Disease In Iranian Population Research Articles

Association between matrix metaloproteinases 2-1306C/T polymorphism and the risk of coronary artery disease in Iranian population

BackgroundCoronary Artery Disease (CAD) represents the most important cause of sudden cardiac death. Interaction between genetic and environmental factors, individual susceptibility of the development of CAD is one of the MMP2 genes. Genetic variants’ dysfunction of the MMP2 gene associated with the risk of CAD. The aim of the present study is to assess possible association between risk of Coronary Artery Disease and MMP2-1306C/T polymorphism. MethodsThis case-control study contains a total number of 344 subjects, including 215 patients with CAD and 129 of controls. Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood and genotyping was performed by the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR- RFLP) method. ResultsThis study reveals the result that about 3.5% of CAD patients had TT genotype while 30.4% of them had CT genotype. Corresponding figures for subjects without CAD were zero and 52.6% respectively. These differences were statistically significant (P=0.002). Frequencies of T allele among patients with and without CAD were 18.71% and 26.28% respectively (p=0.04). The odds ratio between T allele and CAD was 0.64 (p=0.055). we couldn’t trace significant differences among alleles in Gensini score, Gesnsini score’s median among patients carried out TT, CT and CC genotypes were 4, 2 and 2 respectively (p=0.3). ConclusionsResult of this study provides some evidences that the MMP2-1306 polymorphism can be associated with coronary artery disease. Further longitudinal studies including more sample sizes are required to confirm this protective effect.

Analysis of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their HLA ligand genes polymorphisms in Iranian patients with systemic sclerosis

Genetic factors have a great role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases by cooperating with environmental stimuli. Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are cell surface proteins on NK cells whose association with major histocompatibility complex-I regulates their killing function. The aim of this study was to provide information on the possible association between KIR and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes with systemic sclerosis disease in Iranian population. A total of 279 systemic sclerosis patients and 451 healthy controls were enrolled in this case-control study in order to determine the presence or absence of 19 KIR genes and 6 specific HLA class I ligands. DNA was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction using the specific sequence primer method (PCR-SSP). Among 11 discovered KIR genotypes, 6 genotypes showed a considerable role and 4 genotypes could preclude the risk of systemic sclerosis (SSc) disease. The gene-gene interactions were also analyzed, and significant confounding effects were seen between involved genes in these two combinations: "KIR3DL1; HLA-BW4-Thr80" and "KIR3DL1 -HLA-BW4-A1." None of single KIR genes showed significant effect on the risk of SSc. We conclude that there is an important relationship between KIR genes and their HLA ligands with incidence rate of systemic sclerosis in Iranian population. The powerful role of a number of discovered KIR/HLA compounds such as activating KIR genotype 3 and HLA-BW4-A1 confirmed the provocative hypothesis of the interplay between activating or inhibitory KIR genes with HLA ligands as a critical index of systemic sclerosis predisposition.

Are polymorphisms in MTRR A66G and MTHFR C677T genes associated with congenital heart diseases in Iranian population?

Background:The 5, 10-methyleneterahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) are two essential enzymes involved in folate metabolism. The relationship between genetic polymorphisms and congenital heart defects (CHDs) is inconsistent. Our aim was to investigate the association between two well-known polymorphisms of MTHFR and MTRR genes, C677T and A66G, respectively, and CHDs in Iranian patients.Methods:We enrolled 74 patients with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and 79 with tetralogy of fallot (TOF) along with 147 healthy controls. C677T and A66G polymorphisms were detected using tetra-primer ARMS (amplification refractory mutation system) PCR.Results:Individuals carrying homozygote mutant (TT) genotype of C677T polymorphism represented the highest risk for CHDs (OR=7.3, 95% CI: 0.8-61, P=0.06). Also, significantly increased risk of VSD was observed in individuals with TT genotype (OR=10, 95% CI: 1-92.2, P=0.04). However, the frequency for variant allele (T) of C677T polymorphism was not statistically different between cases and controls (16.3% and 20.9%, respectively). For A66G polymorphism, we found that AG and GG genotypes had higher frequencies in the patients (48.4% and 21.6% respectively) than controls (42.9% and 15.6%, respectively). In line with this, combined AG+GG genotype represented with significantly elevated risk of CHDs (OR=1.6; 95% CI: 1-2.6, P=0.03). AG+GG combination was also identified as a risk factor for TOF (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1-3.3, P=0.04).Conclusion:We demonstrated that C677T polymorphism of MTHFR gene was significantly associated with VSD in our patients. Our study also suggested that A66G polymorphism of MTRR gene may contribute to the development of TOF in Iranians.

SIPA1L2, MIR4697, GCH1 and VPS13C loci and risk of Parkinson's diseases in Iranian population: A case-control study

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder. Prevalence of PD increases steadily with age. A recent meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies has identified six new loci to be linked with PD. Here we investigated the association of four of these new loci, SIPA1L2, MIR4697, GCH1 and VPS13C with PD in an Iranian population. Through a case-control study a total of 1800 subjects comprising 600 PD patients and 1200 unrelated healthy controls were recruited. Rs10797576, rs329648, rs11158026 and rs2414739 related to SIPA1L2, MIR4697, GCH1 and VPS13C loci respectively, were genotyped in all subjects. The difference of genotype and allele frequencies between case and control groups were investigated using chi-square test and logistic regression models with R software. Genotype and allele frequencies were significantly different in PD patients and control group for rs329648, rs11158026 and rs2414739 (p-value=0.018, 0.025, and 0.009 respectively for allele frequency differences). There was no difference in genotype nor allele frequencies between the two groups for rs10797576.We replicated the association of three new loci which are proposed for PD. More studies in other populations and also functional analysis are required to clear the role of these variants in PD.

Vitamin D receptor gene rs4334089 polymorphism and Parkinson’s disease in Iranian population

Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with both contributions of genetic and environmental factors. Protective functions of vitamin D and then vitamin D receptor (VDR) in PD have been declared recently. In this study we investigated the association of VDR rs4334089 gene polymorphism with PD in Iranian population.A total of 1040 subjects including 520 PD patients and 520 unrelated control subjects were recruited in a case-control study. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of all subjects and rs4334089 polymorphism of VDR was genotyped using PCR-RFLP method.Genotype and allele frequency of rs4334089 were significantly different in PD and control groups and A allele was significantly more frequent in PD patients compared to control group. Our findings suggest that VDR rs4334089 A allele could be a risk factors for PD in Iranian population, although more replication studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Association between two single base polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene and inflammatory bowel disease.

The present study evaluated the association between G241R and K469E polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene and inflammatory bowel disease in Iranian population. Inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. There are two single base polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1gene, G241R and K469E, reported to be associated with inflammatory disorders. In this case-control study, 156 inflammatory bowel disease patients (110 ulcerative colitis and 46 Crohn's disease patients) and 131 healthy controls were enrolled. Two polymorphisms of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene, including G241R and K469E, were assessed by polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism. The E469 allele of K469E polymorphism was significantly more frequent in Crohn's disease patients compared to controls (P< 0.05, OR= 1.83; 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.96). The mutant homozygote genotype of K469E polymorphism (E/E) was also significantly more frequent in Crohn's disease patients compared to controls (P< 0.05, OR= 4.23; 95% CI: 1.42 to 12.59). No difference was observed in the frequency of K469E polymorphism among ulcerative colitis patients compared to controls. There were no significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies of G241R polymorphism among ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients compared to control subjects. According to our findings, K469E polymorphism of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene may probably participate in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease in Iran.

Association of -77T>C and Arg194trp polymorphisms of XRCC1 with risk of coronary artery diseases in Iranian population.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in both male and female worldwide. The main cause of CAD is the atherosclerosis of coronary arteries, which is, mostly caused by genetic alteration. 50% of such cases occur in mitotic cells where single-strand breaks occur spontaneously or due to ionizing radiation. X-ray repair cross-complementing protein 1 (XRCC1) as a key element, participate in the base excision repair (BER) and Single-strand Break Repair (SSBR) pathways. It has been suggested that XRCC1 functions as a scaffold protein able to coordinate and facilitate the various steps of DNA repair pathways. Two Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) (Arg194Trp and -77T>C) were reported to affect the function and expression of XRCC1, respectively. A case-control study was performed to investigate the relation between these polymorphisms and the CAD development. A population of 406 individuals was screened for SNPs by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP) method. XRCC1 Arg194Trp polymorphism was associated with increased risk of CAD in examined population under a dominant model (Odds-ratio=2.604, P-value=0.001). Also the SNP of -77T>C revealed a protective role in the population under a dominant model (Odds-ratio=0.618, P-value=0.032). Our findings demonstrated a contributory role of these two SNPs in CAD. Furthermore, our results support the role of DNA damages and the malfunctions of DNA repair system in cardiovascular disease development in Iranian patients.

The analysis of association between SNCA, HUSEYO and CSMD1 gene variants and Parkinson's disease in Iranian population.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the etiology of the disease. Many studies have revealed the susceptibility genes and variations for PD which need further confirmation. Here we evaluated the association of variations in SNCA, HUSEYO and CSMD1 genes with PD. A case-control study was conducted with 489 PD patients and 489 healthy controls. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of all subjects and rs356220 and rs11931074 in SNCA, rs2338971 in HUSEYO and rs12681349 in CSMD1 were genotyped using PCR-RFLP method. The genotypes and allele frequencies were significantly different between case and control groups for rs356220, rs11931074 and rs2338971 but not for rs12681349. We provided further evidence that rs356220 is associated with increased risk of PD supporting previous studies in Caucasian-based and Japanese populations. The association of rs11931074 with decreased risk of PD was also significant. This study revealed the first evidence of the association of rs2338971 with increased risk of PD in the Iranian population. Nevertheless, these findings need further validation via more replication studies.

Point mutations which should not be overlooked in Hb H disease

Background: Hb H disease is an alpha-thalassemia (α-thal) syndrome characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia that occurs when three of total four α-globin genes lost their function due to completely deletions or different kind of mutations.Objective: We here described 66 patients who have been diagnosed for Hb H disease during the last five years in our center. The genotypes involving point mutations present more severe phenotype than deletional forms that make them of primary important to health management.Study design: Hb H subjects carry different α-globin genotypes including deletional and non-deletional mutations showing heterogenous clinical manifestations.Results: The Hb H patients presenting a wide range of phenotype carried different deletional, non-deletional mutations or compound heterozygosity of them.Conclusion: We emphasize the importance of some point mutations responsible for more severe form of Hb H disease in Iranian population and the necessity for consideration of prenatal diagnosis (PND) in high-risk couples.

Association Study of IL-4 -590 C/T and DDX39B -22 G/C Polymorphisms with the Risk of Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease in Iranian Population.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4), an important anti-inflammatory cytokine, is elucidated to regulate amyloid β-induced production of the inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1 and IL-6. It is assumed that IL-4 may involve in the inflammation pathology of surrounding senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box polypeptide 39B (DDX39B), appears to be involved in regulation of the inflammatory cytokines which are in correlation with AD pathology. This study was conducted to investigate the two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), IL-4 -590 C/T and DDX39B -22 G/C, association with the risk of late-onset AD (LOAD) in Iranian population. In the present study, therefore, a cohort of 153 LOAD cases and 153 age-matched unrelated, non-dementia control subjects were analyzed for the two polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction- restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Our results successfully demonstrate a protective association between the IL-4 -590 T allele, IL-4 -590 C/T heterozygous genotype (P= 0.01, OR= 0.53 and P= 0.041; OR= 0.56, respectively) and LOAD in Iranian population. A resemblance significant association was detected in female population when subjects were stratified by sex: the IL-4 -590 T allele (P= 0.02, OR= 0, 40) and the heterozygous genotype (P= 0.009, OR= 0.29). However, no significant association was observed between the DDX39B -22 G/C polymorphism in the cases and controls. Furthermore, it is clarified that the protective effect of IL-4 -590 is independent from APOE protective genotypes. Accordingly, the IL-4 -590 T allele may be applied as a protective marker in the development of LOAD in Iranian population.

Variation in the miRNA-433 binding site of FGF20 is a risk factor for Parkinson's disease in Iranian population

DNA variations in the fibroblast growth factor 20 gene have been reported to be associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The rs12720208, a functional SNP located in the 3′UTR region of the gene, was reported as a risk factor for PD. A number of studies, which tried to replicate the result in different populations, failed to detect any associations. In this study, we genotyped rs2720208 SNP in 520 PD patients and 520 healthy controls both from Iran. Significant differences were found in allele and genotype frequencies between patients and controls (p<0.0001 for both). Our results suggest that the rs12720208 polymorphism may be a risk factor for PD in Iranian population.

P023 - Investigation of Oncostatin M protein expression in Iranian relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis patients

Background Oncostatin M (OSM) is an interlukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine secreted by diverse immune cells in-order to moderate cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, and inflammation by effecting gp-130 cell surface receptors. Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the common type of MS influencing 85% of MS patients. It seems that up-regulation of cytokines has an undeniable role in arising autoimmune mechanisms and symptoms. Isfahan province, Iran, is an area with an alarming increase in incidence and prevalence of MS in recent years. Thus, we focused on the investigation of OSM as an immune-dependent risk factor in disease patho-physiology in Isfahan RRMS patients. Objectives To measure the association between OSM plasma level in MS patients and the healthy subjects. To evaluate the correlation between the demographic info such as age, sex, EDSS, drugs, and OSM concentration in cases. Methods Blood sample from 60 RRMS patients and 30 healthy subjects between 15 and 40 years was gathered on EDTA and the evaluation on OSM in their plasma was achieved by EASTBIOPHARMA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The statistical analysis was performed utilizing SPSS software. Results Data showed a significant higher OSM plasma level in the cases than the healthy donors (P value<0.05). Conclusions As the first step of studying IL-6 cytokine family in autoimmune diseases in Iranian population, we accomplished to approve the OSM active role in RRMS patients of Isfahan province. Further future investigation of IL-6 family such as “studying IL-6 in central nervous system (CNS) plaques”, “genetic polymorphisms in association with MS”, and “revealing newer aspects of their implications in cellular pathways” might result in development of immunotherapy and diagnosis in chronic autoimmune diseases of the CNS. Oncostatin M (OSM) is an interlukin-6 (IL-6) cytokine secreted by diverse immune cells in-order to moderate cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, and inflammation by effecting gp-130 cell surface receptors. Relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is the common type of MS influencing 85% of MS patients. It seems that up-regulation of cytokines has an undeniable role in arising autoimmune mechanisms and symptoms. Isfahan province, Iran, is an area with an alarming increase in incidence and prevalence of MS in recent years. Thus, we focused on the investigation of OSM as an immune-dependent risk factor in disease patho-physiology in Isfahan RRMS patients. To measure the association between OSM plasma level in MS patients and the healthy subjects. To evaluate the correlation between the demographic info such as age, sex, EDSS, drugs, and OSM concentration in cases. Blood sample from 60 RRMS patients and 30 healthy subjects between 15 and 40 years was gathered on EDTA and the evaluation on OSM in their plasma was achieved by EASTBIOPHARMA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. The statistical analysis was performed utilizing SPSS software. Data showed a significant higher OSM plasma level in the cases than the healthy donors (P value<0.05). As the first step of studying IL-6 cytokine family in autoimmune diseases in Iranian population, we accomplished to approve the OSM active role in RRMS patients of Isfahan province. Further future investigation of IL-6 family such as “studying IL-6 in central nervous system (CNS) plaques”, “genetic polymorphisms in association with MS”, and “revealing newer aspects of their implications in cellular pathways” might result in development of immunotherapy and diagnosis in chronic autoimmune diseases of the CNS.

Diagonal earlobe crease and coronary artery disease in Iranian population: A marker for evaluating coronary risk

Background: The diagonal earlobe crease (DELC) has been proposed to be a marker of coronary artery disease (CAD), but this association remains controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of DELC in patients with CAD. Materials and Methods: One hundred patients with angiographically documented CAD from Tehran Heart Center were evaluated for the presence or absence of ELC. The ELC was said to be present if a patient had a deep diagonal crease extending obliquely from the outer ear canal toward the border of the earlobe without discontinuity covering at least two-thirds of the earlobe length. Results: The prevalence of ELC was 62% (95% confidence interval 59.7-64.6). The frequency of smoking and hyperlipidemia was significantly higher in patients with DELC (P = 0.024 and P = 0.001, respectively). However, frequency of hypertension and diabetes were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion: The frequency of DELC in patients with CAD was high in our study. The data suggest that the ELC sign may be a useful marker for the presence of CAD in patients.

