Gene transcription requires the presence of transcription factors and the appropriate chromatin structure which allows the transcription factors to access the target gene. The chromatin structure is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, i. e., DNA methylation and histone modification. Epigenetics or epigenomics will solve the issues which can not be answered by genetics, genomics and proteomics regarding the pathogenesis of various intractable diseases such as asthma.

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We studied the relation between family backgrounds and customs and allergy. Four hundred children were enrolled in 4-month checkups. Their family backgrounds and customs were studied using questionnaires at 4-month and 3.5-year checkups. Their allergic manifestations were examined at routine checkups.
At 4-month checkups, atopic dermatitis (AD) and eczema were found in 37 and 62 children, respectively. AD and eczema were found more frequently in children who were born between July and December than those between January and June. The development of AD, food allergy and bronchial asthma was observed in 71, 52 and 21 children, respectively, out of 314 using questionnaires at 3.5-year checkups.
There was no relation between the number of family members and the development of AD, but the rate of children who started to use the family bathtub after 3 months of age was higher in the AD group at 4 months than in the normal group among children who were born between January and June. The rate of children whose family members used the same towel after taking baths was higher in the eczema group at 4 months than in the normal group among children who were born between July and December. However, there was no relation between the development of allergy and either the order of taking baths, the frequency of washing the bathtub, giving children food that somebody else has chewed to soften it, or kissing the lips of children.
These data suggest the existence of some relation between family backgrounds and customs and AD or eczema, but causal linkage between them is unclear.

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Thymus and activation-regulated chemokine/CCL17 (TARC/CCL17) is a ligand for CCR4 expressed on Th2 cells and possibly involved in the pathogenesis of Th2-driven atopic dermatitis (AD). We investigated clinical utility of serum TARC/CCL17 measurement as a marker for disease activity of AD in children. Subjects included 202 children aged 6 months to 14 years, 65 patients with AD, 32 with allergic rhinitis, 43 with asthma, and 62 normal non-atopic children. Serum TARC/CCL17 levels in normal children less than 2 years old were significantly higher than the older counterparts and normal levels of TARC/CCL17 were defined as 1367, 998, 743pg/ml for children less than 1 year old, those less than 2, and those of 2 and over, respectively. Serum TARC/CCL17 levels in patients with AD and asthma, not in allergic rhinitis were significantly higher than in normal subjects and positively correlated with severity of disease only in AD, not in asthma. With ROC curve analysis, TARC/CCL17 was found to be a more specific and sensitive marker for AD than LDH, eosinophil counts, and IgE. Although eosinophil counts were correlated the disease severity, changes in serum TARC/CCL17 according to the severity were much larger than eosinophil counts. These results suggest that serum TARC/CCL17 measurement well represents the disease activity of AD and may serve as a useful clinical marker for guideline-based treatment.

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We examined plasma concentrations of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) in 16 children and adolescents with asthma inhaled 2mg (2puffs) of DSCG using MDI by 3 different methods; Aerosol method: 2puffs without a large volume spacer (Fisonair), Usual method: 2 times of 1 inhalation with Fisonair after single puff, and Simple method: 1 time of 1 inhalation with Fisonair after 2 puffs. The mean plasma concentrations of DSCG at 5 minutes and 30 minutes after inhalation and AUC_0-30 in Usual method were higher than those in Aerosol and Simple methods. Multiple actuations into the spacer (Simple method) was not so effective to increase plasma concentrations of DSCG as individual actuation (Usual method). The plasma concentration of DSCG at 5 minutes after inhalation (C₅) exceeded 4ng/ml, which was reported to be more effective to protect asthmatic attacks, in half the number of patients in Usual and Simple methods. We suggest that drug dose delivered to the lung and protective efficacy of DSCG aerosol for asthmatic attacks might be increased by inhalation of DSCG with Fisonair.

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