Variants of DENND1B Associated with Asthma in Children

A genomewide association study involving children of Northern European ancestry who had asthma yielded an association with a locus on chromosome 1q31 that was replicated in two additional case–control series, one involving subjects of Northern European ancestry and the other, children of African ancestry. The implicated locus houses DENND1B, which is expressed by natural killer cells and dendritic cells of the immune system. A genomewide association study involving children of Northern European ancestry who had asthma yielded an association with a locus on chromosome 1q31. The implicated locus houses DENND1B, which is expressed by natural killer cells and dendritic cells of the immune system. Asthma is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease manifested as episodes of wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Both family-based and twin studies indicate that asthma is a complex genetic disorder. 1 Multiple genetic and environmental factors are also known to modulate the clinical expression of the disease and its associated phenotypes — bronchial hyperresponsiveness, atopy, and elevated IgE. 2 , 3 A genomewide association study showed that the 17q12-q21 locus, harboring the ORM1-like 3 ( ORMDL3 ) gene, is associated with asthma, with a small population attributable risk. Therefore, it seems unlikely that there are common variants with a large effect on asthma. . . .