Integrin Polymorphism in Diffuse Astrocytoma Patients.

Integrins are heterodimeric transmembrane glycoproteins resulting from the non-covalent association of an α and β chain. The major integrin receptor for collagen/laminin, α2β1 is expressed on a wide variety of cell types and plays an essential role in the adhesion of normal and tumor cells to the extracellular matrix. Integrin-triggered signaling pathways promote the invasion and survival of glioma cells by modifying the brain microenvironment.

The effects of dietary supplementation of methionine on genomic stability and p53 gene promoter methylation in rats.

Methionine is a component of one-carbon metabolism and a precursor of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), the methyl donor for DNA methylation. When methionine intake is high, an increase of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is expected. DNA methyltransferases convert SAM to S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH).

ICAM-1 (Lys469Glu) and PECAM-1 (Leu125Val) polymorphisms in diffuse astrocytomas.

Cell adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) play an important role in glioma invasion and angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether specific genetic polymorphisms of ICAM-1 and PECAM-1 could be associated with glioma development and progression. Single-nucleotide polymorphism in codon 469 of ICAM-1 and codon 125 of PECAM-1 were examined in 158 patients with astrocytomas and 162 controls using polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis.

Polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferases GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 and cytochromes P450 CYP2E1 and CYP1A1 and susceptibility to cirrhosis or pancreatitis in alcoholics.

Excessive alcohol consumption may cause the development of pathologies in the liver and pancreas and various digestive tract cancers. The enzymes GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 are involved in the bioactivation and detoxification of a variety of xenobiotics present in food, organic solvents, tobacco smoke, drugs, pesticides, environmental pollutants and alcoholic drinks. Polymorphisms in the genes coding for these enzymes have been associated with susceptibility to different diseases, including ethanol-related diseases.

Clastogenic effect of ethanol in chronic and abstinent alcoholics.

Alcoholism is one of the main causes of damage for human health, being relevant to study the induction of chromosomal aberrations (CA) by ethanol, and to investigate the individual susceptibility to diseases caused by alcoholism. A cytogenetic study was performed in human peripheral blood lymphocytes of 29 heavy chronic alcoholics, 11 alcoholics in abstinence, and 10 controls. The values of the chromosomal aberrations, mitotic indexes (MI) and proliferation indexes (PI) were determined.

Genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of pediatric cancer. Although exposure to environmental agents appears to predispose individuals to this disease, little attention has been paid to the role of genetic susceptibility to environmental exposures in the etiology of childhood ALL. The enzymes GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, CYP1A1, and CYP2E1 are involved in the bioactivation and detoxification of a variety of xenobiotics present in food, organic solvents, tobacco smoke, drugs, alcoholic drinks, pesticides, and environmental pollutants.