Novel Biomarker for Lung Disease Diagnosis and Monitoring

NU2022-232

INVENTORS

Ankit Bharat*

Yuanqing Yan

SHORT DESCRIPTION

A robust and reliable biomarker for diagnosing and predicting lung disease

ABSTRACT

The lack of robust biomarkers for lung diseases is a pressing challenge.  A team of scientists at Northwestern University has identified the protein serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 1 (SPINK1) as a quantifiable biomarker for acute and chronic lung diseases. Under normal conditions, SPINK1 exhibits relatively high expression in specific tissues like the pancreas, liver, colon, and other gastrointestinal tissues, but little to no expression has been observed in the lungs.

By quantifying SPINK1 levels in the bronchoalveolar fluid of patients with chronic lung disease, the team observed that SPINK1 is highly concentrated in lungs under pathological conditions. Single-cell RNA-Seq studies showed the enriched expression of SPINK1 in monocyte-derived macrophages and a subset of aberrant epithelial cells, playing a significant role in pulmonary fibrosis progression. In preclinical studies, the overexpression of SPINK1 was associated with lung function deterioration and increased production and accumulation of collagen, thus linking SPINK1 with lung disease progression. SPINK1 expression can be measured using routine analytical techniques such as enzyme-linked imunnosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. With improved quantification accuracy, this biomarker provides a novel method to diagnose lung disease and to gauge the effectiveness of treatments for chronic and acute lung disease.

APPLICATIONS

• Diagnostic biomarker for acute and chronic lung disease

• Predictive biomarker for assessing effectiveness of treatments

• Prognostic marker for predicting future clinical events

ADVANTAGES

• Applicable to multiple types of lung disease

• Reliable diagnostic indicator

• Versatile analysis methods

PUBLICATIONS

None

IP STATUS

Provisional patent application filed.

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