title: The association between tumor necrosis factor, HLA-DR alleles, and IgE-mediated asthma in Taiwanese adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) DR genes and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene locus are associated with asthma and IgE production. TNFalpha-308G/A frequencies between Japanese and Caucasians in the UK have been found to be different. The roles of HLA-DRB1 and TNF genotypes are unknown in Taiwanese adolescents with IgE-mediated asthma (I-asthma).
  
  
  METHODS
  From the population of a 1996 nation-wide survey, we recruited a random sample for a physical examination, determination of total serum IgE (sIgE), dust-mite-specific IgE, and HLA-DRB1, TNFalpha-308, and LTalphaNcoI polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 80 I-asthmatics and 69 non-asthmatics completed the study. We suggested that I-asthmatics had a higher frequency of the DR13 gene (OR = 8.6, 95% CI = [1.6-161]). The DR13 gene was associated with high sIgE and high dust-mite-specific IgE, especially Dermatophagoides farinae. No TNF haplotype or genotype was associated with I-asthma. The DR13 gene was linked to the LTalphaNcoI*1 allele. When sIgE was adjusted by multiple logistic regression, the risk of I-asthma was much higher for the DR13(+)/LTalphaNcoI*1 haplotype (OR = 25.6, 95% CI = [2.2-1378]) than for the others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Taiwanese children sensitized to Der f, the DR13(+)/LTalphaNcoI*1 haplotype was associated with a much higher risk of having clinical asthma than any other DR13/LTalphaNcoI haplotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Chu
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Cheng-Chan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Huey-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Chen-Yang
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Huan-Yao
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Yueliang Leon
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D005838:Genotype; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; D015809:HLA-DR7 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D016015:Logistic Models; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D039741:Antigens, Dermatophagoides; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059810:HLA-DR Serological Subtypes; C097337:HLA-DR13 antigen; D015809:HLA-DR7 Antigen; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007073:Immunoglobulin E