Epigenome-wide association study detects a novel loci associated with central obesity in healthy subjects.

Background And Aims: Central obesity is a condition that poses a significant risk to global health and requires the employment of novel scientific methods for exploration. The objective of this study is to use DNA methylation analysis to detect DNA methylation loci linked to obesity phenotypes, i.e.

Epigenome-wide association study in healthy individuals identifies significant associations with DNA methylation and PBMC extract VEGF-A concentration.

Introduction: Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is a chemokine that induces proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells and is essential for both physiological and pathological angiogenesis. It is known for its high heritability (> 60%) and involvement in most common morbidities, which makes it a potentially interesting biomarker. Large GWAS studies have already assessed polymorphisms related to VEGF-A.

Variants Associated with Short Leukocyte Telomeres: Implication of Higher Early Life Leukocyte Telomere Attrition as Assessed by the Blood-and-Muscle Model.

Short leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Mendelian randomisation studies, using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with short LTL, infer a causal role of LTL in ASCVD. Recent results, using the blood-and-muscle model, indicate that higher early life LTL attrition, as estimated by the ratio between LTL and skeletal muscle telomere length (MTL), rather than short LTL at conception, as estimated by MTL, should be responsible of the ASCVD-LTL connection.

Correction: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells extracts VEGF protein levels and VEGF mRNA: Associations with inflammatory molecules in a healthy population.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Telomere length determinants in childhood.

Telomere length (TL) is a dynamic marker that reflects genetic predispositions together with the environmental conditions of an individual. It is closely related to longevity and a number of pathological conditions. Even though the extent of telomere research in children is limited compared to that of adults, there have been a substantial number of studies providing first insights into child telomere biology and determinants.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells extracts VEGF protein levels and VEGF mRNA: Associations with inflammatory molecules in a healthy population.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signal protein, implicated in various physiological and pathophysiological processes together with other common inflammatory biomarkers. However, their associations have not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated associations between VEGF and four specific VEGF mRNA isoforms with levels of 11 inflammation molecules, derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) extracts.

Epigenome-Wide Association Study (EWAS) of Blood Lipids in Healthy Population from STANISLAS Family Study (SFS).

Epigenome-Wide Association Studies (EWAS) are furthering our knowledge of epigenetic modifications involved in the regulation of lipids' metabolism. Furthermore, epigenetic patterns associated with lipid levels may play an important role in predicting the occurrence of cardiovascular events. To further investigate the relationship between methylation status and lipids, we performed an EWAS in 211 individuals from the STANISLAS Family study (SFS).

The 9th Santorini Conference: Systems Medicine, Personalised Health and Therapy. "The Odyssey from Hope to Practice", Santorini, Greece, 30 September⁻3 October 2018.

The 9th traditional biannual conference on Systems Medicine, Personalised Health & Therapy-"The Odyssey from Hope to Practice", inspired by the Greek mythology, was a call to search for practical solutions in cardio-metabolic diseases and cancer, to resolve and overcome the obstacles in modern medicine by creating more interactions among disciplines, as well as between academic and industrial research, directed towards an effective 'roadmap' for personalised health and therapy. The 9th Santorini Conference, under the Presidency of Sofia Siest, the director of the INSERM U1122; IGE-PCV (www.u1122.

Personalised Medicine: The Odyssey from Hope to Practice.

In this endeavour, inspired by the Odyssey, we aim to embark with the reader on a journey on a ship from Troy to Ithaca, coursing through the history of the momentous events and achievements that paved the way for personalised medicine. We will set sail amidst important genetic discoveries, beginning with the discovery of the first human genome, and voyage through the projects that contributed to the progress of pharmacogenomic studies. Concurrently, we will propose methods to overcome the obstacles that are slowing the potential full implementation of accumulated knowledge into everyday practice.

The polymorphism rs6918289 located in the downstream region of the TREM2 gene is associated with TNF-α levels and IMT-F.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is known for its anti-inflammatory properties during the immune response, and influences negatively on TNF-α expression levels. Genetic epidemiology studies have identified polymorphisms located in the TREM2 gene associated with neurodegenerative and chronic inflammatory diseases. TREM2 levels have been observed to affect plasma levels of TNF-α and plaque stability in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with carotid stenosis.

The future of telomere length in personalized medicine.

Telomere length has been subject of studies for many decades, aiming to elucidate its role in physiological processes, in process of aging and in diverse pathologies. Yet today, there is still no "big title" discovery that would lead to a practical use of telomeres as a reliable biomarker or target for a new drug. However, therapies for chronic disease patients are being tested and companies are already offering commercial tests for telomere length measurement.