BACKGROUND: Clinical asthma is associated with increased serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), atopy (skin prick test positivity to common aeroallergens), and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) to non-specific stimuli (positive methacholine challenge test). A region on chromosome 5q31-33 has been linked with increased total serum IgE and BHR. A study of the genetic linkage of this region with clinical asthma and atopy was therefore undertaken. METHODS: A polymorphic microsatellite marker in chromosome 5q31 (D5S399) was studied in 119 sibling pairs recruited from the general population who shared asthma, atopy, and/or BHR. Based on our population distribution of 13 different alleles, it was expected that by chance alone sibling pairs would share on average 1.24 alleles and that a significant excess would indicate genetic linkage. RESULTS: No evidence of linkage was found in 45 siblings concordant for asthma (shared alleles = 1.09, p = 0.95), in 103 sibling pairs with atopy (shared alleles = 1.18, p = 0.82), in 51 sibling pairs with BHR (shared alleles = 1.22, p = 0.62), or in 68 sibling pairs who shared atopy in the absence of BHR (shared alleles = 1.22, p = 0.61). A slight non-significant excess of shared alleles (1.44, p = 0.11) was observed in siblings who shared BHR without atopy. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence of genetic linkage of chromosome 5q31 with either clinical asthma or atopy was therefore detected in the population studied. Linkage between chromosome 5q and BHR needs further investigation.
BACKGROUND: Clinical asthma is associated with increased serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), atopy (skin prick test positivity to common aeroallergens), and bronchial hyperreactivity (BHR) to non-specific stimuli (positive methacholine challenge test). A region on chromosome 5q31-33 has been linked with increased total serum IgE and BHR. A study of the genetic linkage of this region with clinical asthma and atopy was therefore undertaken. METHODS: A polymorphic microsatellite marker in chromosome 5q31 (D5S399) was studied in 119 sibling pairs recruited from the general population who shared asthma, atopy, and/or BHR. Based on our population distribution of 13 different alleles, it was expected that by chance alone sibling pairs would share on average 1.24 alleles and that a significant excess would indicate genetic linkage. RESULTS: No evidence of linkage was found in 45 siblings concordant for asthma (shared alleles = 1.09, p = 0.95), in 103 sibling pairs with atopy (shared alleles = 1.18, p = 0.82), in 51 sibling pairs with BHR (shared alleles = 1.22, p = 0.62), or in 68 sibling pairs who shared atopy in the absence of BHR (shared alleles = 1.22, p = 0.61). A slight non-significant excess of shared alleles (1.44, p = 0.11) was observed in siblings who shared BHR without atopy. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence of genetic linkage of chromosome 5q31 with either clinical asthma or atopy was therefore detected in the population studied. Linkage between chromosome 5q and BHR needs further investigation.
Authors: L van Herwerden; S B Harrap; Z Y Wong; M J Abramson; J J Kutin; A B Forbes; J Raven; A Lanigan; E H Walters Journal: Lancet Date: 1995-11-11 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: S E Daniels; S Bhattacharrya; A James; N I Leaves; A Young; M R Hill; J A Faux; G F Ryan; P N le Söuef; G M Lathrop; A W Musk; W O Cookson Journal: Nature Date: 1996-09-19 Impact factor: 49.962
Authors: D G Marsh; J D Neely; D R Breazeale; B Ghosh; L R Freidhoff; E Ehrlich-Kautzky; C Schou; G Krishnaswamy; T H Beaty Journal: Science Date: 1994-05-20 Impact factor: 47.728
Authors: R C Panzani; P Mercier; Y Delord; G Riva; P Falagiani; D Reviron; P Auquier Journal: Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) Date: 1993 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 1.667
Authors: D S Postma; E R Bleecker; P J Amelung; K J Holroyd; J Xu; C I Panhuysen; D A Meyers; R C Levitt Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 1995-10-05 Impact factor: 91.245