Investigating the Chitinase-3-Like-1 Gene Polymorphism (rs4950928) With Susceptibility to Allergic Asthma in Iranian Northwestern Azeri Population

Background: In addition to cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, mounting evidence demonstrates the role of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in asthma relevant genes conferring susceptibility to the disease. A variety of cells, including airway epithelial cells, neutrophils, and macrophages, produce and release Chitinase-3-Like-1 (CHI3L1) via an IL-13 related pathway. CHI3L1 contributes to tissue remodeling during asthma. The present study aimed to investigate the possible association of rs4950928 SNP in the CHI3L1 gene with a predisposition to allergic asthma in the Iranian Northwestern Azeri population. Materials and Methods: The frequencies of genotypes and alleles of rs4950928 SNP in the CHI3L1 gene were determined with the TaqMan genotyping method in 190 patients with asthma and 190 healthy controls. Results: Genotype analyzing showed that CC genotype is more frequent among the case roup (68.4%) vs. in the control group (57.9%), while the GG genotype is more abundant among the control group (7.9%) vs. in the case group (3.2%). Patients with asthma were mostly found to have C allele whereas most of the healthy individuals had G allele in their genotype. Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between CHI3L1 rs4950928 (-131 C/G) polymorphism and asthma in studied population (P=0.038, P<0.05). Furthermore, according to the odds ratio (case/ control =0.611), the C allele could be the risk allele, whereas the G allele can be the protective one.