Interaction of Two Variants of IL4 Receptor-Α Gene with Serum IgE Level and Some Risk Factors for Childhood Asthma in Karbala Governorate

Abstract

background: Asthma and related allergic diseases are complex genetic diseases with major environmental influences that occur in a developmental context. Susceptibility to asthma is influenced by genes and environment; implicated genes may indicate pathways for therapeutic intervention.Aim: The present study aims to test the linkage association of IL-4Ra gene polymorphisms, E375A and C406R, determined by PCR/RFLP assay, with asthma development from 100 asthmatic children. In addition to their association with elevated serum IgE level in asthmatic children and possible interaction with other contributing factors including high BMI, history of prematurity, neonatal jaundice or vitamin D deficiency, exposure to bottle feeding and family history of atopy and/or asthma. Patients and methods: This is a cross sectional survey study done in Kerbala Pediatric teaching Hospital during April, 2011 through February, 2013. Results & Discussion: Data of the current study suggested a significant linkage association between IL4RA single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs, (E375A and C406R) and development of childhood asthma in the recruited participants, r= 0.82 and 0.67, respectively. Interestingly, the latter effect is synergistically increased upon gene-environment interaction with any of the studied risk factors tested in this study, except past history of neonatal jaundice.The presence of E375A and C406R SNPs of IL4RA gene have potential effect on development of childhood asthma. Secondly, this effect is synergistically reinforced via gene-environment interaction of these SNPs with other asthma contributors including high BMI, history of prematurity, formula feeding, vitamin D deficiency and positive family history of asthma.Conclusion: Our study reinforced the theory that asthma is a multifactorial disease suggesting a noticeable interaction between genetic and environmental factors in the development of this disease.