Nature versus Nurture: Does Genetic Ancestry Alter the Effect of Air Pollution in Children with Asthma?

摘要

As one of the most common respiratory illnesses, asthma is also a disease characterized by striking ethnic disparities. The prevalence of asthma among black and Latino individuals is almost double that seen among white individuals. The differences in morbidity and mortality are even more significant: Child mortality rates in non-Hispanic black individuals are eightfold higher than in non-Hispanic white individuals (1, 2). Unpacking the etiology of these differences is difficult, given the complex intersection between social, environmental, and heritable factors that modulate disease susceptibility and manifestations. Understanding the role of ethnicity is even harder, particularly in an admixed society where interracial marriage and multiethnic groups are increasingly common.