Copyright (c) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“Toll-like and interleukin-1 (IL-1) family receptors recognize microbial or endogenous ligands and inflammatory mediators, respectively, and with the exception of Toll-like receptor
3 (TLR3), signal via the adaptor molecule myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88). MyD88 is involved in oncogene-induced cell intrinsic inflammation and in cancer-associated extrinsic inflammation, and as such MyD88 contributes to skin, liver, pancreatic, and colon carcinogenesis, as well as sarcomagenesis. MyD88 is also protective, for example in oncogenic virus carcinogenesis buy GSK1838705A or, acting downstream of IL-18R to strengthen mucosal repair, in azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced
colon carcinogenesis. Here, we discuss the mechanisms of the divergent effects of MyD88 and the balance of its protumor role in cancer-enhancing inflammation and immunity and its antitumor role in tissue homeostasis, repair, and immunity against the tumor or oncogenic pathogens.”
“Vitamin D plays an important role in neurodegenerative disorders as a crucial neuro-immunomodulator, and accumulating data have provided evidence for that vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is a candidate gene for susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this study, we performed a case-control study to demonstrate whether the risk for the development of onset of sporadic PD might be influenced by VDR gene polymorphisms R788 nmr in a Chinese cohort. Two hundred and sixty PD patients and 282 matched-healthy controls were genotyped for two representative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in VDR gene (FokI C/T and BsmI G/A) by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis in. Results from our study revealed that FokI C allele carriers were likely to associate with an increased risk of PD (P = 0.004) as well as early-onset PD (EOPD) (P = 0.010). Moreover, the frequency of FokI C allele was significantly increased in PD group and late-onset next PD (LOPD) group relative to the control groups respectively (P = 0.023 and P = 0.033. respectively).
For BsmI polymorphisms, no significant difference in genotype or allele distribution was found between PD patients and the controls, as well as gender- and age-related differences between PD patients and the controls subgroup. This study demonstrated a possible association between the VDR FokI T/C polymorphism and PD, indicating that VDR polymorphisms may well change genetic susceptibility to sporadic PD in a Han Chinese population. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Exposure to smoking-related cues can trigger relapse in smokers attempting to maintain abstinence.
In the present study, we evaluated the effect of 24-h smoking abstinence on brain responses to smoking-related cues using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).