Elevated expression and genetic association links the SOCS3 gene to atopic dermatitis

Abstract

In a systematic analysis of global gene-expression patterns, we found that SOCS3 messenger RNA was significantly more highly expressed in skin from patients with atopic dermatitis than in skin from healthy controls, and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed a similar elevation of SOCS3 protein. Furthermore, we found a genetic association between atopic dermatitis and a haplotype in the SOCS3 gene in two independent groups of patients (P < .02 and P < .03). These results strongly suggest that SOCS3, located in a chromosomal region previously linked to the disease (17q25), is a susceptibility gene for atopic dermatitis. © 2006 by The American Society of Human Genetics. All rights reserved.