Inhibitor IκBα promoter functional polymorphisms in patients with multiple sclerosis

The aim of this study is to investigate the association of IκBα promoter polymorphisms with the development of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease in Iranian population. One hundred and fifty patients with MS along with 150 unrelated healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The IκBα -881A/G (rs3138053), -826C/T (rs2233406) and -519C/T (rs2233408) polymorphisms were determined by the polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism method. This study demonstrated that the genotype frequencies of IκBα -881A/G and -826T/T, and allele frequencies of IκBα-881G were significantly higher in patients with MS with respect to as compared to the controls. We also found that the estimated haplotype frequency of IκBα promoter -881G-826T-519C was significantly increased in the patient with MS in comparison with that of the healthy individuals. This study reveals that polymorphisms in the IκBα promoter (-881 A/G, -826 C/T) are strongly associated with the susceptibility of Iranian MS patients.

Association between R353Q polymorphism for coagulative factor VII and severity of coronary artery disease in Iranian population

Recent research has supported the central role of coagulative factors in advancing atherosclerosis and causing coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study, for the first time, aimed to clarify the relationship between R353Q polymorphism for factor VII and the occurrence and severity of CAD in a large sample of Iranian population. Nine hundred and nineteen consecutive patients with suspected CAD, who candidated for coronary angiography in the Tehran Heart Center between January 2006 and March 2007, were examined. The number of diseased coronary vessels was determined, and the severity of CAD was assessed by the Gensini score. Genotyping was done via the PCR-RFLP method. The frequency of Q and R alleles was 74.1% and 25.9% in the patients with CADand 75.2% and 24.8% in those without CAD, with an insignificant difference (p = 0.625). The frequency of Q allele in the patients with single-vessel, two-vessel, and three-vessel diseases was 72.8%, 71.5%, and 76.4%, respectively; the difference was also insignificant (p = 0.379). No relationship was observed between the distribution of the genotypes and the number of the involved coronary vessels. The average of the Gensini score was 43.39 ± 46.18 in the patients with QQ genotype, 38.87 ± 42.89 in those with QR genotype, and 55.61 ± 53.80 in the ones with RR genotype, with the difference not constituting any statistical significance (p = 0.084). The results suggest no association between R353Q polymorphism for factor VII and the presence or progression of CAD in the Iranian population.

A multicenter randomized controlled trial of aftercare services for severe mental illness: study protocol

BackgroundSevere mental illness is responsible for a significant proportion of burden of diseases in Iranian population. People with severe mental illnesses are more likely to have high rates of non-attendance at follow-up visits, and lack of an active follow-up system, particularly in the country’s urban areas that has resulted in the revolving door phenomenon of rehospitalizations. Therefore, there is an increasing need for implementation of effective and cost-effective aftercare services.Method/DesignThis is a randomized control trial with the primary hypothesis that aftercare services delivered to patients with severe mental illnesses in outpatient department and patient's home by a community care team would be more effective when compared to treatment as usual (TAU) in reducing length of hospital stay and any psychiatric hospitalization. Patients were recruited from three psychiatric hospitals in Iran. After obtaining informed written consent, they were randomly allocated into aftercare intervention and control (TAU) groups. Aftercare services included treatment follow-up (through either home care or telephone follow-up prompts for outpatient attendance), family psychoeducation, and patient social skills training that were provided by community mental health teams. Patients were followed for 12 months after discharge. The primary outcome measures were length of hospital stay and any hospitalization in the 12 month follow-up. Secondary outcome measures included patients' clinical global impression, global functioning, quality of life, and patient's satisfaction. The trial also allowed an assessment of direct cost-effectiveness of the aftercare services.DiscussionThis paper presents a protocol for an RCT of aftercare services delivered to patients with severe mental illnesses within patients' home or outpatient department. The findings of this study can influence policy and program planning for people with severe mental illnesses in Iran.Trial registrationIRCT201009052557N2

Coagulation factor VII gene polymorphisms and cardiovascular diseases in Iranian population

AimThe association between coagulation factor VII (FVII) gene polymorphisms and FVII level and activity and also cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been reported in several studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether two FVII gene polymorphisms including: −401G > T and HVR4 influence risk of CVD in Iranian population. MethodsA total of 110 patients with cardiovascular disease that confirmed by angiography (57 male and 53 female, mean age 55.4 ± 10.8 years old) and 110 age and sex match controls (54 male and 46 female, mean age 53.8 ± 9.7) without cardiovascular disease (confirmed by angiography) were genotyped for these two polymorphisms. ResultsAlthough TT genotype of −401G > T polymorphism was at a higher frequency among control group compared to patients (18.1% vs 16.3%), the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Also carriers of the H7-allele (H7H7) were at a higher frequency among control group in compare with patients group (23.6% vs 21.8%) but it was not statistically significant too (P > 0.05). ConclusionWe could not found any association between −401 G > T and HVR4 polymorphisms of coagulation FVII and CVD in Iranian population, but future studies with larger study groups are recommended for more evaluation of these associations.

Mutations of the Connexin 37 and 40 Gap-Junction Genes in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

There is evidence showing the association between connexin 37 (Cx37) C1019T polymorphism and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Since there has been no study that takes the polymorphisms of Cx37 and connexin 40 (Cx40) into consideration at the same time, we investigated the association between AMI and the polymorphism gene of two gap junction proteins Cx 37 and Cx40 which are important in the electrical coupling between arterial myocytes. 200 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and 185 healthy controls were included in this study. Cx37 and Cx40 genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). We identified that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of Cx37 was significantly associated with AMI disease. Significant differences between cases and controls were observed for Cx37 genotype frequencies (p < 0.001, Chi2 = 16.528). The T allele of Cx37 had more frequency in the AMI group compared to the control group. (53.75% vs. 40%; p < 0.05). Subsequent analysis identified that, in contrast to the previous studies, there is a significant difference in women (p < 0.01) but not in men. We also found that the SNP of Cx40 was not significantly associated with AMI disease (p > 0.05). Our study showed that the -44A allele and -44AA genotype were not significantly different in the AMI and control groups (p > 0.05). It is suggested that the polymorphism in the Cx37 gene (but not Cx40 gene) potentially plays a significant role in the manifestation of AMI disease in Iranian population.

Association of H. pylori Virulence Genes CagA, VacA and Ure AB with Ulcer and Nonulcer Diseases in Iranian Population

To evaluate the association of virulence genes CagA, VacA and UreAB of H. pylori with the development of different gastric disorders, polymerase chain reaction was performed on H. pylori organisms isolated from biopsy samples of stomach of patients with ulcerative disease and nonulcerative disease. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05) only for VacA gene. We detected 8 phenotypes, characterized as CagA(+)-VacA(-)-UreAB(+) (phe 1), CagA(-)-VacA(-)-UreAB(-) (phe 2), CagA(+)-VacA(+)-UreAB(-) (phe 3), CagA(+)-VacA(-)-UreAB(+) (phe 4), CagA(-)-VacA(+)-UreAB(+) (phe 5), CagA(+)-VacA(-)-UreAB(-) (phe 6), CagA(-)-VacA(+)-UreAB(-) (phe 7), CagA(-)VacA(-)-UreAB(+) (phe 8). The prevalence of phenotype 1 was significantly higher in the patients with UD than that in the patients with NUD (p < 0.05). These results suggest that in the population under our study, being infected by a H. pylori strain with the genotype CagA(+)-VacA(+)-UreAB(+) may be associated with an increased risk of acquiring an ulcer disease.

C677T Methylentetrahydrofulate Reductase and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Gene Polymorphisms in Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease in Iranian Population

In recent years numerous data suggest that vascular risk factors may be play a role in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To determine the association of AD with methylentetrahydrofulate reductase (MTHFR) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) as two main vascular risk factors, we examined MTHFR C677T and ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism in 117 late-onset AD cases and 125 controls. We found no difference in ACE I/D genotype distribution between AD cases and control (P > 0.05) but there was a significant association between AD and the common MTHFR polymorphism C677T. The T allele conferred an increased risk of AD compared to carrying a C allele (P = 0.001, OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.3-2.09). Our result suggests a significant increase in risk of AD in cases with the MTHFR T allele, atleast in the Iranian population.