ISSN:
1365-2222
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is a key inducible enzyme that regulates the production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E2. A single-nucleotide polymorphism, −765G〉C, located within a stimulatory protein-1 binding site in the COX-2 promoter region, has been shown to have significantly lower promoter activity in vitro compared with the wild-type and was associated with decreased plasma levels of C-reactive protein after coronary artery bypass surgery. We hypothesized that this polymorphism, which may result in decreased COX-2 transcription, could be associated with more severe asthma, and/or aspirin-intolerant asthma (AIA).Objective To determine the association between the −765G〉C COX-2 polymorphism and asthma, disease severity and AIA in a large, well-phenotyped Australian population.Methods PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to characterize the polymorphism in an Australian Caucasian population of patients with mild (n=322), moderate (n=254) or severe (n=88) asthma and in non-asthmatic control subjects (n=512), as well as in patients with AIA (n=58). Genotype and allele association analyses were performed using χ2 tests.Results The polymorphic −765C allele was present in approximately 30% of asthmatic patients and non-asthmatic controls. There was no association between the −765G〉C polymorphism and asthma (P=0.920), disease severity (P=0.840), atopy (P=0.655) or AIA (P=0.841) in this population.Conclusion Although the −765G〉C polymorphism may have lower promoter activity and result in decreased COX-2 expression, it is not associated with asthma, disease severity, AIA or atopy in this Australian population.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2222.2004.02094.x
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