Gene expression analysis of normal primary human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBEC) stimulated by glucocorticoid, long-acting β2-adrenoceptor agonist or both combined.

In 2019, the Global Initiative for Asthma treatment guidelines were updated to recommend that inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting β2-adrenoceptor agonist (LABA) combination therapy should be a first-in-line treatment option for asthma. Although clinically superior to ICS, mechanisms underlying the efficacy of this combination therapy remain unclear. We hypothesised the existence of transcriptomic interactions, an effect that was tested in primary human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBECs) using formoterol and budesonide as representative LABA and ICS, respectively. To investigate the gene expression changes by each condition, transcriptomic analysis was performed on RNA extracted from pHBECs treated with budesonide, formoterol, or both combined. Primary Human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBEC) were either not treated or treated with budesonide, formoterol or both combined for 6 h. Six independent experimental determinations, one from each different donor, were analyzed. Altogether, 24 arrays were hybridized.