Objective: To analyze the association between beta 2-AR genetic polymorphism and asthma in the people of the Han nationality of northern China.
Methods: Allele Specific-PCR techniques were used to determine 16, 27 and 164 locus alleles of beta 2-AR genetic polymorphisms in 58 unrelated patients with asthma and 89 healthy controls from the people of the Han nationality of northern China.
Results: (1) The distribution frequency of genotype beta 2-AR 16 loci: Arg/Arg genotype accounts for 13%, Arg/Gly 76% and Gly/Gly 11%. The beta 2-AR 27 loci: Gln/Gln genotype accounts for 36%, Gln/Glu 55% and Glu/Glu 9%. The beta 2-AR 164 loci: Thr/Thr genotype accounts for 30%, Thr/Ile 53% and Ile/Ile 17%. (2) The frequency of genotype beta 2-AR 16 loci in asthmatics: Arg/Arg genotype accounts for 24%, Arg/Gly 45% and Gly/Gly 31%. There was a significant increase in the frequency of Gly/Gly genotype in asthmatics compared with healthy group(OR = 4.0, 95% CI 1.7-9.7), but there was no significant difference in the allele frequency of asthmatics compared with healthy group. The frequency of genotype beta 2-AR 27 loci in asthmatics: Gln/Gln genotype accounts for 34%, Gln/Glu 56% and Glu/Glu 10%. There was no significant difference in the allele frequency of asthmatics compared with healthy group. The frequency of genotype beta 2-AR 164 loci in asthmatics: Thr/Thr genotype accounts for 10%, Thr/Ile 83% and Ile/Ile 7%. There was no significant difference in the frequency of Ile/Ile genotype in asthmatics compared with healthy group, and in the allele frequency of asthmatics compared with healthy group. In addition, our study reveals that beta 2-AR 16 locus genetic polymorphism is in association with asthmatic severity.
Conclusions: These results suggest that beta 2-AR 16 locus genetic polymorphism is correlated with asthma severity in the people of the Han nationality of northern China.