Bronchial Gene Expression Alterations Associated with Radiographic Bronchiectasis.

Genes involved in cell adhesion, WNT signaling, ciliogenesis, and IFN-γ pathways had altered expression in the bronchus of participants with widespread radiographic BE, possibly associated with decreased basal and increased ciliated cells. This gene expression pattern not only is highly enriched among individuals with radiographic BE, but also associated with airway-related symptoms in those without discernable radiographic BE, suggesting that it reflects a BE-associated but non-BE specific lung pathophysiogic process.