The relationship between expression imbalance of adhesion molecules and asthma pathogenesis

Accumulated research has suggested the importance of the adhesion molecules modulation as therapeutic approach for bronchial asthma. Adhesion molecules expression alteration contributes to the pathogenesis of asthma. In order to probe the relationship between expression imbalance of adhesion molecules and asthma pathogenesis, expression profiling of adhesion molecules was performed using cDNA microarray. The results showed that there were various adhesion molecules with abnormal expressions in peripheral blood leucocytes of asthma patients. RNA was extracted from leucocytes in peripheral blood of 4 normal adults and 6 asthma patients by using TRIzol Reagent. Microarray expression studies were performed using the GEArray Q Series Human Extracellular Matrix & Adhesion Molecules Gene Array (SABiosciences Corporation, USA). This microarray profiles the expression of 96 genes key to the functions of cell adhesion. A negative control (PUC18DNA and blank), and the housekeeping genes including β-actin, GAPDH, Cyclophilin A and ribose body protein L13a were spread on each chip.