The Relation Of Gene Interaction To Asthma

When expression of one gene depends on the presence or absence of another gene in an individual, it is known as gene interaction. The interaction of genes can be broken down into several types. Gene-gene interactions and gene-environment interactions are two types of gene interactions that can be linked to human phenotypes. Gene-gene interaction is commonly known as epistasis and is generally has two pathways with dominant loci that lead to the triangular shape. It is only when both pathways are blocked by recessive alleles that the oval-shaped seed capsule is produced.

Gene-environment interaction is just as is sounds, which means having a different effect of an environmental exposure on disease risk in persons with different genotypes. Researchers suggest that genetics may provide a window into clinical heterogeneity: genetic information may be useful in understanding differences in the timing of onset, rate of progression, persistence, comorbidity, and response to treatment. Genetics can contribute to composite risk assessments that identify high- and low-risk segments of the population. Genetic discoveries are fundamental to understanding genetic influences on health, and therefore, offers an opportunity for examine public health. Asthma is a common yet complicated allergic disease that is influenced by several genetic factors and is increasing the childhood morbidity rate.

According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2016 there were 6. 1 million children under the age of 18 diagnosed with asthma that equates to an 18% morbidity rate. The mortality rate in the previous year was reported at 1. 1 deaths per 100, 000 population, resulting in 3, 615 childhood deaths. According to Su et. al, there is a significant three-way gene-gene interaction between glutathione S-transferase P (GSTP1), insulin induced gene 2 (INSIG2) and interleukin-4 receptor alpha chain (IL4Ra) on childhood asthma. The association between these genetic variants and allergic diseases are likely to be influenced by other genetic variants. Quite often asthma is present in more boys than in girls.

Although asthma is due mostly to family history it also greatly influenced by environmental exposures. A rural lifestyle is consistently associated with a low prevalence of asthma. This may be due to recurrent exposure to farm animals, having pets inside the home and drinking unpasteurized milk. All of which are exposing infants to microbial organisms, which allows them to build resistant. Exposure to farming environment remains one of the strongest protective factors against the development of asthma.

Among those consistently associated with asthma is the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family of genes. GSTs comprise a family of phase II enzymes that catalyze the conjugation of reduced glutathione (GSH) via a sulfhydryl group to electrophilic sites on a wide variety of substrates found in air pollution, cigarette smoke, and mold. Each of these environmental factors leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and has been implicated in the development of asthma. Asthma is a multiplex disease connected with many distinct causes and processes. Chronic complex disorders together with disorders caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, are the primary causes of death in the United States and other countries.

High-Density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (HDL-C) is a good cholesterol, however, it is still a concern with public health. Therefore, research in diverse ethnicities is important to increase understanding of the differences in lipid profiles across populations. Using genotype data from 9, 713 European Americans from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, researchers identified an interaction between 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-CoA Reductase (HMGCR) and a locus near Lipase C Hepatic type (LIPC) in their effect on HDL-C levels (Ma et. al, 2012). The interaction between HMGCR and LIPC are also found in other ethnicities. Leveraging signals from proximate linked SNPs, our adaptive locus-based method successfully validated gene-gene interactions between HMGCR and LIPC in four additional, independent cohorts, including two of non-European ancestry. For example, Hispanic males have the highest cholesterol level among other ethnicities in the United States.

Additionally, low HDL-C and elevated LDL-C were the most common types of dyslipidemia seen among Hispanics/Latinos. Overall, in the United States the percentage of American adults with high total (>240 mg/dL) cholesterol decreased from 18. 3% in 1999–2000 to 11. 0% in 2013–2014. HDL-C levels have been associated with systemic inflammation, such as chronic inflammatory diseases or chronic kidney disease. Smoking is an environmental factor and a lifestyle choice, but nonetheless it contributes to shifts in HDL-C levels. While smoking has a negative effect, other lifestyle choices are can be beneficial.

Weight loss or management, reduced alcohol use, having an exercise regimen and consuming a healthy diet have a positive influence on HDL-C. Other environmental factors, such as air pollution may also have adverse effects on HDL-C and LDL-C. When considering environmental factors variances should be included to identify ethnicity, exposure time, extent of exposure, and location. According to Rodriguez et al. , determinants of dyslipidemia varied across Hispanic backgrounds with socioeconomic status and acculturation having a significant effect on dyslipidemia prevalence. Genetic discoveries are fundamental to understanding genetic influences on health, and therefore, offers an opportunity for examine public health.