SRA

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an allergic inflammatory disease of the esophagus that occurs in both children and adults. Previous studies of affected tissue in pediatric cohorts have identified prominent signatures of eosinophilia and type 2 inflammation. However, the details of the immune response in adults with EoE are still being elucidated. To determine whether EoE in adults shares inflammatory profiles with those observed in children, we performed RNA-sequencing of paired esophageal biopsies and blood samples from adults with EoE or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Unbiased analysis of differentially expressed genes in tissue revealed a strong interferon signature that was significantly enriched in EoE patients as compared to patients with GERD. Both type I and type II interferon responsive genes were upregulated in adult biopsies, but not in blood. A similar increase in expression of interferon gene sets was observed in pediatric EoE biopsies as compared to non-EoE samples, and in public pediatric and adult RNA-sequencing data. Finally, we found that peripheral CD4+ T cells from children with EoE produce IFNG upon activation with EoE-causal allergens. Together, this work identifies a conserved interferon signature in pediatric and adult EoE, highlighting a role for non-type 2 inflammatory networks in the disease process. Overall design: 20 samples total. 10 patients; 4 control, 5 eosinophilic esophagitis, 1 lymphocytic esophagitis. For each patient, an esophageal tissue sample and a blood sample were taken.