title: Evidence of association between interferon regulatory factor 5 gene polymorphisms and asthma.
abstract: Asthma is a heterogeneous disorder hallmarked by chronic inflammation in the respiratory system. Exacerbations of asthma are correlated with respiratory infections. Considering the implication of interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) in innate and adaptive immunity, we investigated the preferential transmission patterns of ten IRF5 gene polymorphisms in two asthmatic family cohorts. A common IRF5 haplotype was found to be associated with asthma and the severity of asthmatic symptoms. Stratified analysis of subgroups of asthmatic individuals revealed that the associations were more pronounced in nonatopic asthmatic individuals. In addition, the risk alleles of IRF5 polymorphisms for asthma were almost completely opposite to those for autoimmune disorders. Our study provides the first evidence of association between IRF5 and asthma, and sheds light on the related but potentially distinct roles of IRF5 alleles in the pathogenesis of asthma and autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. chuan.wang@medsci.uu.se
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rose-Zerilli
authors.forename: Gerard H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Koppelman
authors.forename: Johanna K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sandling
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: Dirkje S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Postma
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Holgate
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bours
authors.forename: Ann-Christine
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Syvänen
authors.forename: Vinciane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dideberg
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000235:genetics*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: C431713:IRF5 protein, human; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors