Tristan : Genetics of Asthma in Tristan da Cunha
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 15.05.2008 (Article Archived on 29.05.2008)

A Message to the Community from Noe Zamel updating them on the Asthma Project

Genetics of Asthma in Tristan da Cunha

A Message to the Community from Noe Zamel updating them on the Asthma Project

The second stage of the Project Genetics of Asthma in Tristan da Cunha, has been a success so far thanks to the collaboration of the administration, chief-islander, island council, medical officer, nurses, volunteers and thanks very especially to the collaboration and compliance of virtually all the members of the Edinburgh Settlement. Even the weather has "collaborated" to delay my departure from Tristan so that I could carry with me all the saliva samples to Cape Town on the MV Edinburgh and from there dispatch the package to Toronto.

The initial study was successful in identifying in Tristan da Cunha the first of gene related to asthma. This gene is called ESE-3 and it is located in the short arm of the chromosome number 11. The ESE-3 is a transcription factor and as such controls the function of a number of other genes, including the gene responsible for deposition of collagen in the walls of the lung airways, making the walls thicker and the lumen narrower. Other genes and their functions, which are under the control of the ESE-3 gene, will have to be identified.

The purpose of the present second stage of the study is to obtain additional DNA from the saliva in order to test the possibility of other genes also associated with asthma, so that the knowledge of the genetic causes of asthma will be better understood, leading to a better management in due course.

On behalf of the large research team working on the Project Genetics of Asthma in Tristan da Cunha and on behalf of about 300 million of asthmatics all over the world and their families, I wish to thank you all ever so much for your kind collaboration and enthusiasm with the project. We hope that this extraordinary effort will result in a much better management of asthma all over the world.

This is my third visit to Tristan da Cunha and my attachment to this island and to the community is one of the greatest pride of my life.

I hope to return to Tristan again and again!

Most sincerely,

Noe Zamel, MD, FRCPC,FCCP

Professor

Department of Medicine

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario

Canada