Transcriptome genetic differences between responders and non-responders before bronchial thermoplasty

Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) is an endoscopic therapy used for the treatment of refractory asthma. Some predictive factors, for example the number of activations and severity of disease at baseline, have been used to determine the effectiveness of BT in treating patients with asthma. The aim of the present study was to comprehensively analyze RNA samples from the airway bronchial tissues of patients with severe asthma treated by BT, and to characterize each patient as a BT responder or non-responder. Eight patients with severe asthma scheduled to undergo BT and bronchus biopsies were recruited before the procedures were conducted. Extracted RNA samples from bronchial tissues were sequenced and differential gene expression analysis was carried out. Results/discussion: Subjects with Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score changes ≥0.5 for a period of 12 months were considered BT responders. Non-responders had score changes SLPI, MMP3, and MUC19, which were upregulated in responders. Although the differentially expressed gene products may have conflicting effects, genes in the airway epithelium and extracellular matrix of patients with severe asthma may determine the BT response. Our results identified possible transcriptomic changes that could be used to identify BT responders.