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Sex-specific genetic architecture of asthma-associated quantitative trait loci in a founder population

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Abstract

Identifying genes that influence susceptibility to asthmarelated and atopy-related phenotypes has been challenging, owing to clinical heterogeneity and a complex underlying genetic architecture that includes both gene-gene and gene-environment interactions. In this article, we report the results of genome-wide linkage and association studies of eight asthma-associated quantitative traits in the Hutterites, a founder population of European descent. Our study revealed significant sex-specific genetic architecture for at least five of these traits, and identified 13 genome-wide significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) by linkage or association that are present in only one of the sexes (nine in males, four in females).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Human Genetics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Chicago, 920 E. 58th Street, 60637, Chicago, IL, USA

    Carole Ober PhD

Authors
  1. Carole Ober PhD
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  2. Lin Pan MS
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  3. Natasha Phillips BS
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  4. Rodney Parry MD
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  5. Lianne M. Kurina PhD
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Correspondence to Carole Ober PhD.

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Ober, C., Pan, L., Phillips, N. et al. Sex-specific genetic architecture of asthma-associated quantitative trait loci in a founder population. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 6, 241–246 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-006-0041-4

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