A promoter polymorphism in the CD14 gene is associated with elevated levels of soluble CD14 but not with IgE or atopic diseases.
BACKGROUND
A polymorphism in the promoter region of the CD14 gene, C-159T, has been shown to be associated with increased levels of soluble CD14 (sCD14) and decreased serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and the expression of a more severe atopic phenotype in previous studies.


METHODS
To test if these associations are consistently found in different populations and different age groups, we genotyped 2048 children of different age groups as well as 888 adults from different regions of Germany for the CD14 C-159T polymorphism.


RESULTS
While an association between this promoter polymorphism and levels of sCD14 could be confirmed in our study population (CC: 1017 ng/ml vs TT: 1370 ng/ml, P = 0.03), no association between CD14 C-159T genotypes and IgE levels or the prevalence of atopic diseases was seen.


CONCLUSIONS
The lack of association between CD14 genotypes and IgE as well as atopic outcomes in this large German study population seems to indicate that CD14 genotypes may not directly be involved in the development of allergies during childhood.
Kabesch
M
M
University Children's Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian's University Munich, München, Germany.
Hasemann
K
K
Schickinger
V
V
Tzotcheva
I
I
Bohnert
A
A
Carr
D
D
Baldini
M
M
Hackstein
H
H
Leupold
W
W
Weiland
S K
SK
Martinez
F D
FD
Mutius
E
E
Bein
G
G
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003596:Cytosine; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000097:blood* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012995:Solubility; D013941:Thymine
D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D003596:Cytosine; D013941:Thymine