Friday, November 27, 2009

Gene network analysis of oxidative stress-mediated drug sensitivity in resistant ovarian carcinoma cells

Original Article - click here for text.

The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication 17 November 2009; doi: 10.1038/tpj.2009.49

A K Maiti1

1A&I, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Correspondence: Dr AK Maiti, A&I, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 NE13th, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. E-mails: amit-maiti@omrf.org, Akmit123@yahoo.com

Received 23 March 2009; Revised 21 August 2009; Accepted 24 September 2009; Published online 17 November 2009.

Drug resistance in cancer cells involves complex molecular mechanisms and ovarian carcinoma cells become resistant to chlorambucil (Cbl) after continuous treatment. This drug- and ionizing radiation-resistant cells have lower level of endogenous ROS (reactive oxygen species) compared with sensitive cells. Elevation of the cellular ROS level by exogenous ROS generation increases the sensitivity of Cbl to resistant cells. In contrast, antioxidants prevent the sensitization of resistant cells to Cbl by H2O2, COS (chronic oxidative stress) or NOO-. The molecular mechanism of drug sensitivity with COS has been investigated by microarray gene expressions followed by gene network analysis and it reveals that a cdc42/rac1 guanine exchange factor, ARHGEF6, with p53 and DNA-Pkc (PRKDC) is central to induce apoptosis in Cblcos (Cbl with COS) cells. mRNA and protein levels of major gene network pathway differ significantly in Cblcos cells than in Cbl-treated cells. Moreover, DNA-PKc physically interacts with ARHGEF6 and p53 mostly in the nucleus of Cbl-treated cells, whereas in Cblcos-treated cells, its interactions are mostly in the cytoplasm. These results suggest that low doses of Cbl and very low doses of COS together kill Cbl-resistant ovarian carcinoma cells and ARHGEF6 signaling may have an instrumental role in induction of apoptosis in Cblcos cells.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Human Genome Sequencing Using Unchained Base Reads on Self-Assembling DNA Nanoarrays

SCIENCE - Published Online November 5, 2009
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1181498

Reports - Click here for article.

Submitted on September 3, 2009
Accepted on October 23, 2009

Radoje Drmanac 1*, Andrew B. Sparks 1, Matthew J. Callow 1, Aaron L. Halpern 1, Norman L. Burns 1, Bahram G. Kermani 1, Paolo Carnevali 1, Igor Nazarenko 1, Geoffrey B. Nilsen 1, George Yeung 1, Fredrik Dahl 2, Andres Fernandez 1, Bryan Staker 1, Krishna P. Pant 1, Jonathan Baccash 1, Adam P. Borcherding 1, Anushka Brownley 1, Ryan Cedeno 1, Linsu Chen 1, Dan Chernikoff 1, Alex Cheung 1, Razvan Chirita 1, Benjamin Curson 1, Jessica C. Ebert 1, Coleen R. Hacker 1, Robert Hartlage 1, Brian Hauser 1, Steve Huang 1, Yuan Jiang 1, Vitali Karpinchyk 1, Mark Koenig 1, Calvin Kong 1, Tom Landers 1, Catherine Le 1, Jia Liu 1, Celeste E. McBride 1, Matt Morenzoni 1, Robert E. Morey 3, Karl Mutch 1, Helena Perazich 1, Kimberly Perry 1, Brock A. Peters 1, Joe Peterson 1, Charit L. Pethiyagoda 1, Kaliprasad Pothuraju 1, Claudia Richter 1, Abraham M. Rosenbaum 4, Shaunak Roy 1, Jay Shafto 1, Uladzislau Sharanhovich 1, Karen W. Shannon 5, Conrad G. Sheppy 1, Michel Sun 1, Joseph V. Thakuria 4, Anne Tran 1, Dylan Vu 1, Alexander Wait Zaranek 4, Xiaodi Wu 6, Snezana Drmanac 1, Arnold R. Oliphant 1, William C. Banyai 1, Bruce Martin 1, Dennis G. Ballinger 1*, George M. Church 4, Clifford A. Reid 1

1 Complete Genomics, Inc., 2071 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
2 Complete Genomics, Inc., 2071 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.; Present address: Ion Torrent Systems, San Francisco, CA, USA.
3 Complete Genomics, Inc., 2071 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.; Present address: San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
4 Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
5 Complete Genomics, Inc., 2071 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.; Present address: Life Technologies, Carlsbad, CA, USA.
6 School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Radoje Drmanac , E-mail: rdrmanac@completegenomics.com
Dennis G. Ballinger , E-mail: dballinger@completegenomics.com

Genome sequencing of large numbers of individuals promises to advance the understanding, treatment, and prevention of human diseases, among other applications. We describe a genome sequencing platform that achieves efficient imaging and low reagent consumption with combinatorial probe anchor ligation (cPAL) chemistry to independently assay each base from patterned nanoarrays of self-assembling DNA nanoballs (DNBs). We sequenced three human genomes with this platform, generating an average of 45- to 87-fold coverage per genome and identifying 3.2 to 4.5 million sequence variants per genome. Validation of one genome data set demonstrates a sequence accuracy of about 1 false variant per 100 kilobases. The high-accuracy, affordable cost of $4,400 for sequencing consumables and scalability of this platform enable complete human genome sequencing for the detection of rare variants in large-scale genetic studies.

ADRA1A gene is associated with BMI in chronic schizophrenia patients exposed to antipsychotics

Original Article - click here to go to article.

The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication 17 November 2009; doi: 10.1038/tpj.2009.55

Y-R Liu1,2,11, E-W Loh1,11, T-H Lan1,3,4, S-F Chen5, Y-H Yu6, Y-H Chang1,7, C-J Huang8, T-M Hu9, K-M Lin1, Y-T Yao2 and H-J Chiu10

  1. Division of Mental Health and Addiction Medicine, Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan
  2. Graduate Institute of Pathology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
  3. Faculty of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
  4. Department of Psychiatry, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
  5. Institute of Food Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
  6. Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
  7. Institute of Public Health and Department of Public Health, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
  8. Department of Industrial Engineering and Engineering Management, College of Engineering, National Tsing-Hua University, HsinChu, Taiwan
  9. Department of Psychiatry, Yu-Li Veterans Hospital, Hualian County, Taiwan
  10. Jianan Mental Hospital, Tainan County, Taiwan

Correspondence: Dr H-J Chiu, Department of Health, Jianan Mental Hospital, #80, Lane 870, Jhung-Shan Road, Rende Township, Tainan 717, Taiwan. E-mail: chiu8@mail2000.com.tw

11These authors contributed equally to this study.

Received 28 April 2009; Revised 28 July 2009; Accepted 23 September 2009; Published online 17 November 2009.

Abstract

Noradrenaline and adrenaline are neurotransmitters of the sympathetic nervous system that interact with various adrenergic receptor (ADR) subtypes, and this regulates the basal metabolic rate, thermogenesis and efficiency of energy utilization. We examined a possible role of the gene coding for ADRA1A receptor in weight gain in schizophrenia subjects exposed to antipsychotics. A total of 401 schizophrenia in-patients treated with antipsychotics for >2 years were recruited and a final 394 DNA samples were genotyped. Their body mass indexes (BMIs) were recorded for 12 months and parameterized to be correlated in regression. Among the 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped, 44 valid SNPs, which had minor allele frequency greater than or equal to0.03, were analyzed in statistics. Linear regression model with age, gender, diabetes, use of typical antipsychotics and use of atypical antipsychotics as covariates, with or without gender interaction, showed evidence of associations between the ADRA1A gene and BMI. Most of the SNPs associated with BMI are located in the promoter and intron regions, and being female appeared to enhance the gene effect. Our study suggests that the ADRA1A gene is involved in weight gain among schizophrenia patients treated with antipsychotics. Further molecular dissection of the ADRA1A gene warrants better understanding on weight gain mechanisms in schizophrenia.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

The modulating effect of the androgen receptor on craving in alcohol withdrawal of men is partially mediated by leptin

For article, click here.

Original Article

The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication 3 November 2009; doi: 10.1038/tpj.2009.56

B Lenz 1,
H Frieling 1,2,
C Jacob 1,
A Heberlein 1,2,
J Kornhuber 1,
S Bleich 1,2 and
T Hillemacher 1,2

1. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
2. Department of Psychiatry, Socialpsychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

Correspondence: Dr B Lenz, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6-10, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany. E-mail: bernd.lenz@uk-erlangen.de

Received 3 August 2009; Revised 2 October 2009; Accepted 6 October 2009; Published online 3 November 2009.
Abstract

We reported recently that a functional relevant CAG trinucleotide repeat of the androgen receptor influences craving of men in alcohol withdrawal. It is known to modulate serum concentrations of leptin, which affects hypothalamic appetite regulation. Its plasma levels are elevated during chronic alcohol consumption, normalize within periods of abstinence and are associated with craving. The aim of this study was to further elucidate the role of leptin in mediating the effects of the mentioned polymorphism on craving in men undergoing alcohol withdrawal. We included 110 male in-patients who were admitted for detoxification treatment. Each one had an established diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to the DSM-IV. Our results show on the one hand negative associations between the number of CAG repeats and (i) leptin serum levels (P<0.01)>P<0.05),>P<0.001).>r=-0.144) accounting for 60% and indirect, leptin-mediated effects (r=-0.096) accounting for 40% of the total effect. Dysregulation of sexual hormones influences human metabolism and seems to affect leptin homeostasis. This report suggests that the investigated polymorphism mediates its effect on craving of men in alcohol withdrawal mostly through the regulation of leptin. Nevertheless future studies are needed to further explore the functionality of the androgen receptor gene in terms of craving.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Featured Review: The influence of SLCO1B1 (OATP1B1) gene polymorphisms on response to statin therapy

Click here for article.

The Pharmacogenomics Journal advance online publication 3 November 2009; doi: 10.1038/tpj.2009.54

S P R Romaine1, K M Bailey1, A S Hall2 and A J Balmforth1

  1. Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Research, Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
  2. Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Centre (MCRC), Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

Correspondence: SPR Romaine, Division of Cardiovascular and Diabetes Research, Leeds Institute of Genetics, Health and Therapeutics, The LIGHT Laboratories, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. E-mail: S.Romaine04@leeds.ac.uk

Received 23 April 2009; Revised 15 September 2009; Accepted 28 September 2009; Published online 3 November 2009.

Abstract

Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) are well established in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia and the prevention of coronary artery disease. Despite this, there is wide inter-individual variability in response to statin therapy, in terms of both lipid-lowering and adverse drug reactions. The major site of statin action is within hepatocytes and recent interest has focussed on genetic variation in hepatic influx and efflux transporters for their potential to explain these differences. In this review we explore current literature regarding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic influence of the common c.388A>G and c.521T>C single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the solute carrier organic anion transporter 1B1 (SLCO1B1) gene, encoding the organic anion transporter polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1) influx transporter. We discuss their potential to predict the efficacy of statin therapy and the likelihood that patients will experience adverse effects.

Very interesting new article on pharmacogenomics

By Jeffrey Perkel.

Click here to read it.