Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 20, 2025
Candidate Gene Testing in Clinical Cohort Studies with Multiplexed Genotyping and Mass Spectrometry
Published on: June 21, 2018
Phenotype of Atopic Dermatitis With Food Allergy Predicts Development of Childhood Asthma via Gut Wnt Signaling
So-Yeon Lee1, Sangrok Kim2, Mi Jin Kang3
1Department of Pediatrics, Childhood Asthma and Atopy Center, Humidifier Disinfectant Health Center, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Food allergy in infants with atopic dermatitis is linked to gut Wnt signaling and increases the risk of developing asthma. Early identification of this phenotype is crucial for predicting allergic disease progression.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Dermatology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition with diverse clinical presentations.
- Phenotypic variations of AD, especially concerning early childhood comorbidities, require further investigation.
- Understanding the link between AD phenotypes and conditions like childhood asthma is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between atopic dermatitis (AD) phenotypes in early childhood and the development of childhood asthma.
- To elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms connecting AD phenotypes and asthma.
- To identify distinct AD phenotypes based on allergic comorbidities in infancy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective data collection from 1,699 children in the COhort for Childhood Origin of Asthma and allergic diseases (COCOA) study.
- Unsupervised latent class analysis of factors including sensitization, food allergy (FA), AD, and recurrent wheezing.
- Evaluation of risks for FA, AD, allergic rhinitis (AR), and asthma at ages 5-7 years, alongside colonocyte transcriptome and pathway analysis.
Main Results:
- Four AD phenotypes were identified: no allergic diseases (78.4%), AD without sensitization (16.4%), FA with AD (2.9%), and AD with sensitization (7.8%).
- The 'FA with AD' phenotype exhibited the highest risks for FA, AR, and asthma, along with elevated cord blood IgE levels.
- Canonical pathway analysis revealed 'Wnt/β-catenin Signaling' as a key pathway in the 'FA with AD' group, with Wnt6 mRNA correlating positively with food-specific IgE.
Conclusions:
- The presence of food allergy (FA) in early-life AD phenotypes, irrespective of eczema severity, is associated with gut Wnt signaling.
- This association suggests a potential mechanism linking early-life AD with FA to the later development of asthma.
- Identifying specific AD phenotypes in infancy can aid in predicting the risk of developing other allergic conditions, including asthma.
Purpose:
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical phenotype. However, specific description of phenotypes of AD depending on the comorbidities in early childhood is lacking. This study aimed to investigate whether the AD phenotype in early childhood is related to childhood asthma and to elucidate the mechanisms involved.
Methods:
Data on the first 3 years of life were collected prospectively from 1,699 children in the COhort for Childhood Origin of Asthma and allergic diseases (COCOA). We applied an unsupervised latent class analysis to the following five factors: food sensitization, inhalant sensitization, food allergy (FA), AD, and recurrent wheezing. The risks of developing FA, AD, allergic rhinitis (AR), and asthma in children aged 5-7 years were evaluated. Colonocyte transcriptome and ingenuity pathway analysis were performed.
Results:
Four phenotypes were identified; no allergic diseases (78.4%), AD without sensitization (16.4%), FA with AD (2.9%), and AD with sensitization (7.8%). The FA with AD had the highest risk for FA, AR, and asthma and the highest cord blood immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. In AD without sensitization and with sensitization, scoring of AD (SCORAD) in early childhood was higher than in FA with AD. Canonical pathway analysis with the colonocyte transcriptome revealed that the key pathway in FA with AD was 'Wnt/β-catenin Signaling.' The relative abundance of Wnt6 mRNA was positively correlated with food-specific IgE levels at 1 and 3 years.
Conclusions:
When FA is present in various phenotypes of AD at early life, regardless of severity of eczema, it may be associated with gut Wnt signaling and later development of asthma.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Asthma: Pathogenesis and Management
Asthma is classified as allergic and non-allergic. Allergens such as dust mites, pollen, and pet dander trigger allergic asthma, while factors like cold air, intense emotions, or exercise can induce non-allergic asthma.
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
01:26Asthma-II: Pathophysiology and Classification
Additionally, environmental and genetic factors play crucial roles in determining an individual's susceptibility to asthma and the severity of their condition.
Critical processes in asthma pathophysiology include:
02:06Allergic Reactions
01:22Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
01:29Asthma-I: Introduction