Patent Description:
This document relates to methods and materials for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiac events. For example, this document provides methods and materials for identifying patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event as well as methods and material for treating patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (e.g., patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)).

Strategies to rapidly re-perfuse patients presenting with STEMI have considerably improved acute survivorship. These patients, however, harbor a significant long-term risk of experiencing a major cardiac adverse event following, for example, PCI for STEMI.

<CIT> describes a human protein called Transforming Growth Factor Alpha III, and isolated polynucleotides encoding this protein, as well as vectors, host cells, antibodies, and recombinant methods for producing this human protein. <CIT> further relates to diagnostic and therapeutic methods useful for diagnosing and treating disorders related to this human protein.

<NPL>) describes that NAP-<NUM>, GRO-alpha, ST-<NUM>, TNF-α and Matrix metalloproteinases are biomarkers in heart failure.

The invention is as defined in the claims herein and relates to an in vitro method for identifying a human at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event, wherein said method comprises detecting the presence of a reduced level of human TGF-α polypeptide within a serum sample obtained from a human and wherein the presence of said reduced level indicates that said human is at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event. The invention also relates to a composition for use in treating myocardial infarction in a human, wherein the composition comprises full-length human TGF-α polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding full-length human TGF-α polypeptide.

To the extent that other subject matter is referred to herein, such as methods for improving cardiac function and other methods for identifying a human at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event, they are included merely for reference purposes.

This document provides methods and materials for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiac events. For example, this document provides methods and materials for identifying patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event as well as methods and material for treating patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (e.g., patients who underwent PCI for STEMI).

As described herein, a STEMI patient who underwent PCI can be assessed to determine whether or not that patient has an increased risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event as opposed to being identified as being unlikely to experience a major adverse cardiac event. For example, the expression profiles of one or more (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>) of the following polypeptides can be used to identify patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event: eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, Dickopf-<NUM> (DKK-<NUM>), follistatin, suppression of tumorigenicity-<NUM> (ST-<NUM>), GRO-alpha (GRO-α), interleukin-<NUM> (IL-<NUM>), nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV), transferrin, tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase-<NUM> (TIMP-<NUM>), tumor necrosis factor receptor-<NUM> and -<NUM> (TNFαRI and II), erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene-<NUM> (ErBb3), neutrophil-activating protein-<NUM> (NAP-<NUM>), angiostatin, chemokine ligand-<NUM> (CCL25), angiopoietin like-<NUM> (ANGPTL4), matrix metalloproteinase-<NUM> (MMP-<NUM>), and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α). In some cases, a myocardial infarction patient or a STEMI patient who underwent PCI can be treated by administering a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide to the patient. In some cases, a patient to be treated can be identified for treatment by assessing expression profiles as described herein. In some cases, the methods and materials provided herein can be used to monitor or confirm that a particular myocardial infarction treatment option (e.g., treatment with a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide) is effective.

Disclosed herein for reference purposes is a method for improving cardiac function. The method comprises, or consists essentially of, administering a composition comprising a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide to a mammal, thereby improving cardiac function of said mammal. The composition can comprise the NAP-<NUM> polypeptide. The composition can comprise the nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide. The mammal can be a human. The mammal can be a human patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering the composition during a percutaneous coronary intervention. The method can comprise administering a TGF-α polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding a TGF-α polypeptide to the mammal.

Also disclosed for reference purposes is a method for improving cardiac function. The method comprises, or consists essentially of, administering a composition comprising a TGF-α polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding a TGF-α polypeptide to a mammal, thereby improving cardiac function of said mammal. The composition can comprise the TGF-α polypeptide. The composition can comprise the nucleic acid encoding a TGF-α polypeptide. The mammal can be a human. The mammal can be a human patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering the composition during a percutaneous coronary intervention.

Also disclosed for reference purposes is a method for improving cardiac function. The method comprises, or consists essentially of, administering a composition comprising a ErBb3 polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding a ErBb3 polypeptide to a mammal, thereby improving cardiac function of said mammal. The composition can comprise the ErBb3 polypeptide. The composition can comprise the nucleic acid encoding a ErBb3 polypeptide. The mammal can be a human. The mammal can be a human patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering the composition during a percutaneous coronary intervention.

Also disclosed for reference purposes is a method for improving cardiac function. The method comprises, or consists essentially of, administering a composition comprising an inhibitor of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and/or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide expression or activity to a mammal, thereby improving cardiac function of said mammal. The mammal can be a human. The mammal can be a human patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The method can comprise administering the composition during a percutaneous coronary intervention.

In a first aspect, the invention provides an in vitro method for identifying a human at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event, wherein said method comprises detecting the presence of a reduced level of human TGF-α polypeptide within a serum sample obtained from a human and wherein the presence of said reduced level indicates that said human is at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event. The method may comprise detecting the presence of a reduced level of the polypeptides human TGF-α and human ErBb3 within said serum sample, or detecting the presence of a reduced level of the polypeptides human TGF-α and human NAP-<NUM>. Alternatively, the method may comprise detecting the presence of the polypeptides human TGF-α, human ErBb3, and human NAP-<NUM> within said serum sample. The human may be a patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The serum sample may be a coronary serum sample.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a composition for use in treating myocardial infarction in a human, wherein the composition comprises full-length human TGF-α polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding full-length human TGF-α polypeptide. The composition can further comprise human ErBb3 polypeptide or a nucleic acid encoding human ErBb3 polypeptide. The human can be patient who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The composition may be administered during a percutaneous coronary intervention.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used to practice the invention, suitable methods and materials are described below. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

To the extent that any of the following examples contain subject matter that falls outside the scope of the invention as defined by the claims, the subject matter is included merely for reference purposes.

The invention is defined in the claims herein. To the extent that other subject matter is referred to herein, it is included merely for reference purposes.

This document provides methods and materials for reducing the risk of major adverse cardiac events. For example, this document provides methods and materials for identifying patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event as well as methods and material for treating patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (e.g., patients who underwent PCI for STEMI). Examples of major adverse cardiac events include, without limitation, death, heart failure, recurrent myocardial infarction, and repeat hospitalization for cardiac-related events.

As described herein, the expression levels of one or more (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>) of the following polypeptides within a serum sample obtained from a myocardial infarction patient (e.g., a STEMI patient who underwent PCI) can be used to identify patients at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event: eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, MMP-<NUM>, and TGF-α. For example, if a myocardial infarction patient (e.g., a STEMI patient who underwent PCI) contains serum (e.g., coronary serum) with an elevated level of one or more of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and MMP-<NUM>, then the patient can be classified as being at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event. In some cases, if a myocardial infarction patient (e.g., a STEMI patient who underwent PCI) contains serum (e.g., coronary serum) with a reduced level of one or more of ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, and TGF-α, then the patient can be classified as being at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event. In some cases, if a myocardial infarction patient (e.g., a STEMI patient who underwent PCI) contains serum (e.g., coronary serum) with an elevated level of one or more of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and MMP-<NUM> and a reduced level of one or more of ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, and TGF-α, then the patient can be classified as being at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event.

