Ficolin activation as a potential biomarker of the severity of schizophrenia.

Several studies have examined the complement system in schizophrenia, suggesting an involvement of the lectin pathway. We analyzed 49 patients with schizophrenia and explored the association between psychopathology of schizophrenia and complement component 3 (C3) serum levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) serum levels, ficolin activation, and mannose-binding lectin (MBL) activation. In the multiple regression analysis, a negative association was observed between the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score and ficolin activation.

Mannose-binding lectin deficiency and miscarriages in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To investigate the association between mannose-binding lectin (MBL) serum level and MBL2 polymorphisms, and the frequency of spontaneous miscarriages in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods: One hundred seventy seven women (mean age 50 years) with RA from Southern Brazil were studied and 4.5% had a history of abortion (8/177).

Association between RAPH1 Gene Haplotypes and CHE2 Locus Phenotypes.

The human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is a serum esterase that has been associated with body mass index (BMI) and obesity. Its activity is conditioned by alleles of BCHE gene and the CHE2 locus that codifies an unknown BChE-binding protein (C5 complex). The hypothesis that the CHE2 locus is the RAPH1 gene, which encodes lamellipodin (Lpd), was raised in a study that observed Lpd peptides released from denatured BChE tetramers.

[Beta 2-adrenergic receptor gene association with overweight and asthma in children and adolescents and its relationship with physical fitness].

Objective:: To investigate the association of and polymorphisms of β2-adrenergic receptor gene () with the occurrence of asthma and overweight and the gene's influence on anthropometric, clinic, biochemical and physical fitness variables in children and adolescents.

Methods:: Subjects were evaluated for allelic frequencies of the β2-adrenergic receptor gene, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), BMI -score, waist circumference (WC), pubertal stage, resting heart rate (HRres), blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC), glucose, insulin, high density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), Homeostasis Metabolic Assessment (HOMA2-IR), Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO). The participants were divided in four groups: overweight asthmatic (=39), overweight non-asthmatic (=115), normal weight asthmatic (=12), and normal weight non-asthmatic (=40).

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) decreases butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and changes its relationship with lipids.

Many conditions interfere with butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity, e.g., pregnancy or presence of the BCHE gene variant -116A can decrease activity whereas obesity and types I and II diabetes mellitus can increase activity.