BACKGROUND The authors previously reported that human ocular surface epithelium expressed TLR3 and that its ligand polyI:C stimulated the secretion of IL-6, IL-8 and IFN-β. In this study, to examine comprehensive effects of polyI:C stimulation of primary human conjunctival epithelial cells (PHCjECs), the authors performed a gene-expression analysis of the polyI:C-stimulated PHCjECs using oligon...

Gene-environment (GxE) interactions are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of atopic eczema, but specific genes and environmental factors remain be elucidated. We analysed data from 25 European studies 7 countries test for interaction between 24 loci identified by genome-wide association 10 early-life exposures, on eczema as an outcome. Fourteen 240 pairwise reached nominal significance...

VDJ recombination of T cell receptor and immunoglobulin loci occurs in immature lymphoid cells. Although the molecular mechanisms of DNA cleavage and ligation have become more clear, it is not understood what controls which target loci undergo rearrangement. In interleukin 7 receptor (IL-7R)alpha-/- murine thymocytes, it has been shown that rearrangement of the T cell receptor (TCR)-gamma locus...

Many human genes have adapted to the constant threat of exposure to infectious agents; according to the "hygiene hypothesis," lack of exposure to parasites in modern settings results in immune imbalances, augmenting susceptibility to the development of autoimmune and allergic conditions. Here, by estimating the number of pathogen species/genera in a specific geographic location (pathogen richne...

Campylobacter jejuni colonises the caecum of more than 90% of commercial chickens. Even though colonisation is asymptomatic, we hypothesised that it is mediated by activation of several biological pathways. We therefore used chicken-specific 20K oligonucleotide microarrays to examine global gene expression in C. jejuni-challenged birds. Microarray results demonstrate small but significant fold-...

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive cancer that represents ~15% of all lung cancers. Currently there are no targeted therapies to treat SCLC. Our genomic analysis of a metastatic SCLC cohort identified recurrent RICTOR amplification. Here, we examine the translational potential of this observation. RICTOR was the most frequently amplified gene observed (~14% patients), and co-amplifi...

OBJECTIVE The anatomic location of subsequent relapses in early multiple sclerosis (MS) appears to be predicted by the first attack location. We sought to determine if genetic polymorphisms associated with MS susceptibility are associated with attack location. METHODS 17 genome-wide association study-identified MS susceptibility polymorphisms were genotyped in 503 white, non-Hispanic patients...