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Current smoking contributes to worsened asthma prognosis and more severe symptoms and limits the beneficial effects of corticosteroids. As the nasal epithelium can reflect smoking-induced changes in the lower airways, it is a relevant source to investigate changes in gene expression and DNA methylation. This study explores gene expression and DNA methylation changes in current and ex-smokers with asthma. Matched gene expression and epigenome-wide DNA methylation samples collected from nasal brushings of 55 patients enrolled in a clinical trial investigation of current and ex-smoker patients with asthma were analyzed. Differential gene expression and DNA methylation analyses were conducted comparing current smokers with ex-smokers. Expression quantitative trait methylation (eQTM) analysis was completed to explore smoking-relevant genes by CpG sites that differ between current and ex-smokers. To investigate the relevance of the smoking-associated DNA methylation changes for the lower airways, significant CpG sites were explored in bronchial biopsies from patients who had stopped smoking. A total of 809 genes and 18,814 CpG sites were differentially associated with current smoking in the nose. The cis-eQTM analysis uncovered 171 CpG sites with a methylation status associated with smoking-related gene expression, including AHRR, ALDH3A1, CYP1A1, and CYP1B1. The methylation status of CpG sites altered by current smoking reversed with 1 year of smoking cessation. We confirm that current smoking alters epigenetic patterns and affects gene expression in the nasal epithelium of patients with asthma, which is partially reversible in bronchial biopsies after smoking cessation. We demonstrate the ability to discern molecular changes in the nasal epithelium, presenting this as a tool in future investigations into disease-relevant effects of tobacco smoke.
Assuntos
Asma/genética , Metilação de DNA/genética , Expressão Gênica/genética , Mucosa Nasal/metabolismo , Fumar/efeitos adversos , Adulto , Citocromo P-450 CYP1A1/genética , Citocromo P-450 CYP1B1/genética , Epigênese Genética/genética , Feminino , Estudo de Associação Genômica Ampla , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , FumantesRESUMO
Tobacco smoke has harmful effects on a multiorgan level. Exposure to smoke, whether in utero or environmental, significantly increases susceptibility. This susceptibility has been identified to be divergent between males and females. However, there remains a distinct lack of thorough research into the relationship between sex and exposure to tobacco. Females tend to generate a more significant response than males during adulthood exposure. The intrauterine environment is meticulously controlled, and exposure to tobacco presents a significant factor that contributes to poor health outcomes and susceptibility later in life. Analysis of these effects in relation to the sex of the offspring is yet to be holistically reviewed and summarized. In this review, we will delineate the time-dependent relationship between tobacco smoke exposure and sex-specific disease susceptibility. We further outline possible biological mechanisms that may contribute to the identified pattern.
Assuntos
Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal/etiologia , Poluição por Fumaça de Tabaco/efeitos adversos , Adulto , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Gravidez , Fatores SexuaisRESUMO
RATIONALE: In COPD, small airway fibrosis occurs due to increased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition in and around the airway smooth muscle (ASM) layer. Studies of immune cells and peripheral lung tissue have shown that epigenetic changes occur in COPD but it is unknown whether airway mesenchymal cells are reprogrammed. OBJECTIVES: Determine if COPD ASM cells have a unique epigenetic response to profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1). METHODS: Primary human ASM cells from COPD and non-COPD smoking patients were stimulated with TGF-ß1. Gene array analysis performed to identify differences in ECM expression. Airway accumulation of collagen 15α1 and tenascin-C proteins was assessed. Aforementioned ASM cells were stimulated with TGF-ß1 ± epigenetic inhibitors with qPCR quantification of COL15A1 and TNC. Global histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity were assessed. chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR for histone H3 and H4 acetylation at COL15A1 and TNC promoters was carried out. Effects of bromoterminal and extraterminal domain (BET) inhibitor JQ1(+) on expression and acetylation of ECM target genes were assessed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: COPD ASM show significantly higher COL15A1 and TNC expression in vitro and the same trend for higher levels of collagen 15α1 and tenascin-c deposited in COPD airways in vivo. Epigenetic screening indicated differential response to HDAC inhibition. ChIP-qPCR revealed histone H4 acetylation at COL15A1 and TNC promoters in COPD ASM only. ChIP-qPCR found JQ1(+) pretreatment significantly abrogated TGF-ß1 induced histone H4 acetylation at COL15A1 and TNC. CONCLUSIONS: BET protein binding to acetylated histones is important in TGF-ß1 induced expression of COL15A1 and TNC and maintenance of TGF-ß1 induced histone H4 acetylation in cell progeny.
