Methods for diagnosing and monitoring eosinophilic esophagitis

Abstract

Disclosed are compositions and methods for diagnosing eosinophilic esophagitis in a subject. Also disclosed are methods for monitoring the course of eosinophilic esophagitis in a subject before, during, and after treatment. In another aspect, disclosed is a method of diagnosing eosinophilic esophagitis or eosinophilic diseases in a subject, comprising detecting an eosinophil granule protein in the mucosal tissue of the esophagus or other organs in a subject.

1 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of detecting eosinophil-related inflammation in a nasal cavity of a subject, the method comprising:
 administering radiolabeled heparin to the nasal cavity of the subject, wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to one or more eosinophil granule proteins in the mucosal tissue of the nasal cavity; and   detecting the radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the nasal cavity by one of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), conventional or computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or combinations thereof, wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin is indicative of eosinophil-related inflammation in the nasal cavity of the subject.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to the one or more eosinophil granule proteins to form a radiolabeled heparin eosinophil granule protein complex, and wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin comprises detecting the radiolabeled heparin eosinophil granule protein complex. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the one or more eosinophil granule proteins comprise one or more of major basic protein 1 (MBP-1), major basic protein 2 (MBP-2), eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO). 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the radiolabel is  99m Tc. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the nasal cavity produces a medical image of at least a portion of the nasal cavity,
 wherein a density of the radiolabeled heparin in the medical image is indicative of a degree of radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue.   
     
     
         33 . A method of detecting eosinophil-related inflammation in a respiratory tract passage of a subject, the method comprising:
 administering radiolabeled heparin to the respiratory tract passage of the subject, wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to one or more eosinophil granule proteins in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract passage; and   detecting the radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract passage by one of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), conventional or computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or combinations thereof, wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin is indicative of eosinophil-related inflammation in the respiratory tract passage of the subject.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to the one or more eosinophil granule proteins to form a radiolabeled heparin eosinophil granule protein complex, and wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin comprises detecting the radiolabeled heparin eosinophil granule protein complex. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more eosinophil granule proteins comprise one or more of major basic protein 1 (MBP-1), major basic protein 2 (MBP-2), eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO). 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the radiolabel is  99m Tc. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract passage produces a medical image of at least a portion of the respiratory tract passage,
 wherein a density of the radiolabeled heparin in the medical image is indicative of a degree of radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract passage.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the respiratory tract passage is selected from the group consisting of a nose, a sinus, a lung, and a bronchus of the subject. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the respiratory tract passage is a paranasal sinus cavity,
 wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the paranasal sinus cavity is indicative of eosinophil-related inflammation in the respiratory tract passage of the subject.   
     
     
         40 . A method of detecting a change in eosinophil-related inflammation in a respiratory tract passage of a subject, the method comprising:
 producing a first medical image according to the method of  claim 33 ;   producing a second medical image according to the method of  claim 33 ; and   comparing the second medical image with the first medical image, whereby detecting a change therebetween detects a change in eosinophil-related inflammation in the respiratory tract passage of the subject.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising administering a suspected allergen to the subject prior to producing the second medical image, wherein the suspected allergen is an aero-allergen. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising administering a treatment of eosinophil-related inflammation to the subject prior to producing the second medical image. 
     
     
         43 . A method of detecting eosinophils in a respiratory tract passage of a subject, the method comprising:
 administering radiolabeled heparin to the respiratory tract passage of the subject, wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to one or more eosinophil granule proteins in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract passage; and   detecting the radiolabeled heparin in the mucosal tissue of the respiratory tract passage by one of single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), conventional or computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or combinations thereof, wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin is indicative of eosinophils in the respiratory tract passage of the subject.   
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the radiolabeled heparin binds to the one or more eosinophil granule proteins to form a radiolabeled heparin eosinophil granule protein complex, and wherein detecting the radiolabeled heparin comprises detecting the radiolabeled heparin eosinophil granule protein complex. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the one or more eosinophil granule proteins comprise one or more of major basic protein 1 (MBP-1), major basic protein 2 (MBP-2), eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and eosinophil peroxidase (EPO). 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the radiolabel is  99m Tc. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the respiratory tract passage is selected from the group consisting of a nose, a sinus, a paranasal sinus cavity, a lung, and a bronchus of the subject.