Articles: black-people-genetics.
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Mayo Clinic proceedings · Jan 2000
Comparative StudyProstatic steroid 5 alpha-reductase, an androgen metabolic gene.
Prostate cancer risk is highest in African Americans, lowest in Asians, and intermediate in Caucasians and Latinos. The data clearly suggest that environmental and genetic factors are involved. Investigation of the genetic factors suggests that allelic variation in the SRD5A2 gene is partially responsible for the striking racial and ethnic variations in risk.
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There are increasing numbers of older African-Caribbeans in the UK. Primary care staff often feel less confident about diagnosing depression in this group. Screening instruments may assist in making diagnoses in cross-cultural consultations. ⋯ These screening instruments demonstrate high sensitivity levels, if an appropriate cut-off point is used. The culture-specific instrument did not perform better than the traditional instruments. Health professionals should approach the consultation in a culturally sensitive manner and use the validated instrument they are most familiar with.
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To determine whether the polymorphic dinucleotide repeats found in intron 4 of the endothelial cell nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) gene and the platelet GPIIIa PLA(1)/A(2) polymorphism are associated with myocardial infarction (MI) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in African Americans. Because these two genes may interact physiologically, the third objective was to determine if there was a relationship between the polymorphisms with respect to MI and VTE. ⋯ The 393 allele but not the Pl(A2) allele was significantly associated with both MI and VTE in African Americans. Homozygosity for the 393 allele was significantly associated to the diagnosis of MI prior to the age of 45. The combination of the 393 allele and a Pl(A2) allele was also highly associated with MI. The frequency of the 393 allele was significantly higher in African Americans than what has been reported for other populations. This study furthers not only extends the association of the 393 allele to VTE but has demonstrated an interaction with the Pl(A2) allele with respect to MI.
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Germline mutations of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes hMLH1 and hMSH2 have been shown to cosegregate with the colorectal cancer phenotype in multiple hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) pedigrees. However, the frequency of these mutations among African American patients with colorectal cancer is unknown. ⋯ The results of our analysis support an association between the 3 mutations reported and predisposition to colorectal cancer. Further studies are needed to define DNA MMR gene-associated colorectal cancer in African Americans, an understudied population at increased risk of fatal colorectal cancer.