Association between a common missense variant in LOXL3 gene and the risk of non-syndromic cleft palate.

To investigate possible association between functional common variants in the lysyl oxidase like 3 gene and non-syndromic cleft palate we selected a common missense variant p.Ile615Phe (rs17010021), which was predicted to have a probably damaging effect on the lysyl oxidase like 3 enzyme. We genotyped 258 non-syndromic cleft palate case-parent triads of European origin and tested genetic association using the transmission disequilibrium test and log-linear regression analyses of genotypic relative risks and of parent-of-origin effects.

Evaluating LINE-1 methylation in cleft lip tissues and its association with early pregnancy exposures.

Aim: To pilot investigation of methylation of long interspersed nucleotide element-1 in lip tissues from infants with nonsyndromic cleft lip, and its association with maternal periconceptional exposures.

Methods: The lateral and medial sides of the cleft lips of 23 affected infants were analyzed for long interspersed nucleotide element-1 methylation by bisulfite conversion and pyrosequencing.

Results: The medial side showed 1.

Antitubulinic effect of New Fluorazone Derivatives on Melanoma Cells.

Microtubules are composed by α- and β-tubulin polypeptides. α-tubulin undergoes a reversible posttranslational modification whereby the C-terminal tyrosine residue is removed (Glu-tubulin) and re-added (Tyrtubulin). Recent studies have shown that α-tubulin tyrosine residues can be nitrated and the incorporation of NO2Tyr into the C-terminus of Glu-tubulin forms a complex that blocks the tyrosination/detyrosination cycle, an event that can compromise protein/enzyme functions, such as cell division.