Scientists Discovered the Gene behind Asthma Risks in Afro Americans

Researchers found a gene, PYHIN1, and its variations may account for a large proportion of asthma risk in people of African descent. In particular, one polymorphism of the gene was 34 percent more likely found in African-American and Afro-Caribbean people with asthma.

Scientists at the EVE Consortium, whose main goal is to identify why groups of individuals are more susceptible to asthma, are working to research the cause of the gene variants, but suspect possible reasons to include environmental exposures or differences in genetic risk factors.

In the study, published in Nature Genetics, the researchers found that between 26 percent and 29 percent of people of African-descent carried at least one copy of the gene, while the variant of the gene was found in less than 5 percent of Caucasian people and those of the Latino population.

Researchers examined data from nine previous genome-wide association studies, totaling more than 2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in 3,246 asthma patients and 3,385 control patient, 1,702 patient-parent groupings, 355 family-based cases, and 468 family-based controls.

As of 2010, more than 300 million asthma cases were recorded worldwide. In 2009, asthma swallowed over 250,000 lives globally. Despite the statistics, with apposite monitoring of asthma using step down therapy, prognosis is normally effective.

In what would surely be the latest medical development to combat this weird disease, scientists have discovered a genetic mutation singular to Afro Americans that could potentially help explicate why blacks are extra susceptible to asthma.

The research, which has been published in the journal ‘Nature Genetics’, is a joint effort of nine different research groups seeking genes linked with asthma amongst ethnically assorted North American people.

It disclosed four genes that had been discussed in earlier studies and a fifth that is only found in individuals of African descent.

The research, which was conducted at the University of Chicago, discovered a gene, PYHIN1, and its variations, will reportedly help people limit their vulnerability to asthma.

During their study, the researchers observed data from nine previous genome-wide association reports, piling over 2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms in 3,246 people battling asthma and 3,385 control patient, 1,702 patient-parent groups, 355 family issues and 468 family controls.

This variant is part of a family of genes related to body's reaction to viral infections. It is apparently involved in interferon signaling, which could manipulate the asthmatic episode.