Lack of association of atopy/asthma and the interleukin-4 receptor alpha gene in Japanese.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Susceptibility to the development of atopic diseases is known to involve genetic factors. Several investigators have reported the interleukin-4 (IL-4) receptor alpha gene to be involved in the development of atopy. Recent study has shown that the R allele of a polymorphism in the IL-4 receptor alpha chain gene (Q576R) to be associated with atopy.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible role of the IL-4 receptor alpha gene in modulating allergic response and asthma in the Japanese population.

METHODS:

We conducted linkage analysis using microsatellite markers flanking the IL-4 alpha receptor gene in 82 families ascertained through asthmatic children. The IL-4 receptor Q576R polymorphism was also genotyped by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

RESULTS:

We did not find evidence for linkage of the asthma and atopy phenotypes with the markers D16S298 and D16S403 (P = 0.10 and P = 0.56, respectively, for the atopy phenotype and P = 0.17 and P = 0.60, respectively, for the asthma phenotype). The IL-4 receptor R576 allele was not preferentially transmitted to atopy- or asthma-affected children (chi2 = 1.67, P = 0.24 for atopy and chi2 = 0.91, P = 0.40 for asthma). In addition, the prevalence of the R576 allele among parents with and without atopy was similar, 20 of 81 (24.7%) parents with atopy and 22 of 77 (28.6%) parents without atopy.

CONCLUSION:

Our findings indicate that the IL-4 receptor alpha gene does not exert a substantial influence on the inheritance of atopy or asthma in this Japanese population.

• Authors: E Noguchi, M Shibasaki, T Arinami, K Takeda, Y Yokouchi, K Kobayashi, N Imoto, S Nakahara, A Matsui, H Hamaguchi
• Journal: Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Clin Exp Allergy) Vol. 29 Issue 2 Pg. 228-33 (Feb 1999) ISSN: 0954-7894 [Print] England
• PMID: 10051727 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• DNA Primers
• Receptors, Interleukin-4

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Asthma (genetics)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Chromosomes, Human, Pair 16 (genetics)
• Conjunctivitis, Allergic (genetics)
• DNA Primers (chemistry)
• Dermatitis, Atopic (genetics)
• Genetic Linkage
• Humans
• Infant
• Japan
• Microsatellite Repeats
• Middle Aged
• Phenotype
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
• Receptors, Interleukin-4 (genetics)
• Rhinitis (genetics)