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IL-6 trans-signaling induced gene expression in airway epithelial cells

ABSTRACT: Background: Although several studies link high levels of IL-6 and soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) with asthma severity and decreased lung function, the role of IL-6 trans-signaling (IL-6TS) in asthma is unclear. Objective: To explore the association between epithelial IL-6TS pathway activation and molecular and clinical phenotypes in asthma. Methods: Primary human bronchial epithelial cell (HBEC) air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures were stimulated with IL-6 and sIL-6R to establish an IL-6TS gene signature. Two separate RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) studies were performed: The “IL-6 vs T2 study” compared gene expression after stimulation with control medium, IL-6, IL-6/sIL-6R and IL-4/IL-13, while the “JAK1-inhibition study” addressed the effect of JAK1 inhibition on IL-6TS induced gene expression. The IL-6TS gene signature was used to stratify lung epithelial transcriptomic data obtained from asthmatics (n=103) in the U-BIOPRED cohorts by hierarchical clustering. Molecular phenotyping was based on the transcriptional profiling of epithelial brushings, pathway analysis and immunohistochemistry analysis of bronchial biopsies. Results: Activation of IL-6TS in HBEC ALI cultures reduced epithelial barrier function and induced a specific epithelial gene signature enriched in airway remodeling genes. The IL-6TS signature identified a subset (n=17) of IL-6TS High asthma patients with increased epithelial expression of IL-6TS inducible genes in absence of increased systemic levels of IL-6 and sIL-6R. The IL-6TS High subset had an increased exacerbation frequency (p=0.028), blood (>300/μl; p=0.0028) and sputum (>20%; p=0.007) eosinophilia, and submucosal infiltration of CD4 T cells, CD8 T cells (p<0.001) and macrophages (p=0.001). In bronchial brushings, TLR pathway genes were up-regulated while the expression of epithelial tight junction genes was reduced (all with q<0.05). Sputum sIL-6R levels correlated with sputum markers of remodeling and innate immune activation, in particular YKL-40, MMP3, IL-8 and IL-1β (all with q<0.001). Conclusions: Local lung epithelial IL-6TS activation in absence of type 2 airway inflammation defines a novel subset of asthmatics and may drive airway inflammation and epithelial dysfunction in these patients.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE113185 | GEO | 2019/01/25

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Background: MicroRNAs are potent regulators of biologic systems that are critical to tissue homeostasis. Individual microRNAs have been identified in airway samples. However, a systems analysis of the microRNA-mRNA networks present in the sputum that contribute to airway inflammation in asthma has not been published. Methods: We conducted a genome-wide analysis of microRNA and messenger RNA (mRNA) in the sputum from patients with asthma and correlated expression with clinical phenotypes. Weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was implemented to identify microRNA networks (modules) that significantly correlate with clinical features of asthma and mRNA expression networks. MicroRNA expression in peripheral blood neutrophils and lymphocytes, and in situ hybridization of the sputum were used to identify the cellular sources of microRNAs. MicroRNA expression obtained before and after ozone exposure was also used to identify changes associated with neutrophil counts in the airway. Results: Six microRNA modules were associated with clinical features of asthma. A single module (nely) was associated with a history of hospitalizations, lung function impairment, and numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes in the sputum. Of the 12 microRNAs in the nely module, hsa-miR-223-3p was the highest expressed microRNA in neutrophils and was associated with increased neutrophil counts in the sputum in response to ozone exposure. Multiple microRNAs in the nely module correlated with two mRNA modules enriched for toll-like receptor (TLR) and Th17 signaling, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Hsa-miR-223-3p was a key regulator of the TLR and Th17 pathways in the sputum of subjects with asthma. Conclusions: This study of sputum microRNA and mRNA expression from patients with asthma demonstrates the existence of microRNA networks and genes that are associated with features of asthma severity. Among these, hsa-miR-223-3p, a neutrophil-derived microRNA, regulates TLR/Th17 signaling and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

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IL-6 trans-signaling induced gene expression in airway epithelial cells

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