TNF and asthma: Other variants of suggested pleiotropic importance are the TNF-α gene complex within which several polymorphisms have been associated with asthma, intermediate asthma phenotypes, and obesity [Li Kam Wa et al., 1999; Tantisira & Weiss, 2001]; and the low affinity immunoglobulin E receptor (FCɛRB) and uncoupling protein 2 and 3 genes that have been associated with measures of asthma and objective measures of atopy [Palmer, 2001], and fat distribution [Rosmond, 2003], respectively.