An integrated human-in vitro approach to explore the role of miRNAs in the allergic asthma

Asthma is a heterogeneous and chronic disease of the lower airways that affects around 300 millions people worldwide. The most common and well-studied form of asthma is the allergic type affecting both children and adults. The main pathological feature of allergic asthma is due to the complex interactions between immune cells and immunological mediators. Recent evidences reported alterations in miRNA expression in a variety of lung diseases, including allergic asthma. Several miRNAs have been associated with asthma and airways inflammation but target identification remain not yet determined for the majority of the studies. The specific aim of this study, entirely based on human cells, is to identify miRNA patterns and consequently which specific targets are involved in the interaction between the respiratory system and the immune system in the allergic asthma disease. For the in vitro approach the human lung epithelial cells, namely Calu-3, are exposed to 5 respiratory sensitizers (hexamethylen, methylene diphenyl, and toluene diisocyanate; ammonium hexachloroplatinate; trimellitic anhydride), 1 skin sensitizer (2,4- dinitrochlorobenzene) and 1 irritant (sodium dodecyl sulphate) through a liquid aerosols system (Cloud Alpha System – VITROCELL® Systems). A microRNA panels is than performed in control conditions and exposed conditions. miRNA expression will be then evaluated and compared with miRNAs expressed in human samples from healthy and asthma donors (collected in collaboration with Dott. Liviero, Occupational Unit of Padova University). The translational potential of the project is due to the use of a primary cell culture model as well as human samples. Furthermore, implementation of miRNA patterns could be useful as prevention tool (biomarkers for diagnosis) of allergic asthma.