High serum IgE concentrations: Association with HLA-DR and markers on chromosome 5q31 and chromosome 11q13

• Published in: Journal of allergy and clinical immunology Vol. 99; no. 6; pp. 828 - 836
• Main Authors: Ulbrecht, Matthias, Eisenhut, Tobias, Bönisch, Jürgen, Kruse, Rita, Wjst, Matthias, Heinrich, Joachim, Wichmann, Heinz-Erich, Weiss, Elisabeth H., Albert, Ekkehard D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Mosby, Inc 01.06.1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; allergy; Association; atopy; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11 - immunology; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 5 - immunology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Genetic Linkage - immunology; genetic marker; Genetic Markers - immunology; HLA-DR; HLA-DR Antigens - analysis; HLA-DR Antigens - blood; HLA-DR Antigens - genetics; HLA-DRB1 Chains; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate - genetics; IgE; Immunoglobulin E - blood; Immunoglobulin E - genetics; interleukins; Male; Microsatellite Repeats - immunology; microsatellites; Middle Aged; simple repetitive sequence; microsatellites; Association; HLA-DR; IgE; atopy; allergy; simple repetitive sequence; interleukins; genetic marker
• ISSN: 0091-6749; 1097-6825
• DOI: 10.1016/S0091-6749(97)80018-8

Background: Linkage studies mapped a locus regulating total serum IgE concentrations in a noncognate fashion to chromosome 5q31 and a locus for atopy to chromosome 11q13. In contrast, antigen-driven IgE production seems to be largely controlled by major histocompatibility complex class II genes. Objective: We therefore analyzed the association between the phenotype of high IgE serum levels and six microsatellite markers on chromosomes 5q31 and 11q13, as well as HLA-DRB1, in a random sample of the adult East German population. Methods: One hundred twenty-nine persons identified as “cases” (serum IgE level>200 kU/L) and 266 control subjects (serum IgE level ≤200 kU/L) were genotyped for five 5q31 microsatellites (D5S436, D5S393, D5S210, IL-4, and IL-9) and an 11q13 microsatellite (FCERIB). Cases and controls were also typed for HLA-DRB1. Allele frequencies were compared between cases and controls by means of a twosided Fisher's exact test. Results: None of the markers was significantly associated although a weak association to the markers within the IL-9 gene and the FCERIB gene and to the HLA-DRB1 *01 allele was found when specific IgE-positive cases were compared with negative controls. Conclusions: The weak associations observed after stratification for specific IgE might point to a contribution of genes in these regions to the development of allergy.