Multi-omic multi-layer network analysis of patients with asthma identifies molecularly distinct patient groups
Multi-Omic Asthma Analysis Reveals Distinct Molecular Patient Groups
Understanding Multi-Omic Asthma Heterogeneity
Asthma is a complex, heterogeneous disease, with different genetic and environmental factors associated with diverse disease phenotypes. Identical symptoms do not guarantee similar treatment responses, suggesting distinct mechanisms can lead to similar clinical phenotypes.
We aimed to identify molecularly distinct subgroups of patients, uncover the molecular and cellular basis underlying asthma heterogeneity, and identify any differences in pathway activity between groups.
Multi-Omic Asthma Patient Stratification
We used multi-omics data of bronchial biopsies of 81 patients with asthma to identify subgroups based on molecular similarity across layers.
Biological Signatures Identified in Multi-Omic Asthma
We identified six robust (p≤0.05) communities of ≥5 donors. Two were clinically distinct: one had higher age and low biopsy lymphocytes (n=5); the other increased BMI and high biopsy eosinophils (n=6).
Downstream analyses also revealed communities with strongly increased ciliated cell numbers (n=7); increased angiogenesis and neuronal development (n=8); oxidative stress and inhibition of angiogenesis (n=11); and low ciliated cell numbers, increased keratinization and neuropeptide accumulation (n=28). Immune reaction differences were also observed.
Clinical Implications of Multi-Omic Asthma Research
Multi-layer network analysis integrating multiple omics layers reveals molecularly distinct groups of patients with asthma, even when clinical characteristics, including lung function, airway hyperresponsiveness, and allergic sensitization, are similar.
Authors
Tessa Gillett, Jon Sánchez-Valle, Gerard Koppelman, Maarten Van Den Berge, Martijn Nawijn, Rosa Faner
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Fecha de publicación
Published online: 15 April 2026
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