Gene encoding Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines is associated with asthma and IgE in three populations.
BACKGROUND
Asthma prevalence and severity are high among underserved minorities, including those of African descent. The Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines is the receptor for Plasmodium vivax on erythrocytes and functions as a chemokine-clearing receptor. Unlike European populations, decreased expression of the receptor on erythrocytes is common among populations of African descent, and results from a functional T-46C polymorphism (rs2814778) in the promoter. This variant provides an evolutionary advantage in malaria-endemic regions, because Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines-negative erythrocytes are more resistant to infection by P. vivax.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the role of the rs2814778 polymorphism in asthma and atopy as measured by total serum IgE levels among four populations of African descent (African Caribbean, African American, Brazilian, and Colombian) and a European American population.


METHODS
Family-based association tests were performed in each of the five populations to test for association between the rs2814778 polymorphism and asthma or total IgE concentration.


RESULTS
Asthma was significantly associated with the rs2814778 polymorphism in the African Caribbean, Colombian, and Brazilian families (P < 0.05). High total IgE levels were associated with this variant in African Caribbean and Colombian families (P < 0.05). The variant allele was not polymorphic among European Americans.


CONCLUSIONS
Susceptibility to asthma and atopy among certain populations of African descent is influenced by a functional polymorphism in the gene encoding Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines. This genetic variant, which confers resistance to malarial parasitic infection, may also partially explain ethnic differences in morbidity of asthma.
Vergara
Candelaria
C
Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
Tsai
Yuhjung J
YJ
Grant
Audrey V
AV
Rafaels
Nicholas
N
Gao
Li
L
Hand
Tracey
T
Stockton
Maria
M
Campbell
Monica
M
Mercado
Dilia
D
Faruque
Mezbah
M
Dunston
Georgia
G
Beaty
Terri H
TH
Oliveira
Ricardo Riccio
RR
Ponte
Eduardo V
EV
Cruz
Alvaro A
AA
Carvalho
Edgar
E
Araujo
Maria Ilma
MI
Watson
Harold
H
Schleimer
Robert P
RP
Caraballo
Luis
L
Nickel
Renate G
RG
Mathias
Rasika A
RA
Barnes
Kathleen C
KC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics*; D001460:Barbados; D044383:Black People / Q000235:genetics*; D001938:Brazil; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003105:Colombia; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D014481:United States; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics; D001741:Black or African American
C473745:ACKR1 protein, human; D004375:Duffy Blood-Group System; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D007073:Immunoglobulin E