Correlation between IL-4 and IL-13 gene polymorphisms and asthma in Uygur children in Xinjiang

Correlation between interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) gene polymorphisms and bronchial asthma in Uygur children in Xinjiang, China, and the effects on serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE) were investigated. Thirty-seven child patients with asthma and 29 healthy children were screened. The gene polymorphisms of Arg130Gln in IL-13 and −590C/T in IL-4 gene promoter region were analyzed using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct gene sequencing; the asthma-related indexes were detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the relevant indexes were analyzed; moreover, whether there was a synergistic effect between Arg130Gln in IL-13 and −590C/T in IL-4 gene promoter region in the pathogenesis of asthma in children was analyzed. The T/T homozygote genotype frequency and T allele frequency of C-590T gene in IL-4 in the asthma group were significantly higher than those in the control group (45.9 vs. 10.3%, OR=8.91; 63.5 vs. 36.2%, OR=3.07, P<0.05). The A/A genotype frequency and A allele frequency of Arg130Gln locus in IL-13 in the asthma group were obviously higher than those in the control group (54.1 vs. 17.2%, OR=6.29; 67.6 vs. 39.7%, OR=3.17, P<0.05). In the two gene loci, the level of serum IgE in the same genotype in the asthma group was higher than that in the control group (Z=−2.128, −2.050, −2.700 vs. −3.766, −3.799, −3.397; P<0.05). The risk of asthma in carriers of both IL-4 −590C/T TT and Arg130Gln locus AA genotypes was significantly increased compared with that in carriers of either IL-4 −590C/T TT genotype or Arg130Gln locus AA genotype (OR=6.00, P=0.046; OR=4.50, P=0.033; OR=22, P=0.005). The IL-4 −590C/T and Arg130Gln locus gene polymorphisms are associated with the asthma susceptibility and increased serum total IgE in Uygur children in Xinjiang. There is a synergistic effect between the T allele of IL-4 −590C/T locus and the A allele of IL-13 Arg130Gln locus.