Association between IL-13 gene polymorphism and asthma in Han nationality in Hubei Chinese population.

In order to investigate whether Arg110Gln polymorphism in the coding region of the IL-13 gene is associated with asthma and total plasma IgE level in Han nationality in Hubei Chinese population, the allele frequency of 4257(g/a) site and Arg110Gln genotype of IL-13 was detected by using restriction fragment length polymorphism in Han nationality in Hubei Chinese population including 43 asthmatic children, 45 asthmatic adults, 31 control children and 46 control adults. Total plasma IgE was measured by Chemiluminescence assay. The results showed that the frequency of allele A at 4257 bp of IL-13 in children and adults was 0.39 and 0.32, respectively. The GlnGln form of Arg110Gln polymorphism of IL-13 gene was associated with susceptibility of asthma and elevated total plasma IgE in children (P=0.030 and 0.0009, respectively), but not with them in adults (P=0.219 and 0.174, respectively). Our results suggest that the Arg110Gln polymorphism of IL-13 gene is associated with susceptibility of asthma and elevated total plasma IgE in Chinese children of Han nationality in Hubei, but not with them in adults.