Recent Developments in Genetic Study of Allergic Disease in the Japanese Population

Allergy is a common immune disorder characterized by raised IgE levels, which leads to clinical disorders such as asthma, rhinitis and eczema. Our understanding of the pathogenesis of allergic disease is largely dependent on our current understanding of the related pathophysiology and the available technology. Recent advances in molecular biology techniques have allowed a rapid and accurate identification of polymorphisms in various genes that may be important for determining the susceptibility to allergic disorders. In this review, we present some developments in genetic studies of allergic disease with particular focus on asthma and atopy in the Japanese population.