Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2025
Assessment of Respiratory Function in Conscious Mice by Double-chamber Plethysmography
Published on: July 10, 2018
Suppression of regulatory factor X 7 alleviates airway remodeling and inflammation in childhood asthma
Yahui Wu1, Tiansheng Dai1, Jingwen Qin1
1Department of Pediatrics, Ji'an Hospital, Shanghai East Hospital, Ji'an, China.
Objective:
Childhood asthma is a chronic heterogeneous syndrome composed of distinct disease entities or phenotypes. This study was conducted to characterize regulatory factor X 7 (RFX7) in childhood asthma.
Material And Methods:
Two available transcriptome datasets (GSE65204 and GSE27011) were used to analyze regulatory factor X (RFX) family members in childhood asthma. Random forest, logistic regression, and linear support vector machine (SVM) analyses were performed to construct an RFX-based classification model. Airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) were induced through platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) for an asthma in vitro model. RFX7 expression was measured through immunoblotting. RFX7 was knocked out by transfection of RFX7 small-interfering RNAs, and then airway remodeling and inflammation were assayed.
Results:
Among RFX family members, RFX3, RFX7, and RFX-associated protein displayed differential expression in childhood asthma versus healthy controls. Thus, SVM, logistic regression, and random forest-based machine learning models were built. The random forest model presented the best diagnostic efficacy (area under the curve [AUC] = 1 and 0.67 in discovery and verification sets). RFX7 was found to be effective in diagnosing childhood asthma (AUC = 0.724 and 0.775 in discovery and verification sets). In addition, RFX7 was overexpressed in PDGF-BB-stimulated ASMCs (✶ ✶ P < 0.01). Silencing RFX7 remarkably attenuated the proliferative and migrative capacities of ASMCs with PDGF-BB stimulation (✶ ✶ P < 0.01). In addition, RFX7 was positively related to neutrophil infiltration in childhood asthma, and its knockdown downregulated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in PDGF-BB-stimulated ASMCs (✶ ✶ P < 0.01).
Conclusion:
The findings of this study indicate that RFX7 is a novel molecule that is correlated with airway remodeling and inflammation in childhood asthma, providing insights into the mechanism underlying this disease and its potential clinical importance.
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.
01:25Antiasthma Drugs: Mast Cell Stabilizers and Anti-IgE Drugs
Mast cell stabilizers, such as cromolyn (also known as sodium cromoglycate) and nedocromil (Tilade), are effective drugs in asthma management. These stabilizers hinder histamine release by skillfully obstructing the activation of mast cells and other cellular entities. Notably, they navigate this task without...
01:17Drugs Used in Lower Respiratory Disorders: Overview
Bronchodilators, the first step of respiration enhancement, come in various forms, each with its own mechanism...
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:
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
01:23Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla. Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by...