BACKGROUND The results from the published studies on the association between hypoxia-inducible factor -1alpha (HIF-1alpha) polymorphisms and cancer risk are conflicting. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the association between HIF-1alpha 1772 C/T and 1790 G/A polymorphisms and cancer. METHODS The meta-analysis for 1772 C/T polymorphism included 4131 cancer cases and 5387 control...

BACKGROUND Hypoxia and nitric oxide (NO) play important roles in the onset and progression of glaucoma. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the main factors responsive to hypoxia and NO. In this study, we investigated the association between the BstUI C/T VEGF gene polymorphism and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS 60 POAG patients and 78 healthy volunteers were enro...

Objective Recent studies have reported associations of retinoid-related orphan receptor alpha (RORA) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with depression and anxiety disorders. Based on these, we attempt to test whether RORA polymorphism is associated with anxiety sensitivity (AS), the intermediate phenotype of depression and anxiety disorders. Considering gene-environment interactions a...

Identifying the factors that promote or preclude the evolution of resource polymorphism is essential for understanding the origins of diversity. Although such polymorphisms have long been viewed as an adaptive response to intraspecific competition, they are by no means ubiquitous, even in populations experiencing strong competition. In the present study, we examined a potentially important cost...

BACKGROUND Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease resulting from complex interactions between genetic, hormonal, environmental and oxidative stress and intrinsic inflammatory components. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association of the 763C>G polymorphism in the secretory phospholipase A2 group IIa gene (PLA2G2A) with the risk of endometriosis in Iranian women...

UNLABELLED The I/D insertion/deletion polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme has been related to hypertension. This polymorphism also seems to have gender related implications. Angiotensin II contributes to the production and release of oxygen reactive species that react with nitric oxide, inactivating its effects. OBJECTIVE To establish whether the ACE I/D polymorphism correlates ...

The t-haplotype is a chromosomal region in Mus musculus characterized by meiotic drive such that heterozygous males transmit t-bearing chromosomes to roughly 90% of their offspring. Most naturally occurring t-haplotypes express a recessive embryonic lethality, preventing fixation of the t-haplotype. Surprisingly, the t-haplotype occurs in nature as a persistent, low-frequency polymorphism. Earl...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS), inducible NOS, manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD), and extracellular SOD gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to Behçet disease (BD) in Japan. METHODS Seventy-eight consecutive Japanese patients with BD and 107 healthy control subjects were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction or polymerase chain reacti...

UNLABELLED It has been reported that oestrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) polymorphisms are associated with knee osteoarthritis (OA). In this study, we assessed whether there was any association between the codon 594 (G>A) polymorphism in ER-α and radiographic features of OA or patient function. Radiographs, WOMAC score and patient reported time of symptom onset were assessed in 194 patients present...

Background: Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) has been suggested being associated with the failure of fetal-maternal immunologic tolerance in which the regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) play a crucial role. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) is expressed transiently on activated T cells and constitutively on Tregs. CTLA-4 interacts with the B7 cell surface molec...