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Background Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation. Long non-coding RNA can act as competing endogenous RNA to mRNA, and play significant role in many diseases. However, there is little known about the profiles of long non-coding RNA and the long non-coding RNA related competing endogenous RNA network in asthma. In current study, we aimed to explore the long non-coding RNA-microRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA network in asthma and their potential implications for therapy and prognosis. Methods Asthma-related gene expression profiles were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, re-annotated with these genes and identified for asthma-associated differentially expressed mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs. The long non-coding RNA-miRNA interaction data and mRNA-miRNA interaction data were downloaded using the starBase database to construct a long non-coding RNA-miRNA-mRNA global competing endogenous RNA network and extract asthma-related differentially expressed competing endogenous RNA network. Finally, functional enrichment analysis and drug repositioning of asthma-associated differentially expressed competing endogenous RNA networks were performed to further identify key long non-coding RNAs and potential therapeutics associated with asthma. Results This study constructed an asthma-associated competing endogenous RNA network, determined 5 key long non-coding RNAs (MALAT1, MIR17HG, CASC2, MAGI2-AS3, DAPK1-IT1) and identified 8 potential new drugs (Tamoxifen, Ruxolitinib, Tretinoin, Quercetin, Dasatinib, Levocarnitine, Niflumic Acid, Glyburide). Conclusions The results suggested that long non-coding RNA played an important role in asthma, and these novel long non-coding RNAs could be potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarkers. At the same time, potential new drugs for asthma treatment have been discovered through drug repositioning techniques, providing a new direction for the treatment of asthma.

Background Rhinitis and asthma are very common diseases involving genetic and environmental factors. Most patients with asthma also have rhinitis, which suggests the concept of 'one airway, one disease.' A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 33 (ADAM33) is the first asthma-susceptible gene to be discovered by positional cloning. To evaluate the potential influence of ADAM33 gene polymorphisms on allergic rhinitis (AR) and allergic asthma (AS), a case-control study was conducted on the Han population of northeast China. Methods Six polymorphic sites (V4, T+1, T2, T1, S1, and Q-1) were genotyped in 128 patients with AR, 181 patients with AS, and 151 healthy controls (CTR). Genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test with Haploview software. Results The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), V4 G/C, T+1 A/G, and T1 G/A, of the ADAM33 gene may be the causal variants in AR, whereas ADAM33 V4 G/C, T2 A/G, T1 G/A, and Q-1A/G may participate in the susceptibility of AS. Conclusion These results suggest that polymorphisms of the ADAM33 gene may modify individual susceptibility to AR and AS in a Chinese Han population.