Epigenetic responses to rhinovirus exposure in airway epithelial cells are correlated with key transcriptional pathways in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Viruses may drive immune mechanisms responsible for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP), but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms.

Objectives: To identify epigenetic and transcriptional responses to a common upper respiratory pathogen, rhinovirus (RV), that are specific to patients with CRSwNP using a primary sinonasal epithelial cell culture model.

Methods: Airway epithelial cells were collected at surgery from patients with CRSwNP (cases) and from controls without sinus disease, cultured, and then exposed to RV or vehicle for 48 h.

Multi-omics colocalization with genome-wide association studies reveals a context-specific genetic mechanism at a childhood onset asthma risk locus.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified thousands of variants associated with asthma and other complex diseases. However, the functional effects of most of these variants are unknown. Moreover, GWASs do not provide context-specific information on cell types or environmental factors that affect specific disease risks and outcomes.