Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties Inc

The State University of New York

Jens Ponikau

Hirohito Kita

Christopher B Lawrence

David A Sherris

Eugene Kern

This document relates to methods and materials involved in fungus-induced inflammation and eosinophil degranulation. For example, isolated nucleic acids encoding fungal polypeptides, fungal polypeptides, methods for assessing fungus-induced inflammation, methods for assessing eosinophil degranulation, and methods for identifying inhibitors of fungus-induced inflammation and/or eosinophil degranulation are provided.

Fungus-induced inflammation and eosinophil degranulation

The present invention provides a method for identifying bacterial induced rhinosinusitis. The method comprises obtaining a nasal or paranasal mucus sample and detecting the presence of neutrophil degranulation in the mucus sample. Degranulation of neutrophils can be determined by morphological analysis of the cells in the mucus or by detection of released (i.e., 'free') granule content markers such as neutrophil elastase or myeloperoxidase. Based on an accurate determination of the cause of sinusitis as described herein, an appropriate treatment can be instituted.

Detecting a bacterial process in chronic rhinosinusitis

The invention involves methods and materials for treating and preventing non-invasive fungus-induced mucositis. Specifically, the invention involves administrating an antifungal agent such that it contact mucus in an amount, at a frequency, and for a duration effective to prevent, reduce, or eliminate non-invasive fungus-induced rhinosinusitis. This invention also provides methods and materials for diagnosing non-invasive fungus-induced rhinosinusitis and culturing non-invasive fungus from a mammalian mucus sample as well as specific antifungal formulations and medical devices for treating and preventing non-invasive fungus-induced rhinosinusitis. In addition, the invention provides methods and materials for treating and preventing other non-invasive fungus-induced mucositis conditions such as chronic otitis media, chronic colitis, and Crohn's disease. Further, the invention involves methods and materials for treating and preventing chronic asthma symptoms.

Methods and materials for treating and preventing inflammation of mucosal tissue

The invention provides methods and materials related to the diagnosis of eosinophil degranulating conditions. Specifically, the invention provides methods and materials that involve visual types of analysis (e.g., microscopic analysis) that are used to determine the presence or absence of a horseshoe-shaped eosinophil granule structure within a mucus sample collected from a mammal. The presence of a horseshoe-shaped eosinophil granule structure within a patient's mucus indicates that the patient has an eosinophil degranulating condition. In addition, the invention provides methods and materials that involve immunological types of analysis (e.g., immunoassays) that are used to determine if a patient's mucus contains a tissue-damaging amount of eosinophil granule content that is outside the eosinophil granule and within the mucus. Like the presence of a horseshoe-shaped eosinophil granule structure, the presence of a tissue-damaging amount of eosinophil granule content outside the eosinophil granule and within the mucus indicates that the patient has an eosinophil degranulating condition. Further, the invention provides diagnostic kits that can be used to determine whether or not a patient has an eosinophil degranulating condition.

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Amherst, NY, United States of America

Jens Ponikau