Vitamin D is critical for calcium, phosphate homeostasis and for mineralization of the skeleton, especially during periods of rapid growth. Vitamin D Deficiency leads to rickets (in children) and osteomalacia (in adults). Expression and activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) are necessary for the effects of vitamin D, in which several single nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified especially (FokI, BsmI). In this study serum 25 (OH) vitamin D3 levels were estimated by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay [ELISA], VDR (FokI, BsmI) gene polymorphisms were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay [PCR-RFLP].Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and ferritin were determined in 50 Pediatrics beta thalassemia major patients and 60 controls. Patients had significantly lower serum calcium (p < 0.001) lower serum vitamin D3 (p < 0.001) with elevated levels of phosphorus (p < 0.001) and alkaline phosphatase than controls (p = 0.04). Of the patients studied, 60 % had vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml), 20 % had vitamin D insufficiency (21-30 ng/ml) and 20 % had sufficient vitamin D status (>30 ng/ml). Patients harboring mutant (Ff,ff) and wild (BB) genotypes were associated with lower serum calcium (p = 0.08, 0.02) respectively, lower vitamin D3 levels (p < 0.001, 0.01) respectively. They were also suffering from more bony complications although the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that the VDR (FokI, BsmI) gene polymorphisms influence vitamin D status, (Ff,ff), BB genotypes had lower vitamin D levels, so they might influence risk of development of bone diseases in beta thalassemia major.
Background: Genetic variation influencing individual susceptibility to chemical carcinogens is one of the main factors leading to cancer development. The glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are a family of enzymes belonging to phase II enzymes involved in detoxification of xenobiotics. A significant relationship is observed between the risk of developing cancer and genetic polymorphisms within GSTs. Methods: In this study, we investigated the influence of inherited GSTP1 (Ile105Val) gene polymorphism on the susceptibility to CML in Egypt in 40 CML patients (20 children and 20 adults), together with 40 healthy controls using a [PCR-RFLP] assay. Results: We found that the mutant type (IIe/Val, Val/Val) was significantly higher in CML patients (67.5%) compared to controls (35%) (p = 0.004); [odds ratio 3.9; 95% CI: 1.5-9.7]. The mutant type was associated with more advanced phases in disease and with both worse hematological and cytogenetic responses when compared to the wild type (p = 0.03, p = 0.05, and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: GSTP1 (Ile105Val) gene polymorphism conferred a significant association with increased risk of CML and is associated with worse prognosis. Further studies on the functional consequences of this genetic polymorphism would pave the way to declare its role in the pathogenesis of CML or as a possible predictor for response to therapy.
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