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Reddy KD, Oliver BGG. Sexual dimorphism in chronic respiratory diseases. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:47. [PMID: 36882807 PMCID: PMC9993607 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-00998-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in susceptibility, severity, and progression are prevalent for various diseases in multiple organ systems. This phenomenon is particularly apparent in respiratory diseases. Asthma demonstrates an age-dependent pattern of sexual dimorphism. However, marked differences between males and females exist in other pervasive conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. The sex hormones estrogen and testosterone are commonly considered the primary factors causing sexual dimorphism in disease. However, how they contribute to differences in disease onset between males and females remains undefined. The sex chromosomes are an under-investigated fundamental form of sexual dimorphism. Recent studies highlight key X and Y-chromosome-linked genes that regulate vital cell processes and can contribute to disease-relevant mechanisms. This review summarises patterns of sex differences in asthma, COPD and lung cancer, highlighting physiological mechanisms causing the observed dimorphism. We also describe the role of the sex hormones and present candidate genes on the sex chromosomes as potential factors contributing to sexual dimorphism in disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karosham Diren Reddy
- Respiratory and Cellular Molecular Biology Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Glebe, NSW, 2037, Australia.
- School of Life Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia.
| | - Brian Gregory George Oliver
- Respiratory and Cellular Molecular Biology Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Glebe, NSW, 2037, Australia
- School of Life Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
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2
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Zou J, Sun T, Song X, Liu YM, Lei F, Chen MM, Chen Z, Zhang P, Ji YX, Zhang XJ, She ZG, Cai J, Luo Y, Wang P, Li H. Distributions and trends of the global burden of COPD attributable to risk factors by SDI, age, and sex from 1990 to 2019: a systematic analysis of GBD 2019 data. Respir Res 2022; 23:90. [PMID: 35410227 PMCID: PMC8996417 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-022-02011-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Global distributions and trends of the risk-attributable burdens of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have rarely been systematically explored. To guide the formulation of targeted and accurate strategies for the management of COPD, we analyzed COPD burdens attributable to known risk factors. Methods Using detailed COPD data from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019, we analyzed disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and deaths attributable to each risk factor from 1990 to 2019. Additionally, we calculated estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) during the study period. The population attributable fraction (PAF) and summary exposure value (SEV) of each risk factor are also presented. Results From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized DALY and death rates of COPD attributable to smoking and household air pollution, occupational particles, secondhand smoke, and low temperature presented consistently declining trends in almost all socio-demographic index (SDI) regions. However, the decline in YLD was not as dramatic as that of the death rate. In contrast, the COPD burden attributable to ambient particulate matter, ozone, and high temperature exposure showed undesirable increasing trends in the low- and low-middle-SDI regions. In addition, the age-standardized DALY and death rates attributable to each risk factor except household air pollution and low temperature were the highest in the low-middle-SDI region. In 2019, the COPD burden attributable to smoking ambient particulate matter, ozone, occupational particles, low and high temperature was obviously greater in males than in females. Meanwhile, the most important risk factors for female varied across regions (low- and low-middle-SDI regions: household air pollution; middle-SDI region: ambient particles; high-middle- and high-SDI region: smoking). Conclusions Increasing trends of COPD burden attributable to ambient particulate matter, ozone, and high temperature exposure in the low-middle- and low-SDI regions call for an urgent need to implement specific and effective measures. Moreover, considering the gender differences in COPD burdens attributable to some risk factors such as ambient particulate matter and ozone with similar SEV, further research on biological differences between sexes in COPD and relevant policy-making of disease prevention are required. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02011-y.
