title: High-level expression of early growth response-1 and association of polymorphism with total IgE and atopy in allergic rhinitis adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early growth response-1 (Egr-1) is expressed in human airways and its polymorphisms have been associated with total IgE and atopy in asthmatic patients. We investigated the effects of Chinese-tagging single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of Egr-1 and its mRNA expression on allergic rhinitis (AR) traits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 214 Chinese AR adults and 259 controls, tag SNP -4071 A-->G was genotyped and mRNA expression in peripheral blood was quantified by real-time PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Egr-1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in patients than controls (median of 0.23 vs 0.15 fold GAPDH expression; p<0.001). Its expression was not associated with -4071 polymorphism. However, significant correlations were found between -4071 A-->G with increased plasma total IgE (p=0.028) and atopy (p=0.030) in patients. Logistic regression confirmed the association (p=0.034) with age and gender adjusted. Patients homozygous for the A allele had a 2.3-fold and 1.9-fold risks, respectively of having increased plasma total IgE and atopy than those G allele carriers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We showed high levels of Egr-1 mRNA expression and demonstrated a significant association of polymorphism with increased plasma total IgE and atopy in AR patients. It may be useful to explore the pharmacogenetics of Egr-1 inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Iris H S
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Dennis L Y
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Osan Y M
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Eddy W Y
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Yvonne Y O
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Nelson L S
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Michael H M
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Victor J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Chun K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Christopher W K
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017931:DNA Primers; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007073:Immunoglobulin E