University of Ioannina

About: University of Ioannina is a education organization based out in Ioannina, Greece. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 7654 authors who have published 20594 publications receiving 671560 citations. The organization is also known as: Panepistimio Ioanninon.

A genome-wide association study identifies an osteoarthritis susceptibility locus on chromosome 7q22.

Abstract: __Objective__ To identify novel genes involved in osteoarthritis (OA), by means of a genome-wide association study. Methods. We tested 500,510 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 1,341 Dutch Caucasian OA cases and 3,496 Dutch Caucasian controls. SNPs associated with at least 2 OA phenotypes were analyzed in 14,938 OA cases and ∼39,000 controls. Meta-analyses were performed using the program Comprehensive Meta-analysis, with P values <1 x 10-7considered genomewide significant. __Results__ The C allele of rs3815148 on chromosome 7q22 (minor allele frequency 23%; intron 12 of the COG5 gene) was associated with a 1.14-fold increased risk (95% confidence interval 1.09-1.19) of knee and/or hand OA (P = 8 x 10-8) and also with a 30% increased risk of knee OA progression (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.64) (P = 0.03). This SNP is in almost complete linkage disequilibrium with rs3757713 (68 kb upstream of GPR22), which is associated with GPR22 expression levels in lymphoblast cell lines (P = 4 x 10-12). Immunohistochemistry experiments revealed that G protein-coupled receptor protein 22 (GPR22) was absent in normal mouse articular cartilage or synovium. However, GPR22-positive chondrocytes were found in the upper layers of the articular cartilage of mouse knee joints that were challenged with in vivo papain treatment or methylated bovine serum albumin treatment. GPR22-positive chondrocyte-like cells were also found in osteophytes in instability-induced OA. __Conclusion__ Our findings identify a novel common variant on chromosome 7q22 that influences susceptibility to prevalence and progression of OA. Since the GPR22 gene encodes a G protein-coupled receptor, this is potentially an interesting therapeutic target.

Transgenic mice expressing the human inducible Hsp70 have hippocampal neurons resistant to ischemic injury.

Abstract: Using transgenic mice constitutively expressing the human inducible Hsp70, we examined the role of Hsp70 on cell survival after focal cerebral oschemia. Twenty-four hours after premanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery, no difference in infarct area was detected between Hsp70-transgenic and non-transgenic mice. In the non-transgenic mice, many pyramidal neurons of the ipsilateral hippocampus were observed to be pykontic. However, in all Hsp70-transgenic mice, hippocampal pyramidal neurons showed normal morphology and no evidence of pyknosis. This suggests that constitutive expression of Hsp70 reduces the extent of damage following permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Dynamic Imaging of Functionalized Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Systemic Circulation and Urinary Excretion

Abstract: Intravenously administered multi-walled carbon nanotubes, functionalized with DTPA and radiolabeled with Indium-111, were dynamically tracked in vivo using a microSingle Photon Emission Tomography scanner. Imaging showed that nanotubes enter the systemic blood circulation and within 5 min begin to permeate through the renal glomerular filtration system into the bladder.

PAF-Degrading Acetylhydrolase Is Preferentially Associated With Dense LDL and VHDL-1 in Human Plasma Catalytic Characteristics and Relation to the Monocyte-Derived Enzyme

Abstract: In human plasma, platelet activating factor (PAF)–degrading acetylhydrolase (acetylhydrolase) is principally transported in association with LDLs and HDLs; this enzyme hydrolyzes PAF and s...