
In patients with persistent asthma, researchers identified multiple key driver genes tied to persistent asthma. Specifically, they found six for ozone and three for fine particulate matter exposure. The FGL2 gene appeared in both types of pollution.
The findings were presented at the 2024 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAI) Annual Meeting. Among patients with asthma, various nasal key driver genes are linked to ozone and fine particulate matter exposure, according to data presented at the meeting. Study author Supinda Bunyavanich, MD, MPD, HPhil, a professor in allergy and systems biology at Mount Sinai in New York, said the data is not surprising, considering a steady increase in poor air quality globally.
The study looked at 167 New York patients with mild to severe persistent asthma. Most patients were white, followed by Latino, Black, Asian and “other.” Using the Asthma Control Test (range: 5-25 points), a lower score on the test signals less asthma control. Researchers calculated a mean score of 16.6.
For particulate matter exposure, researchers identified the FGL2, TNFRSF10C and EVI2B genes. The FGL2 gene, considered a “master regulator of asthma,” was also identified as a key driver gene in ozone exposure along with CLC, LGALS12, CPA3, HRH4, IL7R.
Also, key to the study were daily EPA air pollutant calculations for ozone and PM2.5 levels combined with RNA sequencing to identify nasally expressed genes from patient samples.
In short, the study supported the thinking that among individuals with asthma, key drivers for ozone and particulate matter-associated networks in the airway encode proteins involved in inflammation and pro-allergic response. Individuals without asthma have key drivers that encode anti-inflammatory DNA repair.