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Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) is a common childhood pathology affecting approximately 1–5 children pro 1 000 newborns, with a genetic background as suggested by the familial occurrence. RET is a candidate gene for IHPS due to its role in the development of the intrinsic innervation and ganglia of the smooth musculature and the association of RET variants with another motility disorder (Hirschsprung’s disease). Accordingly, we investigated RET-IHPS associations through sequencing of the complete RET coding region in 32 IHPS patients. Genotype frequencies were compared between patients and 48 controls using the Cochran-Armitage trend test or Fischer’s test for exact p-values. We found 19 RET variants in IHPS, including polymorphisms in the promoter region (c.-200 G>A and c.-196C>A). There was no statistically significant difference between the frequencies of the variants in both groups. There was no deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, yet a significant correlation (linkage disequilibrium) for variants in the promoter region, in exons 11, 13, 14 and 19 and in the 3’ UTR. We conclude that RET variants are present in IHPS patients yet show no significant statistical association with the IHPS phenotype, suggesting at best an adjuvant role for RET in IHPS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is transmitted in a complex pattern of inheritance and is mostly associated with variants in the RET proto-oncogene. However, RET mutations are only identified in 15–20% of sporadic HSCR cases and solely in 50% of the familial cases. Since genomic rearrangements in particularly sensitive areas of the RET proto-oncogene and/or associated genes may account for the HSCR phenotype in patients without other detectable RET variants, the aim of the present study was to identify rearrangements in the coding sequence of RET as well as in three HSCR-associated genes ( ZEB2, EDN3 and GDNF) in HSCR patients by using Multiplex Ligation-dependent Probe Amplification (MLPA). We have screened 80 HSCR patients for genomic rearrangements in RET, ZEB2, EDN3 and GDNF and did not identify any deletion or amplification in these four genes in all patients. We conclude that genomic rearrangements in RET are rare and were not responsible for the HSCR phenotype in individuals without identifiable germline RET variants in our group of patients, yet this possibility cannot be excluded altogether because the confidence to identify variation in at least two percent of the individuals was only 95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We aimed to assess the association of different genotypes with increased aggressive periodontitis susceptibility by studying functional relevant variants in the pathogen-recognition receptor Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and variants in the promoter region of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-18 (IL-18). Material and Methods: One hundred and eleven patients with aggressive periodontitis and 80 periodontally healthy controls were genotyped for four functional variants in the TLR4 gene (c.896A>G and c.1196C>T) and in the IL-18 promoter (c.-368G>C and c.-838C>A). The genotype and allele frequencies, as well as the frequency of combined genotypes were compared between study groups. Results: There were no statistical differences in genotype and allele frequencies within the four variants between the groups. All study subjects were further classified into carriers and non-carriers of at least one variant of both genes. The logistic regression analysis adjusted for gender and smoking showed no association between carrier status of at least one variant of both genes and periodontal status (OR=1.41, 95% CI: 0.43-4.70). Conclusions: Our results reject the hypothesis that functionally relevant IL-18 and TLR4 gene mutations have a major effect on aggressive periodontitis susceptibility alone or in combination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cathepsin C (CTSC) mutations are known to cause Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome. The aim of this study was to examine the association of CTSC genotype with susceptibility to non-syndromic aggressive periodontitis. The CTSC gene was analyzed in 110 persons with generalized aggressive periodontitis in comparison with 78 control individuals, after identifying different variants in a cohort of 100 persons. Five out of 19 discovered variants were included in this association study, representing 5 single-nucleotide polymorphism groups in tight linkage disequilibrium. The relevance of genotypes on enzyme function was examined. The carrier frequency of the missense variant p.I453V was significantly increased in persons with disease compared with healthy control individuals (17.3% vs. 6.4%, p < 0.05). CTSC activity in leukocytes from individuals harboring this variant was significantly reduced (119.8 ΔOD/min*105 cells, 95% confidence interval 17.4-174.9, p = 0.018). No influence of promoter variants was found on mRNA expression. The results support the hypothesis that CTSC gene variants contribute to increased susceptibility in generalized aggressive periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIM: The autosomal-recessive Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS) is characterized by severe aggressive periodontitis, combined with palmoplantar hyperkeratosis, and is caused by mutations in the Cathepsin C (CTSC) gene. This study aimed to identify CTSC mutations in different PLS phenotypes, including atypical forms and isolated pre-pubertal aggressive periodontitis (PAP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirteen families with different phenotypes were analysed by direct sequencing of the entire coding region and the regulatory regions of CTSC. The function of novel mutations was tested with enzyme activity measurements. RESULTS: In 11 of 13 families, 12 different pathogenic CTSC mutations were found in 10 typical PLS patients, three atypical cases and one PAP patient. Out of four novel mutations, three result in protein truncation and are thus considered to be pathogenic. The homozygous c.854C>T nucleotide exchange (p.P285L) was associated with an almost complete loss of enzyme activity. The observed phenotypic heterogeneity could not be associated with specific genotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The phenotypic variability of the PLS associated with an identical genetic background may reflect the influence of additional genetic or environmental factors on disease characteristics. CTSC mutation analyses should be considered for differential diagnosis in all children suffering from severe aggressive periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The CARD15 gene encodes a protein that acts as an intracellular receptor of bacterial products, thus playing an important role in the innate immune response. Recently, CARD15 gene variants have been identified as a cause of increased susceptibility to Crohn's disease. The present study aimed to examine a potential association of CARD15 gene variants with aggressive periodontitis susceptibility. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The three main known CARD15 gene variants (p.R702W, p.G908R, and p.L1007fsX1008) were analysed by direct sequencing of exon 4, 8, and 11 of the gene in a total of 86 generalized aggressive periodontitis patients in comparison with 67 healthy controls. RESULTS: The mutant allele frequencies of the CARD15 variants were low in the generalized aggressive periodontitis group as well as in the control group and not significantly different (R702W: 3.5% versus 5.2%; G908R: 1.7% versus 1.5%; L1007fsX1008: 5.2% versus 4.5%). Two rare variants (A755V and R791Q), previously described only in patients with other inflammatory diseases, were observed in three patients having aggressive periodontitis but not in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike in Crohn's disease, our results did not show an association between the three main CARD15 mutations and aggressive periodontitis. The role of rare variants remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The CARD15 gene encodes a protein that acts as an intracellular receptor of bacterial products, thus playing an important role in the innate immune response. Recently, CARD15 gene variants have been identified as a cause of increased susceptibility to Crohn's disease. The present study aimed to examine a potential association of CARD15 gene variants with aggressive periodontitis susceptibility. Material and Methods: The three main known CARD15 gene variants (p.R702W, p.G908R, and p.L1007fsX1008) were analysed by direct sequencing of exon 4, 8, and 11 of the gene in a total of 86 generalized aggressive periodontitis patients in comparison with 67 healthy controls. Results: The mutant allele frequencies of the CARD15 variants were low in the generalized aggressive periodontitis group as well as in the control group and not significantly different (R702W: 3.5% versus 5.2%; G908R: 1.7% versus 1.5%; L1007fsX1008: 5.2% versus 4.5%). Two rare variants (A755V and R791Q), previously described only in patients with other inflammatory diseases, were observed in three patients having aggressive periodontitis but not in controls. Conclusions: Unlike in Crohn's disease, our results did not show an association between the three main CARD15 mutations and aggressive periodontitis. The role of rare variants remains unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activities of the alanine aminotransferase were measured along the entire sinusoidal paths ( 1) between small portal tracts and central veins and ( 2) between regions of adjoining septal branches and central veins in the livers of male Wistar rats using a Lowry technique. The established profiles of enzyme activity give support to previous studies, suggesting functional heterogeneity of liver sinusoids and their abutting hepatocytes related to morphological differences of the sinusoidal bed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggressive periodontitis (AP) in pre-pubertal children is often associated with genetic disorders like Papillon-Lefèvre syndrome (PLS). PLS is caused by mutations in the cathepsin C (CTSC) gene. We report a novel CTSC mutation (c.566-572del) in an otherwise healthy AP child and two novel compound heterozygous mutations (c.947T>G, c.1268G>C) in a PLS patient. We conclude that at least a subset of pre-pubertal AP is due to CTSC mutations and therefore may be an allelic variant of PLS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]