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

OBJECTIVE: Present study involved identification 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 identified Cocos nucifera as the most common aero-allergen sensitizer among atopic patients in Kolkata. Patients with childhood-onset asthma were significantly more sensitive towards aero-allergens and had significantly higher serum IgE level than those of adult-onset (p< 0.0001). No significant difference was found in distribution of SNP genotypes of CD14 among case and control (p=0.178). However among patients, frequency of C allele is significantly higher in childhood-onset group than that of adult-onset and concordantly in former CC genotype was associated with significant higher level of serum IgE than CT and 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 significant difference in allergen sensitivity as well as genetic background with respect to CD14 polymorphism.