<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Zupin, Luisa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Celsi, Fulvio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bresciani, Martina</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Orzan, Eva</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Grasso, Domenico Leonardo</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Human beta defensin-1 is involved in the susceptibility to adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol.</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adenoidectomy</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adenoids</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adolescent</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">beta-Defensins</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child, Preschool</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genetic Predisposition to Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genotype</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Haplotypes</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Hypertrophy</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Immunity, Innate</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Immunohistochemistry</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Italy</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Male</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Palatine Tonsil</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tonsillectomy</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2018</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2018 Apr</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">107</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">135-139</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;INTRODUCTION: &lt;/b&gt;Innate immunity molecules are known to play a pivotal role in the homeostasis of the oral mucosa, permitting the presence of commensal microflora and, at the same time, providing a first line of defense against pathogens attempting to invade the oral cavity. Tonsils represent the local immune tissue in oral cavity, being able to provide a non-specific response to pathogens; however, in the presence of microbes or foreign materials present in the mouth tonsils could became infected and develop chronic inflammation, thus leading to hypertrophy. The etiology of the disease is multifactorial depending upon environmental and host factors, the latter including molecules of mucosal innate immunity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;METHODS: &lt;/b&gt;Ninety-five children with adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy subjected to adeno-tonsillectomy were recruited at the pediatric otorhinolaryngology service of the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste (Italy). The specimen discarded from the surgery were used for genomic DNA extraction and genotyping, for mRNA extraction and gene expression analysis, finally the samples were cut and used to prepare slides to perform immunohistochemistry.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;RESULTS: &lt;/b&gt;Functional polymorphisms within DEFB1 gene, encoding the human beta defensin-1 (hBD-1), were analyzed finding association between DEFB1 rare haplotypes and susceptibility to adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy. DEFB1 mRNA expression was detected in the tonsils and the hBD-1 protein was localized at the epithelia of tonsils mainly in the proximity of the basal lamina.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;CONCLUSION: &lt;/b&gt;Our findings lead us to hypothesize an involvement of hBD-1 mediated innate immunity in the modulation of the susceptibility towards adeno-tonsillar hypertrophy development.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29501294?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Gazzaneo, Luis Rs</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pandolfi, Valesca</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Jesus, André Ls</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Benko-Iseppon, Ana M</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Freitas, Antonio Carlos</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Heterologous Expression Systems for Plant Defensin Expression: Examples of Success and Pitfalls.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Curr Protein Pept Sci</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Curr. Protein Pept. Sci.</style></alt-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2016</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2016 Jun 24</style></date></pub-dates></dates><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">ENG</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;Defensins are a superfamily of antimicrobial peptides, present in vertebrates, invertebrates, fungi and plants, suggesting that they appeared prior to the divergence in eukaryotes. The destitution of toxicity to mammalian cells of plant defensins has led to a new research ground, i.e., their potential medical use against human infectious diseases. Isolating defensins from natural sources, like plant tissues, can be time-consuming, labor intensive and usually present low yields. Strategies for large-scale production of purified active defensins have been employed using heterologous expression systems (HES) for defensin production, usually based in E. coli system. Like any other technology, HES present limitations and drawbacks demanding a careful experimental design prior the system selection. This review is proposed to discuss some of the major concerns when choosing to heterologously express plant defensins, with special attention on bacterial expression system.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27356942?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Catamo, Eulalia</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Zupin, Luisa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Segat, Ludovica</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Celsi, Fulvio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-G and susceptibility to develop celiac disease.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Hum Immunol</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Hum. Immunol.</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adolescent</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adult</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Alleles</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Case-Control Studies</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Celiac Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Gene Frequency</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genetic Predisposition to Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Haplotypes</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-DQ Antigens</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-G Antigens</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Male</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Middle Aged</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Polymorphism, Genetic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Retrospective Studies</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2015 Jan</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">76</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">36-41</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;The Human Leukocyte Antigen-G has immunomodulatory function and its expression has been associated with several diseases. In our study we analyzed HLA-G polymorphisms in order to