ABSTRACT
Interleukin-18 (IL-18), an important proinflammatory cytokine, has been reported to play a potential pathological role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Results from previous studies on the association between IL-18 polymorphisms and RA are conflicting. To clarify this, an updated meta-analysis of all available studies on IL-18 polymorphisms and RA was conducted. Eligible articles were identified by searching databases, including PubMed, Ovid, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, for the period up to May 1, 2015. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were used to assess the strength of association in the homozygote, heterozygote, dominant, recessive, and additive models. The software STATA (Version 13.0) was used for statistical analysis. Finally, 14 articles were included in the present meta-analysis. The IL-18 -607C/A polymorphism showed pooled ORs and 95%CIs for the homozygote model (AA vs CC: OR = 0.598; 95%CI = 0.395-0.907), and the association between the IL-18 -137G/C polymorphism and RA showed pooled ORs and 95%CIs for the homozygote (CC vs GG: OR = 0.699; 95%CI = 0.364-1.342) and heterozygote (CG vs GG: OR = 0.924; 95%CI = 0.803-1.064) models. In summary, the current meta-analysis, which was based on the most current studies, showed that the -607A/C, -920C/T, and -105A/C polymorphisms in IL-18 were significantly associated with increased RA risk. However, the -137C/G polymorphism was not associated with RA risk under any genetic model. More evidence is needed to support or deny such a conclusion.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Interleukin-18/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Asian People/genetics , Humans , Odds Ratio , White People/geneticsABSTRACT
Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurrence has a known genetic component. Many reports have revealed a correlation between gene mutation and AF, involving genes related to ion channels, connexin (Cx), and those within the angiotensin system. In this study, the correlation between the Cx 40 polymorphism (rs35594137) and AF was investigated in patients with AF in the Xinjiang, Turpan, and Kashi regions and in controls. The AF cohort included 122 patients (58 Han and 64 Uygur). The control subjects were recruited according to the 1:1 corresponding method and matched for age and gender. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism was used to analyze Cx 40 (rs35594137) genotype and allele distributions. Compared with the control group, A allele and A allele frequency were higher in the promoter region of Cx 40 (rs35594137) site (P < 0.05). In the Uygur population, the distribution of rs35594137 genotype and allele frequencies was not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the AF and control groups of Chinese Han origin. The confounding factors, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, smoking, and drinking, were evaluated by multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis. Cx 40 (rs35594137) differences between AF and control groups of Han origin were not significant (P > 0.05), but were statistically significant in the Uygur population (P < 0.05). These results demonstrated that Cx 40 (rs35594137) was associated with AF. In the Uygur population, Cx 40 (rs35594137) should be considered as an independent risk factor for patients with AF, who might have racial differences in rs35594137 variant frequencies.
Subject(s)
Alleles , Atrial Fibrillation/genetics , Connexins/genetics , Ethnicity/genetics , Genetic Association Studies , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Atrial Fibrillation/etiology , Atrial Fibrillation/pathology , Atrial Fibrillation/physiopathology , Case-Control Studies , China , Female , Gene Frequency , Genotype , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Gap Junction alpha-5 ProteinABSTRACT
In Brassicaceae, a self-incompatibility (SI) system mediates pollen-pistil interactions. Self-pollen could be recognized and rejected by incompatible pistils. Several components involved in the SI response have been determined, including S-locus receptor kinase (SRK), S-locus cysteine-rich protein/S-locus protein 11, and arm repeat-containing protein 1 (ARC1). However, the components involved in the SI system of Brassicaceae are not fully understood. Here, we detected expression patterns of 24 SI-related genes in non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp chinensis Makino) after compatible and incompatible pollination, and potential interaction relationships of these genes were predicted. SRK and ARC1 transcripts increased initially 0.25 h after incompatible pollination, while kinase-associated protein phosphatase had an expression pattern that was opposite that of SRK transcripts during self-pollination. Plant U-box 8 was not required in the SI response of non-heading Chinese cabbage. Our results showed that the SI signal of non-heading Chinese cabbage could occur within 0.25 h after self-pollination. The hypothetical interaction relationships indicated that plastid-lipid-associated protein and malate dehydrogenase could be negatively regulated by chaperonin 10, glutathione transferase, cytidylate kinase/uridylate kinase, and methionine synthase by indirect interactions. Our findings could be helpful to better understand potential roles of these components in the SI system of non-heading Chinese cabbage.