A risk assessment model of acute liver allograft rejection by genetic polymorphism of CD276
MOLECULAR GENETICS & GENOMIC MEDICINE
Authors: Yu, Xiaobo; Wei, Bajin; Su, Rong; Yao, Jia; Feng, Xiaowen; Jiang, Guoping; Xie, Haiyang; Wu, Jian; Xu, Xiao; Zhang, Min; Zheng, Shusen; Zhou, Lin
Abstract
BackgroundLiver transplantation is an effective therapy for end-stage liver diseases and acute liver failure. After the operation, however, recipients may suffer grafts loss induced by alloimmune reaction, which is termed as acute allograft rejection. The interaction between costimulatory molecules, CD276, and its ligand, TREML2, promotes T cell-mediated immune response, as well as acute or chronic allograft rejection. Our research aimed at correlating genetic polymorphisms of CD276/TREML2 with acute rejection, and evaluating its prognostic value of acute rejection after liver transplantation. MethodsThe study enrolled a total of 388 recipients. Among them, acute allograft rejection was observed in 54 cases. We performed single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping of CD276, including rs11072431, rs11574495, rs12593558, rs12594627, rs2127015, rs3816661 and rs7176654, and TREML2, including rs4714431, rs6915083, rs7754593, and rs9394767 from preoperative peripheral blood genome DNA. ResultsWe found rs2127015 of CD276, rs6915083 and rs7754593 of TREML2, and HBV infection as well were associated with acute rejection. And, rs2127015 influences CD276 expression. Moreover, we established a risk assessment model, composited by statistically proved risk factors. ConclusionBy integrating both clinical and genetic variables, liver transplant recipients can be categorized into different risk groups, and might benefit from individualized therapies.
CFH Variants Affect Structural and Functional Brain Changes and Genetic Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
Authors: Zhang, Deng-Feng; Li, Jin; Wu, Huan; Cui, Yue; Bi, Rui; Zhou, He-Jiang; Wang, Hui-Zhen; Zhang, Chen; Wang, Dong; Kong, Qing-Peng; Li, Tao; Fang, Yiru; Jiang, Tianzi; Yao, Yong-Gang
Abstract
The immune response is highly active in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Identification of genetic risk contributed by immune genes to AD may provide essential insight for the prognosis, diagnosis, and treatment of this neurodegenerative disease. In this study, we performed a genetic screening for AD-related top immune genes identified in Europeans in a Chinese cohort, followed by a multiple-stage study focusing on Complement Factor H (CFH) gene. Effects of the risk SNPs on AD-related neuroimaging endophenotypes were evaluated through magnetic resonance imaging scan, and the effects on AD cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers (CSF) and CFH expression changes were measured in aged and AD brain tissues and AD cellular models. Our results showed that the AD-associated top immune genes reported in Europeans (CR1, CD33, CLU, and TREML2) have weak effects in Chinese, whereas CFH showed strong effects. In particular, rs1061170 (P-meta = 5.0 x 10(-4)) and rs800292 (P-meta = 1.3 x 10(-5)) showed robust associations with AD, which were confirmed in multiple world-wide sample sets (4317 cases and 16 795 controls). Rs1061170 (P = 2.5 x 10(-3)) and rs800292 (P = 4.7 x 10(-4)) risk-allele carriers have an increased entorhinal thickness in their young age and a higher atrophy rate as the disease progresses. Rs800292 risk-allele carriers have higher CSF tau and A beta levels and severe cognitive decline. CFH expression level, which was affected by the risk-alleles, was increased in AD brains and cellular models. These comprehensive analyses suggested that CFH is an important immune factor in AD and affects multiple pathological changes in early life and during disease progress.