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Oras A, Kallionpää H, Suomi T, Koskinen S, Laiho A, Elo LL, Knip M, Lahesmaa R, Aints A, Uibo R. Profiling of peripheral blood B-cell transcriptome in children who developed coeliac disease in a prospective study. Heliyon 2023; 9:e13147. [PMID: 36718152 PMCID: PMC9883278 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In coeliac disease (CoD), the role of B-cells has mainly been considered to be production of antibodies. The functional role of B-cells has not been analysed extensively in CoD. Methods We conducted a study to characterize gene expression in B-cells from children developing CoD early in life using samples collected before and at the diagnosis of the disease. Blood samples were collected from children at risk at 12, 18, 24 and 36 months of age. RNA from peripheral blood CD19+ cells was sequenced and differential gene expression was analysed using R package Limma. Findings Overall, we found one gene, HNRNPL, modestly downregulated in all patients (logFC -0·7; q = 0·09), and several others downregulated in those diagnosed with CoD already by the age of 2 years. Interpretation The data highlight the role of B-cells in CoD development. The role of HNRPL in suppressing enteroviral replication suggests that the predisposing factor for both CoD and enteroviral infections is the low level of HNRNPL expression. Funding EU FP7 grant no. 202063, EU Regional Developmental Fund and research grant PRG712, The Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in Molecular Systems Immunology and Physiology Research (SyMMyS) 2012-2017, grant no. 250114) and, AoF Personalized Medicine Program (grant no. 292482), AoF grants 292335, 294337, 319280, 31444, 319280, 329277, 331790) and grants from the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation (SJF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Oras
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Henna Kallionpää
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland
| | - Tomi Suomi
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland,InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Satu Koskinen
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland
| | - Asta Laiho
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland,InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Laura L. Elo
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland,InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland,Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Mikael Knip
- Pediatric Research Center, Children's Hospital, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland,Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland,Center for Child Health Research, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Riitta Lahesmaa
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Finland,InFLAMES Research Flagship Center, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Alar Aints
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia,Corresponding author. Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, EE50411, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Raivo Uibo
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
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Stamnaes J. Insights from tissue "omics" analysis on intestinal remodeling in celiac disease. Proteomics 2021; 21:e2100057. [PMID: 34633755 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202100057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Celiac disease (CeD) is a prevalent intestinal disorder that only develops in genetically susceptible individuals when they mount a harmful CD4+ T-cell response towards gluten peptides. Intake of gluten leads to inflammation and remodeling of the small intestine with symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea. The only current treatment is a lifelong gluten free diet. The immunological basis for CeD is well characterized but the mechanisms that drive intestinal remodeling are still poorly understood. Transcriptome or proteome analysis of intestinal biopsies gives a global snapshot of all processes that occur in the tissue, including alterations in the epithelial cell layer. This paper will introduce concepts of intestinal remodeling, recapitulate the current understanding of CeD pathogenesis and discuss findings from relevant tissue "omics" studies. On the basis of this review, I give perspectives on what tissue "omics" studies can tell us about disease pathogenesis with a particular focus on the gluten induced intestinal remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorunn Stamnaes
- Department of Immunology, K.G. Jebsen Coeliac Disease Research Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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3