evaluate their possible association with susceptibility to celiac disease development. A total of 420 celiac patients and 509 controls were genotyped for HLA-G polymorphisms. We sequenced 800bp upstream the ATG codon (5' upstream regulatory region) and the whole 3' untranslated region of the HLA-G gene, whereas the ΔC deletion at exon 3 was detected by RFLP-PCR. Five polymorphisms (namely -477 C&gt;G, -369 C&gt;A, 14bp del/ins, 3187 A&gt;G, 3196 C&gt;G) and one haplotype (TCGGTACGAAITCCCGAG) were significantly more frequent in celiac patients than controls and associated with increased disease susceptibility. The 14bp I/I, 3187 G/G, 3196 G/G genotypes and TCGGTACGAAITCCCGAG haplotype, were still significantly associated with increased disease susceptibility (and in addition also the 3003 C/C genotype) when the analysis was restricted to patients and controls presenting the DQ2.5 or DQ8 HLA-DQ celiac disease risk haplotypes. Our findings indicate an association between HLA-G gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to celiac disease development, suggesting that HLA-G molecule is possibly involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25500250?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pontillo, Alessandra</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Silva, Lais T</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Oshiro, Telma M</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Finazzo, Claudia</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Duarte, Alberto J S</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HIV-1 induces NALP3-inflammasome expression and interleukin-1β secretion in dendritic cells from healthy individuals but not from HIV-positive patients.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">AIDS</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">AIDS</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adult</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Brazil</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Carrier Proteins</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Caspase 1</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Cells, Cultured</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dendritic Cells</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">DNA, Viral</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HIV-1</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Immunity, Innate</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Inflammasomes</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Interleukin-1beta</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Male</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2012 Jan 2</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">26</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">11-8</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;OBJECTIVE: &lt;/b&gt;NALP3-inflammasome is an innate mechanism, alternative to type-1 interferon, which is able to recognize nucleic acids and viruses in the cytoplasm and to induce pro-inflammatory response. Here, we hypothesized the involvement of inflammasome in the early defense against HIV-1 and in the full maturation of dendritic cells: for this, we evaluated the response of dendritic cells pulsed with HIV-1 in terms of inflammasome activation in healthy donors. Moreover, inflammasome response to HIV was evaluated in HIV-infected individuals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;DESIGN AND METHODS: &lt;/b&gt;Monocyte-derived dendritic cells isolated from 20 healthy individuals (HC-DC) and 20 HIV-1-infected patients (HIV-DC) were pulsed with alditrithiol-2-inactivated HIV-1. We then analyzed inflammasome genes expression and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) secretion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;RESULTS: &lt;/b&gt;In HC-DC, HIV-1 induced higher NLRP3/NALP3 mRNA expression compared with other inflammasome genes such as NALP1/NLRP1 or IPAF/NLRC4 (P &lt; 0.001). This augmented expression was accompanied by CASP1-increased and IL1B-increased mRNA levels and by a significant increment of IL-1β secretion (P &lt; 0.05). Otherwise, HIV-1 failed to activate inflammasome and cytokine production in HIV-DC. HIV-DC showed an increased NLRP3/NALP3 basal expression, suggesting a chronic inflammatory profile of patients' immune cells.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;CONCLUSION: &lt;/b&gt;HIV-1 was able to induce a NALP3-inflammasome response in healthy individuals, indicating that this inflammasome could play a role in the first steps of HIV-1 infection; the consequent inflammatory process may be important for directing host immune response against the virus and/or disease progression. HIV-DC seemed to be chronically activated, but unresponsive against pathogens. Our findings could be of interest considering the ongoing research about dendritic cell manipulation and therapeutic strategies for AIDS involving dendritic cell-based immune-vaccines.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21971358?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Fabris, Annalisa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Segat, Ludovica</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Catamo, Eulalia</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Morgutti, Marcello</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Vendramin, Anna</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-G 14 bp deletion/insertion polymorphism in celiac disease.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Am J Gastroenterol</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Am. J. Gastroenterol.</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adolescent</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adult</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Aged</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Aged, 80 and over</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Alleles</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Case-Control Studies</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Celiac Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child, Preschool</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Confidence Intervals</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genetic Predisposition to Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genotype</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Histocompatibility Antigens Class I</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA Antigens</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-DQ Antigens</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-G Antigens</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Male</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Middle Aged</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mutagenesis, Insertional</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Odds Ratio</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Polymerase Chain Reaction</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Polymorphism, Genetic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Reference Values</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">RNA Stability</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sequence Deletion</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Young Adult</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2011</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2011 Jan</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">106</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">139-44</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;OBJECTIVES: &lt;/b&gt;Nonclassical major histocompatibility class I HLA-G antigen is a tolerogenic molecule that inhibits lytic activity of natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Because of its immunomodulatory and tolerogenic properties, HLA-G molecules may have a role in celiac disease (CD). We analyzed the HLA-G 14 bp deletion/insertion polymorphism, known to have a functional effect on mRNA stability, in a group of 522 CD patients, stratified for the presence of HLA-DQ2 genotype, and 400 healthy individuals to evaluate the possible effect of the polymorphism on the risk to develop the disease.