Genetic Susceptibility to Acute Viral Bronchiolitis

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Pediatrics
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Acute viral bronchiolitis is a significant cause of infant hospitalization globally.
• Bronchiolitis in childhood is a recognized risk factor for asthma, implying shared genetic and biological underpinnings.
• Identifying genetic risk loci can illuminate bronchiolitis pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the genetic factors contributing to bronchiolitis susceptibility using genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
• To explore the relationship between infant bronchiolitis and the later development of asthma.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) within the FinnGen project.
• Analyzed data from 1,465 infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis (<2 years) and 356,404 controls without a history of acute lower respiratory infections.

Main Results:

• GWAS identified significant associations (p<5×10-8) for variants in GSDMB and CDHR3.
• Infants hospitalized for bronchiolitis showed a higher likelihood of developing asthma later in life.
• Associated loci were previously linked to asthma and wheezing, with stronger effects observed in non-RSV bronchiolitis.

Conclusions:

• Genetic variants in CDHR3 and GSDMB appear to modulate bronchiolitis susceptibility, especially for non-RSV infections.
• Severe infant bronchiolitis might trigger asthma development in genetically predisposed individuals or serve as a marker for this predisposition.