title: A variant of the CXCL11 gene may influence susceptibility to contact allergy, particularly in polysensitized patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hereditary factors may influence individual susceptibility to contact allergy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate genetic variants with impacts on early inflammatory reactions and T cell functions that possibly increase the risk of contact allergy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and seventy two patients undergoing patch testing were recruited from the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK). Of these, 133 were monosensitized and 239 were polysensitized, defined as reacting to three or more unrelated sensitizers. Within the polysensitized individuals, a subgroup with at least one particularly strong patch test reaction (strong reactors; n = 194) was considered. Three hundred and forty-seven blood bank donors served as controls. Fifteen genetic variants in 13 genes were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The homozygous variant CXCL11 AA genotype (rs6817952) was significantly more frequent among polysensitized patients (10 of 239 = 4.2%; p = 0.0048; odds ratio 7.49; 95%CI: 1.7-36.1) than among monosensitized patients (2.2%) and in the control group (0.6%). None of the remaining genetic variants investigated were characterized by similarly strong associations. However, the significance was lost after correction for multiple comparisons.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The homozygous variant CXCL11 genotype is associated with an increased risk of contact allergy. To confirm this exploratory finding, further independent studies are needed.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Ruhr-University Bochum, 44789, Bochum, Germany. westphal@ipa-dguv.de.
authors.forename: Götz A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Westphal
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Ruhr-University Bochum, 44789, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Rihs
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Ruhr-University Bochum, 44789, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schaffranek
authors.affiliation: DRK-Blood Transfusion Service West, Centre for Transfusion Medicine Breitscheid, 40885, Ratingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zeiler
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Dermatologie, Allergologie und Venerologie Medizinische Hochschule, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Werfel
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Dermatologie, Allergologie und Venerologie Medizinische Hochschule, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Annice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heratizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, St. Josef-Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44791, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dickel
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Social Medicine, Centre of Occupational and Environmental Dermatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69115, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weisshaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, 01307, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Jena University Hospital, 07743, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Sibylle
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schliemann
authors.affiliation: Dermatologikum Hamburg, 20354, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristian
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.affiliation: Dermatologikum Hamburg, 20354, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Breuer
authors.affiliation: Berufsgenossenschaftliches, Unfallkrankenhaus Hamburg Dermatologie, 21033, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schröder-Kraft
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Allergy-Center Charite, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Margitta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Worm
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Ludwig Maximilian University, 80337, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Molin
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Environmental Medicine and Health Theory, University of Osnabrück, 49090, Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brans
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schäkel
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Dermatology, Berufsgenossenschaftliche-Klinik Falkenstein, 08223, Falkenstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Hilmar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schwantes
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Saarland University Medical School, 66424, Homburg, Saar, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pföhler
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Bethesda Hospital, 57258, Freudenberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Szliska
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle, Saale, Germany.
authors.forename: Burkhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kreft
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, SLK Hospital Heilbronn, 74078, Heilbronn, Germany.
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Löffler
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Ruhr-University Bochum, 44789, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bünger
authors.affiliation: Institute for Prevention and Occupational Medicine of the German Social Accident Insurance, Institute of the Ruhr-University Bochum (IPA), Ruhr-University Bochum, 44789, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Brüning
authors.affiliation: Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geier
authors.affiliation: Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnuch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054371:Chemokine CXCL11 / Q000235:genetics*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D017449:Dermatitis, Allergic Contact / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010328:Patch Tests; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C515202:CXCL11 protein, human; D054371:Chemokine CXCL11; D016207:Cytokines
keywords: CXCL11; contact allergy; polysensitization