Asthma Gene Identified

Clinical trials will soon take place in Brisbane to test whether a drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis could be useful in treating asthma. This comes after scientists at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute found that a gene previously thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect, or no immune effect at all, is actually more likely to increase inflammation in people with asthma and allergies.
Dr Manuel Ferreira and his team from QIMR Berghofer’s Asthma Genetics laboratory said the discovery provides a potential new treatment target. The study was published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.
“It was not immediately obvious which gene that variant impacted, so we designed a series of molecular experiments to identify that target gene,” said Dr Ferreira.
“We now know that while the risk variant is located a considerable distance from PAG1, it is able to reach that gene through a process known as DNA looping, and it increases PAG1 expression in people with asthma,” he said.
The team is now seeking funds to develop drugs that block the PAG1 gene, and then test if these could reduce an asthma patient’s immune response to allergens.
“In a large genetic study last year we identified a previously unknown genetic variant which increased the risk of asthma and allergies by about 20 per cent,” Dr Ferreira said.
“One in 10 Australians has asthma and it results in one death every day,” Dr Ferreira said.
“Not everyone is able to properly manage their symptoms with current preventers and treatments so it is vital that we look for new ways to help these people.”
“Between 30 and 50% of people have an allergy of some kind, often developed in their early years.”