PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of polymorphic cytosine adenine (CA) repeat of the IGF-I gene in the age-related alterations of serum IGF-I levels in healthy children. METHODS: Two hundred and forty three normal healthy children (136 boys; 107 girls) aged between 7 and 15 years were enrolled in the present study. The primers were designed to cover the promoter regions containing the polymorphic CA repeat. Data were analyzed using GeneMapper software, version 3.7. All analyses were performed using MEDCALC software packages. RESULTS: Deletion of 2 bp (G, A) following 3' of CA repeat were observed in all Korean children. The CA repeat sequences ranged from 17 to 23, and 19 CA repeat were the most common with an alleles frequency of 39.3 percent. Considering genotypes, 63.8 percent of subjects were homozygote or heterozygote for 19 CA repeat (192 bp allele), suggesting that this is wild type allele from which all other alleles originated in Korean children. Homozygote for 19 CA repeat were 14.7 percent, heterozygote for 19 CA repeat was 49.1 percent and 19 CA noncarriers totalled 36.2 percent. In 19 CA repeat noncarriers, the mean height, weight and serum IGF-I level were lower compared with those of 19 CA homozygous carriers, but statistically not significant. Correlations between serum IGF-I level and age according to the IGF-I genotypes revealed statistically significant relationships in the all groups, in the 19 CA repeat carrier group and, even in the noncarrier group. CONCLUSIONS:There were no significant differences of the mean height, weight and serum IGF-I levels among three different genotype groups. Also, there were no significantly different correlations between 19 CA repeat polymorphisms and serum IGF-I levels, according to genotype. Our results suggest that the IGF-I 19 CA repeat gene polymorphism is not associated with circulating IGF-I levels in healthy children.
Adenine ; Adolescent* ; Alleles ; Child* ; Cytosine* ; Genotype ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I* ; Promoter Regions, Genetic

PURPOSE: Interleukin 1 receptor antagonist(IL-1ra) is an endogenous antiinflammatory agent that binds to IL-1 receptor and thus competitively inhibits the binding of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta. Allele 2 in association with various autoimmune diseases has been reported. In order to evaluate the influence of IL-1ra gene VNTR polymorphism on the susceptibility to HSP and its possible association with disease severity, manifested by severe renal involvement and renal sequelae, we studied the incidence of carriage rate and allele frequency of the 2 repeats of IL-1ra allele 2(IL1RN*2) of the IL-1ra gene in children with HSP with and without renal involvement. METHODS: The IL-1ra gene polymorphisms were determined in children with HSP with(n= 40) or without nephritis(n=34) who had been diagnosed at Busan Paik Hospital and the control groups(n=163). Gene polymorphism was identified by PCR amplification of the genomic DNA. RESULTS: The allelic frequency and carriage rate of IL1RN*1 were found most frequently in patients with HSP and in controls. The allelic frequency of IL1RN*2 was higher in patients with HSP compared to that of controls(4.7% vs. 2.5%, P=0.794). The carriage rate of IL1RN*2 was higher in patients with HSP compared to that of controls(8.1% vs. 6.8%, P= 0.916). The allelic frequency of IL1RN*2 was higher in patients with HSP nephritis compared to that of HSP(6.3% vs.2.9%, P=0.356). The carriage rate of IL1RN*2 was higher in patients with HSP nephritis compared to that of HSP(10.0% vs. 5.9%, P=0.523). Among 13 patients with heavy proteinuria(>1.0 g), 11 had IL1RN*1, 1 had IL1RN*2 and the others had IL1RN*4. At the time of last follow up 4 patients had sustained proteinuria and their genotype was IL1RN*1. CONCLUSION: The allelic frequency and carriage rate of IL1RN*1 were found most frequently in patients with HSP and in controls. Our study suggests that the carriage rate and allele frequency of the 2-repeats of IL-1ra allele 2(IL1RN*2) of the IL-1ra gene may not be associated with susceptibility and severity of renal involvement in children with HSP.
Alleles ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Busan ; Child* ; DNA ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Incidence ; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein ; Interleukin-1* ; Interleukins* ; Nephritis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Proteinuria ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch* ; Receptors, Interleukin-1*

Bacillus species are ubiquitous in nature, and they are frequently considered as contaminants. Paenibacillus alvei is a spore forming bacterium that swarms vigorously on routine culture media. P. alvei has been reported as the cause of human infections in only a few cases. We report a case of cellulitis caused by P. alvei on right leg in an immunocompetent 62-year-old man.
Bacillus ; Cellulitis* ; Culture Media ; Humans ; Leg ; Middle Aged ; Paenibacillus* ; Spores