these, IL1B, a key cytokine in the innate immunity pathway, was signifi-

cantly up-regulated in CD141 monocytes, but not alveolar macrophages,

by 26.4 fold (p 5 0.009) and 19.2 fold (p 5 0.039) after LPS stimulation for

6 and 20 hours, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the utility of genomics to iden-

tify both candidate genes within the innate immunity pathway and differ-

ential expression by cell type. Studies comparing expression profiles

between atopic asthmatic and healthy subjects, and validation studies,

are ongoing.

Funding: NIH

689 GATA-3 Induces Transcriptional Activation of CRTh2R. Quapp, T. Seibert, N. Madsen, K. Madsen, L. Cameron;

University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CANADA.

RATIONALE: CRTh2 is a receptor for PGD2, a major mediator released by

mast cells following degranulation and a marker of human Th2 cells. PGD2-

CRTh2 signaling induces expression of IL-4, IL-13 and IL-5. CRTh2 is

upregulated by IL-4 and GATA-3, however, further study is required to

characterize the regulatory elements mediating CRTh2 transcription.

METHODS: Luciferase promoter constructs containing a 450 base pair

fragment of the CRTh2 promoter (CRTh2pro-Luc) and two conserved re-

gion (CR) from the intron (CRTh2pro-Luc-CR1 and CRTh2pro-Luc-CR2)

were generated. Activity of these constructs was studied by transient trans-

fection of Jurkat T cells following overnight stimulation with PMA and

ionomycin (P/I, 20ng/ml and 1mM).

RESULTS: CRTh2pro-Luc activity was induced by P/I. CRTh2pro-Luc-

CR1 activity was higher than CRTh2pro-Luc, while CRTh2pro-Luc-CR2

was actually less active. In silico analysis revealed the presence of putative

GATA, NFAT and STAT sites within the promoter. Over-expression of

GATA-3 further increased P/I induction of CRTh2 promoter activity.

CR1 contains 9 potential GATA motifs while CR2 contains 4 putative

STAT sites, the major transcription factor downstream of IL-4. Over-

expression of GATA-3 with CRTh2pro-Luc-CR1 was more active than

CRTh2pro-Luc, while STAT6 did not enhance CRTh2pro-Luc-CR2 or

CRTh2-pro-Luc.

CONCLUSIONS: GATA-3, a Th2 differentiation factor, induces CRTh2

transcription. Although CR2 did not demonstrate transcriptional activity,

even with STAT6 over-expression, this region may still be important for

chromatin remodeling.

Funding: Univeristy of Alberta

690 Keratins: Important Candidate genes for Asthma and ImmuneResponsiveness to Cockroach

P. Gao1, D. Grigoryev1, L. Breslin1, C. Cheadle1, R. A. Mathias2, T. H.

Beaty3, A. Togias1, K. Barnes1; 1JHAAC, Baltimore, MD, 2Center for In-

herited Disease Research, NIH, Baltimore, MD, 3Johns Hopkins Univer-

sity Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

RATIONALE: Sensitization and exposure to cockroach allergen is one of

the strongest risk factors of asthma morbidity in the US. A genome-wide

linkage scan provided significant evidence of linkage to specific loci

(5q31, 12q13, 17q11) for asthma only in the presence of cockroach sensi-

tization. Here we identify target genes specific for cockroach sensitization

by integrating linkage and gene expression data.

METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), airway brush-

ing cells (ABCs) and bronchioalveolar lavage (BAL) were collected from

asthmatic (N 5 6) and healthy (N 5 6) volunteers and processed for high-

throughput (Affymetrix) gene expression analysis. Genes within the three

identified chromosomal loci were analyzed for differential gene expression

between asthmatics and healthy controls.

