ABSTRACT
Background: Asthma is a common respiratory disease caused by genetic and environmental factors. It has been suggested that TGF-β1, IL-4 and IL-13 play important roles in asthma. Objectives: We attempted to confirm the roles of TGF-β1, IL-4 and IL-13 polymorphisms in asthma in a Chinese population. Methods: Five SNPs (rs1800469, rs2241712, rs2070874, rs20541 and rs1800925) in TGF-β1, IL-4 and IL-13 were genotyped using the MassArray SNP genotyping system. Allelic and genotypic associations between these SNPs and asthma were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: The CT genotype of rs1800469 and T allele of rs20541 were significantly associated with asthma. Among atopic subjects, the CT genotype of rs1800469 and GA genotype of rs2241712 decreased the risk of asthma, while the CC genotype of rs2070874 showed a decreasing trend of asthma risk with a borderline significance. No significant association was found between rs1800925 and asthma. Conclusion: In the present study, we confirmed the association of rs1800469 in TGF-β1 and rs20541 in IL-13 with asthma and found a trend toward association between rs2241712 in TGF-β1 and rs2070874 in IL-4 with asthma among atopic subjects, suggesting TGF-β1, IL-4 and IL-13 may be associated with the susceptibility and development of asthma in this Chinese population.