Jiu-Yao Wang a, Cheng-Chia Lin b, Cherry Guan-Ju Lin c, Ya-Hsin Hsiao c, Lawrence Shih-Hsin Wu c, d
aDepartment of Pediatrics and Institute of Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
bDepartment of Urological Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan
cResearch Development Division, Vita Genomics Inc., Taipei, Taiwan
dInstitute of Medical Sciences, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
Abstract
Objective
Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding region of interleukin 7 receptor (IL7R) are associated with severe combined immunodeficiency and multiple sclerosis. Based on the known mechanisms involved, IL7R has a high potential for being a candidate gene conferring allergy and asthma susceptibility. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possible genetic association between SNPs in the IL7R coding region and mite-sensitized asthma in Taiwanese children.
Materials and Methods
We conducted a case-control study with 82 normal controls and 200 allergic asthma patients sensitized to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae. Twelve SNPs of IL7R from a total of 282 subjects were obtained by direct sequencing and TaqMan genotyping.
Results
We identified two specific genotypes, rs969129 GG and rs1494555 AA, which were present at higher frequencies in the patient group than in the control group. Moreover, the normal controls that carried these two specific genotypes appeared to have higher serum immunoglobulin E levels than those with other genotypes.
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that the SNPs rs969129 (in intron 2) and rs1494555 (in exon 4) in the IL7R gene may be associated with mite-sensitive allergic asthma in Taiwanese children.
Keywords
Allergic asthma; Der f-sensitive; Der p-sensitive; Interleukin 7 receptor; Single nucleotide polymorphism
