Abstract
Background The clinical presentation of children sensitised to dog dander varies from asymptomatic to severe allergic airway disease, but the genetic mechanisms underlying these differences are not clear.
Objective To investigate nasal transcriptomic profiles associated with dog dander sensitisation in school children and to reveal clinical symptoms related with these profiles.
Methods RNA was extracted from nasal epithelial cell brushings of children sensitised to dog dander and healthy controls. Blood sample analyses included IgE against dog dander, dog allergen molecules, other airborne and food allergens, basophil activation and white blood cell counts. Clinical history of asthma and rhinitis was recorded, and lung function was assessed (spirometry, methacholine provocation and FeNO).
Results The most over-expressed gene in children sensitised to dog dander compared to healthy controls was CST1, coding for Cystatin 1. A cluster of these children with enhanced CST1 expression showed lower FEV1, increased bronchial hyper-reactivity, pronounced eosinophilia and higher basophil allergen threshold sensitivity compared with other children sensitised to dog dander. Multi-sensitisation to lipocalins was also more common in this group.
Conclusions Over-expression of CST1 is associated with more severe allergic airway disease in children sensitised to dog dander. CST1 is thus a possible biomarker of the severity of allergic airway disease and a possible therapeutic target for the future treatment of airborne allergy.
Footnotes
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Conflict of interest: U. Käck reports a lecture fee from Thermo Fisher outside the submitted work.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Einarsdottir has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. van Hage reports lecture fees from Thermo Fisher Scientific and ALK, and consultancy fees from Biomay AG, Vienna, Austria and Hycor Biomedical LLC, CA, US, outside the submitted work.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Asarnoj has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. James has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Nopp has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Krjutškov has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Katayama reports grants from Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, during the conduct of the study.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Kere has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Lilja has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Söderhäll has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Dr. Konradsen has received material from Thermo Fishes Scientific to perform IgE analysis in this project.
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- Received December 7, 2020.
- Accepted January 27, 2021.
- ©The authors 2021
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