Opisthorchis felineus liver fluke invasion is an environmental factor modifying genetic risk of atopic bronchial asthma.

According to epidemiological observations, Opisthorchis felineus liver fluke invasion is negatively associated with the development and severity of allergic diseases in endemic regions of Russia. We hypothesized that the invasion is an important factor in gene-environmental interactions (GEI) underlying allergy. To prove this, we tested 10 single nucleotide polymorphisms of immune response modifying genes in 428 individuals stratified by atopic bronchial asthma presence and O. felineus invasion. Using regression models, a statistically significant interaction between the rs6737848 polymorphism of SOCS5 gene and O. felineus invasion was observed (pint=0.001, OR=5.66, 95% CI 1.96-16.31 for dominant model; pint=0.003; OR=4.38, 95% CI 1.68-11.45 for additive model). The interaction is based on the statistically significant association between the SOCS5 gene and atopic bronchial asthma in patients without O. felineus infection, while no such association is seen in patients infected by the helminth. These data confirm for the first time the importance of the helminth invasion as an environmental factor influencing the association between genetic factors and atopic bronchial asthma. In particular, O. felineus diminishes the risk of atopic bronchial asthma associated with the SOCS5 gene polymorphism.