The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 121, Issue 2, Supplement 2 , Pages S384-S387, February 2008

5. Genetics of allergic disease

  • John W. Steinke, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Asthma and Allergic Disease Center, Beirne Carter Center for Immunology Research, Charlottesville, Va
  • ,
  • Stephen S. Rich, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville, Va
  • ,
  • Larry Borish, MD

      Affiliations

    • Asthma and Allergic Disease Center, Beirne Carter Center for Immunology Research, Charlottesville, Va
    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint requests: Larry Borish, MD, Asthma and Allergic Disease Center, Beirne Carter Center for Immunology Research, University of Virginia Health Systems, PO Box 801355, Charlottesville, VA 22908-1355.

Received 11 April 2007; received in revised form 18 July 2007; accepted 20 July 2007.

This activity is available for CME credit. See page 6A for important information.

Genetic variation provides the basis for differences in the host response to a variety of environmental factors that can result in complex genetic diseases, including asthma and atopy. Through our ability to capture genetic variation at the single-nucleotide level and our increasing ability to perform large-scale sequencing of the human genome, including the development of computer algorithms for improved data analysis, our understanding of these complex diseases has increased dramatically in recent years. The genetics of allergy have shifted from characterizing a single polymorphism in a candidate gene as being responsible for the disease to inclusion of a multitude of genetic and nongenetic risk factors. Studies now must consider complex relationships that modify an individual's susceptibility, including possible gene-environment and gene-gene interactions and possible epigenetic modification of the genome. This review will discuss the techniques used for genetic analysis of complex diseases, some of the important genes that have been replicated in multiple asthma studies, and the future of genetic studies in asthma.

Key words: Genetics, pharmacogenetics, gene-gene, gene-environment, asthma

Abbreviations used: ARMD, Age-related molecular degeneration, IL4RA, IL-4 receptor α gene, LD, Linkage disequilibrium, SNP, Single nucleotide polymorphism

 

 Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: The authors have declared that they have no conflict of interest.

PII: S0091-6749(07)01428-5

doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2007.07.029

The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume 121, Issue 2, Supplement 2 , Pages S384-S387, February 2008