Gene regulation in monocytes and CD4+ T cells from low-SES vs. high-SES children with asthma

There are marked socioeconomic disparities in pediatric asthma control. To identify the molecular origins of these disparities, we performed genome-wide expression profiling of monocytes and T-helper cells isolated from pediatric asthma patients of lower- and higher socioeconomic status (SES). Microarray-based gene expression profiling was conducted on 98 CD14+ (monocyte) and CD3+/CD4+ (helper T cell) peripheral blood cell samples collected from children diagnosed by a physician with asthma. Children were from lower-SES (household income < $50,000 annually) or higher-SES (household income > $140,000 annually) families. Peripheral blood monocytes and T-helper lymphocytes were isolated, and microarray-based expression profiling was conducted on extracted RNA. Participants were also assessed for background characteristics (age [years], race [Caucasian,Non-hispanic=1/Other=0], body mass index/BMI [kg/m^2]), asthma severity (following guidelines from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program/Expert Panel Report 2; Bacharier LB, Strunk RC, Mauger D, White D, Lemanske RFJ, Sorkness CA. Classifying asthma severity in children: mismatch between symptoms, medication use, and lung function. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2004;170 (4):426-432), use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS; days used in past week), and use of short-acting beta-adrenergic agonists (SABA; days used in past week). Dichotomous variables were coded 0=no/absent and 1=yes/present.