NHLBI IN THE PRESS

Study reveals genetic risk factors for asthma in African ancestry populations

Image of DNA under a magnifying glass. Stock photo.

Asthma is a complex disease with striking disparities across racial and ethnic groups. Despite its relatively high burden, the representation of individuals of African ancestry in asthma genome-wide association studies has been inadequate, and true associations in these underrepresented minority groups have been inconclusive. Researchers recently reported the results of a genome-wide analysis from the Consortium on Asthma among African Ancestry Populations, which included 7009 asthma cases and 7645 controls. The results recapitulate loci previously reported in non-African populations, and reveal two novel loci that may be specific to asthma risk in African ancestry populations. According to the authors, a better understanding of the genetic risk factors for asthma in African ancestry populations may lead to the development of better therapeutic interventions. The study, which was partly funded by the NHLBI, was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Media Coverage