Genetic polymorphisms in arginase I and II and childhood asthma and atopy.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

A recent microarray study implicated arginase I (ARG1) and arginase II (ARG2) in mouse allergic asthma models and human asthma.

OBJECTIVES:

To examine the association between genetic variation in ARG1 and ARG2 and childhood asthma and atopy risk.

METHODS:

We enrolled 433 case-parent triads, consisting of patients with asthma 4 to 17 years old and their biologic parents, from the allergy clinic of a public hospital in Mexico City between 1998 and 2003. Atopy to 24 aeroallergens was determined by skin prick tests. We genotyped 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ARG1 and 4 SNPs of ARG2 with minor allele frequencies higher than 10% by using the TaqMan assay (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, Calif).

RESULTS:

ARG1 SNPs and haplotypes were not associated with asthma, but all 4 ARG1 SNPs were associated with the number of positive skin tests (P = .007-.018). Carrying 2 copies of minor alleles for either of 2 highly associated ARG2 SNPs was associated with a statistically significant increased relative risk (RR) of asthma (1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-2.1 for arg2s1; RR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.3 for arg2s2). The association was slightly stronger among children with a smoking parent (arg2s1 RR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.2 - 3.9 with a smoking parent; RR = 1.2, 95% CI = 0.8-1.9 without; interaction P = .025). Haplotype analyses reduced the sample size but supported the single SNP results. One ARG2 SNP was related to the number of positive skin tests (P = .027).

CONCLUSION:

Variation in arginase genes may contribute to asthma and atopy in children.

• Authors: Huiling Li, Isabelle Romieu, Juan-Jose Sienra-Monge, Matiana Ramirez-Aguilar, Blanca Estela Del Rio-Navarro, Emily O Kistner, Håkon K Gjessing, Irma Del Carmen Lara-Sanchez, Grace Y Chiu, Stephanie J London
• Journal: The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology (J Allergy Clin Immunol) Vol. 117 Issue 1 Pg. 119-26 (Jan 2006) ISSN: 0091-6749 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16387594 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Tobacco Smoke Pollution
• ARG2 protein, human
• Arginase

Topics

• Adolescent
• Arginase (genetics)
• Asthma (genetics)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Genotype
• Humans
• Hypersensitivity (genetics)
• Male
• Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
• Tobacco Smoke Pollution