Method for Predicting the Response to a Therapy

Abstract

A test kit for selecting a therapy for a steroid resistant patient presenting inflammatory symptoms comprises primer pairs or antibodies specific for at least one marker gene or protein translated from at least one marker gene, and instructions for use. The primer pairs or antibodies enable analysis of expression level of the at least one marker gene or translated protein from the at least one marker gene.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A test kit for selecting a therapy for a steroid resistant patient presenting inflammatory symptoms, wherein said kit comprises primer pairs or antibodies specific for at least one marker gene or protein translated from at least one marker gene, and said primer pairs or antibodies enable analysis of expression level of said at least one marker gene or translated protein from said at least one marker gene, and instructions for use. 
     
     
         2 . A test kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said kit comprises antibodies enabling analysis of the expression level of at least one marker gene determined by the protein level translated from the at least one marker gene, and wherein the at least one marker gene is selected from the group consisting of CD163, Tsp1, ID-R2, TLR2, TLR4, MKP-1 and TXK. 
     
     
         3 . A test kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said kit comprises specific primer pairs enabling analysis of expression level of at least one marker gene, and instructions for use, and wherein said specific primer pairs are specific for at least one of the genes selected from the group consisting of CD163, Tsp1, TLR2, TLR4, MKP-1 and TXK. 
     
     
         4 . The kit according to  claim 3 , wherein said specific primer pairs are selected from the group of SEQ ID NO: 1-14 or functionally equivalent primer pairs specific for at least one of the genes selected from the group consisting of CD163, Tsp1, ID-R2, TLR2, TLR4, MKP-1 and TXK. 
     
     
         5 . The kit according to  claim 3 , wherein said specific primer pairs are selected from the group of SEQ ID NO: 1-6 or functionally equivalent primer pairs specific for at least one of the genes selected from the group consisting of CD163, Tsp1 and IL1-R2. 
     
     
         6 . The kit according to  claim 3 , wherein said specific primer pairs are SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO: 2 or functionally equivalent primer pairs specific for the CD163 marker gene. 
     
     
         7 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said kit further comprises means for cultivating cells. 
     
     
         8 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said kit further comprises an agent for sensitizing cells to the action of steroids. 
     
     
         9 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein said kit further comprises means for carrying out hybridization or annealing assay.