Use of gelsolin to treat infections

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of gelsolin to treat infections and to monitor the treatment of infections. The invention also provides methods up-regulating interleukin expression and methods for down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokine expression.

1 . A method for characterizing a subject's risk profile of developing a gram-positive bacterium infection, comprising: 
 comparing a level of gelsolin from the subject to a predetermined value, and    characterizing the subject's risk profile of developing the gram-positive bacterium infection based upon the level of gelsolin in comparison to the predetermined value, wherein the level of gelsolin below the predetermined value indicates the subject has an elevated risk of developing the gram-positive bacterium infection.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 2.4 μM/L of plasma.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the subject is an apparently healthy subject.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining the level of gelsolin from the subject.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gram-positive bacterium is a  Pasteurella  species,  Staphylococcus  species,  Streptococcus  species,  Bacillus anthracis, Corynebacterium  species,  Diphtheroids  species,  Listeria  species,  Erysipelothrix  species or  Clostridium  species.  
     
     
         6 . A method for characterizing a subject's risk profile of developing a future gram-negative bacterium infection, comprising: 
 comparing a level of gelsolin from the subject to a predetermined value, and    characterizing the subject's risk profile of developing the gram-negative bacterium infection based upon the level of gelsolin in comparison to the predetermined value, wherein the level of gelsolin below the predetermined value indicates the subject has an elevated risk of developing the gram-negative bacterium infection.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predetermined value is about 2.4 μM/L of plasma.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the subject is an apparently healthy subject.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising obtaining the level of gelsolin from the subject.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the gram-negative bacterium is a  Neisseria  species,  Branhamella  species,  Escherichia  species,  Enterobacter  species,  Proteus  species,  Pseudomonas  species,  Klebsiella  species,  Salmonella  species,  Shigella  species,  Serratia  species,  Acinetobacter  species,  Haemophilus  species,  Brucella  species,  Yersinia  species,  Francisella  species,  Pasturella  species,  Vibrio cholera  species,  Flavobacterium  species,  Pseudomonas  species,  Campylobacter  species,  Bacteroides  species,  Fusobacterium  species,  Calymmatobacterium  species,  Streptobacillus  species, or  Legionella  species.  
     
     
         11 . A method for characterizing a risk profile of a subject developing a virus, fungus, or parasite infection, comprising: 
 comparing a level of gelsolin from the subject to a predetermined value, and    characterizing the risk profile of the subject developing the infection based upon the level of gelsolin in comparison to the predetermined value, wherein the level of gelsolin below the predetermined value indicates the subject has an elevated risk of developing the infection.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined value is about 2.4 μM/L of plasma.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising obtaining the level of gelsolin from the subject.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the virus infection is selected from the group consisting of a Retro virus, human immunodeficiency virus, Cytomegalovirus, Picoma virus, Polio virus, hepatitis A virus, enterovirus, Coxsackie virus, rhinovirus, echovirus, Calcivirus, Toga virus, equine encephalitis virus, rubella virus, Flavivirus, dengue virus, encephalitis virus, yellow fever virus, coronavirus, Rhabdovirus, vesicular stomatitis virus, rabies virus, Filovirus, ebola virus, Paramyxo virus, parainfluenza virus, mumps virus, measles virus, respiratory syncytial virus, Orthomyxovirus, influenza virus, Hantaan virus, bunga virus, phlebovirus, Nairo virus, Arena virus, hemorrhagic fever virus, reovirus, orbivirus, rotavirus, Bimavirus, Hepadnavirus, Hepatitis B virus, parvovirus, Papovaviruses, papilloma virus, polyoma virus, Adenovirus, Herpes virus, varicella zoster virus, Pox viruses, variola virus, vaccinia virus, Iridovirus, African swine fever virus, delta hepatitis virus, non-A, non-B hepatitis virus, Hepatitis C, Norwalk virus, astrovirus, and an unclassified virus.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the fungus infection is selected from the group consisting of a  Cryptococcus  species,  Histoplasma  species,  Coccidioides  species,  Paracoccidioides  species,  Blastomyces  species,  Chlamydia  species,  Candida  species,  Sporothrix  species,  Aspergillus  species and fungus of mucormycosis  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the parasite infection is selected from the group consisting of a  Plasmodium  species,  Toxoplasma  species,  Babesia  species,  Leishmania  species and  Trypanosoma  species.  
     
     
         17 . A method for characterizing a risk of developing a secondary infection, comprising: 
 comparing a level of gelsolin from a subject known to have a primary infection to a predetermined value, and    characterizing the risk of the subject developing the secondary infection based upon the level of gelsolin in comparison to the predetermined value, wherein the level of gelsolin below the predetermined value indicates the subject has an elevated risk of developing the secondary infection.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined value is about 2.4 μM/L of plasma.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising obtaining the level of gelsolin from the subject.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the primary infection is a bacterial, viral, fungal, parasitic, or protozoal infection.  
     
     
         21 . A method for characterizing a risk of a subject developing a more severe infection, comprising: 
 comparing a level of the gelsolin from the subject to a predetermined value, and    characterizing the risk of the subject developing the severe infection based upon the level of gelsolin in comparison to the predetermined value, wherein the level of gelsolin below the predetermined value indicates the subject has an elevated risk of developing the more severe infection.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the predetermined value is about 2.4 μM/L of plasma.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising obtaining the level of gelsolin from the subject.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the subject is known to have an infection.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the more severe infection is lethal sepsis.