Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.1.30.2 (endonuclease)
 18,621 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), the biologically active form of vitamin D, exerts an immunosuppressive effect and can completely prevent experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). 1,25(OH)2D3 exerts most of its actions only after it has bound to its specific nuclear receptors. To investigate the possible role of vitamin D receptor gene (VDRG) polymorphism in susceptibility to or disease-modulation of MS, we evaluated 77 Japanese patients with 'conventional' MS and 95 controls. A VDRG allelic polymorphism was assessed by Bsm1 endonuclease restriction after specific PCR amplification. Genotypic polymorphism was clearly defined as BB (absence of restriction site on both alleles), bb (presence of restriction site on both alleles), or Bb (heterozygous). We found overexpression of the b allele (92.9 vs. 84.2%: P=0.0138) and homozygote bb (85.7 vs. 71.6%; P=0.0263) in MS patients compared with controls. The results indicate for the first time an association of MS with VDRG polymorphism, which may be involved in pathogenesis of MS, or in the linkage disequilibrium of VDRG to another pathogenic gene loci. The role of VDR gene polymorphism should be further studied in other populations, and the distribution of other polymorphism, such as Apa I, Taq I, should be also analyzed to confirm another susceptibility gene for MS and to obtain more adequate strategies for treatment of MS.
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PMID:Association of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism with multiple sclerosis in Japanese. 1046 99

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are immune-mediated chronic inflammatory diseases of the liver of unknown etiology. Genetic factors appear to be involved in the pathogenesis of both diseases. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D(3) has been implicated as an immunomodulator, which acts through its own receptor (VDR). Polymorphisms of the VDR have been linked to a variety of autoimmune diseases. In this study VDR polymorphisms were analyzed in 123 patients with AIH, 74 patients with PBC, and 214 controls. VDR polymorphisms were assessed by BsmI, TaqI, ApaI, and Fok endonuclease digestion after specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. We found a significant association between the BsmI polymorphisms in PBC patients in comparison with controls (chi(2) = 9.49, P =.009). Furthermore we detected a significant association of the Fok polymorphims in AIH patients in comparison to controls (chi(2) = 9.71, P =.008) indicating a genetic link of VDR polymorphisms to autoimmune liver diseases such as PBC and AIH in German patients. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the complex events determining immunologic tolerance in the liver. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms by which the vitamin D receptor contributes to the development of autoimmune diseases.
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PMID:Genetic association of vitamin D receptor polymorphisms with primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis. 1178 68