Do genome-wide expression profiles identify potential targets for gene-environment interactions in asthma severity?
Genome-wide differential gene expression in response to dust mite allergen identified IL9, a biologically plausible gene target that might interact with environmental dust mite to increase severe asthma exacerbations in children.
These findings suggest that the anatomy of the early embryo (blastodisc versus egg cylinder) rather than taxonomical differences or asymmetry in expression constitutes an important determinant of FGF8 function in L-R axis formation. The rabbit may provide a useful model for early human embryogenesis, as human embryos develop via a blastodisc as well.