Mucin Isoforms as Biomarkers for Barrier Dysfunction Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack effective diagnostic and therapeutic tools for diseases characterized by barrier dysfunction, such as coronaviral infections, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer, as they fail to accurately diagnose and monitor the severity of these conditions using mucin and mRNA isoforms effectively.
Innovation Solution
The use of specific mucin and mRNA isoforms, including MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC13, MUC16, MUC20, and MUC21, for diagnosing and monitoring coronaviral infections, where their presence and quantity in biological samples indicate the presence and severity of the disease, and potentially serving as therapeutic targets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current diagnostic methods are used for barrier dysfunction diseases, then general disease detection is possible, but accurate diagnosis and monitoring of disease severity cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by detecting specific mucin expression levels (MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC13, MUC16, MUC20, MUC21) as quantitative biomarkers. Different expression patterns and ratios of these mucins serve as diagnostic parameters that change according to disease presence and severity, enabling accurate diagnosis and monitoring of barrier dysfunction diseases including coronaviral infections
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a universal diagnostic approach using multiple mucin markers that can detect various barrier dysfunction diseases (coronaviral infections, IBD, cancer, respiratory infections) through a single methodology. The same panel of mucins serves multiple functions: diagnostic detection, severity assessment, and disease classification across different pathological conditions
2Measurement precision
If mucin expression is detected to diagnose barrier dysfunction diseases, then accurate diagnosis is achieved, but the complexity of detecting multiple mucin isoforms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the detection of multiple individual mucin markers (MUC1, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC13, MUC16, MUC20, MUC21) into a unified diagnostic panel. By evaluating the combined expression patterns and ratios of these mucins together rather than individually, the system achieves high diagnostic accuracy while managing complexity through integrated analysis
Data Source
AI summary
Mucins and isoforms thereof are provided herein for use in the diagnosis, monitoring, prevention, and/or treatment of a disease characterized by barrier dysfunction, such as, but not limited to a gastrointestinal disorder (e.g. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), cancer, gastrointestinal infections, obesitas, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)), neurodegenerative disorders, respiratory infections, and more in particular coronaviral infections. In a specific embodiment, said mucins and/or isoforms thereof are selected from the list comprising: MUC16, MUC21, MUC20, MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC13, and MUC1, and isoforms thereof.