[A model for clinical study based on genome science--trials in disorders of the immune system and allergies]

Disorders of the immune system, such as allergies, have multi-factorial etiologies that include both genetic and environmental components. The recent advances in genome science have facilitated two strategies for studying the genetic basis of disease: (1) systematic analysis of gene expression profiles and (2) comprehensive analysis of gene variations, such as polymorphisms. Here, we describe a unique research institute, Genox Research Inc., that can relate the clinical profile of a patient to genotyping and molecular profiling. Systematic gene expression analyses using differential display have been performed to explore genes related to allergy, and revealed 93 differentially expressed candidate genes in T-cells. Also, a single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP) analysis project has been designed to mine disease-related and/or drug-response-related genes involved in allergic disorders using biochip technologies. As exemplified above, clinical studies based on these applications of genome science would be of considerable value in clarifying our understanding of multi-gene disorders.