A genome-wide association study in koreans identifies susceptibility loci for allergic nickel dermatitis

摘要

Dear Editors, Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is one of the frequently faced problems in general dermatology, and among its various causes, nickel is known to be the most common allergen in the general population. The prevalence of nickel allergy has constantly been growing in many countries and presents a major health and socioeconomic issue. ACD is thought to develop through the interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Historically, for several decades many different approaches have been used to study the genetic factors in ACD, which are well reviewed by Schnuch et al. In addition, many studies have recently been performed to identify functionally relevant polymorphisms in ACD. Polymorphisms in genes encoding filaggrin, N-acetyl-transferase, glutathione-S-transferases, manganese superoxide dismutase, an-giontensin-converting enzyme, TNF and interleukin (IL)-16 have been studied widely, showing varying results in their relevance to the pathogenesis of ACD. The aim of this study was to find novel gene polymorphisms in individuals with nickel dermatitis by a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the Korean population. A total of 98 people were enrolled. All patients underwent a patch test with nickel according to the International Contact Dermatitis Research Group guidelines. Test methods, interpretations of test reactions and results are described elsewhere in detail. Among the tested patients, 24 had at least one or more positive reactions to nickel, 52 had no reactions to nickel and 22 had irritant reactions. In the GWAS, the 24 patients positive to the nickel patch test and the 52 control subjects negative to the patch test were examined.