| Title | Toll-like receptor 2 as a major gene for asthma in children of European farmers |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Authors | Eder, Waltraud, Walt Klimecki, Lizhi Yu, Erika von Mutius, Josef Riedler, Charlotte Braun-Fahrländer, Dennis Nowak, and Fernando D. Martinez |
| Journal | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology |
| Volume | 113 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pagination | 482-488 |
| ISSN | 00916749 |
| Abstract | Background
The finding that the prevalence of asthma and allergies is less frequent in children raised on animal farms has led to the conjecture that exposure to microbial products modifies immune responses. The toll-like receptors (TLRs) represent an evolutionarily conserved family of innate immunity receptors with microbial molecules as ligands.
Objectives
We reasoned that polymorphisms in genes encoding TLRs might modulate the protective effects observed in farming populations.
Methods
Farmers' and nonfarmers' children living in rural areas in Austria and Germany and who were enrolled in the cross-sectional ALEX study were genotyped for single nucleotide polymorphisms in theTLR2andTLR4genes. The frequencies of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic sensitization were compared between the genotypes in relation to exposure to farming and endotoxin.
Results
Among farmers' children, those carrying a T allele inTLR2/-16934compared with children with genotype AA were significantly less likely to have a diagnosis of asthma (3% vs 13%,P= .012), current asthma symptoms (3% vs 16%,P= .004), atopic sensitization (14% vs 27%,P= .023), and current hay fever symptoms (3% vs 14%,P= .01). The association betweenTLR2/-16934and asthma among children of farmers was independent of atopy. No such association was found among children from the same rural communities but not living on farms.
Conclusion
Our results suggest that genetic variation inTLR2is a major determinant of the susceptibility to asthma and allergies in children of farmers. |
| URL | http://search.proquest.com.libproxy.rpi.edu/docview/1504839163/5E771A68B6A343A8PQ/31?accountid=28525 |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jaci.2003.12.374 |
