title: AluyMICB dimorphism within the class I region of the major histocompatibility complex is associated with asthma and airflow obstruction in the Busselton population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the association between the Alu dimorphism within the first intron of the MICB gene and asthma and airflow obstruction. Background The highly polymorphic non-classical MHC class I polypeptide-related (MIC) genes, MICA and MICB, encode stress inducible glycoproteins, which are expressed on a variety of epithelial cells, including those of the lungs.
  
  
  METHODS
  AluyMICB genotyping was performed on 1109 subjects from the Busselton Health Study. From a standard questionnaire, 359 individuals indicated that they had been diagnosed by a doctor with asthma. Lung function was assessed by the forced expired volume in 1 second (FEV1) and expressed as a percent of the predicted value. Airflow obstruction was defined as FEV1<80% predicted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In men, a dominant relationship was found between the AluyMICB DD genotype and asthma (P=0.006; chi2(2)=7.65). Furthermore, multivariate analysis adjusted for age, height, weight and body mass index (BMI) showed a relationship between DD genotype and asthma in men in a dominant model (odds ratio (OR)=1.97; 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.11-3.51; P=0.021). In women, an association was found between the AluyMICB II genotype and FEV1 percent predicted as a continuous variable (P=0.001). When adjusted for age and BMI, it showed a significant relationship between AluyMICB and airflow obstruction in a dominant model (OR=14.11%, 95% CI 3.29-60.57, P<0.001). However, no association was found between the AluyMICB II genotypes and airflow obstruction in men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest the possible involvement of a MHC class I gene in abnormal airway structure in women and airway function in men.
authors.affiliation: UWA Centre for Medical Research, Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, and Western Australian Sleep Disorders Research Institute, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Western Australia. jhui@cyllene.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Musk
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Beilby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000208:ethnology; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005838:Genotype; D006306:Health Surveys; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012737:Sex Factors; D012882:Skin Tests; D014904:Western Australia
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C098080:MICB antigen