RESULTS: A total of 61 genes were selected for further analyses: 10 on

chromosome 5q; 38 on 12q; and 13 on chromosome 17q. Gene expression

was significantly increased for 12 of these genes among the asthmatics

(1.26 - 8.15 fold). Expression of a group of keratin family genes (keratin

1 (KRT1), KRT4, KRT5, KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT8, and KRT18) was signifi-

cantly increased in PBMCs, ABCs and BAL. KRT1 expression increase

was greatest among PBMCs (8.15 fold). Of interest, these genes are

localized at the peak marker (D12S389) with the strongest evidence of link-

age to asthma in the presence of cockroach sensitization (P 5 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that these keratin family genes

may be important candidates for asthma and immune responsiveness to

cockroach, and integration of genome-wide expression profiling with link-

age analysis is a robust approach toward identifying genes underlying com-

plex traits.

691 Copy Number Variations in del22q11.2 SyndromeS. A. McGhee, M. Suchard, U. Bhardwaj, Y. Zhang, E. R. B.

McCabe; David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.

RATIONALE: Del22q11.2 syndrome is usually due to a deletion involv-

ing the Tbx gene on chromosome 22, but not all patients have the typical

deletion, and not all patients with the deletion have full expression of the

disease. A whole-genome approach may be better to understand and diag-

nose the disorder. We evaluated the use of 500,000 SNP mapping arrays

and representational oligonucleotide microarray analysis (ROMA) in the

delineation of the 22q11.2 deletion and identification of additional copy

number variations (CNVs) elsewhere in the del22 syndrome genomes.

METHODS: We evaluated CNVs using very-high-density ROMA in five

patients with del22 syndrome. Identification of CNVs and pathologic dele-

tions was by a new normalization and segmentation procedure (which we

refer to as vivaROMA) that expanded on existing methods to improve com-

parisons between different arrays.

RESULTS: The 22q11.2 deletion is easily identified, and our results

agreed with the results of clinical flouresence in situ hybridization studies

in all five patients. In addition, both patients and controls had numerous

other CNVs elsewhere in the genome, consistent with the findings of other

groups investigating CNVs in normal genomes. Some deletions elsewhere

in del22 syndrome genomes involve coding regions that could affect

immune system function.

CONCLUSIONS: Genetic diversity outside of the 22q11.2 region may

affect the phenotype in del22q11.2 syndrome. Use of whole genome

approaches to the study of this disorder could enable the identification of

new genes and hypotheses about the origins of immune system dysfunc-

tion.

Funding: National Institutes of Health

692 Effect of Montelukast on IL6, IL12 from Inflamatory Exudationin Gouty Arthritis Model

J. A. Corado, M. Bermudez, A. Linares, L. Ponce, Z. Mora, J. Lucar,

A. Acosta, R. Tovar; Universidad de Carabobo, Valencia, VENEZUELA.

RATIONALE: Gouty Arthritis is a metabolic disease, characterized by

the acumulation of Uric acid in joints. The increase of Uric Acid in serum

leads to the MUS crystals formation. These crystals interact with

Mononuclear Phagocytic System cells, causing second messengers synthe-

sis and the activation of transcription factors wich helps genes expression,

molecules releasing like proinflamatory cytokines, such as IL1, IL6, IL8,

IL12 and TNF-a.

METHODS: the 15 mouses sample were divided in three experimental

groups A,B,C.

GROUP A: received MK orally (1mg/kgP).

GROUP B: received PBS (negative control of inflamation).

GROUP C: received MUS into the Air Bag (positive control of

inflamation).

In these groups the inflamation was induced by injection of MUS crystals

(2cc) into the subcutaneous cavity.

RESULTS: in presence of MK, IL6 and IL12 concentrations are lower

(p<0,05) than the concentration observed in presence of MUS.

Comparing the inhibition percentages in the concentrations of IL6 and

IL12 it is observed that IL6 had more inhibition.

CONCLUSSION: MK reduced IL6 and IL12 concentrations significantly

from inflamatory exudation possibly by effect on the Lipooxygenase en-

zime pathway.All this facts made plan ourselves that MK could be poten-

cially a therapeutic alternative of Gouty Arthritis.

Funding: Universidad de Carabobo

J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL

JANUARY 2007

S176 Abstracts

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