Association of RAGE gene multiple variants with the risk for asthma and COPD in a population-based Han Chinese cohort

Background: Although some studies have evaluated the association of the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) genetic variation with asthma and COPD, the results are still inconsistent. We here aimed to investigate the association of multiple variants in RAGE gene with the risk for asthma and COPD, alone and in combination, in a population-based Han Chinese cohort. Methods: Five variants in RAGE gene (rs1800625, rs1800624, rs2070600, rs184003 and rs2071288) were genotyped using the TaqMan assay among 347 patients with asthma or COPD and 527 age and sex-matched controls. Data were analyzed using Haplo.stats program, and a nomogram model was created to predict asthma and COPD risk. Results: The genotypic distributions of five selected variants met the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. In single-locus analysis, statistically significant differences were seen in the allele distribution of rs1800625 in COPD and rs1800624 in asthma between patients and controls. Haplotype analysis indicated that haplotypes T-A-G-T-G (in order of rs1800625, rs1800624, rs2070600, rs184003 and rs2071288 variants) (Padj. = 0.0134) and T-A-A-G-G (P adj. = 0.0040) conferred a decrease risk for COPD and asthma respectively. Haplotype-phenotype analysis indicated significant association of high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood urea nitrogen with COPD and total cholesterol with asthma (Psim Conclusions: Our findings indicate that RAGE gene is a candidate gene in susceptibility to the development of asthma and COPD in Han Chinese.