Differential diagnosis of eczema and psoriasis

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of diagnosing eczema and/or psoriasis, wherein said method differentiates between eczema and psoriasis, and comprises determining the expression of at least two markers in a sample taken from an individual, wherein said at least two markers are selected from CCL27, NOS2, IL36G, KLK13, SOST, NPTX1, PLA2G4D, GDA, IL36A, TGM1, CLEC4G, IL13, TCN1, TMPRSS11D and RHCG, provided that said at least two markers consist of or comprise (a) CCL27 and NOS2; (b) CCL27 and KLK13; (c) IL36G and KLK13; (d) CCL27 and IL36G; (e) NOS2 and IL36G; (f) NOS2 and KLK13; (g) SOST; or (h) NPTX1; and assessing on the basis of the expression of said at least two markers whether the individual is afflicted with eczema and/or psoriasis.

1 . A method of diagnosing eczema and/or psoriasis, wherein said method differentiates between eczema and psoriasis, and comprises determining the expression of at least two markers in a sample taken from an individual, wherein said at least two markers are selected from CCL27, NOS2, IL36G, KLK13, SOST, NPTX1, PLA2G4D, GDA, IL36A, TGM1, CLEC4G, IL13, TCN1, TMPRSS11D and RHCG, provided that said at least two markers consist of or comprise
 (a) CCL27 and NOS2;   (b) CCL27 and KLK13;   (c) IL36G and KLK13;   (d) CCL27 and IL36G;   (e) NOS2 and IL36G;   (f) NOS2 and KLK13;   (g) SOST; or   (h) NPTX1; and   assessing on the basis of the expression of said at least two markers whether the individual is afflicted with eczema and/or psoriasis.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two markers are at least three markers and consist of or comprise:
 (i) CCL27, NOS2 and IL36G; or   (j) CCL27, KLK13 and IL36G.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said diagnosing is effected by a classifier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein
 (a) said classifier is obtainable by analyzing said expression of said at least two markers in samples taken from individuals suffering from eczema and in samples taken from individuals suffering from psoriasis; or   (b) said method further comprises calculating said classifier by analyzing said expression of said at least two markers in samples taken from individuals suffering from eczema and in samples taken from individuals suffering from psoriasis.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said analyzing is by means of support vector machines (SVMs), generalized linear models (GLMs), linear discriminant analysis, decision trees, decision rules, neural networks, Bayes regression methods, and/or nearest neighbor methods. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said eczema is selected from atopic eczema, contact dermatitis, nummular dermatitis and dyshidrotic eczema. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said psoriasis is selected from psoriasis vulgaris, psoriasis inversa and psoriasis pustulosa. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said expression is expression
 (a) at the mRNA level and/or   (b) at the protein level.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein expression is at the mRNA level and said determining is effected by PCR, preferably real-time PCR. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein expression is at the protein level and said determining is effected by antibodies. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sample is a skin sample affected by the disease. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein expression is at the protein level and determining is effected by antibodies, wherein:
 said sample is a skin sample affected by the disease, and   (i) said determining the expression is effected by staining of said skin sample; and   (ii) said diagnosing is effected by image analysis of the stained skin sample.   
     
     
         13 . A kit comprising or consisting of means for quantifying the expression of at least two markers selected from CCL27, NOS2, IL36G, KLK13, SOST, NPTX1, PLA2G4D, GDA, IL36A, TGM1, CLEC4G, IL13, TCN1, TMPRSS11D and RHCG, provided that said at least two markers consist of or comprise
 (a) CCL27 and NOS2;   (b) CCL27 and KLK13;   (c) IL36G and KLK13;   (d) CCL27 and IL36G;   (e) NOS2 and IL36G;   (f) NOS2 and KLK13;   (g) SOST; or   (h) NPTX1.   
     
     
         14 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein said means are primers, wherein the primers for the respective genes are as follows:
 CCL27: SEQ ID NOs: 1 and 2;   NOS2: SEQ ID NOs: 3 and 4;   IL36G: SEQ ID NOs: 5 and 6;   KLK13: SEQ ID NOs: 7 and 8;   SOST: SEQ ID NOs: 9 and 10;   NPTX1: SEQ ID NOs: 11 and 12;   PLA2G4D: SEQ ID NOs: 13 and 14;   GDA: SEQ ID NOs: 15 and 16;   IL36A: SEQ ID NOs: 17 and 18;   TGM1: SEQ ID NOs: 19 and 20;   CLEC4G: SEQ ID NOs: 21 and 22;   IL13: SEQ ID NOs: 23 and 24;   TCN1: SEQ ID NOs: 25 and 26;   TMPRSS11D: SEQ ID NOs: 27 and 28;   RHCG: SEQ ID NOs: 29 and 30.   
     
     
         15 . The kit of  claim 13  wherein said means are antibodies which are specific for the given marker. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled)