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Measurements of PM2.5, its elemental composition, PAH's, VOC's, HCHO and mutagenicity (Ames test) were obtained for a period of 12 days in 8 indoor and outdoor sites and a central site in Teplice, Czech Republic. Teplice is located in the industrialized northwestern region of the country and is characterized by a number of local sources of primary PM and other pollutants. The indoor measurements were obtained in flats, chosen on the basis of differences in ventilation, and cooking and smoking history. Four of the flats are occupied by smokers, half of whom could be classified as heavy smokers. Concentrations of a number of pollutants (PM2.5, trace elements (S, P, Cl, K, Zn, Br), PAH's (Anthracene, Chrysene, Benzo[a]pyrene, Dibenzo[a,h]Anthracene), volatile chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons) and mutagenicity were higher in the flats occupied by smokers. In the non-smoking flats, outdoor sources such as coal stoves in the neighborhood and indoor sources such as cosmetics, solvents and fireplaces are found to be the major source affecting indoor air quality. Relations among the concentrations measured at the three types of sites will also be presented. The study was funded by the Czech Ministry of Health, Project NJ/5907-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 and PAHs were measured at a sampling site in Teplice, located in the industrialized NW part of Czech Republic, and at two (central and suburban) sites in Prague. PM and its constituents were sampled using modified dichotomous samplers at all three sites from 1999 through 2001. The seasonal variability in concentrations measured at the three sites is quite similar, reflecting the importance of seasonal climatologic factors in controlling the emissions of primary PM and the dilution and trapping of these emissions. PM concentrations at the two sites in Prague are highly correlated (r = 0.9) suggesting that common sources are contributing to the variability observed at these sites. There can be substantial differences in PM2.5 concentrations even though the concentrations measured at these two sites are highly correlated. Pearson correlation coefficients calculated between the site in Teplice and those in Prague are much lower (r = 0.44, 0.46) suggesting that there are substantial differences in sources in the two cities. There are also large differences between concentrations measured on individual days. These differences reflect differences in meteorology, topography and the types of sources present in these two cities. Traffic and coal combustion by nearby power plants and residences are major sources of primary PM and PAHs affecting Teplice, whereas traffic is the major source of primary PM and PAHs in central Prague. Concentrations at the suburban site in Prague are influenced mainly by emissions within Prague. All three sites are also affected by long range transport of secondary PM, mainly in the form of sulfate. This study was funded by the Czech Ministry of Environment, Project VaV 340/2/00. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased plasma concentration of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is an established independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD), which is strongly genetically determined. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between the K-IV and (TTTTA)n apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a), protein; APOA, gene] polymorphisms, as well as the C766T low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP) and the (CGG)n very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) polymorphisms on the one hand, and plasma Lp(a) levels in Czech subjects who underwent coronary angiography on the other hand. The lengths of the alleles of the APOA K-IV and (TTTTA)n polymorphisms were strongly inversely correlated with plasma Lp(a) levels in univariate analysis (r = -0.41, p < 10(-4) and r = -0.20, p < 0.01, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed significant associations between the APOA polymorphisms studied and plasma Lp(a) levels in subjects expressing only one APOA K-IV allele (p < 10(-6) for K-IV and p < 0.001 for TTTTA). In subjects expressing both APOA K-IV alleles, the multivariate analysis revealed that only the APOA K-IV alleles were inversely correlated with plasma Lp(a) levels (p < 0.001). Associations between both the LRP and VLDLR gene polymorphisms and plasma Lp(a) levels were only of borderline significance (p < 0.06 and p < 0.07, respectively) and were not confirmed in multivariate analysis. In conclusion, both APOA length polymorphisms significantly influenced plasma Lp(a) concentration in the Czech population studied, and this circumstance could explain the association in this population observed earlier between APOA (TTTTA)n polymorphism and CAD (Benes et al. 2000). Only a minor role in the regulation of plasma Lp(a) levels is suggested for the C766T LRP and the (CGG)n VLDLR polymorphisms.

