Association of atopic dermatitis to the beta subunit of the high affinity immunoglobulin E receptor

IgE dysregulation is a major pathogenic feature of atopic dermatitis and other IgE-mediated allergic diseases such as asthma and rhinitis. Allergen complexed to IgE binds to the high affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RI) on the surface of epidermal Langerhans cells, mast cells and basophils, triggering the release of inflammatory mediators. The beta subunit of Fc epsilon RI has been localized to human chromosome 11q12-13, and variants within this gene have been shown to associate with asthma and measures of atopy. We have tested several polymorphisms within Fc epsilon RI-beta for association to atopic dermatitis in a panel of 60 families (panel A), recruited through a proband with atopic dermatitis. The findings were tested in a second panel of families (panel B). Significant sharing of maternal alleles was seen for atopic dermatitis and allele 2 of RsaI intron 2 (RsaIvin2*2) (P = 0.0022) and allele 1 of RsaI exon 7 (RsaIvex7*1) (P = 0.0036) Fc epsilon RI-beta gene polymorphisms. These findings were replicated in Panel B, confirming the association of Fc epsilon RI-beta RsaI polymorphisms with atopic dermatitis. The combined significance of the association of atopic dermatitis to RsaI polymorphisms was P = 0.0002 (RsaIvin2*2) and P = 0.00034 (RsaIvex7*1). The polymorphisms also showed association with asthma: P = 0.0068 (RsaIvin2*2) and P = 0.018 (RsaIvex7*1). Polymorphisms within the Fc epsilon RI-beta gene are strongly associated with atopic dermatitis.