The role of genetic factors in occupational asthma

This article explores the influence of genetic factors on the development of sensitisation and occupational asthma (OA). First, several types of studies aimed at examining the role of genes, as well as the role of gene-environment interactions in asthma, including the available data for OA specifically, were reviewed. Genetic approaches include linkage and allele-sharing analysis and segregation analysis. Secondly, deoxyribonucleic acid banking for epidemiological studies was focused upon, highlighting the factors to be considered in choosing the appropriate specimens for genotyping. OA, like asthma, is a multifactorial condition and, to date, no ideal genetic study has been described to examine complex gene-environment interactions. Most studies in OA have examined human leukocyte antigen-associated polymorphisms with some nonreproducible results. The search for genes in occupational asthma is still in progress, and much of the information obtained has been based on small sample sizes, using different strategies for the recruitment of subjects. The best methodological approach still needs to be determined and the results of genetic identification need to be confirmed in different samples.