A human eotaxin-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_006063. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_006072 (GI No. <NUM>). A human cathepsin-S polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_004070. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_004079. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>). A human DKK-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_036374. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_012242 (GI No. <NUM>). A human follistatin polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_037541. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_013409. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>). A human ST-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. BAA02233 (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No D12763. <NUM> (GI No <NUM>). A human GRO-α polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_001502. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_001511 (GI No. <NUM>). A human IL-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_068575. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_021803 (GI No. <NUM>). A human NOV polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_002505. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_002514 (GI No. <NUM>). A human transferrin polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_001054. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_001063. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>). A human TEMP-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_003246. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_003255. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>). A human TNFαRI polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_001056. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_001065 (GI No. <NUM>). A human TNFαRII polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_001057. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_001066 (GI No. <NUM>). A human ErBb3 polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_001005915. <NUM> or NP_001973. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_001005915. <NUM> or NM_001982. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>). A human NAP-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_002695. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_002704 (GI No. <NUM>). A human angiostatin polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_000292 (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_000301 (GI No. <NUM>). A human CCL25 polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_005615. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_005624 (GI No. <NUM>). A human ANGPTL4 polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_001034756. <NUM> or NP_647475. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_001039667. <NUM> or NM_139314. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>). A human MMP-<NUM> polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_002413. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_002422 (GI No. <NUM>). A human TGF-α polypeptide can have the amino acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NP_003227. <NUM> (GI No. <NUM>) and can be encoded by the nucleic acid sequence set forth in GenBank® Accession No. NM_003236 (GI No. <NUM>).

The term "elevated level" as used herein with respect to the level of a polypeptide (e.g., an eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide) is any level that is greater than (e.g., at least about <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> percent greater than) a reference level for that polypeptide. The term "reduced level" as used herein with respect to the level of a polypeptide (e.g., an ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, or TGF-α polypeptide) is any level that is less than (e.g., at least about <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> percent less than) a reference level for that polypeptide. The term "reference level" as used herein with respect to an eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, MMP-<NUM>, or TGF-α polypeptide is the level of expression of that polypeptide typically observed by healthy humans or human patients with a low risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event. For example, a reference level of eotaxin-<NUM> expression can be the average level of eotaxin-<NUM> expression that is present in samples obtained from a random sampling of <NUM> healthy humans without evidence of cardiac problems. It will be appreciated that levels from comparable samples are used when determining whether or not a particular level is an elevated level or a reduced level. In some cases, the reference level of polypeptide expression can be a ratio of an expression value of that polypeptide in a sample to an expression value of a control polypeptide in the sample. A control polypeptide can be any polypeptide that has a minimal variation in expression level across various samples of the type for which the polypeptide serves as a control. For example, albumin polypeptides, C-reactive protein, or NT-proBNP polypeptides can be used as control polypeptides. In some cases, the reference level of polypeptide expression can be a ratio of an expression value of that polypeptide in a sample to the level of total protein in the sample.

An elevated level of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide expression can be any level provided that the level is at least about <NUM> percent greater than (e.g., at least about <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> percent greater than) a corresponding reference level. For example, an elevated level of eotaxin-<NUM> expression can be <NUM> or more percent greater than the reference level for eotaxin-<NUM> expression.

A reduced level of ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, or TGF-α polypeptide expression can be any level provided that the level is at least about <NUM> percent less than (e.g., at least about <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> percent less than) a corresponding reference level. For example, a reduced level of ErBb3 expression can be <NUM> or more percent less than the reference level for ErBb3 expression.

Any appropriate method can be used to determine expression levels of a polypeptide within a serum sample. For example, ELISA and other immunological-based assays can be used to determine the level of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, MMP-<NUM>, and/or TGF-α within a serum sample.

Once the levels of one or more of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, ErBb3, NAP-<NUM>, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, MMP-<NUM>, and/or TGF-α polypeptide expression in a sample from a patient is determined, then the levels can be compared to reference levels and used to evaluate the likelihood that the patient will experience a major adverse cardiac event. Those patients determined to be likely to experience a major adverse cardiac event as described herein can be subjected to increased monitoring and/or can be treated with an appropriate treatment option. For example, a patient identified as being likely to experience a major adverse cardiac event as described herein can be treated with aggressive pharmacotherapy (e.g., beta-adrenoceptor blockade treatments, treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, aldosterone antagonism treatments, and/or treatment with antiplatelet agents), hemodynamic support (e.g., intra-aortic balloon pump and/or mechanical augmentation of cardiac output), surgical intervention (e.g., coronary bypass grafting or left ventricular assist device placement), and/or device-based intervention (e.g., resychronization therapy or implantable cardiac defibrillators).

In some cases, a patient at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (e.g., a patient identified as being likely to experience a major adverse cardiac event as described herein) can be treated by increasing the level of NAP-<NUM> polypeptide expression, by increasing the level of TGF-α polypeptide expression, by increasing the level of ErBb3 polypeptide expression, or by increasing the levels of a combination of any two of NAP-<NUM> polypeptide expression, TGF-α polypeptide expression, and ErBb3 polypeptide expression (e.g. a combination of both NAP-<NUM> polypeptide and TGF-α polypeptide expression). In some cases, a patient at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (e.g., a patient identified as being likely to experience a major adverse cardiac event as described herein) can be treated by increasing the level of NAP-<NUM> polypeptide expression, by increasing the level of TGF-α polypeptide expression, and by increasing the level of ErBb3 polypeptide expression. An increased level of NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, TGF-α polypeptide expression, and/or ErBb3 polypeptide expression can be used to reduce scar size and tissue remodeling and to improve cardiac function. For example, an area of fibrosis reflecting scar size from injury can be reduced by <NUM> to <NUM> percent (e.g., by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, or by <NUM> to <NUM> percent) following administration of NAP-<NUM> polypeptides or nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, TGF-α polypeptides or nucleic acid encoding a TGF-α polypeptide, ErBb3 polypeptides or nucleic acid encoding a ErBb3 polypeptide, or combinations thereof. In some cases, cardiac tissue remodeling can be reduced by <NUM> to <NUM> percent (e.g., by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, or by <NUM> to <NUM> percent) following administration of NAP-<NUM> polypeptides or nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, TGF-α polypeptides or nucleic acid encoding a TGF-α polypeptide, ErBb3 polypeptides or nucleic acid encoding a ErBb3 polypeptide, or combinations thereof. Examples of improved cardiac function include, without limitation, increased survivorship, reduced hospitalization, symptom-free tolerance of physical activity, improved global physical fitness, improved cardiac ejection fraction, improved cardiac output, improved stroke volume, improved cardiac mass index, and reduced scar size.

In some cases, the level of NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, TGF-α polypeptide, and/or ErBb3 polypeptide expression can be increased by administering a composition containing NAP-<NUM>, TGF-α, and/or ErBb3 polypeptides. In some cases, the level of NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, TGF-α polypeptide, and/or ErBb3 polypeptide expression can be increased by administering one or more nucleic acids (e.g., DNA or RNA) encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, TGF-α polypeptide, and/or ErBb3 polypeptide to cells of the patient (e.g., resident or exogenously grown stem cells). Such a nucleic acid can encode a full-length NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a full-length TGF-α polypeptide, and/or a full-length ErBb3 polypeptide. In some cases, a nucleic acid encoding a fragment of a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide that retains at least some biological activity can be used as described herein to reduce scar size and tissue remodeling and/or to improve cardiac function.

A nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or a fragment thereof) can be administered to a patient using any appropriate method. For example, a nucleic acid can be administered to a human using a vector such as a viral vector.

Vectors for administering nucleic acids (e.g., a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or fragments thereof)) to a mammal are known in the art and can be prepared using standard materials (e.g., packaging cell lines, helper viruses, and vector constructs). See, for example, <NPL>) and<NPL>). Virus-based nucleic acid delivery vectors are typically derived from animal viruses, such as adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses, retroviruses, lentiviruses, vaccinia viruses, herpes viruses, and papilloma viruses. Lentiviruses are a genus of retroviruses that can be used to infect cells. Adenoviruses contain a linear double-stranded DNA genome that can be engineered to inactivate the ability of the virus to replicate in the normal lytic life cycle. Adenoviruses and adeno-associated viruses can be used to infect cells.

