Researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have uncovered a gene called DENND1B, which increases the risk of childhood asthma. The finding promises to be a harbinger to new treatments for the respiratory disease.
An earlier study from the UK had homed in on an asthma-susceptibility gene ORMDL3, which was found on chromosome 17. In this study the researchers worked with a sample of 793 white North American children with persistent asthma. They used the genome-wide association study (GWAS) and compared this sample with a control group of 1,988 children.Similar results were found in a sample of 2,400 European children and 3,700 African American children.
"By analyzing a large cohort of children with moderate to severe asthma, all of whom require controller medications on a regular basis, we managed to enrich our study for genetic signals and achieve sufficient statistical power to uncover and replicate a novel asthma gene," said lead researcher Hakon Hakonarson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
The details are due to appear in the January 2010 issue of New England Journal of Medicine.
Asthma - Factors, Common Allergens, Diagnosis, Treatment, Support Groups, FAQs
It's a lung condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and constriction of the airways that result in coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. Allergy and other airway irritants can trigger it
It's a lung condition characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and constriction of the airways that result in coughing, wheezing or breathlessness. Allergy and other airway irritants can trigger it
Source-Medindia
RAS
Atopic Dermatitis / Eczema - Causes - Symptoms - Diagnosis - Treatment - FAQs
Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, non-contagious, chronic skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. It is also called eczema, dermatitis or atopy.
Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory, non-contagious, chronic skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. It is also called eczema, dermatitis or atopy.
