D2.66 - Deciphering The Molecular Profiles Between Asthma and Urticaria Using Transcriptomic Profiling

 Asthma and urticaria are common allergic disorders with distinct symptoms but potentially shared underlying molecular mechanisms. This study investigates the relationship between these conditions by analyzing gene expression profiles from each disease.

Public transcriptomics data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) for 20 urticaria and 50 asthma patients were analyzed. Following normalization (LIMMA), Absolute Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (absGSEA) was applied. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with significant fold-change and enrichment were identified for each condition. These DEGs were validated using qRT-PCR in blood samples from an additional 10 urticaria and 17 asthma patients.

 In silico analysis revealed shared pathways enriched in both diseases, related to cytokine production, programmed cell death, and T-cell differentiation. Analysis of these pathways identified distinct, differentially upregulated genes: IL6, SOCS3, and FOS for asthma; and IL6R, TLR2, and TLR4 for urticaria. Validation using blood samples confirmed an association between IL6, IL6R, and SOCS3( Figure 1) potentially linking the two diseases. 

This study identified potential genetic biomarkers (IL6, IL6R, SOCS3) associated with asthma and urticaria. These findings provide a springboard to decipher the complex interplay between these conditions, paving the way for improved diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.