Genetic Association of Asthma: A Synoptic Review Based on Indian Population

Genetic association studies of asthma have long been used to detect candidate genes involved in the disease pathogenesis. Asthma genetics is not a much-explored area in India. Still, several candidate genes for asthma are identified through population-based study and the most common method is the case–control study for searching single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In this review, we are discussing asthma-related candidate genes and SNPs identified in different Indian population. The core idea of candidate gene studies is to determine the differences of allele frequency between case and control groups. PCR–RFLP is the most popular technique for SNPs analysis. The base for this review is “Pubmed search” for “genetic association of asthma in India”. Literature survey shows that asthma gene association studies are reported only from few cities in India and replicative studies are lacking. In this review, we have portrayed 26 candidate genes and their respective SNPs for the association or non-association with asthma. New Delhi and Lucknow from the northern part and Mysore from the south are the most explored cities. ADAM 33 is the most studied candidate gene followed by IL4, IL13, and CD14. Candidate gene association studies can identify the risk alleles and provide a better picture of the genetic association of asthma. These studies may not have the ability to explore new genes, they still help to identify the risk individuals who can be targeted for therapeutic evaluation. Hence, further replicative studies on the same candidate gene from the unexplored study zones of India are recommended.