Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol.  2006 Dec;26(4):302-309.

Interleukin (IL)-13 Gene Polymorphism in Patients with Bronchial Asthma

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Asthma is characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness, eosinophilic inflammation, airway mucus hypersecretion, and elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE). IL- 13 is an important cytokine in the pathogenesis of asthma through the production of IgE, stimulation of bronchial epithelial mucus production, and smooth muscle hyperreactivity. Previous studies have shown that the polymorphisms in IL-13 gene are associated with asthma, atopy, or total IgE.
OBJECTIVE
We investigate whether the polymorphism Arg 110Gln within the IL-13 gene is associated with asthma, atopy, serum total IgE, asthma severity and airway hyperresponsiveness in adult asthma. METHOD: One hundred fifty-five asthmatic adults and 147 non-asthmatic healthy adults were enrolled. Asthma pheno-type and bronchial responsiveness to methacholine were determined by the same physician. IL-13 Arg110Gln polymorphism was genotyped using PCR-RFLP assay. RESULT: Genotype frequency of IL-13 Arg110Gln polymorphism was significantly different between asthmatic patients (P=0.021), especially between atopic asthma (P=0.024) and controls, and was associated with elevated levels of serum total IgE (P=0.009), asthma severity (P=0.026), pulmonary function (P=0.017), and airway hyperresponsiveness (P= 0.025) in patients with asthma.
CONCLUSION
IL-13 Gln110 variant may be an asthma susceptibility gene in Korean adults. In addition, IL-13 Gln110 variant is associated with elevated levels of serum total IgE and severity of asthma.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Asthma*
Eosinophils
Genotype
Humans
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulins
Inflammation
Interleukin-13
Interleukins*
Methacholine Chloride
Mucus
Muscle, Smooth
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulins
Interleukin-13
Interleukins
Methacholine Chloride