The prevention of hepatitis B by vaccination is one the most efficient tools to avoid the transmission of the virus, although a considerable variability to the anti-HBsAg antibody response has been described. Recently, polymorphisms of cytokine regulating genes have been described which seem to influence the immune response to various antigens. This article's objective was to evaluate the influence of cytokine genetic polymorphisms onto the humoral immune response to hepatitis B vaccine in infants. Vaccinated children were classified according to the level of anti-HBsAg antibody titles. The genotyping for TNF (-308), TGFB1 (+869, +915), IL-10 (-1082, -819, -592), IL-6 (-174), and IFNG (+874) was accomplished by the PCR-SSP technique. The TNF (-308) allele A presented a lower but not statistically significant frequency at 5% level in high responder patients (3.7% vs. 12.3%, P = 0.0919). The same was seen for the TNF (-308) genotype GA (7.4% vs. 24.5%, P = 0.0757). Further studies in other populations and evaluation of a greater number of individuals may contribute for a better understanding of the cytokine gene polymorphism influence in general and TNF polymorphism more specifically in the humoral immune response to the HBsAg vaccination in newborn children.
To verify whether high-fat diet prepared from commercial diet plus chocolate, roasted peanuts and corn cookies induces hypercholesterolemia in mice and whether there is any hepatic involvement in this type of animal testing. Swiss mice received a high-fat diet for 15 and 30 days; plasma cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose rates were determined. Hepatic impairment was evaluated by histopathological analysis. Cholesterol levels increased 43% in animals treated with high-fat diet for 30 days. Further, histopathological analysis revealed that treatment of animals for 15 and 30 days produced hepatic steatosis and steatohepatitis, respectively. Experimental model is suitable for assessing the action of anti-hypercholesterolemia and the treatment of steatohepatitis.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.