Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1/solute carrier family 11 member 1 gene (Nramp1/Slc11a1) is a gene that controls the susceptibility of inbred mice to intracellular pathogens. Polymorphisms in the human Slc11a1/Nramp1 gene have been associated with host susceptibility to leprosy. This study has evaluated nine polymorphisms of the Slc11a1/Nramp1 gene [(GT)n, 274C/T, 469+14G/C, 577-18G/A, 823C/T, 1029 C/T, 1465-85G/A, 1703G/A, and 1729+55del4] in 86 leprosy patients (67 and 19 patients had the multibacillary and the paucibacillary clinical forms of the disease, respectively), and 239 healthy controls matched by age, gender, and ethnicity. The frequency of allele 2 of the (GT)n polymorphism was higher in leprosy patients [p = 0.04, odds ratio (OR) = 1.49], whereas the frequency of allele 3 was higher in the control group (p = 0.03; OR = 0.66). Patients carrying the 274T allele (p = 0.04; OR = 1.49) and TT homozygosis (p = 0.02; OR = 2.46), such as the 469+14C allele (p = 0.03; OR = 1.53) of the 274C/T and 469+14G/C polymorphisms, respectively, were more frequent in the leprosy group. The leprosy and control groups had similar frequency of the 577-18G/A, 823C/T, 1029C/T, 1465-85G/A, 1703G/A, and 1729+55del4 polymorphisms. The 274C/T polymorphism in exon 3 and the 469+14G/C polymorphism in intron 4 were associated with susceptibility to leprosy, while the allele 2 and 3 of the (GT)n polymorphism in the promoter region were associated with susceptibility and protection to leprosy, respectively.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the methylation profile of the p15 (CDKN2B) gene in Brazilian patients with leukemia and to correlate the CDKN2B gene expression with the percentage of methylated CpG dinucleotides in its promoter region. Thirty-one samples from six patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), four with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and 21 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were evaluated by MSP (Methylation-Specific PCR). The CDKN2B gene was found to be methylated in four (67%) of the six ALL samples and in 16 (76%) of the 21 AML samples, but in none of the four CML samples analyzed. We observed a correlation between the CDKN2B mRNA expression (RT-PCR) and the percentage of methylated CpG dinucleotides. Therefore, this study in Brazilian patients confirms that the CDKN2B gene is methylated in the majority of leukemia patients.

O fortalecimento da pesquisa clínica no Brasil implica a criação, expansão ou consolidação de novos centros, em especial na recuperação dos hospitais universitários e do fortalecimento do vínculo entre ensino e pesquisa. A interação entre pesquisa biomédica e básica é indispensável para geração de conhecimento nacional em questões específicas e para estruturar o setor produtivo de tecnologia ligada à saúde. As mudanças do perfil demográfico e epidemiológico do país trouxeram para a lista de prioridades de pesquisa em saúde doenças cardiovasculares, neoplasias, doenças mentais, doenças associadas a urbanização, acidentes e violência, e doenças do envelhecimento. O Brasil ainda apresenta endemias importantes no seu quadro epidemiológico: dengue, malária, esquistossomose, hanseníase e hepatites virais, entre outras. A consolidação da pesquisa em biologia celular e molecular aplicada à medicina é indispensável para que a prática médica no país se mantenha atualizada e competitiva, e para permitir interações com o setor produtivo e implantação de um parque biotecnológico nacional.

Strengthening clinical research in Brazil involves the creation, expansion, or consolidation of new centers, and especially the recovery of university hospitals and a stronger link between teaching and research. Interaction between biomedical and basic research is indispensable to generate national knowledge on specific issues and to structure the health technology production sector. Changes in the country's demographic and epidemiological profile have brought cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, psychiatric diseases, diseases associated with urbanization, accidents/violence, and diseases of ageing to the list of health research priorities. Brazil still displays important endemics in its epidemiological profile: dengue, malaria, schistosomiasis, Hansen's disease, and viral hepatites, among others. Consolidation of research in cellular and molecular biology applied to medicine is indispensable for medical practice in the country to remain up-to-date and competitive, as well as to allow interactions with the productive sector and the implementation of a national biotechnology complex.

O fortalecimento da pesquisa clínica no Brasil implica a criação, expansão ou consolidação de novos centros, em especial na recuperação dos hospitais universitários e do fortalecimento do vínculo entre ensino e pesquisa. A interação entre pesquisa biomédica e básica é indispensável para geração de conhecimento nacional em questões específicas e para estruturar o setor produtivo de tecnologia ligada à saúde. As mudanças do perfil demográfico e epidemiológico do país trouxeram para a lista de prioridades de pesquisa em saúde doenças cardiovasculares, neoplasias, doenças mentais, doenças associadas a urbanização, acidentes e violência, e doenças do envelhecimento. O Brasil ainda apresenta endemias importantes no seu quadro epidemiológico: dengue, malária, esquistossomose, hanseníase e hepatites virais, entre outras. A consolidação da pesquisa em biologia celular e molecular aplicada à medicina é indispensável para que a prática médica no país se mantenha atualizada e competitiva, e para permitir interações com o setor produtivo e implantação de um parque biotecnológico nacional.

Strengthening clinical research in Brazil involves the creation, expansion, or consolidation of new centers, and especially the recovery of university hospitals and a stronger link between teaching and research. Interaction between biomedical and basic research is indispensable to generate national knowledge on specific issues and to structure the health technology production sector. Changes in the country's demographic and epidemiological profile have brought cardiovascular diseases, neoplasms, psychiatric diseases, diseases associated with urbanization, accidents/violence, and diseases of ageing to the list of health research priorities. Brazil still displays important endemics in its epidemiological profile: dengue, malaria, schistosomiasis, Hansen's disease, and viral hepatites, among others. Consolidation of research in cellular and molecular biology applied to medicine is indispensable for medical practice in the country to remain up-to-date and competitive, as well as to allow interactions with the productive sector and the implementation of a national biotechnology complex.