Biomarkers and Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Inflammatory Disease Activity

Abstract

Biomarkers useful for diagnosing and assessing inflammatory disease are provided, along with kits for measuring their expression. The invention also provides predictive models, based on the biomarkers, as well as computer systems, and software embodiments of the models for scoring and optionally classifying samples. The biomarkers include at least two biomarkers selected from the DAIMRK group and the score is a disease activity index (DAI).

1 .- 231 . (canceled) 
     
     
         232 . A method for generating protein level data for a first subject comprising:
 performing at least one immunoassay on a first blood sample from the first subject to generate a first dataset comprising protein level data for at least four protein markers, wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least four markers selected from chitinase 3-like 1 (cartilage glycoprotein-39) (CHI3L1); C-reactive protein, pentraxin-related (CRP); epidermal growth factor (beta-urogastrone) (EGF); interleukin 6 (interferon, beta 2) (IL6); leptin (LEP); matrix metallopeptidase 1 (interstitial collagenase) (MMP1); matrix metallopeptidase 3 (stromelysin 1, progelatinase) (MMP3); resistin (RETN); serum amyloid A1 (SAA1); tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 1A (TNFRSF1A); vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1); or, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA); and   wherein the first subject has rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or is suspected of having RA.   
     
     
         233 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein performance of the at least one immunoassay comprises:
 obtaining the first blood sample, wherein the first blood sample comprises the protein markers;   contacting the first blood sample with a plurality of distinct reagents;   generating a plurality of distinct complexes between the reagents and markers; and   detecting the complexes to generate the data.   
     
     
         234 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least one immunoassay comprises a multiplex assay. 
     
     
         235 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least five markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         236 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least six markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         237 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least seven markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         238 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least eight markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         239 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least nine markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         240 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least ten markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         241 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least eleven markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         242 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the plurality of protein markers consists of at most 500 protein markers. 
     
     
         243 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the plurality of protein markers consists of at most 250 protein markers. 
     
     
         244 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the plurality of protein markers consists of at most 100 protein markers. 
     
     
         245 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the plurality of protein markers consists of at most 50 protein markers. 
     
     
         246 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the plurality of protein markers consists of at most 25 protein markers. 
     
     
         247 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the plurality of protein markers consists of at most 12 protein markers. 
     
     
         248 . The method of  claim 232 , wherein the CHI3L1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001267.2, wherein the CRP is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000558.2, wherein the EGF is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001954.2, wherein the IL6 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000591.1, wherein the LEP is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000221.1, wherein the MMP1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_002412.1, wherein the MMP3 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_002413.1, wherein the RETN is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_065148.1, wherein the SAA1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000322.2, wherein the TNFRSF1A is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001056.1, wherein the VCAM1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001069.1, and wherein the VEGFA is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001020539.2. 
     
     
         249 . A method for generating a protein level score comprising:
 performing at least one immunoassay on a first blood sample from a first subject previously diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or suspected of having RA, to generate protein level data for each protein marker of a plurality of protein markers, wherein the plurality of protein markers comprises a plurality of test markers comprising at least four markers selected from chitinase 3-like 1 (cartilage glycoprotein-39) (CHI3L1); C-reactive protein, pentraxin-related (CRP); epidermal growth factor (beta-urogastrone) (EGF); interleukin 6 (interferon, beta 2) (IL6); leptin (LEP); matrix metallopeptidase 1 (interstitial collagenase) (MMP1); matrix metallopeptidase 3 (stromelysin 1, progelatinase) (MMP3); resistin (RETN); serum amyloid A1 (SAA1); tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 1A (TNFRSF1A); vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM1); or, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA); and   combining the protein level data for each test marker to generate the protein level score.   
     
     
         250 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein performance of the at least one immunoassay comprises:
 obtaining the first blood sample, wherein the first blood sample comprises the protein markers;   contacting the first blood sample with a plurality of distinct reagents;   generating a plurality of distinct complexes between the reagents and markers; and   detecting the complexes to generate the data.   
     
     
         251 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least one immunoassay comprises a multiplex assay. 
     
     
         252 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least five markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         253 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least six markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         254 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least seven markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         255 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least eight markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         256 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least nine markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         257 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least ten markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         258 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the at least four protein markers comprise at least eleven markers selected from CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, or VEGFA. 
     
     
         259 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the plurality of test markers comprises CHI3L1, CRP, EGF, IL6, LEP, MMP1, MMP3, RETN, SAA1, TNFRSF1A, VCAM1, and VEGFA. 
     
     
         260 . The method of  claim 249 , wherein the CHI3L1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001267.2, wherein the CRP is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000558.2, wherein the EGF is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001954.2, wherein the IL6 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000591.1, wherein the LEP is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000221.1, wherein the MMP1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_002412.1, wherein the MMP3 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_002413.1, wherein the RETN is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_065148.1, wherein the SAA1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_000322.2, wherein the TNFRSF1A is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001056.1, wherein the VCAM1 is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001069.1, and wherein the VEGFA is at least 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of NCBI RefSeq NP_001020539.2.