Association of ADAM33 gene polymorphisms with asthma in Indian children

Abstract

Asthma is the most common chronic disorder in childhood, and asthma exacerbation is an important cause of childhood morbidity and hospitalization. In the present study, the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the ADAM33 gene and asthma in Indian children has been examined using a case-control study. Five SNPs of the ADAM33 gene, F+1(rs511898) G/A, S2 (rs528557) G/C, ST+4 (rs44707) A/C, ST+5 (rs597980) C/T and V4 (rs2787094) C/G, were analyzed in 211 asthma cases and 137 controls aged 1-15 years using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Data were statistically analyzed using the Χ²-test and logistic regression model. Haplotype estimation and linkage disequilibrium were conducted using the expectation-maximization algorithm. The genotypes and allele frequencies of SNPs S2 and ST+5 of the ADAM33 gene were significantly associated with asthma risk (P=0.020-<0.001), whereas F+1, ST+4, V4 homozygous mutant genotypes and mutant alleles were significantly associated with increased asthma risk (P=0.031-<0.001). A positive association was also found with haplotypes AGCCT, GGACT and AGCCC (P=<0.001, odds ratio (OR)=6.10-6.50), whereas ACAGT, AGCGC, AGCGT, GCAGC and GCCGT showed protective association with asthma (P=0.019-0.000, OR=0.50-0.20). Taken together, out results suggest that ADAM33 gene polymorphisms may modify individual susceptibility to develop childhood asthma in the Indian population.