Polymorphisms of Nrf2, an antioxidative gene, are associated with blood pressure in Japanese.

Nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of antioxidant genes by activating Nrf2-antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway. This study aimed to investigate association of Nrf2 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs35652124 (A --> G) and rs6721961 (C --> A), with various laboratory data in 464 health evaluation examinees. The genotyping of these SNPs was performed using polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTPP) assay.

Polymorphism of Nrf2, an antioxidative gene, is associated with blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients.

Objective: Nrf2 is a transcription factor that regulates the expression of antioxidant genes. This study aimed to investigate the association of Nrf2 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs35652124 (-653A/G) and rs6721961 (-617C/A), with laboratory data and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 216 HD patients (119 males and 97 females; 60 diabetics and 156 non-diabetics) with mean age of 60.

Inverse correlation between serum interleukin-6 and iron levels among Japanese adults: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that is produced by many different cell types, and plays an important role in the regulation of inflammation, immune responses, the acute-phase response, and hematopoiesis. Previous laboratory and clinical studies have shown that IL-6 causes a significant decrease in serum iron levels. Therefore, we conducted an epidemiological study to examine the association between serum IL-6 and iron levels.

Significant association between serum interleukin-6 and Helicobacter pylori antibody levels among H. pylori-positive Japanese adults.

Background: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine produced by many types of cells. Inflammation plays a key role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis that is an underlying cause of coronary heart disease (CHD). Since the 1990s, some studies have shown an association between H.

Association between Helicobacter pylori infection detected by the (13) C-urea breath test and low serum ferritin levels among Japanese adults.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a major risk factor for chronic gastritis, digestive ulcers, and gastric cancer. Previous studies have shown associations between H. pylori infection and decreased iron storage.

Preventive medical services not covered by public health insurance at Daiko Medical Center in Japan, 2004-2011.

Preventive medical services not covered by public health insurance started in the Daiko Medical Center of Nagoya University in June, 2004. Those services included: (1) Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) diagnosis and eradication treatments, for which CYP2C19 genotyping was introduced in November 2005; (2) smoking cessation support with genotype tests of CYP1A1 Ile462Val, GSTM1 present/null, GSTT1 present/null, and NQO1 Pro187Ser; (3) advice on alcohol consumption with genotype tests of ADH Arg47His and ALDH2 Glu487Lys; (4) advice on folate-associated diseases with a genotype test of MTHFR C677T; (5) advice on a tumor marker CA19-9 with genotype tests of Lewis and Secretor genes; and (6) raloxifene prescription aimed to prevent breast cancer for high-risk postmenopausal women.

SIRTUIN 1 gene polymorphisms are associated with cholesterol metabolism and coronary artery calcification in Japanese hemodialysis patients.

Objectives: Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a longevity gene, protects cells against oxidative and genotoxic stress. This study aimed to investigate the association of SIRT 1 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms, namely, rs7895833, rs7069102, and rs2273773 with lipid profiles and coronary artery calcification score in 219 Japanese hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: Genotyping of these polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers assay.

A new PCR method: one primer amplification of PCR-CTPP products.

Polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTPP) is a convenient method for genotyping single nucleotide polymorphisms, saving time, and costs. It uses four primers for PCR; F1 and R1 for one allele, and F2 and R2 for the other allele, by which three different sizes of DNA are amplified; between F1 and R1, between F2 and R2, and between F1 and R2. To date, we have applied PCR-CTPP successfully for genotyping more than 60 polymorphisms.

No association between AICDA 7888 C/T polymorphism, Helicobacter pylori seropositivity, and the risk of atrophic gastritis and gastric cancer in Japanese.

Background: The aberrant expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AICDA) was reportedly induced in gastric epithelial cells infected with cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA)-positive Helicobacter pylori, resulting in the accumulation of alterations in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene in gastric cells. We investigated the association of the AICDA 7888 C/T polymorphism with H. pylori infection and the risk of gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis in Japanese subjects.

Significant association of RUNX3 T/A polymorphism at intron 3 (rs760805) with the risk of gastric atrophy in Helicobacter pylori seropositive Japanese.

Background: This study aimed to examine the associations of a RUNX3 T/A polymorphism at exon 1 (Asn18Ile) (rs6672420) and another RUNX3 intronic T/A polymorphism (rs760805) with the risk of gastric cancer together with the risk of H. pylori seropositivity and gastric atrophy in Japanese people.

Methods: Study subjects were 583 histologically diagnosed gastric cancer patients and age- and sex-frequency-matched 1,742 control outpatients (among whom 1,637 subjects were eligible for the analyses), who visited Aichi Cancer Center Hospital from 2001 to 2005.

KLOTHO gene polymorphisms G-395A and C1818T are associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and uric acid in Japanese hemodialysis patients.

Background/aims: This study aimed to investigate the association of the KLOTHO gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), G-395A and C1818T, with various laboratory data in 219 Japanese hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: The genotyping of G-395A in the promoter region and C1818T in exon 4 was performed using polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers (PCR-CTPP) assay.

Results: In HD patients, the allele frequencies of G-395A were 0.

Toll-like receptor 4 +3725 G/C polymorphism, Helicobacter pylori seropositivity, and the risk of gastric atrophy and gastric cancer in Japanese.

Background: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms were reported to be a risk factor of gastric carcinoma or its precursors in Caucasian and Indian population, but these polymorphisms are absent in Japanese. We investigated the associations of TLR4+3725 G/C polymorphism, another functional polymorphism of TLR4, with risk of gastric cancer and gastric atrophy in Japanese.

Materials And Methods: Study subjects were 583 histologically diagnosed gastric cancer patients and age- and sex-matched 1592 control outpatients, who visited Aichi Cancer Center Hospital from 2001 to 2005.