Association of epistatic effects of MTHFR, ACE, APOB, and APOE gene polymorphisms with the risk of myocardial infarction and unstable angina in Egyptian patients.

Despite remarkable discoveries in the genetic susceptibility of coronary artery disease (CAD), a large part of heritability awaits identification. Epistasis or gene-gene interaction has a profound influence on CAD and might contribute to its missed genetic variability; however, this impact was largely unexplored. Here, we appraised the associations of gene-gene interactions and haplotypes of five polymorphisms, namely methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and A1298C, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D), apolipoprotein B (APOB) R3500Q, and apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 with the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and unstable angina (UA). Gene-environment interactions with traditional risk factors and clinical data were also scrutinized. This study recruited 100 MI, 50 UA patients, and 100 apparently healthy controls. Logistic regression models were employed in association analyses. We remarked that the single locus effect of individual polymorphisms was relatively weak; however, a magnified effect of their combination via gene-gene interaction may predict MI risk after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Only MTHFR C677T, ACE I/D, and APOB R5300Q were associated with the risk of UA, and the ACE I/D-R3500Q interaction posed a decreased UA risk. APOB R3500Q was in strong linkage disequilibrium with MTHFR C677T, ACE I/D, and APE ε4 polymorphisms. The TCDGε3, CADGε4, and TADGε4-C677T-A1298C-ACE I/D-R3500Q-APOE haplotypes were associated with escalating MI risk, while the CDG or CIG-C677T-ACE I/D-R3500Q haplotype was highly protective against UA risk compared to controls. Interestingly, the CADGε4 and CAIGε3 haplotypes were strongly associated with the presence of diabetes and hypertension, respectively in MI patients; both haplotypes stratified patients according to the ECHO results. In UA, the CDG haplotype was negatively associated with the presence of diabetes or dilated heart. Conclusively, our results advocate that a stronger combined effect of polymorphisms in MTHFR, ACE, APOB, and APOE genes via gene-gene and gene-environment interactions might help in risk stratification of MI and UA patients.

In vitro antischistosomal activity of venom from the Egyptian snake Cerastes cerastes.

INTRODUCTION:: We studied the potential in vitro antischistosomal activity of Cerastes cerastes venom on adult Schistosoma mansoni worms. METHODS:: Live specimens of the horned viper snake, C. cerastes were collected from the Aswan Governorate (Egypt). Venom was collected from snakes by manual milking. Worms of S. mansoni were obtained from infected hamsters by perfusion and isolated from blood using phosphate buffer. Mortality rates of worms were monitored after 3 days of exposure to snake venom at LC50 and various sublethal concentrations (10, 5, 2.5µg/ml). Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate tegumental changes in treated worms after exposure to LC50 doses of venom. RESULTS:: The LC50 of C. cerastes venom was 21.5µg/ml. The effect of C. cerastes venom on Schistosoma worms varied according to their sex. The mortality rate of male and female worms after 48-h exposure was 83.3% and 50%, respectively. LC50 of C. cerastes venom induced mild to severe tegumental damage in Schistosoma worms in the form of destruction of the oral sucker, shrinkage and erosion of the tegument, and loss of some tubercle spines. CONCLUSIONS:: The present study demonstrated that C. cerastes venom exerts potential in vitro antischistosomal activity in a time and dose-dependent manner. These results may warrant further investigations to develop novel schistosomicidal agents from C. cerastes snake venom.

In vitro antischistosomal activity of venom from the Egyptian snake Cerastes cerastes

Abstract INTRODUCTION: We studied the potential in vitro antischistosomal activity of Cerastes cerastes venom on adult Schistosoma mansoni worms. METHODS: Live specimens of the horned viper snake, C. cerastes were collected from the Aswan Governorate (Egypt). Venom was collected from snakes by manual milking. Worms of S. mansoni were obtained from infected hamsters by perfusion and isolated from blood using phosphate buffer. Mortality rates of worms were monitored after 3 days of exposure to snake venom at LC50 and various sublethal concentrations (10, 5, 2.5µg/ml). Scanning electron microscopy was used to investigate tegumental changes in treated worms after exposure to LC50 doses of venom. RESULTS: The LC50 of C. cerastes venom was 21.5µg/ml. The effect of C. cerastes venom on Schistosoma worms varied according to their sex. The mortality rate of male and female worms after 48-h exposure was 83.3% and 50%, respectively. LC50 of C. cerastes venom induced mild to severe tegumental damage in Schistosoma worms in the form of destruction of the oral sucker, shrinkage and erosion of the tegument, and loss of some tubercle spines. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that C. cerastes venom exerts potential in vitro antischistosomal activity in a time and dose-dependent manner. These results may warrant further investigations to develop novel schistosomicidal agents from C. cerastes snake venom.

