Transcriptomic Profiling of Bronchial Epithelium Reveals Dysregulated Interferon and Inflammatory Responses to Rhinovirus in Exacerbation-Prone Pediatric Asthma.

ABSTRACT: Host factors influencing susceptibility to rhinovirus-induced asthma exacerbations remain poorly characterized. Using organotypic bronchial epithelial cultures from well-characterized children with asthma and healthy children, this study investigated viral load kinetics and resultant host responses by bulk and single-cell transcriptomics and targeted protein analyses. Bronchial epithelium from exacerbation-prone children exhibited greater rhinovirus replication and a cascade of exaggerated downstream interferon (IFN), inflammatory, epithelial stress, and remodeling responses. These transcriptional patterns were confirmed and further refined using single-cell transcriptomics, revealing cell type-specific contributions-particularly from non-ciliated cell populations including secretory immun

SUBMITTER: Jayavelu ND 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12633054 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature