title: Allelic frequencies and patterns of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in candidate genes for asthma and atopy in Iceland.
abstract: Numerous asthma and atopy loci have been reported in studies demonstrating associations of the asthma-related phenotypes atopy, elevated IgE levels, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness with alleles of microsatellite markers and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within specific cytokine/chemokine and IgE-regulating genes. Although the studies reporting these observations are compelling, most of them lack statistical power. We assessed the nature, pattern, and frequency of SNPs in 24 candidate genes in Iceland and looked for associations with asthma and atopy. We identified 42 SNPs with an average minor allele frequency of 20.3% (asthma) and 20.7% (control). Twenty SNPs (48%) were within coding sequences and 90% of those led to a predicted change in protein sequence. No differences were detected in the allelic frequencies of SNPs in any of these candidate genes between control subjects and the patients with atopic asthma. Moreover, linkage analysis that included 269 patients with atopic asthma uncovered no evidence of linkage to markers associated with these genes. We conclude that this study has failed to produce evidence in support of the notion that variations within these 24 candidate atopy and asthma genes significantly influence the expression of the atopic asthmatic phenotype or contribute to the susceptibility of atopic asthma.
authors.affiliation: deCODE Genetics, Inc., Reykjavik, Iceland. hakonh@decode.is
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hakonarson
authors.forename: U S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Bjornsdottir
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ostermann
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arnason
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Adalsteinsdottir
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halapi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shkolny
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristjansson
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gudnadottir
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Frigge
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gislason
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gislason
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gulcher
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stefansson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D008040:Genetic Linkage / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D012882:Skin Tests
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E