Sequencing the IL4 locus in African Americans implicates rare noncoding variants in asthma susceptibility.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Common genetic variations in the IL4 gene have been associated with asthma and atopy in European and Asian populations, but not in African Americans.

Objective

Because populations of African descent have increased levels of genetic variation compared with other populations, particularly with respect to low frequency or rare variants, we hypothesized that rare variants in the IL4 gene contribute to the development of asthma in African Americans.

Methods

To test this hypothesis, we sequenced the IL4 locus in 72 African Americans with asthma and 70 African American controls without asthma to identify novel and rare polymorphisms in the IL4 gene that may be contributing to asthma susceptibility.

Results

We report an excess of private noncoding single nuc

SUBMITTER: Haller G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3984460 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature