the monolith can be tuned by the composition of mixture of ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents to afford good column permeability and excellent separation ability for small molecules of alkyl phenones and alkyl benzenes. The results demonstrated that the method is a green strategy for the fabrication of multifunctional polymer monoliths.

Interleukin-6 genotypes and serum levels in Chinese Hui population.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a key pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in different physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, and circulating levels of IL-6 differ greatly between individuals. The Chinese Hui is one of the largest ethnic minorities, little is known about the distribution of IL-6 genetic variations and their effects on serum levels in Hui population. The aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence of -174G/C (rs1800795), -597G/A (rs1800797), and -634C/G (rs1800796) polymorphisms in the IL-6 gene promoter region and their association with IL-6 serum levels in the Ningxia Hui population. A total of 96 Hui subjects, (57 men and 39 women; mean age 49.65 ± 19.73 years) unrelated nationality residents in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region were enrolled. Genotyping of the three polymorphisms were performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) combined with gel electrophoresis and then confirmed by direct sequencing. The -174G/C (97.92% GG, 2.08% GC, and 0% CC) and -597G/A (98.96% GG, 1.04% GA, and 0% AA) polymorphisms were rare. The frequencies of -634C/G genotypes CC, CG, and GG were found to be 54.17%, 40.62%, and 5.21%, respectively in total studied subjects, the derived allele frequencies for the C and G alleles were 74.48% and 25.52%. Increased IL-6 levels were correlated with the IL-6 -634G allele carriers (CG+GG genotypes). The results suggest that IL-6 -174G/C and -597G/A are rare but -634C/G is common in the Ningxia Hui population, and the -634G allele is associated with circulating levels of IL-6.

The association of interleukin 6-634C/G polymorphism with left atrial thrombus and severe spontaneous echocontrast in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) not only is an independent risk factor for death but also confers significant risk of morbidity from stroke associated with left atrial thrombus. The association of interleukin 6 (IL-6) polymorphism with thrombus in AF has not been investigated before. We carried out a case-control study in Han Chinese. The IL-6 -634C/G genotypes of 31 patients with thrombus and 45 patients without thrombus were detected by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. The frequencies of the IL-6 genotypes (CC, CG, and GG) were 29.03%, 54.54%, and 16.13% for the patients with thrombus, and 55.56%, 40.00%, and 4.44% for the patients without thrombus, respectively (P = .0391). Compared with the CC genotype, the G allele carriers (CG + GG) had a 2.79-fold increased risk of thrombus or severe spontaneous echocontrast (SEC). These results suggest that IL-6 -634C/G polymorphism is associated with thrombus and severe SEC, and the G allele is an independent risk for thrombus and severe SEC in Han Chinese patients with AF.

Interleukin-6 promoter polymorphisms and susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in elderly Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension.

There is an accumulating body of evidence indicating a strong association between inflammation and the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine, functions as a mediator of inflammatory response, and has both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the -634C/G polymorphism of the IL-6 gene with AF in elderly Han Chinese patients with essential hypertension (EH). A total of 169 elderly patients with EH were eligible for this study. Patients with AF (n=75) were allocated to the AF group, and 94 subjects without AF to the control group. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique was used to assess the genotype frequencies. The distribution of the IL-6 -634C/G genotypes (CC, CG, and GG) was 67.02%, 30.85%, and 2.13% in the controls, and 50.67%, 40.00%, and 9.33% in AF subjects, respectively (P=0.0312). The frequency of the G allele in the AF group was significantly higher than that in the control group (29.33% vs. 17.55%, P=0.0103). Compared with the CC and CG genotypes, the GG homozygote had a 4.7353-fold increased risk of AF [95% confidence interval (CI)=0.9537-23.5116, P=0.0382]. These findings suggest that the IL-6 -634C/G polymorphism is associated with AF, and the G allele has increased risk of AF in elderly Han Chinese patients with EH.

The A to G polymorphism at -1082 of the interleukin-10 gene is rare in the Han Chinese population.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a multifunctional anti-inflammatory cytokine involved in various physiological and pathophysiological processes including cardiovascular disease. It has been reported that 50-75% of the variation in IL-10 production is genetically controlled. In the present study, the IL-10 -1082A/G (rs1800896) polymorphism was detected in 174 coronary artery disease (CAD) patients confirmed by selective coronary angiography and 176 age and gender-matched controls from the Jiangsu area (East China). The majority of the subjects (93.14%) carried the AA wild-type genotype, whereas only 0.29% carried the GG genotype. Our results suggest that IL-10 -1082A/G is rare and unlikely to be a significant contributory to disease susceptibility in the Han Chinese population.

The G to A polymorphism at -597 of the interleukin-6 gene is extremely rare in southern Han Chinese.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine involved in different physiologic and pathophysiologic processes including essential hypertension (EH). Associations of the IL-6 promoter region polymorphisms with circulating level of IL-6 have been reported in various studies. We detected the IL-6-597G/A polymorphism in 246 EH patients and 194 healthy controls from Jiangsu area (south of China). Individuals all carried the GG wild genotype, no GA or AA genotypes were found. Our results suggest that IL-6-597G/A polymorphism is extremely rare and unlikely to be contributing significantly to disease susceptibility in southern Han Chinese.

Interleukin-6 -634C>G polymorphism in hypertensive patients with and without left ventricular hypertrophy.

There is an accumulating body of evidence indicating that inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine secreted by many cells of the immune system, cardiovascular components and adipose tissue, and functions as a mediator of inflammatory response with both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. Circulating levels of IL-6 differ greatly between individuals due to both genetic and environmental factors. The IL-6 -634C>G polymorphism is common in eastern Asian populations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of this polymorphism with essential hypertension (EH) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in 440 subjects (246 EH patients and 194 controls) from a Han Chinese population. In this study, IL-6 -634C>G genotypes were identified by polymerase chain reaction and restriction digestion in all study participants, and left ventricular mass was assessed by 2-mode echocardiography in 178 untreated EH patients. There was no significant difference in either genotype distribution (p=0.9528) or allele frequency (p=0.7775) between the EH and control groups. In addition, the -634C>G polymorphism had no effect on blood pressure in either the controls or the untreated EH patients. No significant differences in genotype distribution (p=0.7998) or allele frequency distribution (p=0.5468) were found between EH patients with and without LVH. Moreover, the echocardiographic parameters were not statistically different between the CC and CG+GG genotypes. These findings suggest that there is no association of the IL-6 -634C>G polymorphism and EH with LVH in EH patients.

Interleukin 6 promoter polymorphisms in normal Han Chinese population: frequencies and effects on inflammatory markers.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a cytokine involved in different physiologic and pathophysiologic processes, and circulating levels of IL-6 differ greatly between individuals, but the results have not always been concordant among diverse populations. The aim of present study was to determine the prevalence of the 3 polymorphisms (-174G/C, -597G/A, and -634C/G) in the IL-6 gene promoter region and their effects on inflammatory markers in normal Han Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 232 subjects (143 men and 89 women; mean age, 51.37 ± 17.63 years; range, 22-88 years) of unrelated healthy Han Chinese in Jinangsu area (south of China) were enrolled. Genotyping of the 3 polymorphisms were performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with gel electrophoresis and then confirmed by direct sequencing. RESULTS: Among the 232 individuals studied, 231 carried the GG wild type of -174G/C; only 1 carried the GC genotype. For -597G/A polymorphism, individuals all carried the GG wild type; the GA or AA genotypes were not detected. The frequencies of -634C/G genotypes CC, CG, and GG were found to be 59.48%, 37.07%, and 3.45%, respectively, the derived allele frequencies for the C and G alleles were 78.02% and 21.98%. There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index, or lipids parameters between the -634 CC and CG+GG genotypes. However, individuals with CC genotype showed lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and IL-6 than those with CG+GG genotype. CONCLUSIONS: IL-6 -174G/C and -597G/A are rare, but -634C/G is common in Han Chinese population, and the -634G allele is associated with circulating levels of IL-6 and C-reactive protein.

[A new type of spotted fever group Rickttsiaes detected in the area of Changbai mountain, Jilin province].

OBJECTIVE: In order to find out the current situation of tick-borne spotted fever in the area of Changbai mountain, Jilin province. METHODS: In this study, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed with primers R. rOmpA 190.70p and R. rOmpA 190.701n designed on the basis of rOmpA gene, which is specific for examining spotted fever group Rickttsiaes (SFGR). Six hundred nighty-three ticks were tested and a positive PCR product amplified from D. silvarum specimen (named JL-02) was cloned and sequenced. RESULTS: The SFGR DNA was detected from D. silvarum, Haemaphysalis concinna with the positive rates were 53.81% and 7.41% respectively. Its nucleotide sequence of 587 bp rOmpA and derived amino-acids showed 100.00% similarity with nucleotide sequence of DnS 14 and 99.00% with DnS 28 from the Former Soviet Union according to the result of BLUST and CLUSTAL, which was differential from the DNA sequences of strains previously detected in China. CONCLUSION: The natural focus of tick-borne spotted fever did exist in the area of Changbai mountain. The DNA sequence of SFGR was similar to that of DnS 14, which was first reported in China.