Abstract Epigenetic modifications established during prenatal and early life, including DNA methylation, have been suggested as potential mediators of the interaction between environmental exposures during the perinatal period and adult metabolic health adverse outcomes, especially cardiometabolic complications and overweight. The effect of a dietary intervention in the first year of life on global methylation levels in leukocyte samples from a cohort of children born between 2001 and 2002 in southern Brazil was examined. Overall methylation measurements were performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays on DNA samples from 237 children at 4 years old. Mean methylation values were higher in the intervention group (mean: 2.20 ± 1.31%) than in the control group (mean: 1.65 ± 1.11%; P = 0.001). It was observed that nutritional counseling in the first year increased breastfeeding duration and stimulated the development of healthier eating habits. Therefore, these factors might have contributed to increase global DNA methylation. The findings of the present study reinforce the notion that performing nutritional interventions in the early stages of life is important and provide further evidence of the interaction between the environment and epigenetic traits.

RESUMO A proposta deste estudo foi identificar as leveduras envolvidas na fermentação espontânea de cacau da Amazônia brasileira. A fermentação foi realizada em Medicilândia e Tucumã, Pará, Brasil, durante 6 dias. Em total foram obtidos 44 isolados de leveduras de Medicilândia e 29 de Tucumã. A identificação molecular foi realizada por sequenciamento do fragmento da região D1/D2 do gene rRNA 26S, amplificado com primers universais para eucariotos NL1GC e LS2. Em Medicilândia, foram identificadas Pichia manshurica e Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Em Tucumã foram identificadas cinco espécies (Pichia fermentans, P. kudriavzevii, P. manshurica, S. cerevisiae e Zygosaccharomyces bailii). Os resultados sugerem que P. manshurica e S. cerevisiae podem ter potencial para uso como culturas starter em estudos futuros, para melhorar a qualidade das sementes de cacau fermentadas na Amazônia brasileira.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to identify the yeasts involved in spontaneous fermentation of cocoa from the Brazilian Amazon region. The fermentation process was carried out experimentally with cocoa seeds from two sites (Medicilândia and Tucumã), State of Pará, northern Brazil, during a six-day period. Totals of 44 yeasts were isolated from Medicilândia and 29 from Tucumã. Molecular identification was carried out by sequencing the D1/D2 region fragment of the rRNA 26S gene, expanded with universal primers for the NL1GC and LS2 eukaryotes. Pichia manshurica and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were identified in Medicilândia and five yeast species (Pichia fermentans, P. kudriavzevii, P. manshurica, S. cerevisiae and Zygosaccharomyces bailii) were identified in Tucumã. The results showed that P. manshurica and S. cerevisiae may have potential for use as starter cultures in future studies to improve the quality of cocoa seeds fermented in the Brazilian Amazon region.

The Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is defined as a pattern of metabolic disturbances, which include central obesity, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Milk has been promoted as a healthy beverage that can improve the management of MetS. Most human adults, however, down-regulate the production of intestinal lactase after weaning. Lactase encoded by the LCT gene is necessary for lactose digestion. The -13910C > T SNP (rs4988235) is responsible for the lactase persistence phenotype in European populations. We herein investigated whether the lactase persistence genotype is also associated with the MetS in subjects from a Brazilian population of European descent. This study consisted of 334 individuals (average age of 41 years) genotyped by PCR-based methods for the -13910C > T SNP. Clinical data were assessed and the genotypes were tested for their independent contribution to the MetS using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis. Univariate analyses showed that hypertension and MetS prevalence were higher in individuals with the lactase non-persistence genotype than in lactase persistence subjects. Furthermore, lactase persistence was associated with a lower risk for MetS (OR = 0.467; 95% CI 0.264-0.824; p = 0.009). These results suggest that LCT genotypes can be a valuable tool for the management of MetS treatment.

FUNDAMENTO: Baixos níveis de HDL-c são importantes preditores de doença coronariana, a primeira causa de morte no mundo todo. Muitos fatores afetam os níveis de HDL-c, tais como os polimorfismos de genes que codificam proteínas-chave para a via de transporte reverso de colesterol. OBJETIVO: Investigar a influência de sete polimorfismos dos genes CETP, APOA1, ABCA1 e SCARB1 genes nos níveis de HDL-c em uma população da região sul do Brasil. MÉTODOS: Os polimorfismos foram investigados em uma amostra de 500 indivíduos de descendência europeia, mas os níveis de HDL-c de somente 360 indivíduos foram ajustados para cofatores usando regressão linear múltipla no estudo de associação. A amostra foi dividida em tercis de acordo com os níveis ajustados de HDL-c e frequências de alelos e haplótipos foram comparadas entre o 1º e o 3º tercis dos níveis ajustados de HDL-c. RESULTADOS: Quando as combinações dos alelos de risco foram testadas, a frequência de combinações alélicas em três genes (haplótipo 1 do gene APOA1, variante 2S do gene SCARB1, e alelo B1 do gene CETP) foi significantemente mais alta no tercil inferior dos níveis ajustados de HDL-c (28,3%) do que no tercil superior (14,9%; p=0,008), o que indica que a presença dessas variantes aumentou 2,26 vezes a chance de ter níveis de HDL-C < 39,8 mg/dl. CONCLUSÃO: Espera-se que esses marcadores, quando estudados separadamente, tenham uma pequena influência na característica que está sendo analisada, mas uma influência maior foi detectada quando os marcadores foram estudados em combinação. Em uma população da região sul do Brasil, nossos dados mostraram uma influência significante das combinações das variantes dos genes APOA1, SCARB1 e CETP nos níveis de HDL-c.

