Exploration of induced sputum BIRC3 levels and clinical implications in asthma

Lijuan Du; Changyi Xu; Zhimin Zeng; Fengjia Chen; Kun Tang; Yuxia Liang; Yubiao Guo

doi:10.1186/s12890-022-01887-2

Exploration of induced sputum BIRC3 levels and clinical implications in asthma

BMC Pulm Med. 2022 Mar 14;22(1):86. doi: 10.1186/s12890-022-01887-2.

Authors

Lijuan Du^#^{1

2}, Changyi Xu^#^{1

2}, Zhimin Zeng^#^{1

2}, Fengjia Chen^{1

2}, Kun Tang^{1

2}, Yuxia Liang^{3

4}, Yubiao Guo^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
² Institute of Respiratory Diseases of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China.
³ Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China. liangyx69@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
⁴ Institute of Respiratory Diseases of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China. liangyx69@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
⁵ Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China. guoyb@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
⁶ Institute of Respiratory Diseases of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, Guangdong, China. guoyb@mail.sysu.edu.cn.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 3 (BIRC3) which encodes a member of the IAP family of proteins upregulated in the asthma expression profile dataset. However, there was few research on studying the clinical implication of BIRC3 in asthma.

Objective: To validate BIRC3 expression and its clinical implications in induced sputum of asthma.

Methods: Based on the GSE76262 (118 asthma cases and 21 healthy controls) dataset, differentially expressed genes were screened using R software. Subsequently, BIRC3 mRNA and protein were clinically verified in induced sputum samples through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Besides, the correlations between BIRC3 expression and asthmatic eosinophilic/allergic inflammation indicators (FeNO, IgE, and EOS%), pulmonary function (FEV₁, FEV₁% pred, FVC% pred, and FEV₁/FVC), and inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-25, IL-10, IL-33, and TSLP) were analyzed. Finally, BIRC3 mRNA was detected in human primary bronchial epithelial cells stimulated by cytokines (IL-4 or IL-13).

Results: BIRC3 was screened as a candidate gene in the GSE76262, which was highly expressed in asthma. Highly expressed BIRC3 was positively correlated with eosinophilic and allergic indicators, including FeNO, blood eosinophil, and serum IgE. Moreover, BIRC3 protein was positively associated with inflammation cytokines, like IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-25, IL-10, IL-33, and TSLP, while negatively correlated with FEV1, FEV1%pred, FVC% pred, and FEV1/FVC. Furthermore, the expression of BIRC3 could be induced in primary bronchial epithelial cells treated by cytokines IL-4 or IL-13.

Conclusions: BIRC3 significantly increased in induced sputum of asthma and positively correlated with airway eosinophilic and peripheral blood allergic inflammation, type 2 cytokines, and airway obstruction. Increased BIRC3 might be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma by affecting the eosinophilic and allergic inflammation.

Keywords: Asthma; BIRC3; Induced sputum; Inflammation; R software.

MeSH terms

Asthma*
Baculoviral IAP Repeat-Containing 3 Protein / genetics
Baculoviral IAP Repeat-Containing 3 Protein / metabolism
Cytokines / metabolism
Eosinophils / metabolism
Humans
Respiratory Function Tests
Sputum* / metabolism

Substances

Cytokines
BIRC3 protein, human
Baculoviral IAP Repeat-Containing 3 Protein

Abstract

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding