Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the eosinophil peroxidase gene with Japanese cedar pollinosis.

BACKGROUND: Japanese cedar pollinosis is the most common form of hay fever in spring in Japan. We have previously demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphism Pro358Leu of exon 7 in the eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) gene is associated with cedar pollinosis, although the association has not been confirmed by analysis of the whole gene in a different population.
METHODS: We sequenced all exons of the EPO gene in 60 children with pollinosis and their parents using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism method.
RESULTS: We found 8 polymorphisms, Ile40Met, Gln122His, Arg202Arg (A660G), Asn303Asn (C909T), Arg326Pro, Arg326His, Pro358Leu, and Asn572Ty, in the EPO gene. As a result of the transmission disequilibrium test, we recognized significant transmissions of 202Arg (660G) in exon 6 in addition to 358Leu of exon 7 in the EPO gene of affected children.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results might indicate that polymorphisms of the EPO gene are associated with Japanese cedar pollinosis. Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel