Psychosocial experiences modulate asthma-associated genes through gene-environment interactions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Genomics
• Pediatric Asthma Research

Background:

• Social determinants of health significantly affect well-being, especially in urban settings.
• Psychosocial environments play a crucial role in health outcomes, including chronic conditions like asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how psychosocial experiences influence gene expression in children with asthma.
• To identify specific transcriptional signatures linked to psychosocial factors, immune cell composition, and asthma severity.

Main Methods:

• RNA sequencing was employed to analyze gene expression in peripheral blood immune cells.
• A novel machine learning approach was utilized to identify complex gene-environment interactions.
• 19 variables, including psychosocial factors and clinical data, were assessed.

Main Results:

• Transcriptional signatures associated with psychosocial factors, immune cell profiles, and asthma symptoms were identified.
• 169 genes linked to asthma or allergic disease were found to be regulated by psychosocial factors.
• 344 significant gene-environment interactions affecting gene expression levels were discovered.

Conclusions:

• Immune gene expression acts as a mediator connecting negative psychosocial experiences to increased asthma risk.
• This study highlights the biological mechanisms through which social environment impacts pediatric asthma.
• Findings underscore the importance of addressing psychosocial factors in asthma management.