Allergic diseases are influenced by both genes and environment. A 70-kb haplotype block in the G protein-coupled receptor for asthma susceptibility gene (GPR154; alias GPRA) on chromosome 7p was recently identified to influence susceptibility to asthma and elevated total serum IgE levels in adults.
Institute of Environmental Medicine, Centre for Allergy Research, and Department of Biosciences, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, Stockholm SE-171 77, Sweden.