Genetics of gene expression in immunity to infection

• Mapping gene expression as a quantitative trait resolves functional regulatory genetic variants.
• Genomic modulators of immune gene expression are typically context specific.
• Genetical genomic approaches can provide new insights into immunity and infectious disease.

Mapping gene expression as a quantitative trait (eQTL mapping) can reveal local and distant associations with functionally important genetic variation informative for disease. Recent studies are reviewed which have demonstrated that this approach is particularly informative when applied to diverse immune cell populations and situations relevant to infection and immunity. Context-specific eQTL have now been characterised following endotoxin activation, induction with interferons, mycobacteria, and influenza, together with genetic determinants of response to vaccination. The application of genetical genomic approaches offers new opportunities to advance our understanding of gene–environment interactions and fundamental processes in innate and adaptive immunity.