Vectors for nucleic acid delivery can be genetically modified such that the pathogenicity of the virus is altered or removed. The genome of a virus can be modified to increase infectivity and/or to accommodate packaging of a nucleic acid, such as a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or a fragment thereof). A viral vector can be replication-competent or replication-defective, and can contain fewer viral genes than a corresponding wild-type virus or no viral genes at all.

In addition to nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or a fragment thereof), a viral vector can contain regulatory elements operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide(s) (or a fragment thereof). Such regulatory elements can include promoter sequences, enhancer sequences, response elements, signal peptides, internal ribosome entry sequences, polyadenylation signals, terminators, or inducible elements that modulate expression (e.g., transcription or translation) of a nucleic acid. The choice of element(s) that may be included in a viral vector depends on several factors, including, without limitation, inducibility, targeting, and the level of expression desired. For example, a promoter can be included in a viral vector to facilitate transcription of a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide. A promoter can be constitutive or inducible (e.g., in the presence of tetracycline), and can affect the expression of a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide in a general or tissue-specific manner. Tissue-specific promoters include, without limitation, a cardiac-specific MHC promoter, a troponin promoter, and an MLC2v promoter.

As used herein, "operably linked" refers to positioning of a regulatory element in a vector relative to a nucleic acid in such a way as to permit or facilitate expression of the encoded polypeptide. For example, a viral vector can contain a cardiac-specific promoter and a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide. In this case, a cardiac-specific MHC promoter is operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide such that it drives transcription in cardiac cells.

In some cases, a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or a fragment thereof) can be administered to cells using non-viral vectors. Methods of using non-viral vectors for nucleic acid delivery are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. See, for example, <NPL>). For example, a nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide can be administered to a mammal by direct injection of nucleic acid molecules (e.g., plasmids) comprising nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide, or by administering nucleic acid molecules complexed with lipids, polymers, or nanospheres.

A nucleic acid encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or a fragment thereof) can be produced by standard techniques, including, without limitation, common molecular cloning, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), chemical nucleic acid synthesis techniques, and combinations of such techniques. For example, PCR or RT-PCR can be used with oligonucleotide primers designed to amplify nucleic acid (e.g., genomic DNA or RNA) encoding a NAP-<NUM> polypeptide, a TGF-α polypeptide, and/or an ErBb3 polypeptide (or a fragment thereof).

In some cases, a patient at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event (e.g., a patient identified as being likely to experience a major adverse cardiac event as described herein) can be treated by reducing the level of expression of one or more (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more) of the following polypeptides: eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and/or MMP-<NUM> polypeptides. A reduction in the level of one or more of these polypeptides can be used to reduce scar size and tissue remodeling and to improve cardiac function. For example, an area of fibrosis reflecting scar size from injury can be reduced by <NUM> to <NUM> percent (e.g., by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, or by <NUM> to <NUM> percent) following administration of a composition designed to reduce eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and/or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide expression or activity. In some cases, cardiac tissue remodeling can be reduced by <NUM> to <NUM> percent (e.g., by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, by <NUM> to <NUM> percent, or by <NUM> to <NUM> percent) following administration of a composition designed to reduce eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and/or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide expression or activity. Examples of improved cardiac function include, without limitation, increased survivorship, reduced hospitalization, symptom-free tolerance of physical activity, improved global physical fitness, improved cardiac ejection fraction, improved cardiac output, improved stroke volume, improved cardiac mass index, and reduced scar size.

In some cases, the level of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, and/or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide expression can be reduced by administering a composition containing an antisense or RNAi molecule (e.g., an siRNA molecule or an shRNA molecule) designed to reduce polypeptide expression of an eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide. In some cases, the level of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide activity can be reduced by administering an inhibitor of eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, DKK-<NUM>, follistatin, ST-<NUM>, GRO-α, IL-<NUM>, NOV, transferrin, TIMP-<NUM>, TNFαRI, TNFαRII, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, or MMP-<NUM> polypeptide activity.

