Airway transcriptome networks identify susceptibility to frequent asthma exacerbations in children

Abstract

Frequent asthma exacerbators, defined as those experiencing more than 1 hospitalization in a year for an asthma exacerbation, represent an important subgroup of individuals with asthma. However, this group remains poorly defined and understudied in children. Our aim was to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying asthma pathogenesis and exacerbation frequency. We performed RNA sequencing of upper airway cells from both frequent and nonfrequent exacerbators enrolled in the Ohio Pediatric Asthma Repository. Through molecular network analysis, we found that nonfrequent exacerbators display an increase in modules enriched for immune system processes, including type 2 inflammation and response to infection. In contrast, frequent exacerbators showed expression of modules enriched for nervous system processes, such as synaptic formation and axonal outgrowth. These data suggest that the upper airway of frequent exacerbators undergoes peripheral nervous system remodeling, representing a novel mechanism underlying pediatric asthma exacerbation.