Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors Are Stronger Related to Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Than to Presence of Carotid Plaques in People Living With HIV.

Background Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people living with HIV, who are at higher risk than the general population. We assessed, in a large cohort of people living with HIV, which cardiovascular, HIV-specific, and lipoproteomic markers were associated with carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaque presence. We also studied guideline adherence on lipid-lowering medication in individuals with high and very high risk for cardiovascular disease.

DNA-binding factor CTCF and long-range gene interactions in V(D)J recombination and oncogene activation.

Regulation of V(D)J recombination events at immunoglobulin (Ig) and T-cell receptor loci in lymphoid cells is complex and achieved via changes in substrate accessibility. Various studies over the last year have identified the DNA-binding zinc-finger protein CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) as a crucial regulator of long-range chromatin interactions. CTCF often controls specific interactions by preventing inappropriate communication between neighboring regulatory elements or independent chromatin domains.