Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jun 2005
Crohn's disease is associated with polymorphism of CARD15/NOD2 gene in a Hungarian population.
Crohn's disease (CD) is commonly classified as an immune-mediated disorder, but genetic and environmental factors seem to be important in its pathogenesis. Mutations within the CARD15/NOD2 gene have been associated with CD in the Caucasian population. The aim of our work was to investigate the allele frequency and clinical impact of the three common mutations in Hungarian CD patients and healthy controls. ⋯ Carriage of the Arg702Trp and Leu1007fsinsC allele within the CARD15/NOD2 gene is associated with CD. These data are in line with similar findings showing a role of the CARD15/NOD2 protein in the etiopathogenesis of CD. The genotyping of these mutations might be used to identify high-risk patients.
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Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. · Jun 2005
Lymphocyte activation as a possible measure of atherosclerotic risk in patients with sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a breathing disorder in sleep characterized by intermittent hypoxia and sleep fragmentation, constitutes an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity. Investigating how this breathing disorder modulates immune responses may facilitate understanding one of the risk factors for atherosclerosis. T cells play a significant role in atherogenesis and plaque development via cytokine production and by directly contributing to vascular injury. ⋯ Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) treatment, which ameliorated the severity of OSA, significantly lowered TNF-alpha and CD40L expression, and decreased cytotoxicity in CD8 T cells. In conclusion, increased cytotoxicity and cytokine imbalance in CD4 and CD8 T cells may be involved in atherogenesis in OSA. Nasal CPAP treatment ameliorates some lymphocyte dysfunctions and thus may moderate some atherogenic pathways.