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Interferon regulatory factor 7 is a major hub connecting interferon-mediated responses in virus-induced asthma exacerbations in vivo

The objective of this study was to elucidate the molecular networks that underpin virus-induced exacerbations in asthmatic children in vivo.

Hospitalisation with infection, asthma and allergy in Kawasaki disease patients and their families: genealogical analysis using linked population data

Kawasaki disease results from an abnormal immunological response to one or more infectious triggers.

Autism likelihood in infants born to mothers with asthma is associated with blood inflammatory gene biomarkers in pregnancy

Mothers with asthma or atopy have a higher likelihood of having autistic children, with maternal immune activation in pregnancy implicated as a mechanism. This study aimed to determine, in a prospective cohort of mothers with asthma and their infants, whether inflammatory gene expression in pregnancy is associated with likelihood of future autism.

From Beneath the Skin to the Airway Wall: Understanding the Pathological Role of Adipose Tissue in Comorbid Asthma-Obesity

This article provides a contemporary report on the role of adipose tissue in respiratory dysfunction. Adipose tissue is distributed throughout the body, accumulating beneath the skin (subcutaneous), around organs (visceral), and importantly in the context of respiratory disease, has recently been shown to accumulate within the airway wall: "airway-associated adipose tissue." Excessive adipose tissue deposition compromises respiratory function and increases the severity of diseases such as asthma.

AI-Driven Cell Tracking to Enable High-Throughput Drug Screening Targeting Airway Epithelial Repair for Children with Asthma

The airway epithelium of children with asthma is characterized by aberrant repair that may be therapeutically modifiable. The development of epithelial-targeting therapeutics that enhance airway repair could provide a novel treatment avenue for childhood asthma.

ACE2 expression is elevated in airway epithelial cells from older and male healthy individuals but reduced in asthma

COVID-19 is complicated by acute lung injury, and death in some individuals. It is caused by SARS-CoV-2 that requires the ACE2 receptor and serine proteases to enter AEC. We determined what factors are associated with ACE2 expression particularly in patients with asthma and COPD. We obtained lower AEC from 145 people from two independent cohorts, aged 2-89 years, Newcastle (n = 115) and Perth (n = 30), Australia. The Newcastle cohort was enriched with people with asthma (n = 37) and COPD (n = 38). Gene expression for ACE2 and other genes potentially associated with SARS-CoV-2 cell entry was assessed by qPCR, and protein expression was confirmed with immunohistochemistry on endobronchial biopsies and cultured AEC.

A genome-by-environment interaction classifier for precision medicine: personal transcriptome response to rhinovirus identifies children prone to asthma exacerbations

To introduce a disease prognosis framework enabled by a robust classification scheme derived from patient-specific transcriptomic response to stimulation.

Characteristics associated with clinical severity and inflammatory phenotype of naturally occurring virus-induced exacerbations of asthma in adults

Type 2 inflammation is present in patients during virus-induced asthma exacerbations, to the same degree as non-viral exacerbations

Differential gene network analysis for the identification of asthma-associated therapeutic targets in allergen-specific T-helper memory responses

Differential network analysis of allergen-induced CD4 T cell responses can unmask covert disease-associated genes and pin point novel therapeutic targets

Emerging Early Life Environmental Exposures and Lung Development

In this review article we systematically summarize the evidence for an impact on lung development of 1) maternal ingestion of arsenic contaminated drinking...