ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cysteinyl-leukotrienes are mediators of inflammatory responses in bronchial asthma. We studied the genes encoding the enzymes involved in their synthesis to identify risk factors for asthma. The promoter polymorphisms LTC4S -444 A/C, ALOX5 -176/-147, and ALOX5AP -169/-146 have been reported to be associated with bronchial asthma. METHODS: We analyzed the effects of LTC4S -444 A/C, ALOX5 -176/-147, and ALOX5AP -169/-146 on asthma susceptibility by means of a case-control study with 193 ethnically matched, unrelated individuals. Participants were classified as severe asthmatics, nonsevere asthmatics, and nonasthmatics, using a combination of 2 techniques: polymerase chain reaction-restricted fragment length polymorphism and multiplex capillary electrophoresis. RESULTS: No association was found between these polymorphisms and asthma, neither individually nor in combination. CONCLUSION: Although the studied polymorphisms have been previously reported to constitute risk factors for the disease, we found no association between LTC4S -444 A/C, ALOX5 -176/-147, and ALOX5AP -169/-146 polymorphisms and bronchial asthma.
