Eczema is an itchy skin condition that is caused by a combination of genetics – our DNA – and environmental effects, eg allergens and irritants. Eczema and other allergic conditions often run in families, showing that the effects of our DNA are important, but we are not sure which specific genes are responsible for causing eczema. If we could understand genetic mechanisms we may be able to use this knowledge to develop better treatments.
Studies carried out in large populations (including ALSPAC participants) have shown which regions of DNA may contribute to causing eczema. We have tested these regions in the lab and shown, using skin samples grown in an incubator, that genes which are switched on or off in skin can cause eczema or protect against eczema. We now need to explore whether these findings are important in childhood, comparing children with and without eczema. We would like to do this using the results of analyses from blood and skin samples collected in ALSPAC.
We hope that the results of our work will give valuable clues to how an individual’s DNA contributes to their risk of suffering from eczema.