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Kicic-Starcevich E, Hancock DG, Iosifidis T, Agudelo-Romero P, Caparros-Martin JA, Karpievitch YV, Silva D, Turkovic L, Le Souef PN, Bosco A, Martino DJ, Kicic A, Prescott SL, Stick SM. Airway epithelium respiratory illnesses and allergy (AERIAL) birth cohort: study protocol. FRONTIERS IN ALLERGY 2024; 5:1349741. [PMID: 38666051 PMCID: PMC11043573 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2024.1349741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recurrent wheezing disorders including asthma are complex and heterogeneous diseases that affect up to 30% of all children, contributing to a major burden on children, their families, and global healthcare systems. It is now recognized that a dysfunctional airway epithelium plays a central role in the pathogenesis of recurrent wheeze, although the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. This prospective birth cohort aims to bridge this knowledge gap by investigating the influence of intrinsic epithelial dysfunction on the risk for developing respiratory disorders and the modulation of this risk by maternal morbidities, in utero exposures, and respiratory exposures in the first year of life. Methods The Airway Epithelium Respiratory Illnesses and Allergy (AERIAL) study is nested within the ORIGINS Project and will monitor 400 infants from birth to 5 years. The primary outcome of the AERIAL study will be the identification of epithelial endotypes and exposure variables that influence the development of recurrent wheezing, asthma, and allergic sensitisation. Nasal respiratory epithelium at birth to 6 weeks, 1, 3, and 5 years will be analysed by bulk RNA-seq and DNA methylation sequencing. Maternal morbidities and in utero exposures will be identified on maternal history and their effects measured through transcriptomic and epigenetic analyses of the amnion and newborn epithelium. Exposures within the first year of life will be identified based on infant medical history as well as on background and symptomatic nasal sampling for viral PCR and microbiome analysis. Daily temperatures and symptoms recorded in a study-specific Smartphone App will be used to identify symptomatic respiratory illnesses. Discussion The AERIAL study will provide a comprehensive longitudinal assessment of factors influencing the association between epithelial dysfunction and respiratory morbidity in early life, and hopefully identify novel targets for diagnosis and early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David G. Hancock
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Thomas Iosifidis
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Patricia Agudelo-Romero
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- European Virus Bioinformatics Centre, Jena, Germany
| | | | | | - Desiree Silva
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology, Joondalup Health Campus, Joondalup, WA, Australia
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | | | - Peter N. Le Souef
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Anthony Bosco
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
- Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
- Department of Immunobiology, The University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - David J. Martino
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Anthony Kicic
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Susan L. Prescott
- School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- European Virus Bioinformatics Centre, Jena, Germany
| | - Stephen M. Stick
- Wal-yan RespiratoryResearch Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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Yazici D, Ogulur I, Pat Y, Babayev H, Barletta E, Ardicli S, Bel Imam M, Huang M, Koch J, Li M, Maurer D, Radzikowska U, Satitsuksanoa P, Schneider SR, Sun N, Traidl S, Wallimann A, Wawrocki S, Zhakparov D, Fehr D, Ziadlou R, Mitamura Y, Brüggen MC, van de Veen W, Sokolowska M, Baerenfaller K, Nadeau K, Akdis M, Akdis CA. The epithelial barrier: The gateway to allergic, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases and chronic neuropsychiatric conditions. Semin Immunol 2023; 70:101846. [PMID: 37801907 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2023.101846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1960 s, our health has been compromised by exposure to over 350,000 newly introduced toxic substances, contributing to the current pandemic in allergic, autoimmune and metabolic diseases. The "Epithelial Barrier Theory" postulates that these diseases are exacerbated by persistent periepithelial inflammation (epithelitis) triggered by exposure to a wide range of epithelial barrier-damaging substances as well as genetic susceptibility. The epithelial barrier serves as the body's primary physical, chemical, and immunological barrier against external stimuli. A leaky epithelial barrier facilitates the translocation of the microbiome from the surface of the afflicted tissues to interepithelial and even deeper subepithelial locations. In turn, opportunistic bacterial colonization, microbiota dysbiosis, local inflammation and impaired tissue regeneration and remodelling follow. Migration of inflammatory cells to susceptible tissues contributes to damage and inflammation, initiating and aggravating many chronic inflammatory diseases. The objective of this review is to highlight and evaluate recent studies on epithelial physiology and its role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases in light of the epithelial barrier theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duygu Yazici
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Ismail Ogulur
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Yagiz Pat
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Huseyn Babayev
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Elena Barletta
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Sena Ardicli
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Manal Bel Imam
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Mengting Huang
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Jana Koch
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Manru Li
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Debbie Maurer
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Urszula Radzikowska
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland
| | | | - Stephan R Schneider
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Na Sun
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, School of Food Science and Technology, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, PR China
| | - Stephan Traidl
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Division of Immunodermatology and Allergy Research, Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexandra Wallimann
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Wawrocki
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Damir Zhakparov
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Danielle Fehr
- Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Reihane Ziadlou
- Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yasutaka Mitamura
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Charlotte Brüggen
- Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland; Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Willem van de Veen
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Milena Sokolowska
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Katja Baerenfaller
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Kari Nadeau
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mubeccel Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland
| | - Cezmi A Akdis
- Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), University of Zurich, Davos, Switzerland; Christine Kühne-Center for Allergy Research and Education, Davos, Switzerland.
