Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026
Acupuncture in a Rat Model of Asthma
Published on: August 25, 2020
The RANTES promoter polymorphism: a genetic risk factor for near-fatal asthma in Chinese children
Tsung-Chieh Yao1, Ming-Ling Kuo, Lai-Chu See
1Division of Allergy, Asthma, and Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, 5 Fu-Hsin Street, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
Background:
RANTES promoter polymorphisms were found associated with asthma/atopy in some studies but not others, possibly reflecting the genetic heterogeneity among different ethnicities and different asthma severity.
Objective:
The purpose of this investigation was to test the genetic association between the RANTES -28C/G and -403G/A polymorphisms and asthma/atopy in a cohort of Chinese children, with particular emphasis on those patients who had experienced life-threatening asthma attacks.
Methods:
Forty-eight children with near-fatal asthma, 134 children with mild-to-moderate asthma, 69 children with allergic disorders but no asthma, and 107 nonasthmatic nonatopic control children were genotyped through use of a PCR-based assay.
Results:
No significant difference was demonstrated for frequency of the RANTES -28C/G polymorphism when the mild-to-moderate asthma, atopic/nonasthmatic, and normal control groups were compared. The RANTES -28G allele was present in a significantly higher proportion of the children with near-fatal asthma compared with the nonasthmatic nonatopic controls (odds ratio, 2.93 [1.41-6.06]; P =.006) and the children with mild-to-moderate asthma (odds ratio, 3.52 [1.73-7.16]; P =.001). The frequency of -28G allele carriage correlated with asthma severity. The RANTES -28G allele was also associated with an increased blood eosinophil count and a higher degree of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The RANTES -403G/A polymorphism did not influence asthma/atopy susceptibility, blood eosinophil count, or bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Interestingly, a higher frequency of -403A allele carriage was observed in the moderate asthma subgroup compared with the mild asthma analog.
Conclusions:
We conclude that the RANTES -28C/G polymorphism exacerbates asthma severity, representing a genetic risk factor for life-threatening asthma attacks in Chinese children. In addition, the linkage disequilibrium between these 2 polymorphisms is a potential confounder that must be considered in the design and interpretation of RANTES gene association studies.
More Related Videos
05:53Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
06:34A Component-resolved Diagnostic Approach for a Study on Grass Pollen Allergens in Chinese Southerners with Allergic Rhinitis and/or Asthma
Published on: June 4, 2017
Related Concept Videos
01:29Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
01:11Pharmacogenetics of Drug Targets: β₂-Adrenergic Receptors, Apo E, Thymidylate Synthase
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
02:32Exon Recombination
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon...