Human genetics influences microbiome composition involved in asthma exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid treatment

[Display omitted] The upper-airway microbiome is involved in asthma exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment. Although human genetics regulates microbiome composition, its influence on asthma-related airway bacteria remains unknown. We sought to identify genes and biological pathways regulating airway-microbiome traits involved in asthma exacerbations and ICS response. Saliva, nasal, and pharyngeal samples from 257 European patients with asthma were analyzed. The association of 6,296,951 genetic variants with exacerbation-related microbiome traits despite ICS treatment was tested through microbiome genome-wide association studies. Variants with 1 × 10−4