BACKGROUND: Low HDL-C levels are important predictors of coronary disease, the first cause of death worldwide. Many factors affect HDL-C levels, such as polymorphisms of genes encoding for key proteins of the reverse cholesterol transport pathway. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of seven polymorphisms of the CETP, APOA1, ABCA1 and SCARB1 genes on HDL-C levels in a southern Brazilian population. METHODS: The polymorphisms were investigated in a sample of 500 individuals of European descent, but HDL-C levels from only 360 individuals were adjusted for cofactors using multiple linear regressions in the association study. The sample was divided in tertiles according to adjusted HDL-C levels, and allele and haplotype frequencies were compared between the 1st and 3rd tertiles of adjusted HDL-C levels. RESULTS: When combinations of risk alleles were tested, the frequency of allele combinations in three genes (haplotype 1 of APOA1 gene, variant 2S of SCARB1 gene, and allele B1 of CETP gene) was significantly higher in the lower tertile of adjusted HDL-C (28.3%) than in the upper tertile (14.9%; p=0.008), which indicated that the presence of these variants increased 2.26 times the chances of having HDL-C levels below 39.8 mg/dl. CONCLUSION: These markers, when studied separately, are expected to have a small influence on the characteristic under analysis, but greater influence was detected when the markers were studied in combination. In a population of southern Brazilians, our data showed a significant influence of variant combinations of APOA1, SCARB1 and CETP genes on HDL-c levels.

FUNDAMENTO: Bajos niveles de HDL-c son importantes predictores de enfermedad coronaria, la primera causa de muerte en todo el mundo. Muchos factores afectan los niveles de HDL-c, tales como los polimorfismos de genes que codifican proteínas-clave para la vía de transporte reverso de colesterol. OBJETIVO: Investigar la influencia de siete polimorfismos de los genes CETP, APOA1, ABCA1 y SCARB1 genes en los niveles de HDL-c en una población de la región sur del Brasil. MÉTODOS: Los polimorfismos fueron investigados en una muestra de 500 individuos de descendencia europea, pero los niveles de HDL-c de solamente 360 individuos fueron ajustados para cofactores usando regresión lineal múltiple en el estudio de asociación. La muestra fue dividida en terciles de acuerdo con los niveles ajustados de HDL-c y frecuencias de alelos y haplotipos fueron comparadas entre el 1º y el 3º terciles de los niveles ajustados de HDL-c. RESULTADOS: Cuando las combinaciones de los alelos de riesgo fueron probadas, la frecuencia de combinaciones alélicas en tres genes (haplotipo 1 del gen APOA1, variante 2S del gen SCARB1, y alelo B1 del gen CETP) fue significativamente más alta en el tercil inferior de los niveles ajustados de HDL-c (28,3%) que en el tercil superior (14,9%; p=0,008), lo que indica que la presencia de esas variantes aumentó 2,26 veces la posibilidad de tener niveles de HDL-C < 39,8 mg/dl. CONCLUSIÓN: Se espera que esos marcadores, cuando sean estudiados separadamente, tengan una pequeña influencia en la característica que está siendo analizada, pero una influencia mayor fue detectada cuando los marcadores fueron estudiados en combinación. En una población de la región sur del Brasil, nuestros datos mostraron una influencia significativa de las combinaciones de las variantes de los genes APOA1, SCARB1 y CETP en los niveles de HDL-c.

A aterosclerose é resultado da associação de uma deposição de lipídios na parede arterial e um processo inflamatório de baixo grau. Essa inflamação pode ser detectada através da dosagem de marcadores séricos, que indicam o grau de aterosclerose, e estão associados a um maior risco de desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares, independentemente dos níveis lipídicos. Entre estes marcadores destaca-se a Proteína C reativa ultra-sensível. As estatinas reduzem a inflamação associada à aterosclerose, o que é verificado por uma redução dos valores de proteína C reativa. Parte desse efeito está associada à diminuição de proteínas isopreniladas, porém as estatinas possuem efeitos diretos no sistema imune. Variações genéticas individuais estão associadas a variações no efeito hipolipemiante das estatinas, porém pouco se sabe sobre as variantes que interferem com as ações antiinflamatórias desses medicamentos. Além dos genes envolvidos no metabolismo do colesterol, genes que influenciam a farmacocinética e a farmacodinâmica das estatinas são possíveis responsáveis pela variação do efeito antiinflamatório observado.

Atherosclerosis is a result from the association of lipid deposition in the arterial wall and inflammatory process. This inflammatory process may be detected by clinical markers of systemic inflammation, such as ultrasensible C-reactive protein, which is associated with cardiovascular risk, independently of lipid levels. Statins reduce the inflammation associated to atherosclerosis, which may be verified by a reduction of the C-reactive protein levels. It seems that statins alter immune function by modulating post-translational protein prenylation. Individual genetic variations are associated with modulation of statins lipid-lowering effect; however, few studies have related the effect of the genetic variants with anti-inflammatory effect of statins. In addition to the genes involved in the cholesterol metabolism, genetic factors affecting statins pharmacodynamics and/or pharmacokinetics are potentially responsible for lipid and anti-inflammatory effects.