The allergy gene: how a mutation in a skin protein revealed a
link between eczema and asthma Department of Medicine, College
of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK The
electronic version of this article is the complete one and can
be found at: http://f1000.com/reports/m/3/2 Ichthyosis vulgaris
is a common genetic skin disorder characterized by dry, scaly
skin. About 1% of the European population have the full
presentation of ichthyosis vulgaris; up to 10% have a milder,
subclinical form. Atopic eczema is the most common, inflammatory
skin condition, affecting 20% of children. It is often
accompanied by a number of other allergies, including atopic
asthma. Atopic eczema is a complex trait, where predisposing
genes in combination with environmental stimuli produce the
disease. Recently, we reported the first loss-of-function
genetic mutations in the filaggrin gene as the cause of
ichthyosis vulgaris. We noted people with ichthyosis vulgaris
also have atopic eczema (and vice versa) and that