LINKAGE ANALYSIS OF BRONCHIAL HYPERREACTIVITY AND ATOPY WITH CHROMOSOME 11Q13

There are two key clinical features of asthma: allergy and bronchial h yperreactivity (BHR). Some pedigree studies of atopy have indicated li nkage with the high affinity IgE receptor (Fc epsilon RI-beta) gene on chromosome 11q13, but others failed to confirm this linkage. We exami ned the genetic linkage of three polymorphic microsatellite markers to atopy and BHR in 120 affected sibling pairs recruited from the genera l community. We found no linkage to atopy at any of the three 11q13 lo ci studied. Our findings also do not favour linkage between BHR and lo ci approximately 8-9 cM either side of the Fc epsilon RI-beta gene.