The neurochemical serotonin (5-HT) is an important signaling molecule in the gastrointestinal motor and sensory functions. A key regulator of 5-HT levels is the transmembrane serotonin transporter ...(5-HTT; SLC6A4) that governs the reuptake of 5-HT. Recent studies have indicated 5-HTT expression may be regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. We investigated DNA methylation status of SLC6A4 gene in the gastric mucosa from functional dyspepsia (FD) because of their potential role in dyspeptic symptoms.
Endoscopic gastric biopsies were obtained from 78 subjects with no upper abdominal symptoms and 79 patients with FD. Bisulfite Pyrosequencing was carried out to determine the methylation status of promoter CpG islands (PCGIs), promoter non-CpG islands (PNCGIs) and gene body non-CpG islands (NPNCGIs) in the SLC6A4 gene. Gene expression was examined by real-time PCR.
In overall, methylation level of PCGIs was significantly lower in FD compared to control subjects (p = 0.04). On the other hand, methylation level of NPNCGIs was significantly higher in FD compared to control subjects (p = 0.03). Lower methylation level in PNCGIs was highlighted in the patients with PDS (p = 0.01), while higher methylation level in NPNCGIs was more prominent in the patients with EPS (p = 0.017). Methylation levels of PCGIs and PNCGIs were inversely correlated, while methylation levels of NPNCGIs was positively correlated with SLC6A4 mRNA levels in FD patients.
Our data suggest that change in DNA methylation pattern of SLC6A4 in the gastric mucosa may have a role for developing FD. A role of epigenetics for developing FD needs to be further evaluated.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In the present study, we report an association between gastric cancer and polymorphisms in NFKB1 (rs28362941 and rs78696119). We employed the PCR-SSCP method to detect gene polymorphisms in 479 ...gastric cancer cases and 880 controls. The rs28362941 del/del homozygote was significantly associated with gastric cancer development; in particular it was closely associated with diffuse type gastric cancer. The rs78696119 GG homozygote was also associated with the diffuse type of gastric cancer. In young subjects, both polymorphisms were significantly associated with the development of gastric cancer. In addition, both polymorphisms were related to tumor progression such as tumor invasion and lymph node metastasis. The inflammatory cell infiltration into non-cancerous gastric mucosa was greater in the subjects with the rs28362491 del/del or rs78696119 GG genotype when compared to those with the other genotypes. In conclusion, functional polymorphisms of NFKB1 are associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer; in particular they are closely associated with the development of diffuse type of gastric cancer via severe gastric inflammation. These polymorphisms also appear to be associated with gastric cancer progression.
We consider endogenous changes of inputs from labor to capital in the production of intermediate goods, i.e., a form of mechanization. We derive complementary relationships between capital ...accumulation and mechanization by assuming a Cobb–Douglas production function for the production of final goods from intermediate goods. A constant-elasticity-of-substitution production function in which the elasticity of substitution exceeds unity can be endogenously derived as the envelope of Cobb–Douglas production functions when the efficiency of inputs is assumed in a specific form. The difficulty of mechanization represents the elasticity of substitution.
A 79-year-old male with severe anemia was referred to our hospital for a suspected tumor in the small intestine. Contrast computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)-CT showed a ...tumor lesion in the jejunum. Oral single-balloon enteroscopy and small bowel capsule endoscopy revealed a Type 2 lesion in the jejunum and a Type 0-Ⅱc lesion in the third portion of the duodenum. Histopathological examination of biopsy specimens showed that both lesions were adenocarcinomas. Here, we report a very rare case of simultaneous multiple primary small bowel cancers in a patient without known risk factors such as inflammatory bowel disease or hereditary condition (e.g., familial adenomatous polyposis, Lynch syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome).
The role of genetics in the susceptibility to functional dyspepsia (FD) is not well established. Recently, two different associations were reported between FD and G-protein beta3 (GNB3) subunit gene ...polymorphism. We aim to clarify the association between GNB3 protein C825T polymorphism and dyspepsia in the Japanese population. Eight-nine dyspeptics and 94 nondyspeptic subjects enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent gastroscopy and patients with significant upper gastrointestinal findings were excluded. Other diseases were also excluded by face-to-face history and physical examination. GNB3 protein C825T polymorphisms were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment-length polymorphism.
H. pylori
infection status was examined by histology or antibody against
H. pylori
. Nonsignificant correlation was found between GNB3 protein homozygous 825T and unexplained dyspepsia (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 0.87–3.13). However, among
H. pylori
-negative subjects, homozygous GNB3 protein 825T significantly increased the risk of dyspepsia (16.7% versus 40.5%; CC versus TT; OR = 5.10, 95% CI: 1.21–21.43, CC versus others; OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.16–9.93, respectively). This significant association remained after logistic regression analysis with adjustment for sex and age (CC versus TT; OR = 5.73, 95% CI: 1.27–25.82, CC versus others; OR = 3.08, 95% CI: 1.02–9.25). No significant correlation was found between GNB3 polymorphism and any dyspeptic symptoms. Our data suggest that the homozygous 825T allele of GNB3 protein is associated with dyspepsia in the
H. pylori
-negative Japanese population. The role of genetics in the development of dyspepsia needs further evaluation.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Telomere shortening occurs with human aging in many organs and tissues and is accelerated by rapid cell turnover and oxidative injury. To clarify the clinical importance of telomere shortening in ...colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis (UC), we measured average telomere length using quantitative real-time PCR in non-neoplastic colonic mucosa in UC patients and assessed its relationship to various clinical subtypes. Relative telomere length in genomic DNA was measured in colonic biopsies obtained from rectal inflammatory mucosa from 86 UC patients as well as paired non-inflammatory proximal colonic mucosae from 10 patients. Data were correlated with various clinical phenotypes. In paired samples, average relative telomere length of rectal inflammatory mucosa was shortened compared to normal appearing proximal colon in eight out of ten cases (
p
= 0.01). Telomere length shortening was significantly associated with more severe Mayo endoscopic subscore (
p
< 0.0001) and cases needing surgery due to toxic megacolon or cancer occurrence (
p
= 0.043). When the severe clinical phenotype was defined as having at least one of following phenotypes, more than two times of hospitalization, highest Mayo endoscopic subscore, steroid dependent, refractory, or needing operation, average relative telomere length was significantly shortened in the same phenotypes than the others (
p
= 0.003). Telomere shortening is associated with more severe clinical phenotypes of UC, reflecting severe inflammatory state in the colonic mucosa.
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EMUNI, GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Histamine plays important physiological roles in the upper gastrointestinal tract and acts via the H2 receptor. The −1018 G>A (rs2067474) in an enhancer element of the promoter and non-synonymous ...rs79385261 (Asn46Thr) were identified in HRH2. We attempted to clarify the associations of these polymorphisms with gastric carcinogenesis. The study was performed in 321 patients with gastric cancer and 599 subjects with no evidence of gastric malignancies on upper gastroduodenal endoscopy. The genotypes were determined using a one-tube multiplex PCR-SSCP method. The degree of gastritis was assessed in 496 subjects and serum pepsinogen (PG) I/II levels were measured in 124 subjects without gastric cancer. The minor allele of Asn46Thr could not be detected. The frequencies of the −1018 A allele in the non-GC and GC groups were 13.5% and 8.26%, respectively (p=0.00077). Overall, −1018 GG homozygotes had an increased risk for developing gastric cancer (OR 1.68; 95% CI 1.17-2.42; p=0.0052), especially intestinal type cancer (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.23-3.08; p=0.0047). In subjects aged >60 years, the adjusted risk for gastric cancer among individuals who were −1018 GG homozygotes was 1.87 (range 1.19-2.93; p=0.0065) compared with A carriers. In the gastric cancer cases located in the antrum and at comparative advanced stage, −1018 GG homozygosity was a significantly increased risk factor. In subjects >60 years, the metaplasia score was significantly higher in −1018 GG homozygotes than A carriers. Both atrophy and metaplasia scores were significantly increased with age only in −1018 GG homozygotes. The PG I/II ratio was significantly decreased in H. pylori positive GG homozygotes than negative GG homozygotes and positive A carriers. Our results suggest that −1018 GG homozygosity of HRH2 may be associated with the severity of gastric mucosal atrophy. This genotype has an increased risk for the subsequent development of gastric cancer, especially intestinal type, at advanced age.
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a key proinflammatory mediator. Two functional polymorphisms were identified in the promoter region of MIF gene. We attempted to clarify the ...associations between these polymorphisms and ulcerative colitis (UC). The study was performed in 111 patients with UC and 209 subjects without UC. We employed the PCR–SSCP method to detect gene polymorphisms. Overall, 5/5-CATT genotype was a decreased risk for the development of UC (OR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.26–0.99). In addition, 7/7-CATT genotype was significantly associated with chronic continuous phenotype and distal colitis phenotype (OR, 5.49; 95% CI, 1.19–25.3, and OR, 6.10; 95% CI, 1.32–28.2, respectively), whereas 5/5-CATT genotype had an inhibitory effect on the development of UC after 20
years of age (OR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.14–0.82). On the other hand, G-173C polymorphism did not affect the susceptibility to and the phenotypes of UC. Our results suggested that tetranucleotide CATT repeat of MIF gene promoter may be associated with the development of UC and the severity of inflammation in patients with UC.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Inflammation is a key factor in the process of carcinogenesis from chronic gastritis induced by Helicobacter pylori. Selenoprotein S (SEPS1) is involved in the control of the inflammatory response in ...the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recently the -105G>A polymorphism in the promoter of SEPS1 was shown to increase pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. We examined the association between this polymorphism and the risk of gastric cancer.
We took stomach biopsies during endoscopies of 268 Japanese gastric cancer patients (193 males and 75 females, average age 65.3), and 306 control patients (184 males and 122 females, average age 62.7) and extracted the DNA from the biopsy specimens. All subjects provided written informed consent. For the genotyping of the SEPS1 promoter polymorphism at position -105G>A, PCR-RFLP methods were used and the PCR products were digested with PspGI. Logistic-regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age, sex, and H. pylori infection status.
Among cases, the distribution of genotypes was as follows: 88.4% were GG, 11.2% were GA, and 0.4% were AA. Among controls, the distribution was as follows: 92.5% were GG, 7.2% were GA, and 0.3% were AA. Among males, carrying the A allele was associated with an increased odds of gastric cancer, compared with the GG genotype (OR: 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-4.1, p = 0.07). Compared with the GG genotype, carrying the A allele was significantly associated with increased risks of intestinal type gastric cancer (OR: 2.0, 95%CI 1.0-3.9, p < 0.05) as well as of gastric cancer located in the middle third of the stomach (OR: 2.0, 95%CI 1.0-3.9, p < 0.05).
The -105G>A promoter polymorphism of SEPS1 was associated with the intestinal type of gastric cancer. This polymorphism may influence the inflammatory conditions of gastric mucosa. Larger population-based studies are needed for clarifying the relation between inflammatory responses and SEPS1 polymorphism.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK