Elevated expression and genetic association links the SOCS3 gene to atopic dermatitis.
In a systematic analysis of global gene-expression patterns, we found that SOCS3 messenger RNA was significantly more highly expressed in skin from patients with atopic dermatitis than in skin from healthy controls, and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed a similar elevation of SOCS3 protein. Furthermore, we found a genetic association between atopic dermatitis and a haplotype in the SOCS3 gene in two independent groups of patients (P<.02 and P<.03). These results strongly suggest that SOCS3, located in a chromosomal region previously linked to the disease (17q25), is a susceptibility gene for atopic dermatitis.
Ekelund
E
E
Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, SE-171 76, Sweden.
Saaf
A
A
Tengvall-Linder
M
M
Melen
E
E
Link
J
J
Barker
J
J
Reynolds
N J
NJ
Meggitt
S J
SJ
Kere
J
J
Wahlgren
C-F
CF
Pershagen
G
G
Wickman
M
M
Nordenskjold
M
M
Kockum
I
I
Bradley
M
M