Impaired response of the bronchial epithelium to inflammation characterizes severe equine asthma. Equus caballus

Severe equine asthma is a naturally occurring lung inflammatory disease of mature animals characterized by neutrophilic inflammation, bronchoconstriction, mucus hypersecretion and airway remodeling. Exacerbations are triggered by inhalation of dust and microbial components. Affected animals eventually are unable of aerobic performance. In this study transcriptomic differences between asthmatic and non-asthmatic animals in the response of the bronchial epithelium to an inhaled challenge were determined. Several differentially expressed genes and networks in horses with asthma also contribute to human asthma, highlighting similarities between severe human adult and equine asthma.

重度马哮喘（Severe equine asthma）是一种自然发生于成年马的肺部炎症性疾病，以中性粒细胞性炎症、支气管收缩、黏液过度分泌及气道重塑为特征。其急性加重由吸入粉尘与微生物组分诱发，患病动物最终会丧失有氧运动能力。本研究测定了哮喘与非哮喘马的支气管上皮在对吸入激发刺激的应答反应中的转录组学（transcriptomics）差异。哮喘马体内的多个差异表达基因（differentially expressed genes）及其基因调控网络同样与人类哮喘发病相关，这凸显了成人重度哮喘与马重度哮喘之间的相似性。