ABSTRACT
Adult-type hypolactasia results from the progressive decline of lactase-phlorizin hydrolase activity in enterocytes after weaning. Lactase nonpersistence may determine a primary lactose intolerance with reduced diary product consumption, which is possibly related to an increased risk of colon cancer. Recently, a genetic variant C/T(-13910) upstream of the lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LCT) gene has been strongly correlated with the lactase persistence/nonpersistence trait in both family and case-control studies. The authors validate a denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC)-based assay versus conventional genotype sequencing in detecting the C/T(-13910) polymorphism of LCT and evaluate its prevalence in 2 different Italian geographical areas and in colorectal cancer patients. DNA samples of 157 healthy subjects and 124 colon cancer patients from Apulia and of 97 healthy subjects from Sardinia were evaluated for the C/T(-13910) polymorphism by dHPLC, sequencing, and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Under optimized conditions, dHPLC was as sensitive as DNA sequencing and detected a new genetic variant (T/C(-13913)) in 2 individuals that was not identified by RFLP assay. Frequency of lactase nonpersistence genotype (C/C(-13910)) was similar in healthy subjects from 2 different Italian geographical areas and not increased in patients with colorectal cancer. The results indicate that the dHPLC method may be used as a rapid, noninvasive, and labor-saving screening tool for genotyping C/T(-13910) polymorphism, with high success, low cost, and reproducibility.
Subject(s)
Biological Assay/methods , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Lactase-Phlorizin Hydrolase/genetics , Lactase/genetics , Polymorphism, Genetic , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Colorectal Neoplasms/enzymology , Female , Genetic Variation , Genotype , Heterozygote , Homozygote , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Lactase/deficiency , Lactase/metabolism , Lactose Intolerance/enzymology , Lactose Intolerance/genetics , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length , Prevalence , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Double minutes (dmin)-circular, extra-chromosomal amplifications of specific acentric DNA fragments-are relatively frequent in malignant disorders, particularly in solid tumors. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), dmin are observed in approximately 1% of the cases. Most of them consist of an amplified segment from chromosome band 8q24, always including the MYC gene. Besides this information, little is known about their internal structure. We have characterized in detail the genomic organization of 32 AML and two MDS cases with MYC-containing dmin. The minimally amplified region was shown to be 4.26 Mb in size, harboring five known genes, with the proximal and the distal amplicon breakpoints clustering in two regions of approximately 500 and 600 kb, respectively. Interestingly, in 23 (68%) of the studied cases, the amplified region was deleted in one of the chromosome 8 homologs at 8q24, suggesting excision of a DNA segment from the original chromosomal location according to the 'episome model'. In one case, sequencing of both the dmin and del(8q) junctions was achieved and provided definitive evidence in favor of the episome model for the formation of dmin. Expression status of the TRIB1 and MYC genes, encompassed by the minimally amplified region, was assessed by northern blot analysis. The TRIB1 gene was found over-expressed in only a subset of the AML/MDS cases, whereas MYC, contrary to expectations, was always silent. The present study, therefore, strongly suggests that MYC is not the target gene of the 8q24 amplifications.
Subject(s)
Chromosome Breakage , Gene Targeting , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics , Myelodysplastic Syndromes/genetics , Plasmids/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/genetics , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Base Sequence , Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8/genetics , Computational Biology/methods , Female , Humans , In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Genetic , Molecular Sequence Data , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/biosynthesis , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc/metabolism , Sequence DeletionABSTRACT
Methods to quantify B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-propeptide (NT-proBNP) in plasma or serum samples are well established. We assessed the analytical performance of the Dimension RxL NT-proBNP method (Dade-Behring). Evaluation of different sample types was carried out. Controls and heparin plasma pools were used to determine the detection limit, precision, and linearity. Sample stability and the effect of interfering substances on the NT-proBNP concentrations were evaluated. Agreement between Dimension RxL and Elecsys 2010 (Roche Diagnostics) NT-proBNP methods was assessed. The influence of age and sex on NT-proBNP concentrations was evaluated in healthy subjects. Heparin plasma should be the matrix of choice. The detection limit was 2.0 ng/L. The total imprecision was 2.6-3.6% for concentrations from 231 to 9471 ng/L; mean NT-proBNP concentrations of 21 and 15 ng/L were associated with coefficients of variation of 9.9% and 14.7%, respectively. The method was linear up to 32,650 ng/L. There was no effect of temperature, freeze-thaw cycles and interfering substances. A bias was detected when Dimension RxL and Elecsys 2010 NT-proBNP methods were compared. Age and sex were significantly and independently related to NT-proBNP concentrations. The Dimension RxL NT-proBNP method, like the Elecsys 2010, is suitable for routine use in the diagnosis of heart failure.