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Koo HK, Morrow J, Kachroo P, Tantisira K, Weiss ST, Hersh CP, Silverman EK, DeMeo DL. Sex-specific associations with DNA methylation in lung tissue demonstrate smoking interactions. Epigenetics 2021; 16:692-703. [PMID: 32962511 PMCID: PMC8143227 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1819662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cigarette smoking impacts DNA methylation, but the investigation of sex-specific features of lung tissue DNA methylation in smokers has been limited. Women appear more susceptible to cigarette smoke, and often develop more severe lung disease at an earlier age with less smoke exposure. We aimed to analyse whether there are sex differences in DNA methylation in lung tissue and whether these DNA methylation marks interact with smoking. We collected lung tissue samples from former smokers who underwent lung tissue resection. One hundred thirty samples from white subjects were included for this analysis. Regression models for sex as a predictor of methylation were adjusted for age, presence of COPD, smoking variables and technical batch variables revealed 710 associated sites. 294 sites demonstrated robust sex-specific methylation associations in foetal lung tissue. Pathway analysis identified 6 nominally significant pathways including the mitophagy pathway. Three CpG sites demonstrated a suggested interaction between sex and pack-years of smoking: GPR132, ANKRD44 and C19orf60. All of them were nominally significant in both male- and female-specific models, and the effect estimates were in opposite directions for male and female; GPR132 demonstrated significant association between DNA methylation and gene expression in lung tissue (P < 0.05). Sex-specific associations with DNA methylation in lung tissue are wide-spread and may reveal genes and pathways relevant to sex differences for lung damaging effects of cigarette smoking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon-Kyoung Koo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Ilsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jarrett Morrow
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Priyadarshini Kachroo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kelan Tantisira
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Scott T Weiss
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Craig P Hersh
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Edwin K Silverman
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dawn L DeMeo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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4
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Gillenwater LA, Kechris KJ, Pratte KA, Reisdorph N, Petrache I, Labaki WW, O’Neal W, Krishnan JA, Ortega VE, DeMeo DL, Bowler RP. Metabolomic Profiling Reveals Sex Specific Associations with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema. Metabolites 2021; 11:161. [PMID: 33799786 PMCID: PMC7999201 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11030161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Susceptibility and progression of lung disease, as well as response to treatment, often differ by sex, yet the metabolic mechanisms driving these sex-specific differences are still poorly understood. Women with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have less emphysema and more small airway disease on average than men, though these differences become less pronounced with more severe airflow limitation. While small studies of targeted metabolites have identified compounds differing by sex and COPD status, the sex-specific effect of COPD on systemic metabolism has yet to be interrogated. Significant sex differences were observed in 9 of the 11 modules identified in COPDGene. Sex-specific associations by COPD status and emphysema were observed in 3 modules for each phenotype. Sex stratified individual metabolite associations with COPD demonstrated male-specific associations in sphingomyelins and female-specific associations in acyl carnitines and phosphatidylethanolamines. There was high preservation of module assignments in SPIROMICS (SubPopulations and InteRmediate Outcome Measures In COPD Study) and similar female-specific shift in acyl carnitines. Several COPD associated metabolites differed by sex. Acyl carnitines and sphingomyelins demonstrate sex-specific abundances and may represent important metabolic signatures of sex differences in COPD. Accurately characterizing the sex-specific molecular differences in COPD is vital for personalized diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas A. Gillenwater
- Computational Bioscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Katerina J. Kechris
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Katherine A. Pratte
- Division of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA; (K.A.P.); (I.P.); (R.P.B.)
| | - Nichole Reisdorph
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Irina Petrache
- Division of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA; (K.A.P.); (I.P.); (R.P.B.)
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Wassim W. Labaki
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Wanda O’Neal
- Cystic Fibrosis/Pulmonary Research and Treatment Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jerry A. Krishnan
- Breathe Chicago Center, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60608, USA;
| | - Victor E. Ortega
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA;
| | - Dawn L. DeMeo
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, and Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Russell P. Bowler
- Division of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, CO 80206, USA; (K.A.P.); (I.P.); (R.P.B.)
- School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Zhang WZ, Rice MC, Hoffman KL, Oromendia C, Barjaktarevic IZ, Wells JM, Hastie AT, Labaki WW, Cooper CB, Comellas AP, Criner GJ, Krishnan JA, Paine R, Hansel NN, Bowler RP, Barr RG, Peters SP, Woodruff PG, Curtis JL, Han MK, Ballman KV, Martinez FJ, Choi AM, Nakahira K, Cloonan SM, Choi ME. Association of urine mitochondrial DNA with clinical measures of COPD in the SPIROMICS cohort. JCI Insight 2020; 5:133984. [PMID: 31895696 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.133984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDMitochondrial dysfunction, a proposed mechanism of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) pathogenesis, is associated with the leakage of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), which may be detected extracellularly in various bodily fluids. Despite evidence for the increased prevalence of chronic kidney disease in COPD subjects and for mitochondrial dysfunction in the kidneys of murine COPD models, whether urine mtDNA (u-mtDNA) associates with measures of disease severity in COPD is unknown.METHODSCell-free u-mtDNA, defined as copy number of mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase-1 (MTND1) gene, was measured by quantitative PCR and normalized to urine creatinine in cell-free urine samples from participants in the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcome Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) cohort. Urine albumin/creatinine ratios (UACR) were measured in the same samples. Associations between u-mtDNA, UACR, and clinical disease parameters - including FEV1 % predicted, clinical measures of exercise tolerance, respiratory symptom burden, and chest CT measures of lung structure - were examined.RESULTSU-mtDNA and UACR levels were measured in never smokers (n = 64), smokers without airflow obstruction (n = 109), participants with mild/moderate COPD (n = 142), and participants with severe COPD (n = 168). U-mtDNA was associated with increased respiratory symptom burden, especially among smokers without COPD. Significant sex differences in u-mtDNA levels were observed, with females having higher u-mtDNA levels across all study subgroups. U-mtDNA associated with worse spirometry and CT emphysema in males only and with worse respiratory symptoms in females only. Similar associations were not found with UACR.CONCLUSIONU-mtDNA levels may help to identify distinct clinical phenotypes and underlying pathobiological differences in males versus females with COPD.TRIAL REGISTRATIONThis study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01969344).FUNDINGUS NIH, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, supplemented by contributions made through the Foundation for the NIH and the COPD Foundation from AstraZeneca/MedImmune, Bayer, Bellerophon Therapeutics, Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A., Forest Research Institute Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, Grifols Therapeutics Inc., Ikaria Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Nycomed GmbH, ProterixBio, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Sanofi, Sunovion, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, and Theravance Biopharma and Mylan.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Z Zhang
