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Virkud YV, Kelly RS, Croteau-Chonka DC, Celedón JC, Dahlin A, Avila L, Raby BA, Weiss ST, Lasky-Su JA. Novel eosinophilic gene expression networks associated with IgE in two distinct asthma populations. Clin Exp Allergy 2018; 48:1654-1664. [PMID: 30107053 PMCID: PMC6659730 DOI: 10.1111/cea.13249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asthma represents a significant public health burden; however, novel biological therapies targeting immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated pathways have widened clinical treatment options for the disease. OBJECTIVE In this study, we sought to identify gene transcripts and gene networks involved in the determination of serum IgE levels in people with asthma that can help inform the development of novel therapeutic agents. METHODS We analysed gene expression data from a cross-sectional study of 326 Costa Rican children with asthma, aged 6 to 12 years, from the Genetics of Asthma in Costa Rica Study and 610 young adults with asthma, aged 16 to 25 years, from the Childhood Asthma Management Program trial. We utilized differential gene expression analysis and performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis on 25 060 genes, to identify gene transcripts and network modules associated with total IgE, adjusting for age and gender. We used pathway enrichment analyses to identify key biological pathways underlying significant modules. We compared findings that replicated between both populations. RESULTS We identified 31 transcripts associated with total IgE that replicated between the two study cohorts. These results were notable for increased eosinophil-related transcripts (including IL5RA, CLC, SMPD3, CCL23 and CEBPE). Pathway enrichment identified the regulation of T cell tolerance as important in the determination of total IgE levels, supporting a key role for IDO1. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These results provide robust evidence that biologically meaningful gene expression profiles (relating to eosinophilic and regulatory T cell pathways in particular) associated with total IgE levels can be identified in individuals diagnosed with asthma during childhood. These profiles and their constituent genes may represent novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamini V Virkud
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts.,Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rachel S Kelly
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Damien C Croteau-Chonka
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Juan C Celedón
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Amber Dahlin
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lydiana Avila
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Nacional de Niños, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - Benjamin A Raby
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Scott T Weiss
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jessica A Lasky-Su
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
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Kelly RS, Virkud Y, Giorgio R, Celedón JC, Weiss ST, Lasky-Su J. Metabolomic profiling of lung function in Costa-Rican children with asthma. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2017; 1863:1590-1595. [PMID: 28188833 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of novel therapeutics and treatment regimens for the management of asthma is hindered by an incomplete understanding of its heterogeneous nature and pathophysiology. Metabolomics can provide an integrated and global profile of a biological system in a dysregulated state, making it a valuable tool to identify biomarkers along the disease development pathway and to understand the biological mechanisms driving that pathway. METHODS Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry metabolomic profiling was conducted on plasma samples provided at recruitment for 380 children with asthma from the 'Genetic Epidemiology of Asthma in Costa Rica Cohort'. Metabolites associated with three clinical characteristics of asthma severity (i) airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) (ii) percent-predicted forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity ratio (FEV1/FVC), and (iii) FEV1/FVC post-bronchodilator were identified and their discriminatory ability assessed. Metabolite set enrichment analyses was applied to explore the biology underlying these relationships. RESULTS AHR was associated (p<0.05) with 91 of 574 metabolites (15.9%), FEV1/FVC pre-bronchodilator with 102(17.8%), and FEV1/FVC post-bronchodilator with 155 (27.0%). The findings suggest that these characteristics capture some common and some distinct phenotypic aspects of lung function; glycerophospholipid, linoleic acid and pyrimidine metabolism were common to all three characteristics. The corresponding metabolomic profiles showed moderate but robust discriminatory ability. CONCLUSIONS The results confirm the existence of an asthma severity metabolome. However, differences in the metabolomic profiles of the three lung function characteristics studied, suggest that refinement of both phenotype classification and metabolite selection should be a priority as the field of asthma metabolomics progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel S Kelly
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Yamini Virkud
- Division of Pediatric Allergy & Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Rachel Giorgio
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Juan C Celedón
- Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Scott T Weiss
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jessica Lasky-Su