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;METHODS: &lt;/b&gt;HLA-G 14 bp deletion/insertion polymorphism (rs1704) was detected by polymerase chain reaction and double-checked by direct sequencing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;RESULTS: &lt;/b&gt;The 14 bp inserted (I) allele and the homozygous I/I genotype were significantly more frequent in CD patients than in healthy controls. The presence of I allele was associated with an increased risk of CD (OR 1.35) and the effect of I allele was consistent with a recessive genetic model (P&lt;0.001).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;CONCLUSIONS: &lt;/b&gt;Our results also indicate that the effect of the HLA-G D/I polymorphism is restricted for HLA-DQ2, and not simply due to the presence of linkage disequilibrium with the major known risk factor; moreover we found that the presence of the I allele confers an increased risk of CD in addition to the risk conferred by HLA-DQ2 alone and that subjects that carry both DQ2 and HLA-G I alleles have an increased risk of CD than subjects that carry DQ2 but not the I allele.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20823837?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Carréra, Matilde Campos</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Moura, Patrícia</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">de Souza, Paulo Roberto Eleutério</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">de Alencar, Luiz Cláudio Arraes</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sarinho, Emanuel</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">High polymorphism of the MBL2 gene in patients with atopic dermatitis.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ann. Allergy Asthma Immunol.</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adolescent</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Alleles</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Child, Preschool</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Dermatitis, Atopic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Disease Progression</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genetic Predisposition to Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genotype</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Infant</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Male</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Mannose-Binding Lectin</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Polymorphism, Genetic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Promoter Regions, Genetic</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010 Jul</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">105</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">39-42</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;BACKGROUND: &lt;/b&gt;Low serum levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) are determined mainly by variant alleles of the MBL2 gene and it has been suggested that MBL may play a role in the susceptibility to atopic dermatitis (AD).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;OBJECTIVE: &lt;/b&gt;The aim was to investigate the difference of the frequency of MBL2 variant alleles in AD patients and in a group of individuals without AD, and associate the MBL2 alleles with AD severity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;METHODS: &lt;/b&gt;MBL2 variant allele's frequency was investigated in 131 children with AD and 165 healthy children/adolescents matched by convenience. The severity of disease was graded according to the SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index. The first exon variants were called &quot;O&quot; and the wild type &quot;A&quot;. The variants in the promoter were H/L at -550 and X/Y at -221, determined by Real Time PCR.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;RESULTS: &lt;/b&gt;Children with AD had higher frequency of allele O and the genotypes related to low or deficient levels of MBL, when compared to the healthy group (p = 0.0012 and p &lt; 0.001, respectively), but not with AD severity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;CONCLUSION: &lt;/b&gt;Low or deficient MBL serum levels determined genetically may contribute to the predisposition for AD, but not for disease severity.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20642202?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Padovan, Lara</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Segat, Ludovica</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pontillo, Alessandra</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Antcheva, Nikolinka</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Tossi, Alessandro</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Histatins in non-human primates: gene variations and functional effects.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Protein Pept Lett</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Protein Pept. Lett.</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Amino Acid Sequence</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Animals</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Anti-Infective Agents</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Base Sequence</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Candida</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Catarrhini</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Cell Proliferation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Computational Biology</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Cryptococcus</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genetic Variation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Histatins</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Molecular Sequence Data</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Phylogeny</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sequence Alignment</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Sequence Analysis, DNA</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010 Jul</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">17</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">909-18</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;Human histatins are histidine-rich, low molecular weight salivary proteins that contribute to the immune system of the oral cavity. In this work, nucleotide sequences of the HIS1 (coding for histatin 1) and HIS2 (coding for histatin 3) genes, homologous to the human ones, have been sequenced and analysed in five primates species including Great Ape, Hylobatidae and Cercopithecidae. In HIS1, the region corresponding to the putative mature peptide shows a premature stop codon in Macaca and Cercopithecus, while HIS2 a six codon insertion in the Cercopithecidae. Histatin 5, a 24-residue peptide derived from histatin 3, is the most antimicrobially active among human histatins, thus macaque and nomascus orthologues of histatin 5 were selected for chemical synthesis and functional characterization, in comparison to the human peptide. All synthesized histatins are predicted to be poorly amphipathic, depending on the charged state of His residues and assume partially a-helical conformations only in lipophilic conditions. Antimicrobial assays against Candida and Criptococcus spp. indicate somewhat different spectra of in vitro activity against the tested fungi. We have described HIS1 and HIS2 gene variations in primates and have analysed their functional effects on selected Hst5 orthologues. The human antimicrobial peptide has been proposed to represent an important lead for new generation of antimicrobial compounds for the treatment of oral mycoses, thus the information from the non-human primates histatins studied may aid strategies for drugs design.