Analysis of the differences in whole-genome expression related to asthma and obesity

INTRODUCTION Concomitant obesity significantly impairs asthma control. Obese asthmatics show more

severe symptoms and an increased use of medications.

OBJECTIVES The primary aim of the study was to identify genes that are differentially expressed in the

peripheral blood of asthmatic patients with obesity, asthmatic patients with normal body mass, and

obese patients without asthma. Secondly, we investigated whether the analysis of gene expression in

peripheral blood may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of obese patients who present with symptoms

similar to asthma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS The study group included 15 patients with asthma (9 obese and 6 normal-weight

patients), while the control group—13 obese patients in whom asthma was excluded. The analysis of

whole-genome expression was performed on RNA samples isolated from peripheral blood.

RESULTS The comparison of gene expression profiles between asthmatic patients with obesity and those

with normal body mass revealed a significant difference in 6 genes. The comparison of the expression

between controls and normal-weight patients with asthma showed a significant difference in 23 genes.

The analysis of genes with a different expression revealed a group of transcripts that may be related

to an increased body mass (PI3, LOC100008589, RPS6KA3, LOC441763, IFIT1, and LOC100133565).

Based on gene expression results, a prediction model was constructed, which allowed to correctly

classify 92% of obese controls and 89% of obese asthmatic patients, resulting in the overall accuracy

of the model of 90.9%.

CONCLUSIONS The results of our study showed significant differences in gene expression between

obese asthmatic patients compared with asthmatic patients with normal body mass as well as in obese

patients without asthma compared with asthmatic patients with normal body mass.

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