Mehtap Özkur

Association of the Gln27Glu polymorphism of the beta‐2‐adrenergic receptor with preterm labor

Objectives: To investigate a potential association between the beta‐2‐adrenergic receptor (B2AR) polymorphisms occurring at amino acid positions 16 (Arg16Gly) and 27 (Gln27Glu) and preterm labor. Methods: Eighty patients with preterm labor and 76 control subjects were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). Results: A significant association was found between Gln27Glu substitution and preterm labor (P=0.001). The frequency of Gly16 and Glu27 alleles were found to be higher in patients than in control women (0.54 vs. 0.48 and 0.42 vs. 0.26, respectively), and the odds ratio for the occurrence of preterm labor was 2.14 (95% CI, 1.32–3.46; P=0.002) for the Glu 27 allele. An early delivery was noted in 52.5% of patients. Conclusion: The Gln27Glu polymorphism of the B2AR gene may have a role in molecular pathogenesis of preterm labor. Glu27 allele in patients with preterm labor might be a risk factor for deliveries before 37 weeks of gestation.

Association of insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme gene with psoriasis

Background  Genetic factors are likely to be of fundamental importance in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. There are reports concerning the induction or/and exacerbation of psoriasis by angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which have been attributed to the ACE inhibitor‐induced augmentation of kinin levels in skin. However, to the best of our knowledge there has been no molecular genetic study investigating whether ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism may contribute to the genetic background in psoriasis.

The effects of EGb 761 on lipid peroxide levels and superoxide dismutase activity in sunburn

Background/Purpose: Free oxygen radicals are involved in inflammatory skin reactions induced by ultraviolet B (UVB). In this study, the effect of a herbal antioxidant Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) was investigated in UVB irradiated mice skin.

Association of angiotensin converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism with lung cancer in Turkey.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays an important role in the physiological control of blood pressure and inflammation. We investigated an insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the gene for ACE in relation to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory diseases. The purpose of the present study was to investigate a possible association between lung cancer and insertion/deletion polymorphism of the ACE gene. A total of 125 patients with lung cancer and 165 control subjects were enrolled in the present study. ACE I/D genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction. Allelic frequencies and genotype distribution of the ACE I/D polymorphism in the patient group were significantly different from control subjects (ACE II genotype 29.6 vs. 17.6%, P = 0.011; ACE I allele 49.6 vs. 39.4%, P =0.009). Our data suggest that the ACE I/D polymorphism could be a risk factor for patients with lung cancer.

Association of insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene with angio-oedema accompanying chronic urticaria but not chronic urticaria without angio-oedema or the autologous serum skin test response

Background  Chronic urticaria is defined as the daily or almost daily occurrence of weals for more than 6 weeks. The underlying pathophysiology is reported to be mast cell activation, with release of mast cell mediators, predominantly histamine. Substance P is a neuropeptide and has the capacity to provoke histamine release from skin mast cells. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE), widely expressed in skin, is one of the major peptidase for the degradation of substance P. An insertion/deletion polymorphism (I/D) in the ACE gene has been reported to be related to the levels of enzyme.

Beta 2-adrenergic receptor polymorphism and susceptibility to primary congenital and primary open angle glaucoma

ObjectiveIt has been shown that arginine to glycine (Arg16Gly), glutamine to glutamic acid (Gln27Glu) and threonine to isoleucine (Thr164Ile) exchanges in codons 16, 27 and 164, respectively, of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) gene significantly alter receptor function. As B2ARs are located on the afferent blood vessels supplying the ciliary body and trabecular meshwork cells, which control aqueous humour dynamics, polymorphisms of B2AR may be involved in the pathophysiology of certain eye diseases, such as glaucoma. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of B2AR polymorphisms in patients with primary congenital and primary open angle glaucoma.MethodsA group of 30 patients with primary congenital glaucoma, 105 with primary open angle glaucoma and 92 control patients were analysed for the Arg16Gly, Gln27Glu, and Thr164IIe polymorphisms of the B2AR by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism.ResultsThe allelic frequencies of Gly16, Glu27 and IIe164 variant alleles were 66.7, 38.3 and 3.3% in patients with congenital glaucoma, 59.5, 31.0 and 1.0% with glaucoma, and 54.9, 26.6 and 0.5% in controls, respectively. Although statistically non-significant, the frequencies of variant alleles were slightly higher in both groups of the glaucoma patients.ConclusionsThese results suggest no evidence of an association between the Arg16Gly, Glu27Gln and Thr164Ile polymorphisms of the B2AR gene and risk of developing primary open angle glaucoma or primary congenital glaucoma. However, further studies are needed to understand the role of B2AR polymorphisms in patients with eye disease.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Insertion-Deletion Polymorphism in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Purpose: To investigate the hypothesis that primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is associated with a common insertion-deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene. Methods: ACE I/D polymorphism was investigated in a control group of healthy subjects (n = 101) and in a group of patients diagnosed with POAG (n = 104). Polymerase chain reaction detection of I/D polymorphism was used to determine the presence of the two ACE alleles in the groups. Results: Neither the I/D genotype distributions nor the allele frequencies differed significantly between POAG and control subjects (DD genotype 34.6 vs. 39.6%; ID genotype 53.9 vs. 40.6%; II genotype 11.5 vs. 19.8%, p = 0.1; D allele 61.5 vs. 60%; I allele 38.5 vs. 40%, p = 0.8). Conclusion: We could not identify a possible association of the I/D polymorphism in the ACE gene with POAG, however further studies with larger patient numbers in different populations are required to clarify the role of ACE gene in susceptibility to POAG.

Proton pump inhibitors omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole induce relaxation in the rat lower oesophageal sphincter

Objectives  We aimed to investigate effects of the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole, which are currently used for the treatment of hyperacidity and gastro‐oesophageal reflux, on the reactivity of the isolated rat lower oesophageal sphincter.