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michelle C Rice
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, and
| | - Katherine L Hoffman
- Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Clara Oromendia
- Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Igor Z Barjaktarevic
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - J Michael Wells
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Annette T Hastie
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Immunologic Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Wassim W Labaki
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Christopher B Cooper
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alejandro P Comellas
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Gerard J Criner
- Department of Thoracic Medicine and Surgery, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jerry A Krishnan
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep and Allergy, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Robert Paine
- Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Nadia N Hansel
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Russell P Bowler
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - R Graham Barr
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Stephen P Peters
- Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, and Immunologic Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Prescott G Woodruff
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UCSF, School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Curtis
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Meilan K Han
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Karla V Ballman
- Department of Healthcare Policy and Research, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fernando J Martinez
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Augustine Mk Choi
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kiichi Nakahira
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Suzanne M Cloonan
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mary E Choi
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA.,Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, and
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Widespread Sexual Dimorphism in the Transcriptome of Human Airway Epithelium in Response to Smoking. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17600. [PMID: 31772224 PMCID: PMC6879662 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54051-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological studies have shown that female smokers are at higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Female patients have worse symptoms and health status and increased risk of exacerbations. We determined the differences in the transcriptome of the airway epithelium between males and females, as well the sex-by-smoking interaction. We processed public gene expression data of human airway epithelium into a discovery cohort of 211 subjects (never smokers n = 68; current smokers n = 143) and two replication cohorts of 104 subjects (21 never, 52 current, and 31 former smokers) and 238 subjects (99 current and 139 former smokers. We analyzed gene differential expression with smoking status, sex, and smoking-by-sex interaction and used network approaches for modules’ level analyses. We identified and replicated two differentially expressed modules between the sexes in response to smoking with genes located throughout the autosomes and not restricted to sex chromosomes. The two modules were enriched in autophagy (up-regulated in female smokers) and response to virus and type 1 interferon signaling pathways which were down-regulated in female smokers compared to males. The results offer insights into the molecular mechanisms of the sexually dimorphic effect of smoking, potentially enabling a precision medicine approach to smoking related lung diseases.
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Zuo H, Faiz A, van den Berge M, Mudiyanselage SNHR, Borghuis T, Timens W, Nikolaev VO, Burgess JK, Schmidt M. Cigarette smoke exposure alters phosphodiesterases in human structural lung cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2019; 318:L59-L64. [PMID: 31664853 DOI: 10.1152/ajplung.00319.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cigarette smoke (CS), a highly complex mixture containing more than 4,000 compounds, causes aberrant cell responses leading to tissue damage around the airways and alveoli, which underlies various lung diseases. Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are a family of enzymes that hydrolyze cyclic nucleotides. PDE inhibition induces bronchodilation, reduces the activation and recruitment of inflammatory cells, and the release of various cytokines. Currently, the selective PDE4 inhibitor roflumilast is an approved add-on treatment for patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with chronic bronchitis and a history of frequent exacerbations. Additional selective PDE inhibitors are being tested in preclinical and clinical studies. However, the effect of chronic CS exposure on the expression of PDEs is unknown. Using mRNA isolated from nasal and bronchial brushes and lung tissues of never smokers and current smokers, we compared the gene expression of 25 PDE coding genes. Additionally, the expression and distribution of PDE3A and PDE4D in human lung tissues was examined. This study reveals that chronic CS exposure modulates the expression of various PDE members. Thus, CS exposure may change the levels of intracellular cyclic nucleotides and thereby impact the efficiency of PDE-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxiao Zuo
- University of Groningen, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alen Faiz
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, Department of Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Emphysema Center, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Glebe, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Respiratory Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Berge
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, Department of Pulmonary Diseases, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Theo Borghuis
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Timens
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Viacheslav O Nikolaev
- Institute of Experimental Cardiovascular Research, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,German Center for Cardiovascular Research, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Janette K Burgess
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martina Schmidt
- University of Groningen, Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Groningen, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD, Groningen, The Netherlands
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