Objective: To study the clinical application value of genetic linkage analysis for bronchial asthma with two STRs-D5S436 and D5S658.
Methods: Polymorphism of the two STRs were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and the alleles identification were performed with denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver-staining techniques.
Results: In 92 unrelated Chinese individuals, 8 alleles and 22 phenotypes in D5S436, 9 alleles and 28 phenotypes in D5S658 were observed. The heterozygosities were 78% and 73% respectively. The polymorphism information contents (PIC) were 0.76 and 0.80 respectively. Linkage analysis showed linkage of asthma related phenotypes (including asthma) with D5S436 on chromosome 5q (lod = 2.490, theta = 0.1).
Conclusions: D5S436 and D5S658 were good genetic markers. Linkage analysis demonstrates that locus on chromosome 5q31-33 maybe was linked to the development of asthma in Chinese population.