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Wassall HJH, Devereux G, Seaton A, Barker RN. Complex effects of vitamin E and vitamin C supplementation on in vitro neonatal mononuclear cell responses to allergens. Nutrients 2013; 5:3337-51. [PMID: 24067384 PMCID: PMC3798907 DOI: 10.3390/nu5093337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2013] [Revised: 06/21/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Low maternal dietary vitamin E (but not vitamin C) intake during pregnancy has been associated with increased in vitro cord blood mononuclear cell (CBMC) proliferative responses, childhood wheezing and asthma. We investigated whether these associations reflect direct effects of vitamin E by investigating the effects of supplementing CBMC cultures with physiological concentrations of vitamin E. CBMC from seventy neonates were cultured supplemented with either nothing, α-tocopherol or ascorbic acid. Proliferative, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β responses were measured. In general, vitamin E supplementation was associated with a trend for reduced proliferative responses after stimulation with antigens and house dust mite, and with increased proliferation after stimulation with timothy grass allergen. There was a trend for CBMC cultures to exhibit decreased secretion of IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-4. Supplementation with vitamin C had no effect on CBMC proliferation, but increased IFN-γ and IL-4 production, and decreased IL-10 production. In conclusion, in vitro vitamin E and C supplementation of CBMC modifies neonatal immune function, but not in a manner predicted by observational epidemiological studies. The observed associations between vitamin E and childhood respiratory disease are complex, and the nature and form of nutritional intervention need to be carefully considered before inclusion in trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather J. H. Wassall
- Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; E-Mail:
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +44-1224-437-510; Fax: +44-1224-437-348
| | - Graham Devereux
- Division of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; E-Mail:
| | - Anthony Seaton
- Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; E-Mail:
| | - Robert N. Barker
- Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK; E-Mail:
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Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for childhood allergic disease and asthma. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol 2012; 12:179-85. [PMID: 22266772 DOI: 10.1097/aci.0b013e3283507927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Over the past 2 years, the number of studies relating vitamin D deficiency and asthma and allergies has increased significantly. The purpose of this review is to update the last review in this journal and examine the evidence of the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and childhood asthma and allergies. RECENT FINDINGS In the past 2 years since the last review, there have been many studies, both cross-sectional and prospective, that have investigated the effects of vitamin D on the inception and severity of asthma and allergies. Most, but not all, studies have shown that low vitamin D levels increase the risk for asthma and allergies, but a few suggest an increased risk with high levels. Results from small trials of short duration suggest that vitamin D supplementation decreases severity of eczema and decreases the risk for asthma exacerbations. SUMMARY Data that vitamin D deficiency results in increased risks for asthma and allergies continues to accumulate. However, the optimal level of vitamin D that decreases both the risk for development and severity of these disorders remains elusive. Results of ongoing clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation will be needed before recommendations can be firmly established.
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Abstract
The prevalence of asthma and other atopic disorders continues to increase worldwide. Examination of the epidemiologic patterns has revealed that this rise has occurred primarily in western, industrialised countries and countries transitioning to this lifestyle. While many changes have occurred in human populations over the years, it has been hypothesised that some of the relevant changes that have led to the rise in asthma and atopic disorders have been the changes from a traditional diet to a more western diet consisting of decreased intake of fruits and vegetables (sources of antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids) leading to decreased intakes of vitamins E and A, and a decrease in sun exposure (e.g. greater time spent indoors and heavy use of sunscreen) leading to decreased circulating levels of vitamin D. This review will examine the evidence for an effect of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D and K) on the development and severity of asthma and allergies. While observational studies suggest that these vitamins may play a salutary role in asthma and allergies, large, well-designed clinical trials are lacking. Of the fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin D holds great promise as an agent for primary and secondary prevention of disease. Ongoing clinical trials will help determine whether results of observational studies can be applied to the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto A Litonjua
- Channing Laboratory and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Abstract
A growing body of evidence highlights the importance of a mother's nutrition from preconception through lactation in programming the emerging organ systems and homeostatic pathways of her offspring. The developing immune system may be particularly vulnerable. Indeed, examples of nutrition-mediated immune programming can be found in the literature on intra-uterine growth retardation, maternal micronutrient deficiencies, and infant feeding. Current models of immune ontogeny depict a "layered" expansion of increasingly complex defenses, which may be permanently altered by maternal malnutrition. One programming mechanism involves activation of the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to nutritional stress. Fetal or neonatal exposure to elevated stress hormones is linked in animal studies to permanent changes in neuroendocrine-immune interactions, with diverse manifestations such as an attenuated inflammatory response or reduced resistance to tumor colonization. Maternal malnutrition may also have a direct influence, as evidenced by nutrient-driven epigenetic changes to developing T regulatory cells and subsequent risk of allergy or asthma. A 3rd programming pathway involves placental or breast milk transfer of maternal immune factors with immunomodulatory functions (e.g. cytokines). Maternal malnutrition can directly affect transfer mechanisms or influence the quality or quantity of transferred factors. The public health implications of nutrition-mediated immune programming are of particular importance in the developing world, where prevalent maternal undernutrition is coupled with persistent infectious challenges. However, early alterations to the immune system, resulting from either nutritional deficiencies or excesses, have broad relevance for immune-mediated diseases, such as asthma, and chronic inflammatory conditions like cardiovascular disease.
