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Vitamin D–binding genotype provided asthma protection

Researchers have identified a vitamin D–binding genotype that is protective against the development of asthma among inner-city Hispanic children, according to retrospective data.

“Because vitamin D has been implicated in the regulation of immune cells, such as T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, the possibility of a role for vitamin D in the mediation of inflammatory disease, including asthma, was considered,” the researchers wrote.

Aledie Navas-Nazario, MD, of the section of respiratory medicine in the department of pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues reviewed medical records to determine the development of asthma in 776 children.

GC gene-encoding vitamin D–binding protein concentration, and circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D had been determined at ages 6 to 36 months, according to data. The GC genotype was available for 463 children.

The researchers limited their analysis to the predominant Hispanic population (72.1%) to minimize ethnic confounders, they wrote. Asthma was diagnosed in 87 children (26%), and those with the GC genotype encoding the ET/ET (Gc1s/Gc1s) variant were less likely to develop asthma. These findings represented a protective effect compared with children with the DT/DT (Gc1f/Gc1f) variant, according to data.

“Whether the protective effect of this genotype occurs in other ethnic groups will need to be studied further, in addition to elucidating the mechanism by which such protection is incurred,” the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.