After observing a patient allergic to cat dander and pork but devoid of other allergies, we prospectively screened patients known to be allergic to cat for a second sensitization to pork. After collecting the sera of 10 young patients found to contain specific IgE to cat dander and pork, we undertook this study to detect the possible cross-reactive allergen, define its molecular characteristics, and evaluate its clinical relevance. Through immunoblotting techniques, cat and porcine serum albumin were found to be jointly recognized molecules. These findings were further analyzed by specific anti-albumin IgE titrations and cross-inhibition experiments. Cat serum albumin cDNA was obtained from cat liver, and the corresponding amino acid sequence was deduced and compared to the known porcine and human serum albumin sequences. Inhibition experiments showed that the spectrum of IgE reactivity to cat serum albumin completely contained IgE reactivity to porcine serum albumin, suggesting that sensitization to cat was the primary event. In two cohorts of cat-allergic persons, the frequency of sensitization to cat serum albumin was found to lie between 14% and 23%. Sensitization to porcine albumin was found to lie between 3% and 10%. About 1/3 of these persons are likely to experience allergic symptoms in relation to pork consumption. Sensitization to cat serum albumin should be considered a useful marker of possible cross-sensitization not only to porcine serum albumin but also to other mammalian serum albumins.

The basophil activation test should be considered as an additional diagnostic test before performing time-consuming and potentially risky oral provocation tests. The %CD63/anti-FcεRI ratio for all allergens and AUCs for pork kidney were the best parameters for distinguishing patients with alpha-gal syndrome from subjects with asymptomatic alpha-gal sensitization.

The purpose [corrected] of this study was to investigate the relationship between bipolar disorder and the harm avoidance personality trait (HA), and the genetic contribution of the polymorphic DNA variation T102C in exon 1 of 5-HTR2a (chromosome 13q14-21) in bipolar disorder and HA personality trait. Forty bipolar patients and 89 normal subjects completed the TPQ questionnaire and were genotyped for 5-HT2a. Bipolar patients scored higher than normal subjects on the HA dimension. However, no contribution of the 5-HTR2a polymorphism on the bipolar disorder or on the HA personality trait emerged. Despite the limited sample size, these results exclude a major effect of the 5-HTR2a polymorphism on bipolar disorder and HA personality trait but not a minor effect.

RNA was isolated from tissue of two patients with hepatocellular carcinoma developed on the background of a chronic hepatitis B virus infection. For identification and characterization of 3' ends of X gene open reading frame (ORF)-related transcripts, RNA was reverse transcribed into cDNA and subjected to polymerase chain reaction. Cloned amplification products from tumor tissue of one patient represented an approximately even distribution of transcripts terminating at the established poly(A) signal (standard transcripts) and of truncated transcripts terminating at a CATAAA poly(A) signal within the 3' end region of X gene ORF (truncated transcripts). Amplified cDNA from tumor tissue of the second patient could be attributed mainly to the standard type of transcripts, whereas cDNA from the nontumor tissue of the same patient could be assigned to four groups of transcripts: (i) standard transcripts, (ii) transcripts with internal deletions affecting the 3' end of the X gene, (iii) truncated transcripts, and (iv) hybrid transcripts displaying 5' sequences from the X gene ORF fused to cellular sequences.

Abstract. Animal dander is an important source of respiratory allergens, and sensitization to allergens from cat and/or dog during childhood represents a risk factor for the development of asthma and rhinitis later in life. The identification and characterization of allergenic components is crucial to improve diagnosis and therapy in patients with allergy to pets. Allergens from furry animals belong to a restricted number of protein families, a large majority are lipocalins or albumins, some are secretoglobins or latherins. Animal dander contains cross-reactive molecules and current efforts aim at defining species-specific allergens that have a high diagnostic sensitivity. Component-resolved diagnosis allows to discriminate genuine sensitization from cross-sensitization. This review contains a detailed description of allergenic components of cat, dog, horse, and small mammalian pets. Sensitizations to exotic pets, a newly emerging issue, are also discussed.

Recent studies in healthy controls suggest an association between novelty-seeking (NS) and the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene. In this study, we further investigated the relationship between genes implicated in dopamine as well as serotonin neurotransmission and personality traits in bipolar (BP) disorder. Scores on the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire were examined in 37 recovered Research Diagnostic Criteria-diagnosed BP patients genotyped for DRD3, DRD4, and serotonin 2A receptor (5HTR2a) polymorphisms. Carriers of DRD3 allele 1 showed significantly lower NS values compared to patients without this allele. Scores on NS and on harm-avoidance were not related to DRD4 or 5HTR2a polymorphisms. These preliminary results suggest a role for D3 receptor in NS expression in BP patients.

Genetic studies of the frequencies of mutant alleles for coding cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase (CYP 2D6) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients have been inconsistent. We studied the mutants A and B in 80 strictly defined sporadic PD patients divided into young age onset of the disease (< 40 years, N = 20), mid age onset (40-50 years, N = 12), and older age onset (> 50 years, N = 48). They were compared with 108 controls from the same geographic area. There were no significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies between PD patients and controls. Future genetic studies in PD should focus on other alleles or other areas of the genome.

Recent studies in healthy controls suggest an association between novelty-seeking (NS) and the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene. In this study, we further investigated the relationship between genes implicated in dopamine as well as serotonin neurotransmission and personality traits in bipolar (BP) disorder. Scores on the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire were examined in 37 recovered Research Diagnostic Criteria-diagnosed BP patients genotyped for DRD3, DRD4, and serotonin 2A receptor (5HTR2a) polymorphisms. Carriers of DRD3 allele 1 showed significantly lower NS values compared to patients without this allele. Scores on NS and on harm-avoidance were not related to DRD4 or 5HTR2a polymorphisms. These preliminary results suggest a role for D3 receptor in NS expression in BP patients.