The -590C/T and -34C/T interleukin-4 promoter polymorphisms are not associated with atopic eczema in childhood

J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2001 Aug;108(2):285-7. doi: 10.1067/mai.2001.117180.

Abstract

Susceptibility to the development of asthma and other atopic diseases is known to have a genetic component. To date, several studies have linked chromosome 5q31 to asthma and atopy in human beings. This region harbors a cluster of cytokine and growth factor genes, IL-4 presenting as a prime atopy candidate gene, inasmuch as it plays a pivotal role in the atopy pathway. Our approach was to identify polymorphisms within the promoter regions of IL-4 and test their association with atopic eczema. Polymorphisms were typed in a cohort of 76 small nuclear families and 25 triads with childhood atopic eczema. The genotypes were used to test for linkage in the presence of association with atopic eczema. A new polymorphism, -34C/T, was identified and studied with a known polymorphism, -590C/T. On its own, each polymorphism showed no association with atopic eczema. The 2 polymorphisms were used to generate haplotypes, and a significant result was found for the -590C/-34C haplotype. However, after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, the association became nonsignificant. Neither polymorphism predisposes to early-onset atopic eczema by itself, but suggestive linkage was found for the -590C/-34C haplotype in this study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5 / genetics
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / genetics*
  • Genetic Linkage
  • Haplotypes
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-4 / genetics*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics*

Substances

  • Interleukin-4