Supplementary Material for: Altered MicroRNA Expression of Nasal Mucosa in Long-Term Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis

Background: Asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR) commonly coexist and can be taken as manifestations of one syndrome. Evidence exists that microRNAs (miRNAs) are important in controlling inflammatory processes and they are considered promising biomarkers. However, little is known about the differences in miRNA expression in patients with chronic allergic airway disease. This study evaluated the inflammatory and miRNA profiles of the nasal mucosa of patients with long-term asthma with and without AR. Methods: We analyzed inflammatory cells, cytokines, and miRNAs in nasal biopsies and measured exhaled and nasal nitric oxide levels during the nonpollen season in 117 middle-aged men who had suffered mainly from allergic asthma for approximately 20 years and also in 33 healthy controls. Results: The differences in the number of nasal eosinophils and cytokine expression levels were modest in nasal biopsies taken from asthmatics. Downregulation of miR-18a, miR-126, let-7e, miR-155, and miR-224 and upregulation of miR-498, miR-187, miR-874, miR-143, and miR-886-3p were observed in asthmatic patients in comparison to controls. The differences in miRNA expression were mainly similar in asthmatics with and without AR. With regard to asthma severity, a trend of increased miRNA expression in persistent asthma was seen, whereas the downregulation of certain miRNAs was most distinct in nonpersistent-asthma patients. Conclusions: Differences in miRNA expression in the nasal mucosa of subjects with long-term asthma and AR can be seen also when no markers of Th2-type inflammation are detected. Asthma severity had only a minor impact on miRNA expression.背景：哮喘与变应性鼻炎（allergic rhinitis, AR）常共患，可视为同一综合征的不同临床表现。已有研究证实，微小核糖核酸（microRNAs, miRNAs）在调控炎症过程中发挥重要作用，被认为是极具潜力的生物标志物。然而，目前对慢性变应性气道疾病患者的miRNA表达差异尚缺乏深入了解。本研究针对伴或不伴AR的长期哮喘患者的鼻黏膜炎症特征及miRNA表达谱进行了评估。 方法：本研究纳入117名罹患变应性哮喘约20年的中年男性，以及33名健康对照者，在非花粉季对其鼻活检组织中的炎症细胞、细胞因子及miRNA进行分析，并检测呼出气及鼻腔一氧化氮水平。 结果：哮喘患者鼻活检组织中，鼻腔嗜酸性粒细胞数量及细胞因子表达水平的差异较为轻微。与健康对照相比，哮喘患者的miR-18a、miR-126、let-7e、miR-155及miR-224呈现下调表达，而miR-498、miR-187、miR-874、miR-143及miR-886-3p呈现上调表达。伴与不伴AR的哮喘患者之间，miRNA表达差异整体相似。就哮喘严重程度而言，持续性哮喘患者的miRNA表达呈升高趋势，而非持续性哮喘患者的部分miRNA下调表现最为显著。 结论：即便未检测到Th2型炎症（Th2-type inflammation）标志物，长期哮喘合并AR患者的鼻黏膜miRNA表达仍存在差异。哮喘严重程度仅对miRNA表达产生轻微影响。