OBJECTIVETo investigate the distribution characteristics of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the human CD14 gene in Chinese Han ethnic group children in Wenzhou, and their association with atopic diseases.

METHODSTotally 113 cases were recruited in atopic disease group who met the following criteria: 2 - 12 years old, clinically diagnosed as asthma or allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis, elevation of serum total IgE levels and serum specific IgE. Sixty-seven healthy children were enrolled in control group. The related regions of CD14 gene were sequenced to identify and characterize the SNPs, and plasma TIgE and SIgE were detected by immunoassay system and uniCAP system, respectively. The frequency of genotypes and alleles between two groups, as well as the levels of IgE in different genotypes, were compared.

RESULTSCD14/-159 SNP was present in Han ethnic group population of Wenzhou. The frequency of each genotype was 57.0% (TT), 28.0% (TC), 15.0% (CC) in normal children, and 46.9% (TT), 35.4% (TC), 17.7% (CC) in atopic children. No significant difference was found in the distribution of CD14/-159 polymorphism between atopic children and healthy control (chi(2) = 1.918, P > 0.05) according to Hardy-Weinberg principle statistics. There were no significant difference in frequency of each genotype between boys and girls. No significant difference was found in the total plasma IgE levels among groups of TT genotypes [(2520 +/- 460) IU/L], TC genotypes [(2400 +/- 460) IU/L] and CC genotype [(2500 +/- 460) IU/L] (F = 0.807, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONCD14/-159 SNP is present in Han ethnic group children in Wenzhou, and other SNP in CD14 gene was not found. TT genotype was the primary genotype in CD14/-159 SNP in the children studied. No relationship between CD14/-159 SNP and atopic disease or serum total IgE level was found.