Opposite gene by environment interactions in Karelia for CD14 and CC16 single nucleotide polymorphisms and allergy.
BACKGROUND
Finnish Karelians have a higher prevalence of allergic disease than Russian Karelians. As both populations are generally from the same ethnic group, the Karelian population offers a unique opportunity to analyse genetic and allergic disease interactions between 'Western' and 'Eastern' environments.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated associations between allergic diseases and CD14 and CC16 polymorphisms in Finnish vs Russian Karelian women.


METHODS
Adult female Karelians (330 Finnish and 274 Russian) were recruited, examined for a range of symptoms and conditions including rhinitis, itchy rash, asthma and atopy and genotyped for CD14 C-159T and CC16 A38G.


RESULTS
For both CD14 C-159T and CC16 A38G, the risk allele for atopic phenotypes in Finnish Karelia was the protective allele in Russian Karelia. For CD14 C-159T, an interactive effect on ever itchy rash (P(interaction) = 0.004), itchy rash <12 mo (P(interaction) = 0.001) and dry cough at night in the past 12 months (<12 months) (P(interaction) = 0.011) was found; the risk allele was C in Russians and T in Finns. For CC16 A38G, an interaction was significant for ever rhinitis (P(interaction) = 0.006), rhinitis <12 mo (P(interaction) = 0.004), and marginally significant for ever hayfever (P(interaction) = 0.07), allergic eye symptoms <12 mo (P(interaction) = 0.09); their risk allele was G in Russians and A in Finns.


CONCLUSIONS
An Eastern vs Western environment appears to exert an effect via opposite alleles on risk of allergic diseases in adult women.
Zhang
G
G
University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Khoo
S-K
SK
Laatikainen
T
T
Pekkarinen
P
P
Vartiainen
E
E
von Hertzen
L
L
Hayden
C M
CM
Goldblatt
J
J
Mäkelä
M
M
Haahtela
T
T
Le Souëf
P N
PN
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000208:ethnology; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D016015:Logistic Models; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology
D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; C556389:SCGB1A1 protein, human; D014598:Uteroglobin