Searching for genetic susceptibility to allergy

Tuesday, 04 January 2011 09:49

Researchers in the UK have used a genome-wide association study approach to examine genetic susceptibility to atopy within the British 1958 Birth Cohort and three additional white populations. For the purposes of this study, atopy was defined as increased specific IgE levels and/or positive skin prick test responses to a number of allergens.

The work identified seven putative atopy genes, however poor replication was observed across the white populations examined. The authors suggest that large-scale analyses with results from multiple populations will be needed to reliably identify key genetic factors underlying atopy predisposition.

Reference: Wan et al. 2010. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2010.10.006