Single nucleotide polymorphism in the FLT4 gene is associated with atopic dermatitis in Koreans

Background: The histology of atopic dermatitis includes dilated, tortuous vessels within the papillary dermis and perivascular edema. Method: This study included 1120 case-control samples (646 AD patients and 474 normal controls), for which we genotyped 34 SNPs from four VEGF family genes and the FLT4 gene. For the rs11607007 SNP in the VEGFB gene and three SNPs (rs10085109, rs3736062, and rs11949194) in the FLT4 gene, which had significant p-values in the initial stage, were further investigated using 1132 independent samples (440 AD patients and 692 normal controls). Result: Of the four SNPs, rs10085109 in the FLT4 gene was only significantly associated with the AD phenotype in both initial and replication samples. Although no SNPs in the VEGFA gene were significantly associated with AD, the rs2010963 SNP had a marginally significant effect on log-eosinophil counts. Conclusion: The rs10085109 SNP in the FLT4 gene were associated with susceptibility to AD.