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Hagendorens MM, Bridts CH, Lauwers K, van Nuijs S, Ebo DG, Vellinga A, De Clerck LS, Van Bever HP, Weyler JJ, Stevens WJ. Perinatal risk factors for sensitization, atopic dermatitis and wheezing during the first year of life (PIPO study). Clin Exp Allergy 2006; 35:733-40. [PMID: 15969663 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2005.02254.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of perinatal environmental factors on early sensitization, atopic dermatitis and wheezing during the first year. METHODS Information on pregnancy-related factors, parental atopic history, environmental factors and the clinical course of the infant until age one was gathered by questionnaires, as part of a prospective birth cohort study (Prospective study on the Influence of Perinatal factors on the Occurrence of asthma and allergies [PIPO-study]). Quantification of total and specific IgE was performed in 810 children and their parents. RESULTS Early sensitization was found in 107/810 (13%) of the infants. Multiple regression analysis showed that specific IgE in fathers was a risk factor for early sensitization in their daughters (adjusted odds ratios (OR(adj)) 2.21 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.10-4.49); P=0.03), whereas in boys, day care attendance was shown to be protective for early sensitization (OR(adj) 0.38 (95% CI 0.20-0.71); P=0.001). Atopic dermatitis occurred in 195/792 infants (25%). Specific IgE in the mother (OR(adj) 1.52 (95% CI 1.06-2.19); P=0.02) and in the infant (OR(adj) 4.20 (95% CI 2.63-6.68); P<0.001) were both risk factors for the occurence of atopic dermatitis, whereas postnatal exposure to cats was negatively associated with atopic dermatitis (OR(adj) 0.68 (0.47-0.97); P=0.03). Postnatal exposure to cigarette smoke (OR(adj) 3.31 (95% CI 1.79-6.09); P<0.001) and day care attendance (OR(adj) 1.96 (95% CI 1.18-3.23); P=0.009) were significantly associated with early wheezing, which occurred in 25% (197/795) of the infants. CONCLUSION The effect of paternal sensitization and day care attendance on sensitization is gender dependent. Maternal sensitization predisposes for atopic dermatitis, whereas postnatal exposure to cats had a protective effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Hagendorens
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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Karrow NA. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic nervous system during inflammation and altered programming of the neuroendocrine-immune axis during fetal and neonatal development: lessons learned from the model inflammagen, lipopolysaccharide. Brain Behav Immun 2006; 20:144-58. [PMID: 16023324 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2005.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2005] [Revised: 05/09/2005] [Accepted: 05/12/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) are both activated during inflammation as an elaborate multi-directional communication pathway designed to restore homeostasis, in part, by regulating the inflammatory and subsequent immune response. During fetal and neonatal development programming of the HPAA, ANS and possibly the immune system is influenced by signals from the surrounding environment, as part of an adaptive mechanism to enhance the survival of the offspring. It is currently hypothesized that if this programming is either misguided, or the individual's environment is drastically altered such that neuroendocrine programming becomes maladaptive, it may contribute to the pathogenesis of certain diseases. Current research, suggests that exposure to inflammatory signals during critical windows of early life development may influence the programming of various genes within the neuroendocrine-immune axis. This review will provide, (1) an overview of the HPAA and ANS pathways that are activated during inflammation, highlighting studies that have used lipopolysaccharide as a model inflammagen and, (2) evidence to support the hypothesis that inflammatory stress during fetal and neonatal development can alter programming of the neuroendocrine-immune axis, influencing stress and immune responsiveness, and possibly disease resistance later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- N A Karrow
- Centre for the Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Ont., Canada, N1G 2W1.
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Holsapple MP, Jones D, Kawabata TT, Kimber I, Sarlo K, Selgrade MK, Shah J, Woolhiser MR. Assessing the Potential to Induce Respiratory Hypersensitivity. Toxicol Sci 2005; 91:4-13. [PMID: 16339788 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfj074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute and repeat dose inhalation studies have been an important part of the safety assessment of drugs, chemicals, and other products throughout the world for many years. It is known that damage to the respiratory tract can be triggered either by nonspecific irritation or by specific immune-mediated pathogenesis, and it is acknowledged that traditional inhalation studies are not designed to address fully the impact of the latter. It is also recognized that different types of immune-mediated responses can be triggered by different classes of compounds and that some immune reactions in the lung are life threatening. As such, it is important to understand as fully as possible the basis for the immune-mediated damage to the lung in order to characterize adequately the risks of individual chemicals or proteins. It is against this background that a review of the methods used to assess the potential for immune-mediated respiratory hypersensitivity was conducted. The primary objectives of this review are to discuss appropriate methods for identifying and characterizing respiratory hypersensitivity hazards and risks; and to identify key data gaps and related research needs with respect to respiratory hypersensitivity testing. The following working definition of respiratory hypersensitivity was formulated: a hypersensitivity response in the respiratory tract precipitated by a specific immune response, mediated by multiple mechanisms, including IgE antibody. Because of the importance played by various classes of compounds, the subsequent sections of this review will consider protein-specific, chemical-specific, and drug-specific aspects of respiratory hypersensitivity.
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