2/23/2006
Taste gene role in smoking
by Gloria Meyer
Recent research on the genetics of smoking has focused on genes that are thought to be related to nicotine metabolism, personality traits, and regulation of emotions. According to a genetic study just published in "Nicotine and Tobacco Research," genes responsible for taste also may yield important information about who smokes and why they smoke.
Researchers from UW-Madison and University of Utah wanted to determine if a "bitterness" gene-phenylthiocarbamide (PTC)-was related to smoking status.
A surprising result, which must be replicated for scientific accuracy, was the discovery that smokers with a different, less common genetic variant for taste were the least likely to smoke.
"What this study tells us is that genetic factors involving the taste of cigarettes should be examined as part of the analysis of nicotine dependence."said Dale Cannon with the University of Utah, lead author of the study.
What researchers did not find is any gender differences in tasting bitterness and smoking.
Taste gene may play role in smoking (Feb 22, 2006)
Recent research on the genetics of smoking has focused on genes that are thought to be related to nicotine metabolism, personality traits, and regulation of emotions. According to a genetic study just published in "Nicotine and Tobacco Research," genes responsible for taste also may yield important information about who smokes and why they smoke.
Researchers from UW-Madison and University of Utah wanted to determine if a "bitterness" gene-phenylthiocarbamide (PTC)-was related to smoking status.
A surprising result, which must be replicated for scientific accuracy, was the discovery that smokers with a different, less common genetic variant for taste were the least likely to smoke.
"What this study tells us is that genetic factors involving the taste of cigarettes should be examined as part of the analysis of nicotine dependence."said Dale Cannon with the University of Utah, lead author of the study.
What researchers did not find is any gender differences in tasting bitterness and smoking.
Taste gene may play role in smoking (Feb 22, 2006)
First Genetic Test for High Blood Pressure and Sensitivity to Salt
Researchers led by University of Virginia Health System pathologist Robin Felder, Ph.D., have demonstrated that looking for several variations of genes that control blood pressure can predict the risk for high blood pressure caused by high levels of salt.
When a subject had three or more variations in these genes, the new genetic test correctly predicted risk for salt-induced high blood pressure in 94 percent of cases. Health is adversely affected by high salt intake in up to half of Americans.
The researchers also determined that the increase in subjects' blood pressure and inability to eliminate excess salt from their systems was directly related to how many variations were found in the participants' salt regulating genes, a phenomenon called a gene dosing effect. The more gene variants, the bigger the health problems.
Salt Sensitivity
When a subject had three or more variations in these genes, the new genetic test correctly predicted risk for salt-induced high blood pressure in 94 percent of cases. Health is adversely affected by high salt intake in up to half of Americans.
The researchers also determined that the increase in subjects' blood pressure and inability to eliminate excess salt from their systems was directly related to how many variations were found in the participants' salt regulating genes, a phenomenon called a gene dosing effect. The more gene variants, the bigger the health problems.
Salt Sensitivity
2/21/2006
Genetic links among men who share surnames
By comparing the DNA of 150 pairs of men who share British surnames, researchers have shown that about a quarter of pairs are linked genetically.
A simple correspondence between name and Y chromosome could in principle connect all men sharing a surname into one large family tree. However, in reality the link may be weak for a number of reasons--for example, the existence of multiple independent founders for many names, adoptions, name changes, and non-paternities.
Pairs sharing surnames are on average much more likely to share Y chromosomes than pairs with different names, and the link becomes stronger as names become rarer. For example, there is no link for Smith, Jones, and Taylor, but a clear link for Attenborough, Widdowson, and Grewcock. Linked men share a common ancestor from less than 20 generations ago (about 1300 AD), when surnames were founded. The research has important implications for genealogists wishing to connect branches of their family trees, and also in forensic science, since it suggests that, given large databases of names and Y chromosome profiles, surname prediction from DNA alone may be feasible.
ScienceDirect - Current Biology : Genetic Signatures of Coancestry within Surnames
A simple correspondence between name and Y chromosome could in principle connect all men sharing a surname into one large family tree. However, in reality the link may be weak for a number of reasons--for example, the existence of multiple independent founders for many names, adoptions, name changes, and non-paternities.
Pairs sharing surnames are on average much more likely to share Y chromosomes than pairs with different names, and the link becomes stronger as names become rarer. For example, there is no link for Smith, Jones, and Taylor, but a clear link for Attenborough, Widdowson, and Grewcock. Linked men share a common ancestor from less than 20 generations ago (about 1300 AD), when surnames were founded. The research has important implications for genealogists wishing to connect branches of their family trees, and also in forensic science, since it suggests that, given large databases of names and Y chromosome profiles, surname prediction from DNA alone may be feasible.
ScienceDirect - Current Biology : Genetic Signatures of Coancestry within Surnames
2/20/2006
Genetic variations are associated with increased risk of breast cancer
Individuals with either of two genetic variations that lead to high serum levels of the cytokine leptin and to overexpression of leptin in fatty tissue, are more at risk of developing breast cancer than others.
individuals with a specific genetic variation (polymorphism) in the gene LEP that encodes for leptin, or a polymorphism in the gene LEPR, encoding for its receptor, have an increased risk of breast cancer.
Both polymorphisms could be used as markers to identify people at risk of breast cancer. As they are both associated with a shorter survival time they could potentially serve as predictors of prognosis.
BioMed Central | Abstract | 1471-2407-6-38 | Leptin and leptin receptor polymorphisms are associated with increased risk and poor prognosis of breast carcinoma
individuals with a specific genetic variation (polymorphism) in the gene LEP that encodes for leptin, or a polymorphism in the gene LEPR, encoding for its receptor, have an increased risk of breast cancer.
Both polymorphisms could be used as markers to identify people at risk of breast cancer. As they are both associated with a shorter survival time they could potentially serve as predictors of prognosis.
BioMed Central | Abstract | 1471-2407-6-38 | Leptin and leptin receptor polymorphisms are associated with increased risk and poor prognosis of breast carcinoma
