Role of offending out-door aero-allergen and CD14 C(-159)T polymorphism in development and severity of asthma in a Kolkata patient population.

Shampa Dutta1, Priti Mondal1, Nimai Chandra Saha2, Saibal Moitra3, Sanjoy Podder1,
Amlan Ghosh4, Goutam Kumar Saha5
1. Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Barasat Govt. College.
2. Department of Vice-Chancellor‘s Secretariat, The University of Burdwan.
3. Allergy and Asthma Research Centre, Kolkata.
4. Department of Life Sciences, Presidency University.
5. Department of Zoology, Calcutta University.

Abstract:
Objective: Present study involved identifcation of offending out-door aero-allergens and associated genetic pathway in nasso-bronchial asthma among Kolkata population.

Methods: Skin-prick test was done among 950 asthmatic patients against 11 common aero-allergens and total serum IgE concentration was measured. PCR-RFLP was done in patients and non-asthmatic control (n=220 in each) to characterize functional polymorphism, C(-159)T, of CD14, a positional candidate gene for allergy. Association of genetic polymorphisms was made with clinico-pathological conditions.

Results: We identifed Cocos nucifera as the most common aero-allergen sensitizer among atopic patients in Kolkata. Patients with
childhood-onset asthma were signifcantly more sensitive towards aero-allergens and had signifcantly higher serum IgE level than those of adult-onset (p< 0.0001). No signifcant difference was found in distribution of SNP genotypes of CD14 amongcase and control (p=0.178). However among patients, frequency of C allele is signifcantly higher in childhood-onset group than that of adult-onset and concordantly in former CC genotype was associated with signifcant higher level of serum IgE than CTand TT.

Conclusion: In Kolkata, pollen is a common out-door aero-allergen and Cocos nucifera is predominant among pollens. Childhood-onset and adult-onset of asthma showed signifcant difference in allergen sensitivity as well as genetic background with respect to CD14 polymorphism.

Keywords: Asthma, aero-allergen, skin prick test, total IgE, CD14 gene polymorphism.