Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a new pattern from Khorasan Province, Islamic Republic of Iran.

Reported associations between vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphism and type 1 diabetes mellitus vary across ethnic groups. We studied the association between type 1 diabetes and 4 VDR gene polymorphisms (Bb, Ff Aa and Tt) in an Iranian population. A group of 69 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 45 unrelated healthy subjects were recruited. The prevalence of VDR polymorphisms in 4 restriction fragment length polymorphism sites including Bsml, Fokl, Apal and Taql were analysed in patients and controls. The frequencies of 3 genotypes (Aa, FF and Bb) were significantly higher in the patient group. The relationship between VDR gene polymorphisms and onset pattern of diabetes was not significant. There were no significant difference between the genotype frequencies and chronic complications of diabetes, but the relationship between the Ffgenotype and ketoacidosis was significant. Our results differ from previous polymorphism studies in other regions.

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a new pattern from Khorasan province, Islamic Republic of Iran

Reported associations between vitamin D receptor [VDR] polymorphism and type 1 diabetes mellitus vary across ethnic groups. We studied the association between type 1 diabetes and 4 VDR gene polymorphisms [Bb, Ff, Aa and Tt] in an Iranian population. A group of 69 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 45 unrelated healthy subjects were recruited. The prevalence of VDR polymorphisms in 4 restriction fragment length polymorphism sites including BsmI, FokI, ApaI and TaqI were analysed in patients and controls. The frequencies of 3 genotypes [Aa, FF and Bb] were significantly higher in the patient group. The relationship between VDR gene polymorphisms and onset pattern of diabetes was not significant. There were no significant difference between the genotype frequencies and chronic complications of diabetes, but the relationship between the Ff genotype and ketoacidosis was significant. Our results differ from previous polymorphism studies in other regions

High frequency of microsatellite instability in sporadic colorectal cancer patients in Iran.

Microsatellite instability in sporadic colorectal cancer patients was assessed, and the clinicopathological associations were evaluated in northeastern Iran, which is a high-risk region for gastrointestinal malignancies. Microsatellite instability (MSI) status of tumoral tissue, compared to normal tissue, was assessed with a standard panel of MSI markers on paraffin-embedded surgically resected tissues from 67 consecutive sporadic colorectal cancer patients. Eleven of the patients were under 40 years old. Female patients were significantly younger than male patients (mean age 54.2 vs 62.1 years, P = 0.020). MSI analysis revealed 18 cases of MSI-H (26.9%), 11 MSI-L (16.4%) and 38 MSS (microsatellite stable tumors; 56.7%). While a greater proportion of patients consisted of males, 56.7 vs 43.3% females, MSI-H was more frequent in females (34.5 vs 21.5%). MSI was associated with proximal location of tumor (P = 0.003) and lower stages of tumor (P = 0.002), while MSS tumors were associated with node metastasis. MSI has a higher frequency in sporadic colorectal cancer patients, suggesting that molecular epidemiology of the genetic alterations involved in colorectal cancer carcinogenesis has a different pattern in the Iranian population, which deserves further epidemiological attention. The high frequency of MSI-H in this population suggests that we should look at microsatellite instability prior to chemotherapy to determine the most appropriate chemotherapeutic strategy in our population.