Increased plasma concentrations of homocysteine have been found in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and essential hypertension (EH) and in patients with diabetic complications. The 677C/T methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism is related to the MTHFR enzyme activity and to the plasma homocysteine concentration. This study was designed to investigate an association of this polymorphism with CAD, EH, and type II diabetes mellitus in the Czech population. The MTHFR genotypes were assessed by the polymerase chain reaction-based methodology in a sample of 1199 unrelated Caucasian subjects with CAD, EH, type II diabetes, or a combination of these diseases, and in healthy subjects. Allele frequencies of the MTHFR polymorphism differed considerably between women with and without type II diabetes mellitus (P = 0.00069), with a higher frequency of the C allele in the diabetic women. In addition, the MTHFR T allele frequency was significantly higher in normotensive subjects with CAD compared with normotensive subjects without this disease (P = 0.020). Both associations were confirmed by multiple logistic regressions. In conclusion, while the C allele of the 677C/T MTHFR polymorphism is associated with type II diabetes mellitus in women, the T allele is associated with CAD only in normotensive subjects of Czech origin., (Copyright 2001 Academic Press.)

Low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein (LRP) is a multifunctional endocytic receptor involved in various biological processes including the regulation of the coagulation-fibrinolysis balance, the lipoprotein metabolism, and cellular migration, all of which relate to the development of atherosclerosis. Polymorphisms affecting the function or expression of LRP may thus influence the individual risk of atherosclerosis development. This study investigated the association between the C766T LRP polymorphism, coronary artery disease (CAD), and plasma lipoprotein levels in a large sample of Caucasian subjects of Czech nationality. In addition, the 4G/5G promoter polymorphism of the gene coding for plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), the known ligand of LRP with strong antifibrinolytic potential, was ascertained to investigate its possible association with CAD. Both polymorphisms were studied using polymerase chain reaction analysis in 654 patients with angiographically confirmed CAD and in 525 controls. No statistically significant differences in allele frequencies of the polymorphisms studied were detected between patients and controls, even when men, women, hypertonic, and type II diabetic subjects were compared separately. However, the frequency of the T allele of the LRP polymorphism was significantly higher in patients than controls when only subjects with the 5G/5G PAI-1 genotype were analyzed. In addition, the T LRP allele frequency was significantly lower in subjects aged 60 years or over than in those who were younger in both groups. No significant association was observed between the LRP or PAI-1 polymorphisms and plasma lipoprotein levels in the CAD patients. Our results demonstrate that the T allele of the C766T LRP polymorphism is negatively related to longevity, and that it increases the risk of CAD development in subjects with the 5G/5G PAI-1 genotype.

To evaluate whether polymorphisms in genes whose products are involved in lipid metabolism and fibrinolysis alter the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), allele frequencies of four genetic polymorphisms were ascertained by PCR-based methods in 175 Czech male patients with coronary artery disease and in 222 Czech men with no symptoms of CAD. The following polymorphisms were studied: apolipoprotein B (apo B) signal peptide insertion/deletion polymorphism, 5' apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] TTTTA repeat polymorphism, apolipoprotein E (apo E) varepsilon2, varepsilon3, varepsilon4 polymorphism, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) 4G/5G promoter polymorphism. Apo B and apo(a) allele frequencies differed significantly between the CAD and the control groups (P<0.01 each), with higher frequencies of apo B deletion and apo(a) shorter repeat alleles in the CAD group. We did not observe any differences in allele frequencies of either PAI-1 or apo E polymorphisms but the genotype frequencies of apo E were slightly different between the two groups (P<0.05). In addition, we observed a gene-gene interaction between the PAI-1 and apo(a) polymorphisms with respect to the risk of CAD. None of the polymorphisms studied were associated with the severity of CAD or a history of myocardial infarction. Our findings support the idea that several polymorphisms in apolipoprotein genes may by themselves and/or in interaction with other polymorphisms contribute to risk factors for CAD in men., (Copyright 2000 Academic Press.)