The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 113, Issue 3 , Page 387, March 2004

Genetics, epigenetics, and the environment:

Switching, buffering, releasing

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Instructions for category 1 continuing medical education credit 

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology is accredited as a provider of Continuing Medical Education (CME) by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education.

Test ID no.: mai0030

Contact hours: 1.0

Expiration date: February 28, 2005

Category 1 credit can be earned by reading the text material and taking this CME examination online. For complete instructions, visit the Journal's Web site at www.mosby.com/jaci.

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Learning objectives: “Genetics, epigenetics, and the environment: switching, buffering, releasing” 

1.To discuss recent developments in the understanding of gene-environment interactions; more specifically, to show that these interactions are not linear and that the same genetic makeup can be associated with opposite phenotypes in different environments.

2.To highlight strengths and weaknesses of the hygiene hypothesis when it is used as a tool for interpreting gene-environment interactions.

3.To argue for the potential role of epigenetic mechanisms in shaping gene-environment interactions.

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CME items 

Question 1.What is the effect of CD14/C-159T on total serum IgE levels?
A.There is not effect.

B.The T allele is invariably associated with higher IgE levels.

C.The C allele is invariably associated with higher IgE levels.

D.The effect of the T allele depends on the level of microbial exposure.


Question 2.What is a norm of reaction?
A.changes in the phenotype induced by the environ- ment

B.the impact of the genotype on the environment

C.a pattern of different developmental outcomes of a certain genotype in different environments

D.changes in the genome induced by the environ- ment


Question 3.What is the mechanism underlying the differing coat colors of agouti mice born to mothers whose diets contained differing amounts of folic acid?
A.DNA deletion

B.DNA methylation

C.DNA duplication

D.DNA polymorphisms


Question 4.What are epigenetic changes?
A.transient mutations occurring in the genome

B.irreversible changes in gene expression patterns due to DNA mutations

C.stable alterations in patterns of gene expression that are heritable but do not involve DNA mutations and are thus reversible

D.irreversible changes in gene expression in the absence of DNA mutations


PII: S0091-6749(04)00806-1

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2004.01.753

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 113, Issue 3 , Page 387, March 2004