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Gandini A, Gededzha MP, De Maayer T, Barrow P, Mayne E. Diagnosing coeliac disease: A literature review. Hum Immunol 2021; 82:930-936. [PMID: 34462157 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune gastroenteropathy triggered by gliadin and gliadin-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) complexes. CD is one of the few autoimmune diseases with an accurate, non-invasive serological test. Anti-endomysial, anti-tTG and anti-deaminated gliadin peptides (DGP) antibodies are currently used for serological tests with tTG ELISAs being the superior test. Duodenal biopsy, although invasive, is the gold standard for CD diagnosis. HLA genotyping and flow cytometry can also be used as supplementary tests. The incidence of CD is rising globally although the reasons for this remain unclear. In addition, the true incidence of coeliac disease in African populations remains unknown although recent work suggests that South African populations express the alleles associated with this disease. This review examines the pathogenesis and diagnosis of coeliac disease and considers novel and innovative biomarkers in its diagnosis specifically in an African population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Gandini
- University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Maemu P Gededzha
- University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Tim De Maayer
- University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, South Africa
| | - Peter Barrow
- University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; Wits University Donald Gordon Medical Centre, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth Mayne
- University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, South Africa; Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Wolf J, Willscher E, Loeffler-Wirth H, Schmidt M, Flemming G, Zurek M, Uhlig HH, Händel N, Binder H. Deciphering the Transcriptomic Heterogeneity of Duodenal Coeliac Disease Biopsies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052551. [PMID: 33806322 PMCID: PMC7961974 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Coeliac disease (CD) is a clinically heterogeneous autoimmune disease with variable presentation and progression triggered by gluten intake. Molecular or genetic factors contribute to disease heterogeneity, but the reasons for different outcomes are poorly understood. Transcriptome studies of tissue biopsies from CD patients are scarce. Here, we present a high-resolution analysis of the transcriptomes extracted from duodenal biopsies of 24 children and adolescents with active CD and 21 individuals without CD but with intestinal afflictions as controls. The transcriptomes of CD patients divide into three groups-a mixed group presenting the control cases, and CD-low and CD-high groups referring to lower and higher levels of CD severity. Persistence of symptoms was weakly associated with subgroup, but the highest marsh stages were present in subgroup CD-high, together with the highest cell cycle rates as an indicator of virtually complete villous atrophy. Considerable variation in inflammation-level between subgroups was further deciphered into immune cell types using cell type de-convolution. Self-organizing maps portrayal was applied to provide high-resolution landscapes of the CD-transcriptome. We find asymmetric patterns of miRNA and long non-coding RNA and discuss the effect of epigenetic regulation. Expression of genes involved in interferon gamma signaling represent suitable markers to distinguish CD from non-CD cases. Multiple pathways overlay in CD biopsies in different ways, giving rise to heterogeneous transcriptional patterns, which potentially provide information about etiology and the course of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Wolf
- Department of Laboratory Medicine at Hospital “St. Georg” Leipzig, 04129 Leipzig, Germany;
- Immuno Deficiency Centre Leipzig (IDCL) at Hospital St. Georg Leipzig, Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Centre for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases, 04129 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Edith Willscher
- IZBI, Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (E.W.); (H.L.-W.); (M.S.)
| | - Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- IZBI, Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (E.W.); (H.L.-W.); (M.S.)
| | - Maria Schmidt
- IZBI, Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (E.W.); (H.L.-W.); (M.S.)
| | - Gunter Flemming
- Paediatric Gastroenterology Unit, University Hospital for Children and Adolescents, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;
| | - Marlen Zurek
- Children’s Hospital of the Clinical Centre “Sankt Georg”, 04129 Leipzig, Germany; (M.Z.); (N.H.)
| | - Holm H. Uhlig
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Experimental Medicine, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX4 2PG, UK;
| | - Norman Händel
- Children’s Hospital of the Clinical Centre “Sankt Georg”, 04129 Leipzig, Germany; (M.Z.); (N.H.)
