Inter-ankle Systolic Blood Pressure Difference Is a Marker of Increased Fasting Blood-Glucose in Asian Pregnant Women.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the relationship between clinical blood pressures and blood pressures measured using Doppler with blood glucose in pregnancy by ethnicity.

Methods: We recruited 179 (52% White European, 48% Asian) pregnant women at 24-28 weeks of gestation who underwent a glucose tolerance test in an antenatal clinic in Bradford Royal Infirmary, the UK, from 2012 to 2013. Systolic blood pressures in the arm (left and right brachial) and ankle [left and right posterior tibial (PT) and dorsalis pedalis (DP)] blood pressures were measured using a Doppler probe.

Genetic contributions of MHC class I antigen processing and presentation pathway to bladder cancer risk and recurrence.

Human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA class I) antigen processing and presentation pathway (APP) defines anti-tumor immune response. ERAP, TAP, tapasin (TAPBP), and IFNγ modulate APP: control HLA class I expression in the tumor and the repertoire of presented tumor antigens. At the same time, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) acts as an immunomodulator in the tumor microenvironment.

Tapasin dependence of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules correlates with their conformational flexibility.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules present cell internally derived peptides at the plasma membrane for surveillance by cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The surface expression of most class I molecules at least partially depends on the endoplasmic reticulum protein, tapasin, which helps them to bind peptides of the right length and sequence. To determine what makes a class I molecule dependent on support by tapasin, we have conducted in silico molecular dynamics (MD) studies and laboratory experiments to assess the conformational state of tapasin-dependent and -independent class I molecules.