Abstract
Background: Two recent large meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies of lung function in general populations of European descent identified 11 candidate genes/regions. The importance of these genes in lung function in white and African American subjects with asthma is unknown. Objectives: To determine whether genes that regulate lung function in general populations are associated with lung function abnormalities in subjects with asthma from different racial groups. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were tested in 5 asthma populations (N = 1441) for association with pulmonary function, and meta-analysis was performed across populations. The SNPs with the highest significance were then tested for association with bronchodilator reversibility and bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. A joint analysis of consistently replicated SNPs was performed to predict lung function in asthma. Results: Hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP) on chromosome 4q31 was associated with lung function in all 5 populations (rs1512288: Pmeta = 9.62E-05 and 3.23E-05 for percent predicted FEV1 [ppFEV 1] and percent predicted forced vital capacity [ppFVC], respectively). The SNPs in HHIP were also associated with reversibility (P < .05) but not bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Because of differences in linkage disequilibrium in the African American subjects, the most relevant SNPs in HHIP were identified. A subset of normal lung function genes, including HHIP, family with sequence similarity 13, member A (FAM13A), and patched homolog 1 (PTCH1), together predict lung function abnormalities, a measure of severity in white and African American subjects with asthma. Conclusion: A subset of the genes, including HHIP, that regulate lung function in general populations are associated with abnormal lung function in asthma in non-Hispanic white and African American subjects.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1457-1465 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology |
Volume | 127 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 2011 |
Keywords
- Asthma
- FAM13A
- FEV
- FEV /FVC
- FVC
- HHIP
- PTCH1
- asthma severity
- genetics
- meta-analysis