| | - Hans Binder
- IZBI, Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstr. 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; (E.W.); (H.L.-W.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence:
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Dotsenko V, Oittinen M, Taavela J, Popp A, Peräaho M, Staff S, Sarin J, Leon F, Isola J, Mäki M, Viiri K. Genome-Wide Transcriptomic Analysis of Intestinal Mucosa in Celiac Disease Patients on a Gluten-Free Diet and Postgluten Challenge. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2020; 11:13-32. [PMID: 32745639 PMCID: PMC7593586 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Gluten challenge studies are instrumental in understanding the pathophysiology of celiac disease. Our aims in this study were to reveal early gluten-induced transcriptomic changes in duodenal biopsies and to find tools for clinics. METHODS Duodenal biopsies were collected from 15 celiac disease patients on a strict long-term gluten-free diet (GFD) prior to and post a gluten challenge (PGC) and from 6 healthy control individuals (DC). Biopsy RNA was subjected to genome-wide 3' RNA-Seq. Sequencing data was used to determine the differences between the three groups and was compared to sequencing data from the public repositories. The biopsies underwent morphometric analyses. RESULTS In DC vs. GFD group comparisons, 167 differentially expressed genes were identified with 117 genes downregulated and 50 genes upregulated. In PGC vs. GFD group comparisons, 417 differentially expressed genes were identified with 195 genes downregulated and 222 genes upregulated. Celiac disease patients on a GFD were not "healthy". In particular, genes encoding proteins for transporting small molecules were expressed less. In addition to the activation of immune response genes, a gluten challenge induced hyperactive intestinal wnt-signaling and consequent immature crypt gene expression resulting in less differentiated epithelium. Biopsy gene expression in response to a gluten challenge correlated with the extent of the histological damage. Regression models using only four gene transcripts described 97.2% of the mucosal morphology and 98.0% of the inflammatory changes observed. CONCLUSIONS Our gluten challenge trial design provided an opportunity to study the transition from health to disease. The results show that even on a strict GFD, despite being deemed healthy, patients reveal patterns of ongoing disease. Here, a transcriptomic regression model estimating the extent of gluten-induced duodenal mucosal injury is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeriia Dotsenko
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikko Oittinen
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Tampere, Finland
| | - Juha Taavela
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Tampere, Finland,Department of Internal Medicine, Central Finland Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Alina Popp
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Tampere, Finland,Pediatric Department, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Alessandrescu-Rusescu National Institute for Mother and Child Health, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Markku Peräaho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Central Finland Central Hospital, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Synnöve Staff
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Tays Cancer Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jani Sarin
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland,Jilab Inc, Tampere, Finland
| | | | - Jorma Isola
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland,Jilab Inc, Tampere, Finland
| | - Markku Mäki
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Tampere, Finland
| | - Keijo Viiri
- Tampere Center for Child Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Tampere, Finland,Correspondence Address correspondence to: Keijo Viiri, PhD, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, FIN-33520, Finland; fax: +35833641369.
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Charlesworth RPG. Diagnosing coeliac disease: Out with the old and in with the new? World J Gastroenterol 2020; 26:1-10. [PMID: 31933510 PMCID: PMC6952296 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coeliac disease (CD) is a complex condition resulting from an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. When diagnosing the condition, serological testing and genotyping are useful in excluding CD, although the gold standard of testing is currently histopathological examination of the small intestine. There are drawbacks associated with this form of testing however and because of this, novel forms of testing are currently under investigation. Before we develop completely novel tests though, it is important to ask whether or not we can simply use the data we gather from coeliac patients more effectively and build a more accurate snapshot of CD through statistical analysis of combined metrics. It is clear that not one single test can accurately diagnose CD and it is also clear that CD patients can no longer be defined by discrete classifications, the continuum of patient presentation needs to be recognised and correctly captured to improve diagnostic accuracy. This review will discuss the current diagnostics for CD and then outline novel diagnostics under investigation for the condition. Finally, improvements to current protocols will be discussed with the need for a holistic "snapshot" of CD using a number of metrics simultaneously.
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7
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Chama M, Amadi BC, Chandwe K, Zyambo K, Besa E, Shaikh N, Ndao IM, Tarr PI, Storer C, Head R, Kelly P. Transcriptomic analysis of enteropathy in Zambian children with severe acute malnutrition. EBioMedicine 2019; 45:456-463. [PMID: 31229436 PMCID: PMC6642221 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM), with or without diarrhoea, often have enteropathy, but there are few molecular data to guide development of new therapies. We set out to determine whether SAM enteropathy is characterised by specific transcriptional changes which might improve understanding or help identify new treatments. METHODS We collected intestinal biopsies from children with SAM and persistent diarrhoea. mRNA was extracted from biopsies, sequenced, and subjected to a progressive set of complementary analytical approaches: NOIseq, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), and correlation analysis of phenotypic data with gene expression. FINDINGS Transcriptomic profiles were generated for biopsy sets from 27 children of both sexes, under 2 years of age, of whom one-third were HIV-infected. NOIseq analysis, constructed from phenotypic group extremes, revealed 66 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) out of 21,386 mapped to the reference genome. These DEGs include genes for mucins and mucus integrity, antimicrobial defence, nutrient absorption, C-X-C chemokines, proteases and anti-proteases. Phenotype - expression correlation analysis identified 1221 genes related to villus height, including increased cell cycling gene expression in more severe enteropathy. Amino acid transporters and ZIP zinc transporters were specifically increased in severe enteropathy, but transcripts for xenobiotic metabolising enzymes were reduced. INTERPRETATION Transcriptomic analysis of this rare collection of intestinal biopsies identified multiple novel elements of pathology, including specific alterations in nutrient transporters. Changes in xenobiotic metabolism in the gut may alter drug disposition. Both NOIseq and GSEA identified gene clusters similar to those differentially expressed in pediatric Crohn's disease but to a much lesser degree than those identified in coeliac disease. FUND: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation OPP1066118. The funding agency had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, or writing of the report.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubanga Chama
- Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition group, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Beatrice C Amadi
- Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition group, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Kanta Chandwe
- Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition group, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Kanekwa Zyambo
- Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition group, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Ellen Besa
- Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition group, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Nurmohammad Shaikh
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - I Malick Ndao
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Philip I Tarr
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Chad Storer
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Richard Head
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, United States
| | - Paul Kelly
- Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition group, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Nationalist Road, Lusaka, Zambia; Blizard Institute, Barts & The London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, 4 Newark Street, London, UK.
