145 | id == 145
145 | category_id == 17
145 | category_order == 14
145 | category_name == Respiratory Health
145 | category_color == #C47AC0
145 | slug == AHR-ARDS
145 | title == Can This Master-Switch Gene Protect Against ARDS? (AHR)
145 | meta_description == A variant in AHR may increase susceptibility to ARDS in people with pneumonia. Read on to learn more.
145 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>Can genetics make you more susceptible to ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome)? Studies of AhR suggest that may be the case. Read on to learn more.</strong></p>
145 | overall_score_text == ARDS Susceptibility Score (based on AHR)
145 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/AhR--ARDS.jpg
145 | author_id == 10
145 | author_name == Biljana Novkovic
145 | author_title == PhD
145 | author_order == 50
145 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Biljana.jpg
145 | author_intro == <p><strong>Biljana received her PhD in Ecological Genetics from Hokkaido University.</strong></p>    <p>Before joining SelfHacked, she was a research scientist with extensive field and laboratory experience. She spent 4 years reviewing the scientific literature on supplements, lab tests and other areas of health sciences. She is passionate about releasing the most accurate science &amp; health information available on topics, and she&#39;s meticulous when writing and reviewing articles to make sure the science is sound. She believes that SelfHacked has the best science that is also layperson-friendly on the web.</p>
145 | reviewer == None
145 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
145 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
145 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
145 | publish_date == 2020
145 | publish_date == 4
145 | publish_date == 10
145 | avg_rating == 4.5
145 | tags_id == 364
145 | tags_name == AHR gene
145 | tags_id == 348
145 | tags_name == ARDS
145 | tags_id == 363
145 | tags_name == Pneumonia
145 | tags_id == 350
145 | tags_name == Respiratory Health
145 | tags_id == 336
145 | tags_name == Respiratory Infection
145 | permissions_favorite == False
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145 | content_article == <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">This article is for informational purposes only. None of the information here should be taken as medical advice. If you suspect you may have any kind of infection, seek medical help immediately. </span></em><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Keep in mind that these results are based on association studies, which are correlative and aren&rsquo;t necessarily causative. In addition, any single genetic variant will typically contribute only a small proportion to the overall risk of the condition, and non-genetic factors play a large role in developing a condition as well. Therefore, just because you have one of these genotypes does not necessarily mean you are at an increased risk of developing this condition!</span></em></p> <h2><strong>What is AhR?</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The</span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/blog/gene/ahr/"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is basically a master-switch which turns other genes on and off [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2583464/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is most widely studied for its role in the body's response to toxins. For example, AhRs are responsible for recognizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are compounds that can cause cancer. AhRs signals the body to neutralize them [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2583464/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26141390"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More recently, however, scientists have also discovered that AhR plays important roles in immunity and inflammation [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24127120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">AhR is a master-switch that turns other genes on or off. It's important for neutralizing toxins and also plays a role in immunity and inflammation.</span></p> <h2><strong>AhR and ARDS</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a progressive, life-threatening condition that may develop from severe cases of respiratory diseases. During ARDS, the lungs no longer work properly because they get filled with fluid leaking from the blood vessels. This leads to labored breathing, insufficient oxygen supply, and eventually organ failure. People with ARDS often need to go on a ventilator, and over 40% of them end up dying [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24364461"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27028393"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108259/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4267590/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK436002/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A group of Russian scientists has found that in pneumonia, the carries of the 'A' allele ('AG' and 'AA' genotypes) for the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">AHR</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> SNP rs2066853 had a higher risk of developing ARDS [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24127120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A variant in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">AHR</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has been associated with a higher risk of developing ARDS, an often fatal complication of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>AhR In The Lungs</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How can the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">AHR</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene affect the outcome in respiratory infections? Scientists don't yet know for sure. But there is animal research that suggests AhR can protect the lungs by:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Combating oxidative stress [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24127120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Activating certain parts of the immune response [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26416282"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Decreasing neutrophils (a type of white blood cells) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">] -- neutrophil accumulation and infiltration into the lungs is a key feature of ARDS [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257140/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6492013/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5889088/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Decreasing inflammation and inflammatory cytokines, including Th17 [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6320801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">] -- patients with ARDS usually have elevated IL-17 in the lungs and blood, which correlates with ARDS severity [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6367126/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29212183/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">,</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26540401/"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two studies in mice have shown that activating AhR improved outcomes in (bacterial) pneumonia [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1594941/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3389256/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When it comes to human AhR, it turns out that the 'A' allele of rs2066853 decreases AhR levels [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21742528"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]. Lower levels of AhR in this context would mean less protection for the lungs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">AhR may be protective in respiratory infections by combating oxidative stress and preventing excessive inflammation.&nbsp;</span></p> <h2><strong>Your AhR Results for ARDS</strong></h2> <p>*1203123800822703*</p> <h3><strong>SNP Summary and Table</strong></h3> <p><strong><em>AHR</em></strong><strong> rs2066853</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>'G' = common allele, associated with higher AHR expression</strong></li> <li><strong>'A' = less common allele, associated with lower AHR expression and increased susceptibility to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21742528"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24127120"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 35% of people carry one, and 9% carry two copies of the 'A' allele. This allele is slightly more common in Africans and East Asians.&nbsp;</span></p> <p>*5375741556476355*</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations For Lung Health</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may try the complementary approaches listed below if you and your doctor determine that they could be appropriate for you. Discuss the strategies listed here with your doctor. Remember that none of them should ever be done in place of what your doctor recommends or prescribes.</span></em></p> <p>*5210197464604558*</p> <h3><strong>Garlic</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Studies in humans suggest that garlic may help reduce the severity and duration of respiratory infections. It increased the number of immune cells (T cells and </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/intro-natural-killer-cells-increase-decrease/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NK cells</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">), boosting the immune system while lowering inflammatory proteins (cytokines) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19588383"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11697022"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A trial in 17 volunteers showed that a meal containing garlic increased AhR levels in the blood [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26423732"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].<br /></span></p> <h3><strong>Quercetin</strong></h3> <p><a href="https://www.selfhacked.com/blog/quercetin-22-scientifically-proven-benefits-quercetin/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quercetin</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a dietary polyphenol found in plant foods, including red grapes, onions, green tea, apples, berries, and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ginkgo biloba</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Studies in cells suggest that quercetin increases AhR activity [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32115260/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10359656"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6016704/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32115260/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19794518"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a clinical trial on 102 male smokers, both eating an antioxidant diet (including berries, green vegetables, nuts, green tea, dark chocolate, and olive oil) and eating 3 kiwifruits/day (which are a rich source of polyphenols including quercetin) increased the expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">AhR </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">and other genes involved in detoxification and defence [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2955589/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Importantly, quercetin decreased total sick days and severity of respiratory infections in middle aged and older subjects, but only in those who rated themselves as physically fit [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20478383"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quercetin also reduced the incidence of respiratory infections in trained athletes after stressful exercise [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17805089"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finally, quercetin prevented the worsening of lung disease in mice with lung issues (COPD) infected by rhinovirus [</span><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0199612"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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rsIDs = rs2066853
rsStatus = rs2066853,AHR,chr7,17339486,G,A,,,35,0,Normal
