Endometriosis is a gynaecological disease with a certain genetic background, but the locations of possible genomic aberrations are still poorly clarified. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which is a surface glycoprotein that promotes adhesion in immunological and inflammatory reactions, seems to play a role in this condition. The aim of this study was to examine the potential associations of ICAM-1 gene polymorphisms with endometriosis and its severity. Specifically, we have studied two polymorphic sites located in codons 241 (G/R241) and 469 (E/K469) of the ICAM-1 gene. Three hundred and sixty-three Italian Caucasian women of reproductive age who underwent laparoscopy for benign pelvic conditions were enrolled in the study. Endometriosis was documented and staged in 188 women while 175 subjects, in whom endometriosis was laparoscopically ruled out, served as the control group. The frequency of the R241 allele was only marginally higher in endometriosis patients than in controls [5.8 versus 2.9%, P = 0.05; odds ratio (OR), 2.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1-4.5]. However, a strikingly high frequency of this allele was found in patients with Stage IV endometriosis versus controls (8.6 versus 2.8%, P = 0.008; OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.3-7.9). In contrast, the allele and genotype frequencies of the E/K469 polymorphism did not differ significantly between endometriosis and control groups. While the functional correlate of the G/R241 polymorphism remains unclear, this finding indicates that a genetic polymorphism in the ICAM-1 gene domain may contribute to the susceptibility to endometriosis.
A detailed long range restriction map of the region de®ned by markers D6S149 and D6S193 on chromosome 6q27 has been constructed. This was achieved by YAC cloning and contig assembling of the same region. Seven YAC clones were found to span the almost 1000 Kb region¯anked by the two markers which on the genetic map resulted to be 1.9 cM apart. With some of the characterized YAC clones we undertook a molecular cytogenetic analysis of 20 benign ovarian tumors. The rationale for this was the recent mapping to a region of chromosome 6q27,¯anked by markers D6281 and D6S133, of a locus for the SV40-mediated immortalization of human cells (SEN6 gene). Noteworthy we found that the the D6S149-D6S193 region (comprised in the larger D6S281-D6S133 physical interval) was altered in all samples analysed adding support to the occurrence of a immortalization step in this type of tumors.
In all species studied, the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) gene is transcribed into multiple mRNAs, one of which is an antisense RNA (1B FGF-AS) probably involved in regulating the stability of the sense transcript. In this study we investigated whether the regulatory mechanisms of bFGF expression might be altered in endometrial stromal cells derived from women with endometriosis. bFGF and 1B FGF-AS mRNA levels were quantified in primary cultures of eutopic endometrial stromal cells derived from 29 women without endometriosis and 24 patients affected by the disease. When the data were analyzed according to the phase of the menstrual cycle, endometrial stromal cells derived from patients in the late proliferative phase showed significantly higher bFGF mRNA values and significantly lower 1B FGF-AS mRNA levels compared with control samples. Furthermore, the mean bFGF/1B FGF-AS mRNA ratio was significantly higher in endometrial stromal cells derived from patients compared with that in controls (mean +/- SEM, 2.31 +/- 0,55 and 0.77 +/- 0.14, respectively; P = 0.009). Moreover, for bFGF expression the differences existing at the mRNA level were maintained at the protein level. These findings support the hypothesis that 1B FGF-AS mRNA could regulate the expression of the sense transcript and suggest that in endometrial cells derived from patients, the presence of higher bFGF levels could improve their ability to proliferate at the ectopic site.
Recently, the presence of different polymorphisms in the regulatory region of the ob gene has been associated with variations in leptin levels. However, the results of these studies are still contradictory. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the presence of the A19G polymorphism in an Italian population of obese patients and to verify its association with leptin levels and anthropometric, metabolic, and clinical parameters. Two hundred five obese patients [body mass index (BMI) > 36 kg/m2; 135 women and 70 men; mean age, 46.9+/-14.23 yr] were screened for presence of the polymorphism; 61 normal-weight controls (mean BMI, 21.05 kg/m2; 53 women, 8 men) were also screened to compare polymorphism frequency. For obese patients, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, resting energy expenditure, body composition, fasting leptin, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, and caloric intake were determined. Genotype frequencies in obese and control subjects were compared using the contingency table chi-square test; in obese subjects an ANOVA was performed to evaluate association between the polymorphism and several clinical parameters. No significant differences in genotype distribution between control and obese subjects were found. No significant correlations were found between this polymorphism and serum leptin levels and the other parameters considered. These findings confirm the results obtained in both a Finnish and a French population; taken together, these observations might rule out a significant role for the A19->G polymorphism in the regulation of leptin levels and other clinical, anthropometric, and metabolic parameters.
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