Does genetic regulation of IgE begin in utero? Evidence from T(H)1/T(H)2 gene polymorphisms and cord blood total IgE

Abstract

Background: Elucidation of early life factors is critical to understand the development of allergic diseases, especially those manifesting in early life such as food allergies and atopic dermatitis. Cord blood IgE (CBIgE) is a recognized risk factor for the subsequent development of allergic diseases. In contrast with numerous genetic studies of total serum IgE in children and adults, limited genetic studies on CBIgE have been conducted.

Objective: To test the associations between functional or tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the T(H)1/T(H)2 pathway and CBIgE in a large US inner-city birth cohort.

Methods: CBIgE, measured by Phadia ImmnunoCAP, was analyzed as a continuous and a binary variable. The association of each SNP with the 2 outcomes was tested using tobit and logistic regression models, respectively, with adjustment for pertinent covariates, ancestral proportion, and multiple testing. Ethnic heterogeneity and gene-gene interactions were also explored.

Results: Three SNPs (rs1800925, rs2069743, and rs1295686) in the IL13 gene were significantly associated with CBIgE concentration (P ≤ 6 × 10(-4), FDR-corrected P < .05). These SNPs jointly influenced CBIgE in a dose-response manner (P for trend = 9 × 10(-8)). Significant associations also were observed for SNPs in the IL-13 receptor α1 (rs5956080) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (rs11172106) genes. Ethnicity-specific genetic effects were observed for SNPs in the IL5 and GATA3 genes. Several gene-gene interactions (including IL13-IL4 receptor and IL13-signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 interactions) were detected in relation to CBIgE.

Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that multiple SNPs were individually and jointly associated with CBIgE, with evidence of gene-gene interactions and ethnic heterogeneity. These findings suggest that genetic regulation of IgE may begin in utero.

Figure 1

SNP associations with log₁₀-transformed cord IgE concentration (A) and detectable cord IgE (B) (249 SNPs on 23 genes). The associations were adjusted by maternal age, maternal BMI, maternal atopic history, prior deliveries, prior pregnancies, infant’s gender, household income, season of birth and individual ancestral proportion.

Figure 2

Dose-response effects of the combined risk genotypes for three IL13 gene polymorphisms (rs1800925, rs2069743 and rs1295686) on cord blood IgE (A) and detectable cord blood IgE (B). Risk genotype was TT, AG/GG and AA for rs1800925, rs2069743 and rs1295686, respectively.