A role for Leukotriene B4 in the induction of airway hyper-responsiveness was explored through the use of transgenic mice deficient in the BLT1 receptor for LTB4 . Ovalbumin challenge of sensitized wild-type mice resulted in the usual features of experimental asthma, including goblet cell hyperplasia, hyper-responsiveness to inhaled methacholine and elevated BAL fluid concentrations of the Th2 cytokine IL-13. In contrast, BLT1 –/– mice (i.e. genetically modified mice lacking the gene coding for the BLT1 receptor) exhibited significantly lower responses. BLT1 –/– mice also exhibited lower numbers of IL-13-positive T lymphocytes of both the helper (CD4 T Cells) and cytotoxic/suppressor (CD8 + ) types. (more…)

The genetic basis of asthma heritability has been extensively studied and the studies are yielding some understanding. There is, as yet, no set genetic pattern that predicts presence of asthma or defines it severity. There are usually reasons or risk of asthma factors that makes someone susceptible to asthma and respiratory allergy problems. Asthma doesn’t just happen randomly to anyone without asthma gene factors risk factors.

Let’s consider some asthma risk factors and see how they increase the chance that a individual will have the asthma signs or symptoms of cough, wheezing, as well as shortness of breathing associated with the disease. After determining your personal risk factors for asthma, decide on the ones you can control as well as try to make some lifestyle changes. Avoidance of the risk factors you can control is important in preventing asthma symptoms. While you cannot change your own gender to family history, you can avoid smoking with asthma, breathing polluted air, and obesity. Take control of your asthma by controlling the asthma risk factors. By understanding all of the risk factors, you are able to prevent to control your asthma.

Genetic factors cannot explain the rise in asthma prevalence, morbidity, or mortality. However, a small change in the prevalence of relevant environmental exposures could explain a significant rise in disease prevalence among genetically susceptible individuals. Gene-environment interaction, defined as the co-participation of genetic and environmental factors, is particularly relevant to the etiology of asthma morbidity, especially in individuals who experience a disproportionate burden of environmental exposures. Relevant exposures include smoking, stress, nutritional factors, infections, allergens, and occupational asthma exposures. In addition, racial/ethnic variability in the distribution of genetic polymorphisms can potentially modify the response to pharmacotherapeutic agents, such as the ß 2 -adrenergic receptor. A genetic polymorphism in the ß 2 -adrenergic receptor gene has been associated with asthma severity, as well as with the susceptibility to develop asthma among individuals who smoked.

Childhood asthma happens more frequently in boys than in girls. It is still not known precisely why this occurs even though some experts find a young male’s airway size is small compared to the female’s airway, that may contribute to increased risk of wheezing after a cold or perhaps other viral infection. Around age 20, the ratio of asthma between people is the same. At age 40, more females than men have adult asthma.

The inherited genetic makeup predisposes you to having asthma. In fact, it’s thought that three-fifths of all asthma cases are hereditary. Based on CDC report, if a person has a parent with asthma, there is 3 to 6 times more probably to develop asthma than someone who does definitely not have a parent with asthma.

This study examined the genetic basis of sensitization to house dust mite allergy allergens. A genome scan was conducted using 603 microsatellite markers in 82 nuclear families (366 individuals) of German, British and Portuguese origin with at least two affected siblings. Sensitization to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was assessed by determining specific IgE antibody levels detected by immunochemiluminometric assay and immunosorbent assay and categorized as positive or negative relative to a predetermined cut-off point. (more…)

The Tcell Ig domain and mucin domain (TIM) proteins, the genes for which are located on chromosome 5q, have been suggested to be involved in allergic disease. This study examined allergies genetic association of sequence variants of the TIM1 and TIM3 genes in an African-American population. Case–control and family based association analyses were performed for three SNPs each in the TIM1 and TIM3 genes, and an insertion/deletion polymorphism in Tcell Ig domain and mucin domain 1. (more…)

Epidemiological studies of farm children are of international interest because farm children are less often atopic disorders, have less allergic disease, and often have less asthma pain than do non-farm children—findings consistent with the hygiene hypothesis. The investigators studied a cohort of rural Iowa children to determine the association between farm and other environmental risk factors with four asthma outcomes: (more…)

Although ADAM33 was the first gene identified by positional cloning to underlie the risk factor of asthma, attempts to replicate the original results have had inconsistent results. In this report, the authors aim to clarify the role of ADAM33 in asthma by expanding the size of the informative populations and cumulatively analyzing data from relevant published studies. ADAM33 SNPs were genotyped in 60 nuclear families from England recruited from an asthma outpatient clinic, as well as 348 unrelated asthma cases and 262 non-asthmatic controls in an Icelandic population. (more…)

Do you know that can find dust mites everywhere and in every home? Even though your home is clean, it doesn’t matter, you may still find dust mites. Dust mites are usually the most common type of allergens that can cause asthma and allergies. At one time this type of allergens strike you, you will find difficulties in breathing. (more…)

Allergies can be defined as inappropriate immune system reactions to a foreign substance entering body. Allergies are kind of diseases of immune system works to react to certain substances called allergens. Normally when a person is exposed to a harmless substance such as pollen, causes the body natural immune system to respond as if the substance is harmful. Some allergies are inherited from their parents or can be gained in environmental exposure. There are several common allergen exposures like mold, animal dander, pollen, dust mites, and many others. (more…)

The manifestations of asthma and allergy are the result of both genetic predisposition and environmental factors. This relationship between genes and the environment is complex and has been the subject of intense investigation in recent years. The predisposition to asthma, unlike that to diseases determined by a single gene, is genetically complex. Consequently, it is thought that a number of genes, each with a relatively small contribution, collectively produce an individual’s genetic susceptibility profile. (more…)

Drug allergy and adverse drug reactions are common among many people. Those side affect of consuming drugs affecting an about 30% of hospitalized patients. Unintended and undesired reactions of consuming drugs may be immunologic or non immunologic nature. The latter let in drug toxicity, side effects, food intolerance symptoms, and idiosyncratic reactions, popular known as drug allergy. (more…)