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Kicic-Starcevich E, Hancock DG, Iosifidis T, Agudelo-Romero P, Caparros-Martin JA, Silva D, Turkovic L, Le Souef PN, Bosco A, Martino DJ, Kicic A, Prescott SL, Stick SM. Airway Epithelium Respiratory Illnesses and Allergy (AERIAL) birth cohort: study protocol. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.04.29.23289314. [PMID: 37205501 PMCID: PMC10187351 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.29.23289314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Recurrent wheezing disorders including asthma are complex and heterogeneous diseases that affect up to 30% of all children, contributing to a major burden on children, their families, and global healthcare systems. It is now recognized that a dysfunctional airway epithelium plays a central role in the pathogenesis of recurrent wheeze, although the underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. This prospective birth cohort aims to bridge this knowledge gap by investigating the influence of intrinsic epithelial dysfunction on the risk for developing respiratory disorders and the modulation of this risk by maternal morbidities, in utero exposures, and respiratory exposures in the first year of life. Methods and Analysis The Airway Epithelium Respiratory Illnesses and Allergy (AERIAL) study is nested within the ORIGINS Project and will monitor 400 infants from birth to five years. The primary outcome of the AERIAL study will be the identification of epithelial endotypes and exposure variables that influence the development of recurrent wheezing, asthma, and allergic sensitisation. Nasal respiratory epithelium at birth to six weeks, one, three, and five years will be analysed by bulk RNA-seq and DNA methylation sequencing. Maternal morbidities and in utero exposures will be identified on maternal history and their effects measured through transcriptomic and epigenetic analyses of the amnion and newborn epithelium. Exposures within the first year of life will be identified based on infant medical history as well as on background and symptomatic nasal sampling for viral PCR and microbiome analysis. Daily temperatures and symptoms recorded in a study-specific Smartphone App will be used to identify symptomatic respiratory illnesses. Ethics and Dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from Ramsey Health Care HREC WA-SA (#1908). Results will be disseminated through open-access peer-reviewed manuscripts, conference presentations, and through different media channels to consumers, ORIGINS families, and the wider community.
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Laucirica DR, Stick SM, Garratt LW, Kicic A. Bacteriophage: A new therapeutic player to combat neutrophilic inflammation in chronic airway diseases. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1069929. [PMID: 36590945 PMCID: PMC9794625 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1069929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent respiratory bacterial infections are a clinical burden in several chronic inflammatory airway diseases and are often associated with neutrophil infiltration into the lungs. Following recruitment, dysregulated neutrophil effector functions such as increased granule release and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) result in damage to airway tissue, contributing to the progression of lung disease. Bacterial pathogens are a major driver of airway neutrophilic inflammation, but traditional management of infections with antibiotic therapy is becoming less effective as rates of antimicrobial resistance rise. Bacteriophages (phages) are now frequently identified as antimicrobial alternatives for antimicrobial resistant (AMR) airway infections. Despite growing recognition of their bactericidal function, less is known about how phages influence activity of neutrophils recruited to sites of bacterial infection in the lungs. In this review, we summarize current in vitro and in vivo findings on the effects of phage therapy on neutrophils and their inflammatory mediators, as well as mechanisms of phage-neutrophil interactions. Understanding these effects provides further validation of their safe use in humans, but also identifies phages as a targeted neutrophil-modulating therapeutic for inflammatory airway conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R. Laucirica
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Stephen M. Stick
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Luke W. Garratt
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Anthony Kicic
- Wal-yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
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Kim SR. Viral Infection and Airway Epithelial Immunity in Asthma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:9914. [PMID: 36077310 PMCID: PMC9456547 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral respiratory tract infections are associated with asthma development and exacerbation in children and adults. In the course of immune responses to viruses, airway epithelial cells are the initial platform of innate immunity against viral invasion. Patients with severe asthma are more vulnerable than those with mild to moderate asthma to viral infections. Furthermore, in most cases, asthmatic patients tend to produce lower levels of antiviral cytokines than healthy subjects, such as interferons produced from immune effector cells and airway epithelial cells. The epithelial inflammasome appears to contribute to asthma exacerbation through overactivation, leading to self-damage, despite its naturally protective role against infectious pathogens. Given the mixed and complex immune responses in viral-infection-induced asthma exacerbation, this review examines the diverse roles of airway epithelial immunity and related potential therapeutic targets and discusses the mechanisms underlying the heterogeneous manifestations of asthma exacerbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Ri Kim
- Division of Respiratory Medicine and Allergy, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School of Jeonbuk National University, 20 Geonji-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju 54907, Korea
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Hernandez-Pacheco N, Kere M, Melén E. Gene-environment interactions in childhood asthma revisited; expanding the interaction concept. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2022; 33:e13780. [PMID: 35616899 PMCID: PMC9325482 DOI: 10.1111/pai.13780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Investigation of gene-environment interactions (GxE) may provide important insights into the gene regulatory framework in response to environmental factors of relevance for childhood asthma. Over the years, different methodological strategies have been applied, more recently using genome-wide approaches. The best example to date is the major asthma locus on the 17q12-21 chromosome region, viral infections, and airway epithelium processes where recent studies have shed much light on mechanisms in childhood asthma. However, there are challenges with the traditional single variant-single exposure interaction models, as they do not encompass the complexity and cumulative effects of multiple exposures or multiple genetic variants. As such, we need to redefine our traditional GxE thinking, and we propose in this review to expand the GxE concept by also evaluating other omics layers, such as epigenetics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and proteomics. In addition, host factors such as age, gender, and other exposures are very likely to influence GxE effects and need firmly to be considered in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Hernandez-Pacheco
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maura Kere
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Erik Melén
- Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Sachs' Children's Hospital, South General Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
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