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Elevated serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels and increased airway responsiveness (AR) are correlated traits that are characteristic of asthma. It is not known to what extent these traits arise from distinct or shared genetic determinants. We investigated the genetic and environmental components of variance of serum total and specific IgE levels and AR in an Australian population-based sample of 232 Caucasian nuclear families. The inter-relationships of the genetic determinants of these traits were also investigated. Log(e) total serum IgE levels had a narrow-sense heritability (h(2)(N)) of 47.3% (SE = 10.0%). Specific serum IgE levels against house dust mite and timothy grass, measured as a RAST Index, ad a h(2)(N) of 33.8% (SE = 7.3%). AR, quantified by the log(e) dose-response slope to methacholine (DRS), had a h(2)(N) of 30.0% (SE = 12.3%). Extended modeling demonstrated an approximate 70% overlap in the genetic determinants of total and specific serum IgE levels. The genetic determinants of serum IgE levels and AR exhibited less than 30% sharing. These data are consistent with the existence of multiple genetic determinants of the pathophysiologic traits associated with asthma, and suggest that AR is genetically distinct from atopy. These results have implications for gene discovery programs.

Original publication

DOI

10.1164/ajrccm.161.6.9805104

Type

Journal article

Journal

Am J Respir Crit Care Med

Publication Date

06/2000

Volume

161

Pages

1836 - 1843

Keywords

Adolescent, Adult, Asthma, Bronchial Hyperreactivity, Child, Female, Gene Expression, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Genotype, Humans, Immunoglobulin E, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Genetic, Respiratory Hypersensitivity