Journal article
Protective effects of dog allergen and endotoxin for lung function and asthma
Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
02/23/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2026.02.016
PMID: 41740928
Abstract
Background
Childhood asthma is characterized by altered lung function and airway inflammation, thought to result from complex gene-environment interactions, especially with allergens. However, previous studies show inconsistent associations between allergen exposure and asthma.
Objectives
We aimed to examine the longitudinal relationship between indoor allergen exposure during infancy with subsequent asthma and spirometry and the potential effect modification by genetic factors.
Methods
Data from a subcohort of the CHILD study with analyzed dust samples (including Can f1 (dog), Fel d1 (cat), and endotoxin) and physician diagnosed asthma or spirometry were used to examine the relationships between allergen levels in dust analytes at 3 months and asthma and, separately, spirometry at 5 years, including potential effect modification by genetic factors using lung function polygenic scores (PGSs).
Results
Among 1050 children with dust samples, 6.6% developed asthma by age 5 years. In an adjusted multivariable model, higher Can f1 significantly decreased the risk of asthma (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.25, 0.98). Independently, children exposed to high Can f1 had significantly higher FEV1 z-scores (β=0.23, 95% CI 0.06, 0.40), regardless of asthma status. In the gene environment analyses, there were significant gene-environment interactions in the relationship between Can f1 and PGSs on lung function, independent of asthma status.
Conclusions
In a general population birth cohort, early-life exposure to high levels of Can f1 was associated with improved lung function and protection against asthma at age 5. Furthermore, exposure to high Can f1 may modulate lung function in individuals with low PGSs.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Protective effects of dog allergen and endotoxin for lung function and asthma
- Creators
- Makiko Nanishi - Hospital for Sick ChildrenMyrtha E. Reyna - University of TorontoMarija Pajdakovska - Hospital for Sick ChildrenVanessa L. Breton - Hospital for Sick ChildrenMarc-Antoine Bédard - Hospital for Sick ChildrenQingling Duan - Queen's UniversityElizabeth George MBI - Queen's UniversityMohammad Kaviul Anam Khan - Hospital for Sick ChildrenBiswajit Chowdhury - Hospital for Sick ChildrenBree T. Sharma - Hospital for Sick ChildrenRuixue Dai - Hospital for Sick ChildrenNervana Metwali - University of IowaSarah S. Perry - University of IowaElinor Simons - University of ManitobaStuart E. Turvey - University of British ColumbiaPiush Mandhane - University of AlbertaAllan Becker - Children's Hospital Research Institute of ManitobaMeghan B. Azad - Children's Hospital Research Institute of ManitobaMalcolm R. Sears - McMaster UniversityWendy Lou - University of TorontoTheo J. Moraes - Hospital for Sick ChildrenJeffrey R. Brook - University of TorontoPeter S. Thorne - University of IowaPadmaja Subbarao - SickKids Foundation
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jaci.2026.02.016
- PMID
- 41740928
- NLM abbreviation
- J Allergy Clin Immunol
- ISSN
- 0091-6749
- eISSN
- 1097-6825
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 02/23/2026
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
- Record Identifier
- 9985139277802771
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