Multi-omics of the Frequent Exacerbator Asthmatic

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ABSTRACT Asthma is a common, complex and costly pediatric chronic condition in the U.S., resulting in nearly 2 million acute-care visits and $82 billion in overall costs each year. Children of low-income families in urban communities have the highest prevalence of asthma and the greatest disparities in asthma morbidity and mortality. In Hamilton County, OH, over 36,000 children have asthma, >14,000 of whom are Medicaid- insured with a 10-fold higher rate of hospitalization. Asthma exacerbations, acute episodes of increased asthma symptoms and deteriorations in lung function, are a major cause of stress for patients and families. While exacerbations are a prominent feature of poorly controlled and severe asthma, exacerbation rates can be high even in patients with mild asthma and asthma exacerbation frequency can remain unchanged despite intensive controller therapy. Indeed, pediatric studies have revealed that exacerbations continue to occur despite good baseline symptom control. A frequent exacerbator phenotype of asthma (defined by 2 or more exacerbations/year), has been described, but little is known about this asthma subgroup, which disproportionately affects urban populations and is responsible for considerable asthma morbidity and healthcare costs. No specific clinical characteristics can reliably discriminate between frequent and nonfrequent exacerbators highlighting the need for systems level approaches. Our center-specific project will fill this gap in understanding. Our preliminary data reveal differentially expressed and differentially methylated genes in the nasal epithelial of children who are frequent exacerbators and highlight biologic pathways that implicate distinct mechanisms that underlie the frequent exacerbator phenotype. We will test the hypothesis: the frequent exacerbator is a distinct endotype of asthma that is characterized by host nasal epithelial transcriptomic and/or DNA methylomic patterns that distinguish the frequent exacerbator from asthmatic children who are not frequent exacerbators, and that these patterns are, in part, triggered by distinct nasal microbial patterns. We propose an innovative strategy utilizing multiple systems-based approaches that layer host nasal biome and methylome patterns with nasal epithelial transcriptomics taken during an acute exacerbation (before administration of steroids). We are uniquely poised to conduct this study due to the tremendous infrastructure that we have established as part of the Ohio Pediatric Asthma Repository, and our multidisciplinary team. The overall objective of our studies is to improve the lives of children with asthma from low-income families who live in urban communities. We propose to 2 aims: (1) To contribute to the overall CAUSE goals by conducting network-wide CAUSE clinical research projects and participating in the CAUSE Steering Committee and other network functions; (2) To conduct a center- specific project aligned with CAUSE goals focused on the frequent exacerbator asthma phenotype.