Involvement of RANTES promoter gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility of Korean children with asthma
Objective: The RANTES (Regulated upon Activation in Normal T cells, Expressed, and Secreted) protein is abundantly expressed during atopic asthma, suggesting an important role in mediation of this disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of RANTES promoter polymorphisms in children with asthma.
Measurements: We determined the genotype of 271 children with atopic asthma, 55 children with nonatopic asthma, and 253 control children for allelic determinants at two polymorphic sites in the RANTES promoter region, at positions -403G>A and -28C>G, by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP.)
Results: No significant differences were found in genotype and allele frequencies of the RANTES -403G>A and -28C>G polymorphisms between the atopic asthma, nonatopic asthma, and control groups. However, atopic asthmatic patients which were homozygous GG for the RANTES-28C>G exhibited lower PC20 methacholine than those carrying the wild type gene. Additionally, a significantly lower PC20 was demonstrated for the homozygous haplotype -403A/-28G in asthmatic children.
Conclusion: The polymorphisms within the RANTES promoter may have a disease-modifying effect in Korean children with asthma.