Valerie J. Smith

Book Review

Non-MHC linked genes may contribute to genetic predisposition to the development of systemic lupus erythematosus. The possibility that cytokine genes may be involved was raised by the observation of increased frequency in expression of an uncommon allele of an interleukin-I receptor antagonist gene polymorphism and SLE in a recent U.K. study. We have not been able to show any significant differences in expression of this allele in SLE patients as a whole or in any patient subgroups. Our results actually show a slight decrease in the expression of this allele in SLE patients compared with healthy controls and in SLE patients with malar rash compared with SLE patients without malar rash.

Victor A. Danis

Michelle Millington

Qirong Huang

Valentine Hyland

David Grennan

Lack of Association between an Interleukin-I Receptor Antagonist Gene Polymorphism and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

The frequency of the uncommon allele (TNF2) of a polymorphism in the promoter region of the tumour necrosis factor alpha (TN F&#x3B1;) gene in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was found to be 3 times that of the normal anglo-saxon population. In SLE patients, this allele was strongly associated with HLA-DR3 expression and was also more frequent in patients who did not have malar rash. Functional studies of normal monocyte cytokine production in vitro showed that this genotype was associated with increased IL-1&#x3B1; protein production but there were no differences in the production of TNF&#x3B1; protein.

Ron Lawford

Increased Frequency of the Uncommon Allele of a Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha Gene Polymorphism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

An attractive but controversial hypothesis holds that HLA similarit\ between mother and offspring predisposes to early fetal loss, Against this background, Hoff et al. ( 1992) have reported a significant association between maternal HLA-DR homozygosity and fetal loss in a cohort of multigravid American women, To re-examine this finding independently, a similar investigation was carried out on a comparable group of British subjects. The HLA-DR data of 75 multigravid women were analysed: the proportion of women who had experienced fetal loss did not differ between HLA-DR homozygous and heterozygous subjects.

David C. Kilpatrick

Maternal HLA-DR Homozygosity is not Associated with an Increased Risk of Fetal Loss

Plasma from bronchial asthma patients and healthy controls was investigated for the content of lipoxygenase products. After lipid extraction using SEP-PAK C18 Cartridges, the lipoxygenase products were measured by Enzyme-Immunoassay. Elevated chemotactic B4 was found in plasma from asthmatic patients with mean value (483&#xB1;75) pmoUL, while the mean value in normal healthy donors was (140&#xB1; 12.1) pmol/L (M&#xB1;SE). The levels of spasmogenic cysteinyl containing leukotrienes were also very high in the bronchial asthma patients. Elevations of leukotriene B4 and cysteinyl containing leukotrienes were detected during attacks of bronchial asthma. These results suggest that leukotriene B4 may be important in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma and confirmed that peptidoleukotrienes playa role as chemical mediators during the asthmatic attack.

Mahmoud Mansour

Nabil Farouk

Abbas El Maragy

Ibrahim Radwan

Omar El-Ahmady

Elevated Plasma Level of Leukotrienes in Bronchial Asthma Patients: A Possible Clinical Relevance

Detectable leve ls of HCG have been reported in conditions other th an normal pregnancy, including threatened abortion, ectopic pregnancy, trophoblastic tumors, carcinomas of the stomach, liver, pancreas and breast as well as multiple myeloma and melanoma. The present study was conducted to estimate urinary &#x3b2;-HCG in bladder cancer and benign urinary tract disorders. 163 individuals were included, 68 with bladder cancer (60 males and 8 females), 64 with benign urinary tract diseases (55 males and 9 females) and 31 normal healthy controls (26 males and 5 females). Urinary &#x3b2;-HCG was estimated by the ELISA technique using the reagents supplied by DRG International Inc., Germany. Results of th e study revealed an overexpression of &#x3b2;-HCG in mali gnant and benign urinary tract diseases. 60.3&#x25; of the cancer patients and 29.7&#x25; of patients with benign diseases showed urinary &#x3b2;-HCG values above the upper limit of the control group (2mIU/ml ).

A.-B. Halim

M. Barakat

A. M. El-Zayat

M. Daw

O. El-Ahmady

Urinary &#x3b2;-HCG in Benign and Malignant Urinary Tract Diseases

Several cell membrane abnormalities affecting various cell populations have been reported in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by different investigators. In peripheral blood lymphocytes intrinsic cellular membrane defect evidentiated by impairment of capping capacities has been repeatedly obtained, suggesting that DMD product could act in such cellular phenotype at the cytoskeletal compartment. It has been previously reported that lymphoid cells are characterized by high radiosensitivity. On the assumption that DMD phenotypes could increase this susceptibility, we have compared the radiosensitivity of normal and DMD lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) to small doses (0-2Gy) of x-irradiation. The results obtained suggest an increased sensitivity of DMD cells without Ca&#x2b;&#x2b; uptake or apoptotic phenomena, associated with an effect upon cell cycle length.

L. Melchiorri

S. Carturan

D. Ferrari

F. Di Virgilio

O. R. Baricordi

Increased Sensitivity of DMD Lymphoblastoid Cell To Low Doses of X-Irradiation

The rapid expansion occurring in World-Wide Web activity is beginning to make the concepts of &#x2018;global hypermedia&#x2019; and &#x2018;universal document readership&#x2019; realistic objectives of the new revolution in information technology. One consequence of this increase in usage is that educators and students are becoming more aware of the diversity of the knowledge base which can be accessed via the Internet. Although computerised databases and information services have long played a key role in bioinformatics these same resources can also be used to provide core materials for teaching and learning. The large datasets and arch ives th at have been compiled for biomedical research can be enhanced with the addition of a variety of multimedia elements (images. digital videos. animation etc.). The use of this digitally stored information in structured and self-directed learning environments is likely to increase as activity across World-Wide Web increases.

James F. Aiton

The World-Wide Web: An Interface between Research and Teaching in Bioinformatics

About this journal

Disease Markers publishes papers related to the identification of disease markers, the elucidation of their role and mechanism, as well as their application in the prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Journal profile

Meet the editorial board

Chief Editor Paola Gazzaniga is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Her core research focuses on liquid biopsies in patients with solid tumors.

Editor spotlight

Submit your proposal

Do you think there is an emerging area of research that really needs to be highlighted? Or an existing research area that has been overlooked or would benefit from deeper investigation? Raise the profile of a research area by leading a Special Issue.

Special Issues

Author guidelines

Editorial board

Databases and indexing

title

Disease Markers publishes papers related to the identification of disease markers, the elucidation of their role and mechanism, as well as their application in the prognosis, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Disease Markers