Genetic basis of IgE responsiveness: relevance to the atopic diseases.
Genetic analysis of 170 subjects in 11 extended Amish families revealed evidence for linkage of five markers in chromosome 5q31.1 with a gene controlling total serum IgE levels. No linkage was found between these markers and specific IgE antibody levels. Analysis of total IgE within a subset of 128 IgE-antibody-negative sib pairs confirmed evidence for linkage to 5q31.1, especially IL4 (p = 4 x 10(-6)). These and other data suggest that IL4 or a nearby gene regulates IgE production in a non-antigen-specific (noncognate) fashion and provide evidence for a possible link between asthma and the IL4 gene.
Marsh
D G
DG
Johns Hopkins Asthma and Allergy Center, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Neely
J D
JD
Breazeale
D R
DR
Ghosh
B
B
Freidhoff
L R
LR
Schou
C
C
Beaty
T H
TH
D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000235:genetics; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D002895:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5; D003241:Consanguinity; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D005819:Genetic Markers; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E