Abstract
BACKGROUND: Airway neutrophilia has been associated with asthma severity and asthma exacerbations. This study attempted to identify biomarkers, pathogenesis, and therapeutic molecular targets for severe asthma in neutrophils using bioinformatics analysis. METHODS: Fifteen healthy controls and 3 patients with neutrophilic severe asthma were screened from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Based on the analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), functional and pathway enrichment analyses, gene set enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network construction, and analysis were performed. Moreover, small-molecule drug candidates have also been identified. RESULTS: Three hundred and three upregulated and 59 downregulated genes were identified. Gene ontology function enrichment analyses were primarily related to inflammatory response, immune response, leukocyte migration, neutrophil chemotaxis, mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, Jun N-terminal kinase cascade, I-kappaB kinase/nuclear factor-κB, and MyD88-dependent toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Pathway enrichment analyses and gene set enrichment analysis were mainly involved in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, the TNF signaling pathway, leukocyte transendothelial migration, and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Furthermore, 1 important module and 10 hub genes (CXCL8, TLR2, CXCL1, ICAM1, CXCR4, FPR2, SELL, PTEN, TREM1, and LEP) were identified in the protein-protein interaction network. Moreover, indoprofen, mimosine, STOCK1N-35874, trapidil, iloprost, aminoglutethimide, ajmaline, levobunolol, ethionamide, cefaclor, dimenhydrinate, and bethanechol are potential drugs for the treatment of neutrophil-predominant severe asthma. CONCLUSION: This study identified potential biomarkers, pathogenesis, and therapeutic molecular targets for neutrophil-predominant severe asthma.