Metabolomic signatures of the steroid biosynthesis driving sex differences in clinical asthma subtypes.
Dairo Gbenga G, Sharma Rinku R, Kelly Rachel S RS, Mendez Kevin K et al.
Background Asthma is a heterogeneous disease with well-documented sex differences in prevalence. However, the sex-specific and pubertal effects of inhaled corticosteroids on endogenous steroid metabolites and their relationship with asthma-related clinical outcomes remain poorly understood. Methods Targeted whole-blood plasma profiling of the steroid biosynthesis pathway was generated by Precion Inc. (NC, USA). Sixteen metabolites from the steroid biosynthesis pathway were quantified at baseline and end-of-trial in children with asthma from the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP; n = 1,041), aged 5-12 years. Linear mixed models and generalized linear models were used to evaluate sex-specific longitudinal and endpoint responses of steroid metabolites and clinical outcomes with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use, adjusting for age, sex, race, height, and body mass index. Results ICS use in males was associated with significantly lower cortisol and cortisone levels at Year 4 (end of trial). In females, cortisol and cortisone showed more stable trajectories with ICS use, which resulted in a non-significant reduction at year 4. Males receiving ICS showed suggestive positive longitudinal associations for 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, estrone, and testosterone, while females showed a suggestive positive trajectory for androstenedione. ICS exposure modified the associations between metabolites and clinical outcomes (FEV1, FVC, eosinophils, and airway hyperresponsiveness) in a pathway- and sex-specific manner. Overall, ICS attenuated longitudinal associations between endogenous steroids and clinical outcomes, particularly in females, while selected relationships from the androgen-lung function associations were preserved at the end of the trial. Conclusion We identify sex-specific differences in ICS-associated metabolite profiles and clinical outcomes, supporting the need for further investigation into sex-informed approaches to corticosteroid use in pediatric asthma. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00000575; registered 1999-10-27.