University of Alabama at Birmingham

About: University of Alabama at Birmingham is a education organization based out in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 38523 authors who have published 86775 publications receiving 3930642 citations. The organization is also known as: UAB & The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Chloride conductance expressed by ΔF508 and other mutant CFTRs in Xenopus oocytes

Abstract: The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is associated with expression of a chloride conductance that is defective in cystic fibrosis (CF). Xenopus oocytes injected with RNA coding for CFTR that contained mutations in the first nucleotide binding fold (NBF1) expressed chloride currents in response to raising adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) with forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX). The mutant CFTRs were less sensitive than wild-type CFTR to this activating stimulus, and the reduction in sensitivity correlated with the severity of cystic fibrosis in patients carrying the corresponding mutations. This demonstration provides the basis for detailed analyses of NBF1 function and suggests potential pharmacologic treatments for cystic fibrosis.

The evolution of adaptive immunity.

Abstract: Approximately 500 mya two types of recombinatorial adaptive immune systems appeared in vertebrates. Jawed vertebrates generate a diverse repertoire of B and T cell antigen receptors through the rearrangement of immunoglobulin V, D, and J gene fragments, whereas jawless fish assemble their variable lymphocyte receptors through recombinatorial usage of leucine-rich repeat (LRR) modular units. Invariant germ line-encoded, LRR-containing proteins are pivotal mediators of microbial recognition throughout the plant and animal kingdoms. Whereas the genomes of plants and deuterostome and chordate invertebrates harbor large arsenals of recognition receptors primarily encoding LRR-containing proteins, relatively few innate pattern recognition receptors suffice for survival of pathogen-infected nematodes, insects, and vertebrates. The appearance of a lymphocyte-based recombinatorial system of anticipatory immunity in the vertebrates may have been driven by a need to facilitate developmental and morphological plasticity in addition to the advantage conferred by the ability to recognize a larger portion of the antigenic world.

ApoE-4 and Age at Onset of Alzheimer's Disease The NIMH Genetics Initiative

Abstract: Objective: To explore the impact of apoE-4 on Alzheimer9s disease (AD) and its age at onset. Design: A genetic linkage study using affected relative pairs, predominantly siblings. Setting: Three academic medical centers ascertained subjects from memory disorder clinics, nursing homes, and the local community. Subjects: 310 families including 679 subjects with AD by NINCDS/ADRDA and/or Khachaturian criteria and 231 unaffected subjects. Outcome measure: ApoE genotype. Analytic methods: Association, affected pedigree member, sibling pair, and lod score analyses. Results: ApoE-4 was strongly associated with AD in this sample (allele frequency = 0.46 vs. 0.14 in controls, p NEUROLOGY 1997;48: 139-147