Gene linked to childhood asthma
Scientists have identified a gene that is strongly associated with an increased risk of childhood asthma. The team of international researchers hope their work, published in Nature, will lead to new treatments. Studying more than 2,000 children, they pinpointed a gene called ORMDL3, which was found at higher levels in the blood cells of children with asthma. Carrying a specific variant of this gene may increase the risk of developing asthma by up to 70%.