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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with the -1055 IL-13 promoter polymorphism

Abstract

IL-13 is strongly implicated in the development of asthma and chronic obstructive polymonary disease (COPD). We previously identified an IL-13 promoter polymorphism (−1055 C to T) that is associated with allergic asthma. We now report an increased frequency of the −1055 T allele in COPD patients compared to healthy controls (P=0.002) and compared to a second control group consisting of smoking individuals with normal lung function (P=0.01). A closely linked IL-13 exon polymorphism is present at normal allelic frequencies (P=0.3 and 0.4, respectively). In addition, we observed a normal distribution of two IL-4 polymorphisms at positions −590 and +33 (P=0.2 and 0.9, respectively). These results could implicate a functional role for the IL-13 promoter polymorphism in the enhanced risk to develop COPD.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the Dutch League against Rheumatism and GlaxoSmithKline.

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Correspondence to T C T M van der Pouw Kraan.

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van der Pouw Kraan, T., Küçükaycan, M., Bakker, A. et al. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is associated with the -1055 IL-13 promoter polymorphism. Genes Immun 3, 436–439 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gene.6363896

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