Helminth infracommunities of the maculated toad Amietophrynus regularis (Anura: Bufonidae) from Ismailia, Egypt.

The objective of the present work was to study the helminth infracommunities of Amietophrynus (Bufo) regularis and the possible effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on infracommunity structure and on the infection parameters of each parasite species involved. A total of 129 A. regularis were collected from Ismailia, Egypt, over 3 seasons. Helminth infracommunities consisted of 8 helminth taxa (1 monogenean, 1 digenean, 1 cestode, 3 nematodes, and 2 acanthocephalans [1 adult and 1 cystacanth]). Aplectana macintoshii had the highest prevalence (82.94%), mean abundance (73.74), and mean intensity (88.91) and can be considered a core species. A. macintoshii dominated in 68.99% of the infracommunities, with a high Berger-Parker index value (0.9). Only 9 toads were uninfected; the remainder harbored between 1 and 7 helminth species and 1 to 632 ind. Mean species richness and abundance were 2.13 +/- 0.13 and 81.34 +/- 13.60, respectively, while evenness and diversity were 0.3 and 0.44, respectively. The results revealed that season, host sex, and age played significant roles in determining infracommunity species richness. The patterns of helminth infracommunity richness and diversity were similar to those previously observed in other amphibian hosts. This study indicated that the helminth community of A. regularis was depauperate.

Population dynamics of Chaetogaster limnaei (Oligochaeta: Naididae) in the field populations of freshwater snails and its implications as a potential regulator of trematode larvae community.

The objectives of this work were to study (1) the population dynamics of Chaetogaster limnaei in the field populations of freshwater snails and the implications for the species as a potential regulator of the trematode larvae community and (2) prevalence and intensity of C. limnaei in relation to host species, host size, and season. This study was conducted at Al-Salam Canal and Al-Abtal village (new cultivated area in north Sinai). The samples were collected from March 2004 to February 2005. The natural infection rate by trematodes and C. limnaei was assessed monthly. Thirteen species of snails were examined for C. limnaei infection, five species were found infected. There were positive correlations between host size and both combined prevalence and mean intensity in all hosts. The data demonstrated that prevalence in Bulinus truncatus was higher when compared with other hosts. Bellamya unicolor has higher mean intensity when compared with other host species. A significant difference was found between host species and both prevalence and intensity. There were spatial and temporal variations in prevalence and mean intensity in most hosts, and the data suggest some seasonality. A negative correlation was found between prevalence of C. limnaei and trematode infection. C. limnaei did not co-occur with trematode larvae in infected hosts indicating that the oligochaete may protect the hosts from trematode infection. B. unicolor was recorded for the first time as a host for C. limnaei. C. limnaei may be a potential regulator of the trematode community in freshwater snails. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that C. limnaei, symbiotically associated with snail vector of parasitic diseases, may have important implications with respect to biological control and/or changes in the epizootiology of native parasites in the study area.

Energy allocation patterns in Biomphalaria alexandrina snails in response to cadmium exposure and Schistosoma mansoni infection.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of both parasitism and environmental stress on the growth, reproduction, and survival of Biomphalaria alexandrina snails. Resource allocation strategies may be influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. Using the planorbid snail B. alexandrina and Schistosoma mansoni, this hypothesis was examined by raising snails fed the same diet under two stressors (infection and Cd exposure). The snails divided into four groups, uninfected, infected, Cd-exposed uninfected, and Cd-exposed infected snails. Egg production, growth, and survival of the snails were monitored over a 9-week period postinfection. Inhibition of snail reproductive activity by parasitism results in increased snail growth in the first week postinfection, termed gigantism, during which the snail is hypothesized to allocate excess energy normally used for reproduction to somatic growth. Infection status and Cd exposure had significant effects on snail growth and reproduction. The infected and Cd-exposed infected snails exhibiting reduced survival relative to snails of other treatments. It was found that parasite development influenced by Cd exposure. Results of this study suggest that energy allocation patterns are context-dependent in B. alexandrina snails, influenced by infection and Cd exposure.