MUC7 VNTR polymorphism and association with bronchial asthma in Egyptian children

Abstract

Overproduction of mucins in the airways donates largely to airway blockage in asthma patients. Glycoprotein MUC7 plays a role in the clearance of bacteria and has anti-candidacidal criteria. Our goal was to investigate the association between the MUC7 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism and bronchial asthma among Egyptian children. The MUC7 VNTR polymorphism was investigated among 100 children with bronchial asthma and 100 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Serum levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. The frequencies of 6*5 genotype, 5*5 genotype, (6*5 + 5*5) genotypes, and MUC7*5 allele of the MUC7 VNTR variant were significantly lower among asthmatic patients than controls (p < 0.015, OR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.19–0.81; p = 0.03, OR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.04–0.86; p < 0.001, OR = 0.29, 95% CI = 0.15–0.58; p < 0.001, OR = 0.3, 95% CI = 0.17–0.55, respectively). The (6*5 + 5*5) genotypes of the MUC7 VNTR variant were not associated with the clinical manifestations and serum levels of IgE, TNF-α, and TGF-β1 among asthmatic patients (p ˃ 0.05). In conclusion, the (6*5 + 5*5) genotypes of the MUC7 VNTR variant may have a protective role for bronchial asthma in Egyptian children.

Effect of budesonide combined with montelukast sodium on pulmonary function parameters and immunoglobulin levels in children with bronchial asthma

“…Since budesonide cannot directly affect leukotriene-mediated processes, as suggested by multiple studies, it has demonstrated inadequate clinical effectiveness in reducing leukotriene-mediated inflammatory reactions. 24,25 Meanwhile, long-term use of budesonide in children easily leads to osteoporosis, decreased adrenocortical function, and other statistically and significantly superior to the control group (P < 0.05). It was concluded that the integration of drugs was conducive to the recovery of immune capacity in children.…”