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Background:
IL-12B is a strong
candidate gene for
asthma.
Objectives:
We investigated the
relationship between
IL-12B and asthma,
allergic rhinitis,
familial asthma, and
levels of
eosinophils and
total immunoglobulin
(Ig) E in the serum
of asthma patients.
Methods: The
study group
consisted of 53
asthma patients and
60 control patients.
Serum total IgE
levels, eosinophil
count, and the
presence of allergic
rhinitis and
familial asthma were
determined, and the
IL-12B polymorphism
was analyzed. Both
patients and
controls were
divided into 3
groups based on
their
genotypeshomozygous
for allele 1 (A1),
homozygous for
allele 2 (A2), and
heterozygous
patients, ie,
alleles 1 and 2
(A1A2). Each
genotype was
compared with the
other genotypes and
the control
genotypes.
Results: The
rates for genotypes
A1, A1A2, and A2
were 17%, 40%, and
43%, respectively.
Male and female
total IgE levels
were not different
between the groups
(P > .05), but they
were higher than in
the controls (P
>.05). The
frequencies of
allergic rhinitis
and familial asthma
were not different
between the groups
(P >.05), although
allergic rhinitis in
the A1A2 genotype
and familial asthma
in the A2 genotype
were higher than in
the controls (P
<.05).
Conclusions:
Our comparison of
asthma patients and
controls showed that
familial
susceptibility to
asthma may be
related to the A2
genotype, whereas
coexistence of
asthma and allergic
rhinitis may be
related to the A1A2
genotype. In
asthmatic patients,
the effects of the
IL-12B polymorphism
on asthma, allergic
rhinitis, familial
asthma, eosinophilia
and total IgE
levels, are
controversial. We
think that there is
a need to
investigate this
hypothesis in larger
series.
Key words:
Allergic rhinitis.
Asthma. Familial
asthma. IL12B
polymorphism. Total
IgE.
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