Assuntos
Epigênese Genética/genética , Histonas/genética , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/metabolismo , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/genética , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta1/genética , Células Cultivadas , Matriz Extracelular/metabolismo , Histonas/metabolismo , Humanos , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/patologia , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/metabolismo , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/patologia , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta1/metabolismoRESUMO
There is no safe level of air pollution for human health. Traffic-related particulate matter (PM2.5) is a major in-utero toxin, mechanisms of action of which are not fully understood. BALB/c dams were exposed to an Australian level of traffic PM2.5 (5 µg/mouse/day, intranasal, 6 weeks before mating, during gestation and lactation). Male offspring had reduced memory in adulthood, whereas memory was normal in female littermates, similar to human responses. Maternal PM2.5 exposure resulted in oxidative stress and abnormal mitochondria in male, but not female, brains. RNA-sequencing analysis showed unique sex-related changes in newborn brains. Two X-chromosome-linked histone lysine demethylases, Kdm6a and Kdm5c, demonstrated higher expression in female compared to male littermates, in addition to upregulated genes with known functions to support mitochondrial function, synapse growth and maturation, cognitive function, and neuroprotection. No significant changes in Kdm6a and Kdm5c were found in male littermates, nor other genes, albeit significantly impaired memory function after birth. In primary foetal cortical neurons, PM2.5 exposure suppressed neuron and synaptic numbers and induced oxidative stress, which was prevented by upregulation of Kdm6a or Kdm5c. Therefore, timely epigenetic adaptation by histone demethylation to open DNA for translation before birth may be the key to protecting females against prenatal PM2.5 exposure-induced neurological disorders, which fail to occur in males associated with their poor cognitive outcomes.
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Early career members of Assembly 3 (Basic and Translational Sciences) of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) summarise the key messages discussed during six selected sessions that took place at the ERS International Congress 2023 in Milan, Italy. Aligned with the theme of the congress, the first session covered is "Micro- and macro-environments and respiratory health", which is followed by a summary of the "Scientific year in review" session. Next, recent advances in experimental methodologies and new technologies are discussed from the "Tissue modelling and remodelling" session and a summary provided of the translational science session, "What did you always want to know about omics analyses for clinical practice?", which was organised as part of the ERS Translational Science initiative's aims. The "Lost in translation: new insights into cell-to-cell crosstalk in lung disease" session highlighted how next-generation sequencing can be integrated with laboratory methods, and a final summary of studies is presented from the "From the transcriptome landscape to innovative preclinical models in lung diseases" session, which links the transcriptome landscape with innovative preclinical models. The wide range of topics covered in the selected sessions and the high quality of the research discussed demonstrate the strength of the basic and translational science being presented at the international respiratory conference organised by the ERS.
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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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Airway smooth muscle cells from severe asthma patients with FAO respond to ß2-agonists and corticosteroids in vitro, and at a level similar to mild asthmatics. Intrinsic dysfunction of these signalling pathways is unlikely to contribute to FAO. https://bit.ly/3muvNsW.
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Diverging susceptibility and severity in respiratory diseases is prevalent between males and females. Sex hormones have inconclusively been attributed as the cause of these differences, however, strong evidence exists promoting genetic factors leading to sexual dimorphism. As such, we investigate differential proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin (IL)-6 and CXCL8) release from TNF-α stimulated primary human lung fibroblasts in vitro. We present, for the first time, in vitro evidence supporting clinical findings of differential production of IL-6 between males and females across various respiratory diseases. IL-6 was found to be produced approximately two times more from fibroblasts derived from females compared to males. As such we demonstrate sexual dimorphism in cytokine production of IL-6 outside the context of biological factors in the human body. As such, our data highlight that differences exist between males and females in the absence of sex hormones. We, for the first time, demonstrate inherent in vitro differences exist between males and females in pulmonary fibroblasts.
Assuntos
Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Pulmão/metabolismo , Transtornos Respiratórios/metabolismo , Caracteres Sexuais , Células Cultivadas , Feminino , Fibroblastos/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Pulmão/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/administração & dosagemRESUMO
Inflammatory responses play a remarkable role in the mechanisms of acute and chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary fibrosis and lung cancer. Currently, there is a resurgence in the use of drugs from natural sources for various ailments as potent therapeutics. Berberine, an alkaloid prominent in the Chinese traditional system of medicine has been reported to exert therapeutic properties in various diseases. Nevertheless, the number of studies focusing on the curative potential of berberine in inflammatory diseases involving the respiratory system is limited. In this review, we have attempted to discuss the reported anti-inflammatory properties of berberine that function through several pathways such as, the NF-κB, ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK pathways which affect several pro-inflammatory cytokines in the pathophysiological processes involved in chronic respiratory diseases. This review would serve to provide valuable information to researchers who work in this field and a new direction in the field of drug discovery with respect to respiratory diseases.