SPINK5 and ADRB2 haplotypes are risk factors for asthma in Mexican pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases worldwide, and the complexity of its etiology has been widely documented. Chromosome 5q31-33 is one of the main loci implicated in asthma and asthma-related traits. IL13, CD14 and ADRB2, which are located in this risk locus, are among the genes most strongly associated with asthma susceptibility. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes at 5q31-33 conferred risk for asthma in Mexican-Mestizo pediatric patients. METHODS: We performed a case-controlled study including 851 individuals, 421 of them affected with childhood-onset asthma and 430 ethnically matched unaffected subjects. We used the TaqMan Allelic Discrimination Assay to genotype 20 single-nucleotide polymorphisms within IL5, RAD50, IL13, IL4, CD14, SPINK5, HTR4, ADRB2 and IL12B. RESULTS: Although no association was detected for any risk allele, three SPINK5 haplotypes (GGCT: p = 6 × 10(-6); AATC: p = 0.0001; AGTT: p = 0.0001) and five ADRB2 haplotypes (AGGACC: p = 0.0014; AGGAAG: p = 0.0002; TGAGAG: p = 0.0001; AGGAAC: p = 0.0002; AAGGAG: p = 0.003) were associated with asthma. Notably, the AGTT SPINK5 haplotype exhibited a male gender-dependent association (p = 7.6 × 10(-5)). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that SPINK5 and ADRB2 haplotypes might play a role in the susceptibility to childhood-onset asthma.

[Apoptosis in allergic disease]. / Apoptosis en la enfermedad alérgica.

Apoptosis (cell programmed death) it is a mechanism that implicate a physiological suicide, to keep the cellular homeostasis in big amount of tissues. Fas (APO-1; CD95) system is one of the most important cellular responsible via to induce apoptosis on different tissues. Eosinophillia on peripheral blood and tissues are the main characteristics on allergic like asthma. Eosinophil apoptosis is upper regulated in those diseases by IL-5 y GM-CSF. Corticoids, teophyllin and some macrolids have been used like apoptosis inductors on eosinophills, these could be a novel mechanism to promote a better solution on inflammatory allergic diseases.

[Clinical polymorphism in Epstein-Barr virus infection]. / Polimorfismo clínico en infección por virus de Epstein Barr.

Several diseases was associated with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) infection. In the next three cases, the clinical course was unusual . Case I: Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia, female 47 years old, she had systemic lupus erythematosus and clinical data of infectious mononucleosis but she evolved to a polyclonal gammopathy with IgM predominantly against EBV. Case II: Demyelinating encephalitis, male, 32 years old with central neurological alterations, IgM antibodies against EBV and demyelinating lesion in magnetic resonance image in brain steam. Case III. Villous leukoplakia, male, 40 years old developed right tonsil tumor. He had IgM antibodies against EBV. The antiviral and immunomodulator treatment (specific for each case) done a satisfactory clinical response in the three patients.

[Vasculitis and viral infection]. / Vasculitis e infección viral.

Viruses have been implicated in vasculitis. To determine activity of viral infection associated with vasculitis. 17 patients with vasculitis had been in immunological and antiviral antibodies evaluation. Twenty five healthy controls sex and age matched with hematic biometry (BH) and AA. All subjects were negative to HIV and HBV. Viral activity was demonstrated in eight patients; vascular purpura (5), Takayasu disease (1), polyarteritis nodosa (1), erythema nodosum (1). None subject of control group had IgM activity. Antibodies response of IgG in patients were of lesser intensity than in control group. 14 abnormalities in BH were found in patients and 4 in control group. Immune response in patients, measured by lymphocyte subpopulations and circulating immune complexes was abnormal. In conclusion 47% showed viral activity, but the dominant feature was abnormal immune response in 82%.

[Hyperprolactinemia and autoimmunity]. / Hiperprolactinemia y autoinmunidad.

Prolactin is a pituitary hormone with several functions, one of them, immunoregulatory. Patients with prolactinoma develop hyperprolactinemia. In the next two cases, patients with microprolactinoma, both autoimmune disease associated. First patient, male, with multiple sclerosis; the other one patient, female, with systemic lupus erythematosus. Treatment of hyperprolactinemia with bromocriptine was associated with satisfactory clinical evolution, and a reduction of dosage of immunosuppressor treatment. The patients with multiple sclerosis had neurological functions recovery and the patients with systemic lupus erythematosus had severe relapse of disease each time she dropped bromocriptine treatment. Pituitary function must be evaluated in autoimmune disease, to search alterations like hyperprolactinemia who influenced immune function.