Study of TLR9 Gene Variant and Its Link to Asthma
Author Information
Author(s): Nancy E Lange, Xiaobo Zhou, Jessica Lasky-Su, Blanca E Himes, Ross Lazarus, Manuel Soto-Quirós, Lydiana Avila, Juan C Celedón, Catherine M Hawrylowicz, Benjamin A Raby, Augusto A Litonjua
Primary Institution: Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School
Hypothesis
Is the TLR9 promoter polymorphism rs5743836 associated with asthma susceptibility and related phenotypes?
Conclusion
The TLR9 variant rs5743836 does not appear to be a significant risk factor for asthma.
Supporting Evidence
- Previous studies suggested a role for the TLR9 variant in asthma, but this study found no significant association.
- Functional studies showed the CC genotype had higher promoter activity, but this did not translate to asthma susceptibility.
- Associations with lung function measures were not significant after correction for multiple comparisons.
Takeaway
The study looked at a gene variant to see if it affects asthma, but it turns out it doesn't really matter for asthma risk.
Methodology
Genotyping of rs5743836 was performed in three cohorts, with association analyses using chi-square and family-based testing.
Limitations
The associations were not significant after correcting for multiple comparisons, and results were not replicated in all cohorts.
Participant Demographics
Cohorts included children and adults, primarily Caucasian.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.14 for CAMP, p = 0.77 for Costa Rica, p = 0.83 for iCAP
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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