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Charlesworth RPG, Marsh MN. From 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional: Overcoming dilemmas in intestinal mucosal interpretation. World J Gastroenterol 2019; 25:2402-2415. [PMID: 31171885 PMCID: PMC6543240 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v25.i20.2402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to provide a definitive account of small intestinal mucosal structure and interpretation. The coeliac lesion has been well known, but not well described to date and this review aims to identify the interpretative difficulties which have arisen over time with the histological assessment of coeliac disease. In early coeliac interpretation, there were significant inaccuracies, particularly surrounding intraepithelial lymphocyte counts and the degree of villous flattening which occurred in the tissue. Many of these interpretive pitfalls are still encountered today, increasing the potential for diagnostic errors. These difficulties are mostly due to the fact that stained 2-dimensional sections can never truly represent the 3-dimensional framework of the intestinal tissue under investigation. Therefore, this review offers a critical account occasioned by these 2-dimensional interpretative errors and which, in our opinion, should in general be jettisoned. As a result, we leave a framework regarding the true 3-dimensional knowledge of mucosal structure accrued over the 70-year period of study, and one which is available for future reference.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael N Marsh
- Wolfson College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6UD, United Kingdom
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Charlesworth RPG, Agnew LL, Scott DR, Andronicos NM. Equations defined using gene expression and histological data resolve coeliac disease biopsies within the Marsh score continuum. Comput Biol Med 2018; 104:183-196. [PMID: 30500563 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM The gold standard diagnostic for coeliac disease (CD) is subjective histological assignment of biopsies into the Marsh score categories. It is hypothesized that discrete Marsh score categories can be quantitatively resolved into a continuum using discriminant equations defined using histological and gene expression data. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use a combination of histological and gene expression data to develop equations that classify CD patient biopsies into a quantitative Marsh score continuum which could be used by clinicians to monitor CD treatment efficacy. METHODS Both empirical and simulated gene expression and histological data were used to define predictive Marsh score equations. The distances of treated sample biopsies from the Marsh score standards were determined using the Mahalanobis distance calculation. RESULTS Three function, high resolution discriminant equations derived from simulated data were used to accurately classify 99.6% of simulated and empirically derived biopsy data. The first function resolved active (Marsh type 3) CD from mild (Marsh type 1) CD. The second function resolved normal (no specific pathology) biopsies from mild CD. The third function resolved active Marsh score 3 into a and b subcategories. Finally, measuring the Mahalanobis distance enabled the conversion of discrete Marsh score categories into a continuum. CONCLUSIONS This proof-of-concept study successfully demonstrated that the discrete Marsh score scale can be converted into a quantitative continuum capable of high resolution monitoring of patient treatment efficacy using equations defined by gene expression and histology data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard P G Charlesworth
- Discipline of Biomedical Sciences, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
| | - Linda L Agnew
- Discipline of Biomedical Sciences, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - David R Scott
- Gastroenterologist, Hunter New England Area Health Service, Tamworth, NSW, 2340, Australia
| | - Nicholas M Andronicos
- Discipline of Biomedical Sciences, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
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