AluyMICB dimorphism within the class I region of the major histocompatibility complex is associated with asthma and airflow obstruction in the Busselton population

Aim To examine the association between the Alu dimorphism within the first intron of the MICB gene and asthma and airflow obstruction.Background The highly polymorphic non-classical MHC class I polypeptide-related (MIC) genes, MICA and MICB, encode stress inducible glycoproteins, which are expressed on a variety of epithelial cells, including those of the lungs.Methods AluyMICB genotyping was performed on 1109 subjects from the Busselton Health Study. From a standard questionnaire, 359 individuals indicated that they had been diagnosed by a doctor with asthma. Lung function was assessed by the forced expired volume in 1 second (FEV1) and expressed as a percent of the predicted value. Airflow obstruction was defined as FEV1