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">7</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20423320?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Segat, Ludovica</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Catamo, Eulalia</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Fabris, Annalisa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Morgutti, Marcello</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">D'Agaro, Pierlanfranco</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Campello, Cesare</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HLA-G*0105N allele is associated with augmented risk for HIV infection in white female patients.</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">AIDS</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">AIDS</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adolescent</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adult</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Aged</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genetic Predisposition to Disease</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Histocompatibility Antigens Class I</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HIV Infections</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">HIV-1</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Middle Aged</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Polymorphism, Genetic</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Young Adult</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010 Jul 31</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">24</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">1961-4</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;We analyzed HLA-G 3777G &gt; C, HLA-G 14 bp deletion/insertion and HLA-G*0105N polymorphisms in HIV-positive white adult participants, infected through horizontal heterosexual transmission, and unexposed uninfected individuals, all from north eastern Italy. We report a new association between the HLA-G*0105N allele and HIV infection in adult white female participants, being HLA-G*0105N null allele correlated with an augmented risk (odds ratio = 4.35, 95% confidence interval = 1.38-18.07, P = 0.005) for HIV infection.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">12</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20588159?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">de Mendonça, Vilma Guimarães</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Guimarães, Maria José Bezerra</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">de Lima Filho, José Luiz</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">de Mendonça, Carolina Guimarães</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Martins, Danyelly Bruneska Gondim</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Crovella, Sergio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">de Alencar, Luiz Cláudio Arraes</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">[Human papillomavirus cervical infection: viral genotyping and risk factors for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervix cancer].</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet</style></secondary-title><alt-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet</style></alt-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Adult</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Carcinoma in Situ</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Case-Control Studies</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Female</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Genotype</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Humans</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Papillomaviridae</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Papillomavirus Infections</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Risk Factors</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Socioeconomic Factors</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Uterine Cervical Neoplasms</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010 Oct</style></date></pub-dates></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">32</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">476-85</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">por</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;PURPOSE: &lt;/b&gt;to analyze the characteristics of viral infection and the risk factors for high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical carcinoma in women with cervical HPV infection.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;METHODS: &lt;/b&gt;a case-control study was conducted on women with cervical HPV at a Gynecology reference service enrolled at the Public Health System, located in Recife, Northeastern Brazil. The groups of cases (72 women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or cervical cancer) and controls (176 women with normal Pap smear or benign alterations) were investigated for six viral genotypes (HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 6, 11) in ecto- and endocervical material using MY09/MY11 primers. The independent variables were ranked in three levels of determination: distal (sociodemographic), intermediate (behavioral) and proximal (previous Pap smear). The homogeneity of proportions was tested (χ2), unadjusted Odds Ratios (OR) were obtained and hierarchical logistic regression was applied to the final model, with adjustment of the effect of each variable to the outcome based on the variables in the same and previous levels of causality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;RESULTS: &lt;/b&gt;the viral genotype of cervical infection was identified in 76.6% of the 248 women participating in the study. High-risk HPV genotypes (83.4% of cases and 67.1% of controls) were predominant, especially HPV 16 and 31. The distal risk factors identified were: living in a rural area (OR=2.71, 95%CI: 1.18-6.23), less than three years of study (OR=3.97, 95%CI: 2.09-7.54) and family income below two minimum wages (OR=3.30, 95%CI: 1.04-10.51); intermediate: four or more pregnancies (OR=2.00, 95%CI: 1.06-3.76); and proximal: absence of a previous Pap smear (OR=9.74, 95%CI: 2.48-38.28).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;CONCLUSIONS: &lt;/b&gt;genotypes 16 and 31 of cervical HPV infection are predominant among women assisted by the Public Health System in Northeastern Brazil. Socioeconomic and reproductive factors, as well as the absence of cytological screening, represent risk factors for the progression of infection to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer.&lt;/p&gt;</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">10</style></issue><custom1><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21271154?dopt=Abstract</style></custom1></record></records></xml>