Abstract
Background
Environmental changes influencing the interaction between the maturing immune system and pathogen exposure are implicated in the rising rates of allergic disease. There is emerging evidence that differences in innate immune function contribute to the development of allergy. Consequently, associated genetic factors may be critical for the difference in immune ontogeny, seen in allergic children.
Aims
We examined if genetic variation associated with the IL28B gene, encoding for the potent immune modulator IFN lambda 3, contributes to the divergent immune response in selected children who were followed from birth to 5 years of age (35 allergic and 35 non-allergic children).
Results
We found that carriage of the T allele of the SNP rs12979860, tagging the IL28B gene, is significantly associated with allergy (p = 0.004; OR 4.56). This association increases with age and is particularly evident in girls (OR 16). In addition, variation at rs12979860 correlates with differences in the pro-inflammatory profile (IL1B production) at birth after TLR stimulation of cord blood cells.
Conclusion
In the context of rising rates of disease, the genetic variation described may contribute to key differences in innate immune development of allergic children and points towards a role of IFN lambda III in allergic disease pathogenesis.