Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Advanced Imaging of Lung Homing Human Lymphocytes in an Experimental In Vivo Model of Allergic Inflammation Based on Light-sheet Microscopy
Published on: April 16, 2019
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is associated with allergic rhinitis in children with asthma
Supinda Bunyavanich1, Erik Melen, Jemma B Wilk
1Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. supinda@post.harvard.edu.
Background:
Allergic rhinitis (AR) affects up to 80% of children with asthma and increases asthma severity. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a key mediator of allergic inflammation. The role of the TSLP gene (TSLP) in the pathogenesis of AR has not been studied.
Objective:
To test for associations between variants in TSLP, TSLP-related genes, and AR in children with asthma.
Methods:
We genotyped 15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TSLP, OX40L, IL7R, and RXRα in three independent cohorts: 592 asthmatic Costa Rican children and their parents, 422 nuclear families of North American children with asthma, and 239 Swedish children with asthma. We tested for associations between these SNPs and AR. As we previously reported sex-specific effects for TSLP, we performed overall and sex-stratified analyses. We additionally performed secondary analyses for gene-by-gene interactions.
Results:
Across the three cohorts, the T allele of TSLP SNP rs1837253 was undertransmitted in boys with AR and asthma as compared to boys with asthma alone. The SNP was associated with reduced odds for AR (odds ratios ranging from 0.56 to 0.63, with corresponding Fisher's combined P value of 1.2 × 10-4). Our findings were significant after accounting for multiple comparisons. SNPs in OX40L, IL7R, and RXRα were not consistently associated with AR in children with asthma. There were nominally significant interactions between gene pairs.
Conclusions:
TSLP SNP rs1837253 is associated with reduced odds for AR in boys with asthma. Our findings support a role for TSLP in the pathogenesis of AR in children with asthma.
Related Concept Videos
Asthma I: Introduction
Antiasthma Drugs: Leukotriene Modifiers
Leukotriene modifiers work through two distinct mechanisms:
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Asthma-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:
Primary Lymphoid Organs
The red bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue nestled in the interior of long bones such as the humerus and femur. It is the site...
Lymphoid Cells and Tissues
Lymphoid cells consist of various types of immune system cells. These include B and T lymphocytes, which are responsible for producing antibodies and killing infected cells, respectively. Dendritic cells act as messengers between the innate and adaptive...

