E. Bottini

ACP1 and human adaptability. 1. Association with common diseases: a case-control study.

Human red cell acid phosphatase (ACP1) is a polymorphic enzyme closely related to cytosolic low molecular weight acid phosphatases, a protein family broadly conserved among eukaryotes. Two different functions have been proposed for ACP1: flavin mononucleotide (FMN) phosphatase and phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTPase). Given that genetic variants of ACP1 activity are common, the enzyme could have a role in regulating a large spectrum of cellular functions and, in turn, disease susceptibility. In the present paper we report a study of ACP1 genetic polymorphism in 1088 normal subjects and in 1267 subjects from the population of Rome admitted to hospital for a number of common diseases. All ACP1 parameters investigated show highly significant differences among samples, suggesting that the enzyme may have a significant role in some of the diseases considered. In particular, consistent associations of ACP1 with developmental disturbances and with hemolytic favism have been observed. In the majority of diseases showing association with ACP1, only one of the two ACP1 isoforms, f and s, is involved, supporting the hypothesis of a functional differentiation between the two enzymatic fractions.

Less Air Pollution Leads to Rapid Reduction of Airway Inflammation and Improved Airway Function in Asthmatic Children

OBJECTIVE. Air pollution can promote airway inflammation, posing significant health risks for children with chronic respiratory problems. However, it is unknown whether this process is reversible, so that limiting pollution will benefit these children. We measured the short-term response of allergic asthmatic children exposed to a real-life reduction in outdoor air pollution by using noninvasive biomarkers of airway inflammation and function. PATIENTS AND METHODS. Thirty-seven untreated allergic children with mild persistent asthma were recruited from a highly polluted urban environment and relocated to a less polluted rural environment. Air pollution, pollen counts, and meteorological conditions were carefully monitored at both sites. Nasal eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, peak expiratory flow, and urinary leukotriene E4 were measured first in the urban environment and then again 7 days after relocation to the rural environment. RESULTS. One week after relocation to the rural environment, we measured, on average, a fourfold decrease in nasal eosinophils and significant decrease in fractional exhaled nitric oxide. We also noted an improvement in lower airway function, reflected by highly significant increase in peak expiratory flow. In contrast, mean urinary leukotriene E4 concentration remained unchanged after 1 week of exposure to the rural environment. CONCLUSIONS. Better air quality is associated with a rapid reduction of airway inflammation in allergic asthmatic children. Nasal eosinophils and fractional exhaled nitric oxide are sensitive indicators of this effect, and their rapid decline is paralleled by improved airway function measured by peak expiratory flow. Leukotriene synthesis has a more variable response to environmental modifications.

Favism: Association with Erythrocyte Acid Phosphatase Phenotype

The frequency of carriers of the Paand Pc alleles of the gene for acid phosphatase in the erythrocyte is significantly higher in male subjects deficient in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and having hemolytic clinical favism than it is in the general population. This observation seems to indicate that alleles (Pa and Pc) of a gene polymorphic in all human populations affect the fitness of the involved phenotypes in special genotypic and nongenotypic conditions.

Both Maternal and Foetal Genetic Factors Contribute to Macrosomia of Diabetic Pregnancy

The study of 230 diabetic mothers along with their newborn babies has shown that foetal macrosomia is associated with two specific genomic sites: phosphoglucomutase locus 1 (PGM1)-Rhesus blood group (Rh) linkage group (chromosome 1) and HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) linked to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) (chromosome 12). In PGM(1)2-1 mothers carrying the E allele, there is a proportion of 8.7% of macrosomic newborns as compared with 39.6% in mothers with other genotypes. The relationship between the maternal PGM1-RhE genotype and neonatal macrosomia does not depend on the type of diabetes. The proportion of macrosomic infants is much lower among newborns carrying the IGF1HS allele of the HindIII RFLP linked to IGF1 (20%) than among IGF1F/IGF1HF newborns (55%).

Phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase and diabetic pregnancy: an association between low molecular weight acid phosphatase and degree of glycemic control

Low molecular weight acid phosphatase encoded by the highly polymorphic locus ACP 1 is a member of the protein-tyrosin phosphatase family (PTPases) which plays an essential role in the control of receptor signalling through phosphotyrosine pathways. Recent experiments have shown that purified rat liver ACP, corresponding to human ACP1, is able to hydrolyze a phosphotyrosine-containing synthetic peptide corresponding to the 1146–1158 sequence of the human insulin receptor, and shows a high affinity for it. This prompted us to analyze the degree of glycemic control in relation to ACP1 genetic variability in a sample of 214 diabetic pregnant women including IDDM, NIDDM and gestational diabetes. The ACP1 genotype was also determined in 482 non-diabetic pregnant women. In diabetic women glycemic levels in thelast trimester of pregnancy appear to be significantly associated with the ACP1 genotype, and correlated positively with ACP1 enzymatic activity. The data suggest that quantitative variations of ACP1 may influence the clincal mainifestations of diabetic disorders, and call for further studies on the role of this enzyme in the modulation of insulin-receptor phosphotyrosine pathways.

Adenosine deaminase and body mass index in non—insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

We studied 273 subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) from the population of Penne, Italy. A low proportion of the adenosine deaminase (ADA)*2 allele is observed in NIDDM subjects with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 or less. On the contrary, a high proportion of this allele is observed in NIDDM patients with a BMI higher than 34 kg/m2. In the intermediate BMI class, the proportion of ADA*2 alleles does not differ significantly from that of normal subjects from the same population. No significant effect on the relation between ADA and BMI has been observed for the following variables: sex, age at the time of study, age at onset, therapy with insulin, and dyslipidemia. A borderline effect has been observed for the duration of disease. Several lines of experimental evidence suggest that an excess of adenosine A1 receptor activity may contribute to adiposity in NIDDM. ADA is a polymorphic enzyme that irreversibly deaminates adenosine to inosine, contributing to the regulation of intracellular and extracellular concentrations of adenosine. Since the activity of genotypes carrying the ADA*2 allele is lower than that of the more common genotype ADA*1/*1, genetic variability of the enzyme could contribute to degree of obesity in NIDDM. Our data also support attempts to ameliorate the metabolic control of diabetes through pharmacological modulation of adenosine receptors.

ACP1 genetic polymorphism and coronary artery disease: an association study.

Objectives: Assuming an immune component in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, we have investigated a possible association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and the acid phosphatase locus 1 (ACP1) genetic polymorphism, which has previously been found to be associated with immune disorders. Methods: 226 subjects admitted to the hospital for CAD, 358 consecutive newborn infants, 279 adult subjects with type 2 diabetes without CAD and 137 adults without diabetes and without CAD from the Caucasian population of Rome were studied. The ACP1 genotype was determined by DNA analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS package. Results: CAD females showed an excess of ACP1 *A/*C and *B/*C genotypes and a deficiency of ACP1 *B/*B genotype compared to controls, while CAD males did not show significant differences. Among diabetic women the proportion of *C allele carriers was much greater in those with CAD than in those without CAD. This difference was much less evident in nondiabetic women. Conclusion: ACP1 may be involved in susceptibility to CAD. Since ACP1 has been found to be associated with immunological diseases, our observation reinforces the notion of an immune component in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

A possible genetic component of obesity in childhood. Observations on acid phosphatase polymorphism

Phenotypes of acid phosphatase with low enzymatic activity (ACP1 A and BA) are correlated with the highest degree of body mass increase observed in a sample of obese children. Since acid phosphatase probably functions as a flavin-mononucleotide phosphatase, differential modulation of flavo-enzyme activity and energy metabolism due to acid phosphatase genetic variability may explain the observed association.

Adenosine Deaminase and Human Reproduction: A Comparative Study of Fertile Women and Women with Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion

PROBLEM: We have investigated the possible role of adenosine deaminase (ADA) genetic polymorphism in human fertility through a comparative study of couples with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) and healthy puerperae.

Erythrocyte acid phosphatase (ACP1) activity

SummaryErythrocyte acid phosphatase (ACP1) activity was determined in the absence of modulators and in the presence of either adenosine or inosine as modulators in 154 samples of red blood cells collected from adult donors. Adenosine and inosine showed modulating effects (activation), that were genotype dependent in the allele order pb<pa<pc; the activation by inosine was much higher than by adenosine. The modulating effect was dependent on adenosine deaminase (ADA) genotype: In carriers of ADA2 allele the activation with ACP1 phenotype A was lower and that with phenotypes CA and CB was higher than in ADA1/ADA1 subjects. In addition, the basic ACP1 activity (i.e., without modulators) also appeared to be dependent on ADA genotype: The lowest ACP1 activity was observed in A and BA subjects carrying the ADA2 allele. Since the deamination of adenosine to inosine associated with ADA2-1 phenotype is slower than that associated with ADA1, the interaction of ADA on ACP1 activity may in fact be explained by a lower intracellular concentration of inosine in ADA2 carriers and, therefore, by a lower modulating effect of this on acid phosphatase activity.