Correlations of LTα and NQO1 gene polymorphisms with childhood asthma

To explore the correlation of the lymphotoxin alpha (LTα) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) gene polymorphisms with childhood asthma.

A total of 102 asthma children (observation group) and 80 healthy children (control group) were enrolled. The information was collected via questionnaires and the polymorphisms of LTα rs2844484 and NQO1 rs2917666 were examined with the TaqMan-MGB probe.

Observation group had higher constituent ratios of contact with animal furs, personal history of infection, personal history of allergy, familial infection history and familial allergic history than those of control group (p<0.05). However, there were no differences in age, sex, passive smoking, purchase of new furniture and mask wearing between the two groups (p>0.05). The frequency of LTα rs2844484 genotype AA was significantly higher than that of genotype AG and GG (p<0.01), and NQO1 rs2917666 genotype CC showed notably higher frequency than that of genotype CG and GG (p<0.05). The frequency of LTα rs2844484 A allele was significantly higher than that of G allele (p<0.01), while NQO1 rs2917666 C allele had remarkably higher frequency than G allele (p<0.05). The comparisons of the recessive and additive modes revealed differences between the two groups (p<0.05). However, we did not observe significant difference in dominant mode between the two groups (p>0.05).

The risk factors for childhood asthma include the contact with animal furs, personal history of infection, personal history of allergy, familial infection history and familial allergic history. Polymorphisms of LTα and NQO1 genes are correlated with childhood asthma.