Genome-Wide Profiling of Airway Epithelial Cells in Asthmatics, Smokers and Healthy Controls

We collected airway epithelial brushings for microarray analysis from 42 asthmatics and two control groups – 28 healthy subjects and 16 smokers. A subgroup of 32 asthmatics completed a randomized placebo-controlled trial of fluticasone propionate in which collection of brushings was repeated after 1 week of treatment. Keywords: disease state analysis, clinical trial 1) Comparison of gene expression in asthmatics to healthy controls 2) Comparison of smokers to healthy controls 3) Comparison of change in gene expression in the fluticasone treated group to the change in the placebo treated group