T cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain (Tim) genes are located in chromosome 5q31-33, a region repeatedly linked to asthma or asthma-related phenotypes in several populations.
TIM-1, a member of T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain (TIM) gene family, was implicated as an asthma susceptibility gene in previous studies.
Genomic association of the TIM family and polymorphisms in both Tim-1 and Tim-3 in different immune-mediated diseases suggest that the family may have an important role in regulating immunity, both in terms of normal immune responses and in diseases like autoimmunity and asthma.