Biomarker signatures for progressive idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive lung disease in which circulatory biomarkers have the potential for guiding management in clinical practice. We assessed the prognostic role of serum biomarkers in three independent IPF cohorts: Australian Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Registry (AIPFR), Trent Lung Fibrosis (TLF) and Prospective Observation of Fibrosis in the Lung Clinical Endpoints (PROFILE).

Methods: In the AIPFR cohort, candidate proteins were assessed by ELISA as well as in an unbiased proteomic approach.

Analysis of human chromosomes by imaging flow cytometry.

Chromosomal analysis is traditionally performed by karyotyping on metaphase spreads, or by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) on interphase cells or metaphase spreads. Flow cytometry was introduced as a new method to analyze chromosomes number (ploidy) and structure (telomere length) in the 1970s with data interpretation largely based on fluorescence intensity. This technology has had little uptake for human cytogenetic applications primarily due to analytical challenges.

There is detectable variation in the lipidomic profile between stable and progressive patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease characterized by fibrosis and progressive loss of lung function. The pathophysiological pathways involved in IPF are not well understood. Abnormal lipid metabolism has been described in various other chronic lung diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Untargeted metabolomics of human plasma reveal lipid markers unique to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by airway inflammation and progressive airflow limitation, whereas idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterised by a restrictive pattern due to fibrosis and impaired gas exchange. We undertook metabolomic analysis of blood samples in IPF, COPD and healthy controls (HC) to determine differences in circulating molecules and identify novel pathogenic pathways. An untargeted metabolomics using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QTOF-MS) was performed to profile plasma of patients with COPD (n = 21), and IPF (n = 24) in comparison to plasma from healthy controls (HC; n = 20).

Mutational Analysis of BRAF Inhibitor-Associated Squamoproliferative Lesions.

In recent years, there has been increasing use of BRAF-inhibiting drugs for the treatment of various malignancies, including melanoma. However, these agents are associated with the development of other nonmelanoma skin lesions, in particular squamoproliferative lesions such as keratoacanthomas (KAs), squamous cell carcinomas, and BRAF inhibitor-associated verrucous keratoses. The molecular pathogenesis of these lesions is of interest, not only for therapeutic reasons, but also for the insight it might provide into the development of similar lesions in a sporadic setting.