In asthma and atopic sensitization significant gene-gene interactions were found between TNC and NPSR1 SNPs, indicating that depending on the NPSR1 genotype, TNC can be associated with either an increased or a decreased risk of disease.
These results provide some further support for the role of genetic variation in GPR154 (NPSR1) and PHF11 in asthma susceptibility and also highlight the challenges of replicating genetic associations in complex traits such as asthma, even for genes identified by linkage analysis.
These results support a susceptibility locus for asthma and related phenotypes on chromosome 7, and are in agreement with recent reports suggesting that a common susceptibility factor for atopic manifestations in asthma is likely conferred by the locus containing the GPR154 gene.
Our findings confirmed a role of GPR154 in the genetic susceptibility of asthma and suggest that GPR154 polymorphism should be taken into consideration to improve the assessment of an individual's risk of asthma.
In summary, this study provides evidence that GPRA might have functional relevance in modulating asthma by increased expression levels in the relevant tissues under diseased state and by potential inhibitory effect of GPRA-A activation on cell growth.
To assess the impact of GPR154 on childhood allergic disease, including allergic sensitization, asthma, and rhinoconjunctivitis, in study populations with diverse environmental backgrounds.
Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) technology, 1,872 German children aged 9 to 11 years (including 624 children with asthma and/or bronchial hyperresponsiveness) were genotyped for seven polymorphisms in the GPRA gene.