USE AND IDENTIFICATION OF BIOMARKERS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES

摘要

The described invention relates to the identification of biomarkers for gastrointestinal diseases and provides methods utilizing the biomarkers for in drug discovery, monitoring of treatment efficacy, and diagnostics. The invention further provides methods for identifying a therapeutic target to treat ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer, and Crohn's disease.

主权项

1. A method for identifying a therapeutic target to treat a colon cancer in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising the steps:
(a) isolating normal differentiable segment-specific human stem cell-like progenitor cells from normal mucosal tissue of the subject derived from at least one normal gastrointestinal segment; (b) isolating diseased differentiable segment-specific human stem cell-like progenitor cells from diseased mucosal tissue derived from at least one segment of the subject's diseased human gastrointestinal segment; (c) cultivating the normal differentiable segment-specific human stem cell-like progenitor cells from step (a) on a biosimilar matrix environment formed from the normal mucosal tissue derived from the at least one normal human gastrointestinal segment to produce a normal human intestinal primary epithelial cell line; (d) cultivating the diseased differentiable segment-specific human stem cell-like progenitor cells from step (b) on a biosimilar matrix environment formed from the diseased mucosal tissue of step (b) to produce a diseased human intestinal primary epithelial cell line; (e) exposing the normal human intestinal primary epithelial cell line of step (c) and the diseased human intestinal primary epithelial cell line of step (d) to a therapeutic agent; (f) measuring the level of expression of a biomarker, wherein the level of expression of the biomarker is measured in the normal human intestinal primary epithelial cell line of step (e) and in the diseased human intestinal primary epithelial cell line of step (e); and (g) identifying a therapeutic target for the treatment of colon cancer by comparing the level of expression of the biomarker in the normal human intestinal primary cell line of step (f) and in the diseased human intestinal primary epithelial cell line of step (f).