Study Shows a Genetic Association Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Asthma

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and asthma share common biological pathways, and dysregulation of the immune system contributes to the susceptibility of both conditions, according to a study being presented at SLEEP 2024, taking place June 1-5 in Houston, Texas.

“[OSA] and asthma are globally prevalent respiratory disorders that share risk factors, symptoms, and pathophysiological mechanisms. Emerging evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship, with each condition having a negative impact on the clinical course of the other. Although both diseases have a strong hereditary component, research assessing the genetic basis of their co-occurrence remains limited,” the investigators noted.

Therefore, they analyzed 2 sets of genes associated with both OSA (2159 genes) and asthma (786 genes), which were manually curated from significant single nucleotide polymorphisms. These lists were subsequently used to identify intersecting genes, and the statistical significance of the overlap was assessed using Fisher’s Exact Test.

The study found 187 overlapping genes between the OSA and asthma gene sets, a significantly higher occurrence than expected by chance. Investigators used a pathway analysis of these intersecting genes to identify processes linked to immune system functions, antigen presentation, T-cell differentiation, cell signaling, and positive regulation of inflammatory mediators that may cause the onset of both conditions.

“The shared genetic basis between OSA and asthma suggests dysregulation of the immune response and proinflammatory processes as underlying pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to the susceptibility and manifestation of these comorbid conditions,” the researchers concluded.

Reference

Souza M, Moyses-Oliveira M, Poracchia A, Rosa D, Tufik S, Andersen M. Exploring common genetic factors between obstructive sleep apnea and asthma: insights into inflammatory pathways. Abstract #0036. Presented at SLEEP 2024; June 1-5, 2024; Houston, Texas.