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Background/Objectives The catalase ( CAT) T/ C at codon 389 in the exon 9 polymorphism has been implicated in susceptibility to vitiligo but a large number of studies have reported inconclusive results. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between the catalase gene polymorphism (389 C> T) and the risk of vitiligo. Methods A meta-analysis was carried out to analyse the association between 389 C> T and vitiligo risk. Results Eight case-control studies with 2923 cases and 4237 controls were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that there was no association between this polymorphism and vitiligo ( TT + CT versus CC: OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.98-1.20, P = 0.11, T versus C: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.99-1.16, P = 0.092). In a subgroup analysis by ethnicity, no significant association between the CAT gene 389 C> T polymorphism and vitiligo susceptibility was found in Caucasians ( TT + CT versus CC: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.98-1.35, P = 0.08; T versus C: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.97-1.19, P = 0.173) and Asians ( TT + CT versus CC: OR = 1.12, 95% CI =0.93-1.34, P = 0.23; T versus C: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.94-1.21, P = 0.321). Conclusions Our results suggest that 389 C> T may not contribute to vitiligo susceptibility. However, larger primary studies with the consideration of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions are still required to further evaluate the interaction of CAT gene polymorphism with vitiligo susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticyanin is a blue pigment found in the epidermis and hemolymph of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. Two distinct full-length eDNA species were isolated and shown to encode the two major isoelectric forms of insecticyanin, the a form (INS-a) and b form (INS-b). Sequence analysis of the two cDNA clones, pE1-11 and pE3-12, reveals that both contain an 618-bp open reading frame which predicts an 189-amino-acid protein and an 17-amino-acid signal peptide. Comparison of the deduced INS-a and INS-b proteins show 13 amino acid differences, of which six are conserved. Three amino acid substitutions are also found between the deduced INS-b sequence and the sequenced INS-b protein isolated from the hemolymph. Isolation and characterization of live genomic clones revealed that pE1-11 and pE3-12 come from two different genes. Both INS-a and INS-b genes have four exons interrupted by three introns at the same positions. The two genes share 93% nucleotide similarity in the coding region. Moreover, the 'TATA box' and 'CAAT box' are completely conserved in the putative promoter regions of the two genes. Primer extension revealed that both INS-a and INS-b genes begin their transcription at position -52 relative to their translation initiation codon, ATG. We conclude that the two genes are the result of gene duplication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: The catalase (CAT) T/C at codon 389 in the exon 9 polymorphism has been implicated in susceptibility to vitiligo but a large number of studies have reported inconclusive results. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between the catalase gene polymorphism (389C>T) and the risk of vitiligo., Methods: A meta-analysis was carried out to analyse the association between 389C>T and vitiligo risk., Results: Eight case-control studies with 2923 cases and 4237 controls were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicated that there was no association between this polymorphism and vitiligo (TT + CT versus CC: OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.98-1.20, P = 0.11, T versus C: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.99-1.16, P = 0.092). In a subgroup analysis by ethnicity, no significant association between the CAT gene 389C>T polymorphism and vitiligo susceptibility was found in Caucasians (TT + CT versus CC: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.98-1.35, P = 0.08; T versus C: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.97-1.19, P = 0.173) and Asians (TT + CT versus CC: OR = 1.12, 95% CI =0.93-1.34, P = 0.23; T versus C: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.94-1.21, P = 0.321)., Conclusions: Our results suggest that 389C>T may not contribute to vitiligo susceptibility. However, larger primary studies with the consideration of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions are still required to further evaluate the interaction of CAT gene polymorphism with vitiligo susceptibility., (© 2014 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.)