Pediatrics & Neonatology
Volume 49, Issue 2 , Pages 30-34, April 2008

Association of a Lymphotoxin-α Gene Polymorphism and Atopic Asthma in Taiwanese Children

  • Szu-Chao Huang

      Affiliations

    • Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Wen-Jun Wu

      Affiliations

    • Institute of Medical and Molecular Toxicology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Hai-Lun Sun

      Affiliations

    • Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
    • Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ko-Huang Lue

      Affiliations

    • Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
    • Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, No. 110, Section 1, Chien-Kuo North Road, Taichung 402, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chia-Hsiu Hsu

      Affiliations

    • Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Pei-Fen Liao

      Affiliations

    • Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Min-Sho Ku

      Affiliations

    • Division of Allergy, Asthma and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Received 16 July 2007; received in revised form 22 February 2008; accepted 25 March 2008.

Article Outline

Background

The lymphotoxin-α (LT-α) gene is located on chromosome 6 (6p21.1–6p21.3) and it may regulate tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production. TNF is a potent cytokine in the airway inflammatory response. Polymorphisms of TNF-associated genes have been related to asthma. This study investigated an LT-α-NcoI polymorphism in the first intron of the LT-α gene (LT-α-NcoI*1 allele, as a variant type; and LT-α-NcoI*2 allele), which may predispose individuals to asthma and atopy.

Methods

Polymerase chain reaction-based assays were performed to determine LT-α-NcoI genotypes among our subjects. A genetic case control analysis was then performed on 114 atopic asthmatic and 155 non-asthmatic unrelated children.

Results

There was a statistically higher frequency of LT-α-NcoI*1 allele carriers (1/1 + 1/2) in the subjects with atopic asthma than in controls (OR = 1.923; 95% CI = 1.061–3.484; p = 0.031).

Conclusion

The results indicate that LT-α-NcoI*1 may be a risk factor for atopic asthma in Taiwanese children.

KEY WORDS:  atopic asthma , gene polymorphism , lymphotoxin-α gene

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PII: S1875-9572(08)60008-X

doi:10.1016/S1875-9572(08)60008-X

Pediatrics & Neonatology
Volume 49, Issue 2 , Pages 30-34, April 2008

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