Identification of interleukin-13 related biomarkers using peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Biomarkers. 2007 Jul-Aug;12(4):414-23. doi: 10.1080/13547500701192652.

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic disorder characterized by airway inflammation, reversible bronchial obstruction, hyper-responsiveness and remodelling. Data from human in vitro studies and experimental in vivo models of asthma has implicated interleukin (IL)-13 in the asthma phenotype suggesting that a therapeutic agent against it could be effective in treating asthma. The role of biomarkers is becoming increasingly important in the clinical development of therapeutics. Here we describe the use of the GeneChip((R)) DNA microarray technology platform to explore and identify potential response to therapy biomarkers that are associated with the biology of IL-13. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from eight healthy donors were cultured in the presence of IL-13, IL-4, an anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibody (mAb) or an isotype control mAb, and RNA from the treated cells was subjected to microarray analysis. The results revealed a number of genes, such as CCL17 (TARC), CCL22 (MDC), CCL23 (MPIF-1), CCL26 (eotaxin 3) and WNT5A (human wingless-type MMTV integration site family member 5A), that showed increased expression in the IL-13 and IL-4 treatment groups. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) subsequently confirmed these results. A follow-up study in PBMCs from five additional healthy donors showed that the neutralization of IL-13 completely blocked IL-13-induced TARC, MDC and eotaxin 3 production at the protein level. These data suggest that TARC, MDC, eotaxin 3, CCL23 and WNT5A if validated could serve as potential biomarkers for anti-IL-13 therapeutics.

MeSH terms

  • Asthma / genetics
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • Chemokine CCL17
  • Chemokine CCL22
  • Chemokine CCL26
  • Chemokines, CC / blood*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-13 / blood*
  • Interleukin-13 / pharmacology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / chemistry*
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / methods
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / blood*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Wnt Proteins / blood*
  • Wnt-5a Protein

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • CCL17 protein, human
  • CCL22 protein, human
  • CCL23 protein, human
  • CCL26 protein, human
  • Chemokine CCL17
  • Chemokine CCL22
  • Chemokine CCL26
  • Chemokines, CC
  • Interleukin-13
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • WNT5A protein, human
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt-5a Protein