Human b-defensin (HBD)-1 is constitutively expressed in the airway, and hBD-1 plays crucial roles in innate immunity against respiratory pathogens. Asthma was associated with DEFB1 polymorphisms in Caucasians. This study investigates whether three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 5 0 -untranslated region of DEFB1 are associated with asthma phenotypes in Chinese children. Subjects aged 5-18 years were recruited from general pediatric clinics. Plasma IgE concentrations were measured by immunoassays. DEFB1 SNPs were characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism. In all, 305 asthmatics and 156 controls were recruited. For asthma diagnosis, atopy and plasma total IgE, higher percentages of subjects with these outcomes had the minor alleles À20A and À52G (P ¼ 0.041-0.0002). For log-transformed total IgE, the covariate was positive and significant for G-20A under recessive model (P ¼ 0.001) and for G-52A under both recessive and codominant models (P ¼ 0.008 and 0.035). The recessive model covariate was also positive and significant (P ¼ 0.020) for C-44G on peripheral blood eosinophil count. The GCA haplotype of DEFB1 was significantly associated with asthma (odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 1.64 (1.05-2.57); P ¼ 0.029). These results suggest that DEFB1 is a candidate gene for asthma and atopy in children.

Objectives To explore the relationship between the levels of maternal oxidative stress and glycaemia during pregnancy and to compare the predictive values of 8-epimer of prostaglandin F 2alpha ) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in midpregnancy for the development of hypertensive complications in later pregnancy.Design Prospective observational study as an ancillary study to the Hyperglycaemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study.Setting Obstetric clinics and wards of a university teaching hospital in Hong Kong.Population Selected women with singleton pregnancies attending the antenatal clinic.Methods Pregnant women who met HAPO inclusion criteria were recruited for the study. Glucose tolerance was assessed by a 75-g 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-32 weeks of gestation. Fasting plasma samples for 8-isoPGF 2a estimation and urine samples for 8-isoPGF 2a and 2,3-dinor 8-isoPGF 2a assays were collected and blood pressures measured during the OGTT visit. Random plasma and urine samples were also obtained at 34-37 weeks. Glucose results were unblinded to the attending obstetrician if limits preset under the HAPO protocol were met.Main outcome measures Maternal plasma 8-isoPGF 2a and urinary 8-isoPGF 2a and 2,3-dinor 8-isoPGF 2a both at the time of OGTT (24-32 weeks) and at 34-37 weeks of gestation. Incidence of pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension.Results Of the 408 women who attended for OGTT at 24-32 weeks, two met the glucose criteria for unblinding and 25 had missing 8-isoPGF 2a values and thus were excluded from analysis. Of the 381 women, 338 (88.7%) attended for random plasma samples at 34-37 weeks. Significant correlations were observed between maternal fasting plasma isoprostane and both fasting (r = 0.20; P < 0.001) and 2-hour (r = 0.39; P < 0.001) plasma glucose levels at the time of OGTT. Gestational hypertension/ pre-eclampsia occurred in 17 (4.2%) women, and at the time of OGTT, they had significantly higher fasting plasma 8-isoPGF 2a (P < 0.001), urine 8-isoPGF 2a (P < 0.005) and urine 2,3-dinor 8-isoPGF 2a to creatinine ratios (P < 0.001), as well as higher MAP (P < 0.001) than women who remained normotensive. At 34-37 weeks, only random plasma 8-isoPGF 2a was significantly higher (P < 0.001) among the women with gestational hypertension/ pre-eclampsia.Conclusions Plasma markers of oxidative stress were positively correlated with plasma glucose at the time of OGTT (24-32 weeks). Women who subsequently developed gestational hypertension/pre-eclampsia had significantly higher plasma and urine markers of oxidative stress at the time of OGTT but only higher plasma markers at 34-37 weeks. Plasma 8-isoPGF 2a appears to be a very good predictor of subsequent gestational hypertension/pre-eclampsia when measured at the time of OGTT, but its ability to discriminate deteriorates as pregnancy advances.