Gene-environment interactions in sarcoidosis

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Daniel A. Culver (Creator)

Mani S. Kavuru (Creator)

Lee S. Newman (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Susceptibility to most human diseases is polygenic with complex interactions between functional polymorphisms of single genes governing disease incidence phenotype or both. In this context the contribution of any discrete gene is generally modest for a single individual but may confer substantial attributable risk on a population level. Environmental exposure can modify the effects of a polymorphism either by providing a necessary substrate for development of human disease or because the effects of a given exposure modulate the effects of the gene. In several diseases genetic polymorphisms have been shown to be context-dependent i.e. the effects of a genetic variant are realized only in the setting of a relevant exposure. Since sarcoidosis susceptibility is dependent on both genetic and environmental modifiers the study of gene-environment interactions may yield important pathogenetic information and will likely be crucial for uncovering the range of genetic susceptibility loci. However the complexity of these relationships implies that investigations of geneenvironment interactions will require the study of large cohorts with carefully-defined exposures and similar clinical phenotypes. A general principle is that the study of gene-environment interactions requires a sample size at least several-fold greater than for either factor alone. To date the presence of environmental modifiers has been demonstrated for one sarcoidosis susceptibility locus HLADQB1 in African-American families. This article reviews general considerations obtaining for the study of gene-environment interactions in sarcoidosis. It also describes the limited current understanding of the role of environmental influences on sarcoidosis susceptibility genes. Originally published Clinics in Dermatology Vol. 25 No. 3 May-June 2007

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Clinics in Dermatology. 25:3(May-June 2007) p. 267-275.

Language: English

Date: 2011

Keywords

polymorphism, sarcoidosis, gene-environment interactions

Email this document to