To the extent that the examples contain subject matter outside the scope of the invention as defined in the claims, the subject matter is included merely for reference purposes.

Patients between <NUM> and <NUM> years of age underwent coronary thrombus aspirate prior to PCI for STEMI. Fresh coronary aspirates were stored in EDTA tubes and centrifuged at <NUM>. Serum supernatant was collected, treated with protease inhibitor, split into working aliquots, flash frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at -<NUM> within <NUM> minutes of coronary sampling. The Mayo Clinic Risk Model of MACE and TIMI scoring were utilized for stratification at the time of myocardial infarction, and patients identified as non-high risk were enrolled and followed (n=<NUM>). Those suffering from death, recurrent infarction, or heart failure (MACE) within a two-year follow-up were categorized as vulnerable (n=<NUM>), while those who did not were categorized as protected (n=<NUM>).

Stored coronary serum samples were thawed only once and prepared for ELISA-based antibody array analysis (Quantibody Human Array-<NUM>, RayBiotech) to quantify <NUM> distinct cytokines. Serum samples were diluted <NUM>:<NUM> with sample diluent. Glass protein array slides were allowed to equilibrate and dry at room temperature for <NUM> minutes. Each chamber within the slide was blocked for <NUM> minutes. Standards for each cytokine were prepared as eight serial dilutions and added to respective chambers, while the remaining chambers received <NUM>µL of serum. Following overnight incubation at <NUM>, slides were washed for a total of <NUM> minutes. A biotinylated labeling agent was added to each chamber and incubated overnight at <NUM>. Slides were washed for an additional <NUM> minutes and incubated with Cy3-Streptavidin for <NUM> hour protected from light at room temperature. Slides were washed and centrifuged for <NUM> minutes at <NUM>,<NUM> rpm. Dry slides were analyzed using Molecular Devices Axon GenePix Pro <NUM> software to generate a standard curve for each cytokine and determine individual concentrations in coronary serum.

Differentially expressed array proteins were submitted for network analysis using Ingenuity Pathways Knowledge Base (IPKB, Ingenuity Systems, "www" dot "ingenuity. com") to identify associated functional sub-networks. These were merged into a composite interactome in IPKB and depicted using the network visualization program Cytoscape <NUM>. <NUM>, with network topology characterized using Network Analyzer (<NPL>)). Computed properties included node degree (k), degree distribution (P[k]), and clustering coefficient distribution (C[k]), the derivation of which were described elsewhere (<NPL>)); <NPL>); and <NPL>)). IPKB also prioritized over-represented molecular and physiological functions and canonical pathways associated with the resolved interaction network.

Surgery was performed on <NUM> mice aged <NUM>-to <NUM>-weeks old C57BL/<NUM> under <NUM>-<NUM>% isoflurane. Left anterior descending artery (LAD) was temporarily ligated for <NUM> minutes with the animal anesthetized throughout this time period. This was followed by restoration of blood flow for <NUM>-<NUM> minutes. Region supplied by LAD was then injected <NUM> times with <NUM>µL of saline or growth factors. The concentrations used for NAP-<NUM> and TGF-α injections were <NUM>-<NUM> ng per injection and <NUM>-<NUM> ng per injection, respectively.

Pain prophylaxis was implemented by an acetaminophen regimen (<NUM>-<NUM>/kg in drinking water) for <NUM> days prior to and <NUM> days after surgery. Prior to surgery, mice were randomized into saline (n=<NUM>) or growth factor treated (n=<NUM>) groups in <NUM>:<NUM> format. Individuals involved in performing the surgery and collecting and analyzing echocardiographic data were blinded throughout the study. Cardiac function and structure were quantified prospectively by echocardiography using a <NUM> transducer up to <NUM> month following ischemia reperfusion injury. Ejection fraction was defined as [(LVVd - LVVs)/LVVd]x100, where LVVd is LV end-diastolic volume, and LVVs is LV end-systolic volume.

This work was designed to assess the serological changes in the concentration of <NUM> cytokines. Patient clinical data were analyzed as mean ± SD and compared between groups with <NUM>-sample student t-test or median ± interquartile range. Cytokine concentrations were presented as median ± interquartile range, and analyzed by non-parametric statistics Mann-Whitney U test. Differences were considered significant with p<<NUM>. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to evaluate the prognostic potential of each cytokine for STEMI patient stratification prior to PCI. Network analysis p-values were calculated using Fisher's exact test, determining the probability that association between dataset proteins and functions or canonical pathways is explained by chance alone. Statistical analyses were performed in SAS JMP <NUM> and MedCalc software, version <NUM>.

Coronary thrombus aspirate was obtained from STEMI patients with an occlusive coronary lesion. Thrombectomy was performed prior to PCI with a drug-eluting stent (<FIG>). Patient aspirates were included in the study if coronary intervention was without complication and restored from TIMI-<NUM> to TIMI-<NUM> flow. All patients were managed according to ACC/AHA practice guidelines (<NPL>)). Aspirated thrombus and coronary blood was processed for plasma extraction and subjected to proteomic assessment with generation of a heat map plotting the plasma protein expression profile for each patient (<FIG>).

During a <NUM>-year follow-up period, patients with major cardiac adverse events were categorized as vulnerable (n=<NUM>), and those without were categorized as protected (n=<NUM>). No differences in demographics and cardiovascular health factors (Table <NUM>) were noted between the two cohorts. Several risk stratification models were calculated for each patient. Specifically, TIMI risk score for probability of death during hospitalization and up to <NUM>-months was low in both patient cohorts (<NUM>±<NUM> in vulnerable and <NUM>±<NUM> in protected, p=<NUM>) (Table <NUM>) (<NPL>) and <NPL>)). The Mayo Clinic Risk Model of MACE validated TIMI scoring, placing both groups in the non-high risk category (<NUM>±<NUM> in vulnerable and <NUM>±<NUM> in protected, p=<NUM>) (<FIG>) (<NPL>)). Echocardiographic evaluation, however, revealed severe reduction in ejection fraction (-<NUM>±<NUM>%) in the vulnerable group compared to limited change (-<NUM>±<NUM>%) in the protected group (<FIG>; p<<NUM>). Survivorship was <NUM>% in the vulnerable versus <NUM>% in the protected group (<FIG>).

Coronary serum aspirates from each patient were evaluated for protein content. Standard curves for each of the <NUM> probes, constituting a comprehensive cytokine panel, were generated to determine concentration. Initially, a p≤<NUM> cutoff was utilized to capture a spectrum of candidate cytokines with differential concentrations in protected versus vulnerable patient samples. These included eotaxin-<NUM>, cathepsin-S, Dickopf-<NUM> (DKK-<NUM>), follistatin, suppression of tumorigenicity-<NUM> (ST-<NUM>), GRO-alpha (GRO-α), interleukin-<NUM> (IL-<NUM>), nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV), transferrin, tissue inhibitor of metallopeptidase-<NUM> (TIMP-<NUM>), tumor necrosis factor receptor-<NUM> and -<NUM> (TNFαRI and II), erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene-<NUM> (ErBb3), neutrophil-activating protein-<NUM> (NAP-<NUM>), angiostatin, chemokine ligand-<NUM> (CCL25), angiopoietin like-<NUM> (ANGPTL4), matrix metalloproteinase-<NUM> (MMP-<NUM>) and transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) (<FIG> and <FIG>).

The resulting <NUM> cytokines were subjected to a more discriminating cutoff (p≤<NUM>) yielding six cytokines, namely NAP-<NUM>, angiostatin, CCL25, ANGPTL4, MMP-<NUM>, and TGF-α. The median concentrations for each of the six resolved factors in the protected and vulnerable group were for: NAP-<NUM><NUM> ng/mL and <NUM> ng/mL (p = <NUM>), Angiostatin <NUM> pg/mL and <NUM> pg/mL (p = <NUM>), CCL25 undetected and <NUM> ng/mL (p = <NUM>), ANGPTL4 <NUM> pg/mL and <NUM> pg/mL (p = <NUM>), MMP-<NUM><NUM> pg/mL and <NUM>. 7ng/mL (p = <NUM>), and TGF-α <NUM> ng/mL and undetected (p = <NUM>), respectively (<FIG>). To probe the discriminatory potential of each factor, a receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve was generated (<FIG>) yielding area under the curve (AUC) as follows: TGF-α <NUM> (p = <NUM>), NAP-<NUM><NUM> (p = <NUM>), Angiostatin <NUM> (p = <NUM>), MMP-<NUM><NUM> (p = <NUM>), ANGPTL4 <NUM> (p = <NUM>) and CCL25 <NUM> (p = <NUM>). This in turn allowed projection of sensitivity and specificity (Table <NUM>). Concentration results (<FIG>), ROC curves (<FIG>), and sensitivity and specificity results (<FIG>) for the remaining <NUM> factors (<NUM>≤ p ≤<NUM>) were obtained.

The biological relationship between all discriminatory polypeptides was probed using complex network analysis. These <NUM> factors clustered into an organized network composed of <NUM> nodes linked by <NUM> pairwise connections (<FIG>). Network topology displayed non-stochastic architecture with hierarchical tendencies (<FIG>). Evaluation of over-represented molecular and physiological functions revealed prioritization for hematological, immunological, and cardiovascular functions (<FIG>). Canonical pathway assessment ranked calcium regulation, retinoic acid signaling, and endothelial inflammation as the most highly correlated to the resolved network (<FIG>). Thus, derivation of the non-stochastic network encompassing <NUM> factors identified within the coronary serum, maps activated pathophysiological processes discriminating vulnerable from protected patients at the time of STEMI.

The day before surgery <NUM> baseline echocardiographic recordings were collected, and the mice were randomized <NUM>:<NUM> into saline and growth factor treated groups. After ischemia reperfusion injury was induced, <NUM>-<NUM> ng of NAP-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM> ng TGF-α were injected in the region supplied by LAD (<FIG>). Three days later, hearts we harvested, and fibrosis was quantified on saline (n=<NUM>) and growth factor (n=<NUM>) treated groups. Hearts treated with growth factors exhibited <NUM>±<NUM>% of fibrosis in the left ventricular wall compared to <NUM>±<NUM>% in the saline group (p=<<NUM>) (<FIG>).

Echocardiography collection was performed <NUM> and <NUM> days, and <NUM> weeks following injury (<FIG>). Significant improvement was observed during the acute phases of injury (<FIG>) in growth factor treated mice. Left ventricular end-diastolic and systolic volumes were significantly improved in the growth factor treated cohort, demonstrating reduced remodeling and organ decompensation. These results demonstrate that factors within the coronary bed can be used as molecular therapy to reduce scar size, limit tissue remodeling and improve cardiac function following STEMI.

Taken together, these results demonstrate that markers such as the <NUM> cytokines described herein can be used to assess long-term outcomes following infarction. High-throughput proteomics thus can provide a molecular snapshot of disease entities at the tissue level. These results also demonstrate that treatment with NAP-<NUM>, TGF-α, or both during ischemia reperfusion injury can be used to reduce scar size and tissue remodeling, and to improve cardiac function. In addition, real-time monitoring of patient response to injury and/or treatment can be performed to inform personalized management at the time of reperfusion or during various treatment or post-treatment phases.

Claim 1:
An in vitro method for identifying a human at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event, wherein said method comprises detecting the presence of a reduced level of human TGF-α polypeptide within a serum sample from a human and wherein the presence of said reduced level indicates that said human is at risk of experiencing a major adverse cardiac event.