Methods of using gelsolin levels to characterize a subject's risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis
The invention relates to the use of gelsolin to treat inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) and to the use of gelsolin to diagnose, monitor, and evaluate therapies of inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).
1. A method for characterizing a subject's risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, comprising:
(a) obtaining a level of plasma gelsolin in the subject,
(b) comparing the level of the plasma gelsolin to a predetermined value of plasma gelsolin in matched healthy controls, and
(c) characterizing the subject's risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis based upon the level of plasma gelsolin in comparison to the predetermined value, wherein a level of plasma gelsolin below the predetermined level is indicative that the subject is at an elevated risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and a level of plasma gelsolin at or above the predetermined level is indicative that the subject is not at an elevated risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of gelsolin is in a body fluid of the subject.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the body fluid is blood, plasma, serum, urine, synovial fluid, or alveolar fluid.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of gelsolin is in a body tissue of the subject.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 250 mg/L of plasma or lower.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 240 mg/L of plasma or lower.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 230 mg/L of plasma or lower.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 220 mg/L of plasma or lower.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 210 mg/L of plasma or lower.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 200 mg/L of plasma or lower.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 190 mg/L of plasma or lower.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 180 mg/L of plasma or lower.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 170 mg/L of plasma or lower.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 160 mg/L of plasma or lower.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 150 mg/L of plasma or lower.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 140 mg/L of plasma or lower.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 130 mg/L of plasma or lower.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 120 mg/L of plasma or lower.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 110 mg/L of plasma or lower.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined value is about 100 mg/L of plasma or lower.