Polymorphism of the rs1800896 IL10 promoter gene protects children from post-bronchiolitis asthma
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Updated: May 6, 2026
Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
Petri Koponen1, Kirsi Nuolivirta, Miia Virta
1Pediatric Research Centre, Tampere University and University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Insights
Infant bronchiolitis increases childhood asthma risk. A specific IL10 gene variant (rs1800896) is linked to this increased risk, suggesting a genetic predisposition to post-bronchiolitic asthma.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Immunogenetics
- Asthma Research
Background:
- Viral bronchiolitis is a common cause of infant hospitalization and a risk factor for childhood asthma.
- The underlying mechanisms connecting bronchiolitis to asthma development remain incompletely understood.
- Previous studies linked cytokine gene variations to asthma, but not specifically to post-bronchiolitic asthma development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between specific cytokine gene polymorphisms and the risk of developing asthma after early infancy bronchiolitis.
- To test the hypothesis that cytokine gene variants promoting Th2 cell responses increase asthma risk in preschool children previously hospitalized for bronchiolitis.
- To focus on the IL10 rs1800896 polymorphism due to IL-10's role in immune tolerance and its association with Th2-type immunity.
Main Methods:
- A follow-up study involving 135 preschool-aged children hospitalized for bronchiolitis between 0-6 months of age.
- Genotyping for IL10 rs1800896, IFNG rs2430561, and IL18 rs1872387 polymorphisms.
- Parental interviews to collect data on asthma and allergy diagnoses from infancy to preschool age (mean 6.4 years).
- Statistical analysis, including logistic regression adjusted for gender, age, and atopy.
Main Results:
- Asthma was diagnosed in 12.6% of the children by preschool age.
- The IL10 rs1800896 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) showed a significant association with asthma development (P=0.04).
- Carriage of the A allele at IL10 rs1800896 was identified as a significant risk factor for preschool asthma after adjusting for covariates.
- No significant associations were found for IFNG rs2430561 or IL18 rs1872387 polymorphisms with asthma or allergy.
Conclusions:
- The IL10 rs1800896 polymorphism is significantly associated with the development of preschool asthma following severe lower respiratory tract infections in early infancy.
- This finding suggests a genetic predisposition, specifically related to IL-10 immune regulation, plays a role in the link between infant bronchiolitis and later asthma development.
- Further research into cytokine gene variants could elucidate mechanisms and identify at-risk infants for targeted interventions.
Abstract:
Viral bronchiolitis is a major cause of hospitalization in infancy, with increased asthma risk in later childhood. However, the principal mechanisms behind post-bronchiolitic asthma have remained unclear. Previously, different cytokine polymorphisms have been associated with asthma occurrence, but no previous follow-up study has investigated cytokine polymorphisms in relation to post-bronchiolitic asthma. We hypothesized that former bronchiolitis patients with cytokine gene variants associating with Th2 cell up-regulation are at asthma risk at preschool age. Our emphasis was in IL10 rs1800896, since IL-10 has an important role in immune tolerance, and lower production of IL-10 has been associated with Th2-type immunology, and accordingly, with increased asthma risk. IL10 rs1800896, IFNG rs2430561, and IL18 rs1872387 polymorphims and their associations with asthma and allergy were studied in 135 preschool-aged children hospitalized for bronchiolitis at age 0-6 months. Parents were interviewed to record asthma and allergy from infancy to present. At age 6.4 years (mean), asthma was present in 17(12.6%), atopic eczema in 47(34.8%) and allergic rhinitis in 36(26.7%) children. IL10 rs1800896 SNP associated significantly with asthma; only 1/32 (3.1%) of those with G/G genotype had asthma (P = 0.04). In logistic regression adjusted for gender, age and atopy, the carriage of allele A (rs1800896) was a significant risk factor for preschool asthma. IFNG rs2430561 or IL18 rs1872387 SNP's had no associations with asthma or allergy. In conclusion, IL10 rs1800896 SNP was significantly associated with preschool asthma after severe lower respiratory tract infection in early infancy.
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