Methods for the diagnosis of oncological disorders using epimetabolic shifters, multidimensional intracellular molecules, or environmental influencers

1. A method of assessing whether a subject is afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state, the method comprising:

(1) contacting a biological sample from a subject having an oncological disorder, wherein the subject has been administered Coenzyme Q10, with a panel of at least three detection reagents, wherein each detection reagent is an antibody or antigen-binding antibody fragment that specifically binds to one marker selected from the group consisting of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, CCT3, CTSD, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, PDIA3, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1, or an antigenic fragment thereof, such that at least three of said markers can be detected;

(2) measuring the level of expression of the at least three markers present in the biological sample by detecting the detection reagents;

(3) comparing the level of expression of each of the at least three markers in the biological sample to the level of expression of the markers present in a control sample to obtain three or more comparative results wherein the control sample is a biological sample from the subject prior to administration of Coenzyme Q10; and

(4) combining at least three of the comparative results to determine whether or not the oncological disorder is in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state,

wherein the subject is determined to be afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state when:

(a) an increase in at least one of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 is detected; and decreases in at least two of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10;

(b) increases in at least two of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected; and a decrease in at least one of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 is detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10;

(c) increases in at least three of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10; or

(d) decreases in at least three of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10.

2. A method of assessing whether a subject is afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state, the method comprising:

(1) contacting a biological sample from a subject having an oncological disorder, wherein the subject has been administered Coenzyme Q10, with a panel of at least three detection reagents, wherein each detection reagent is specific for one marker selected from the group consisting of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, CCT3, CTSD, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, PDIA3, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1, such that at least three of said markers can be detected;

(2) measuring the level of expression of the at least three markers present in the biological sample by detecting the detection reagents while performing a technique selected from the group consisting of immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and ELISA;

(3) comparing the level of expression of each of the at least three markers in the biological sample to the level of expression of the markers present in a control sample to obtain three or more comparative results wherein the control sample is a biological sample from the subject prior to administration of Coenzyme Q10; and

(4) combining at least three of the comparative results to determine whether or not the oncological disorder is in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state,

wherein the subject is determined to be afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state when:

(a) an increase in at least one of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 is detected; and decreases in at least two of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10;

(b) increases in at least two of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected; and a decrease in at least one of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 is detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10;

(c) increases in at least three of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10; or

(d) decreases in at least three of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of administration of Coenzyme Q10.

3. A method of assessing whether a subject is afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state, the method comprising:

(1) contacting a tumor sample or component thereof obtained from a subject having an oncological disorder with a panel of at least three detection reagents, wherein each detection reagent is an antibody or antigen-binding antibody fragment that specifically binds to one marker selected from the group consisting of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, CCT3, CTSD, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, PDIA3, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1, or an antigenic fragment thereof, such that at least three of said markers can be detected, and wherein the tumor sample or component thereof has been exposed to Coenzyme Q10 ex vivo;

(2) measuring the level of expression of the at least three markers present in the tumor sample or component thereof by detecting the detection reagents;

(3) comparing the level of expression of each of the at least three markers in the tumor sample after exposure to Coenzyme Q10 to the level of expression of the markers present in a control sample from the subject to obtain three or more comparative results, wherein the control sample is a tumor sample or component thereof not exposed to Coenzyme Q10; and

(4) combining at least three of the comparative results to determine whether the oncological disorder is in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state,

wherein the subject is determined to be afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state when:

(a) an increase in at least one of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 is detected; and decreases in at least two of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10;

(b) increases in at least two of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected; and a decrease in at least one of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 is detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10;

(c) increases in at least three of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10; or

(d) decreases in at least three of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10.

4. A method of assessing whether a subject is afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state, the method comprising:

(1) contacting a tumor sample or component thereof obtained from a subject having an oncological disorder with a panel of at least three detection reagents, wherein each detection reagent is specific for one marker selected from the group consisting of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, CCT3, CTSD, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, PDIA3, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1, or an antigenic fragment thereof, such that at least three of said markers can be detected, and wherein the tumor sample or component thereof has been exposed to Coenzyme Q10 ex vivo;

(2) measuring the level of expression of the at least three markers present in the tumor sample or component thereof by detecting the detection reagents while performing a technique selected from the group consisting of immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and ELISA;

(3) comparing the level of expression of each of the at least three markers in the tumor sample after exposure to Coenzyme Q10 to the level of expression of the markers present in a control sample from the subject to obtain three or more comparative results, wherein the control sample is a tumor sample or component thereof not exposed to Coenzyme Q10; and

(4) combining at least three of the comparative results to determine whether the oncological disorder is in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state,

wherein the subject is determined to be afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state when:

(a) an increase in at least one of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 is detected; and decreases in at least two of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10;

(b) increases in at least two of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected; and a decrease in at least one of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 is detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10;

(c) increases in at least three of APAF1, BAX, Calmodulin, GRB2, Heat Shock Protein 110, GRP78 Bip, IDH-1, neutrophil cytosolic factor 2, and PDIA3 are detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10; or

(d) decreases in at least three of CCT3, CTSD, PECAM1, PRDX4, PSME3, RAB7, SOD3, and SRXN1 are detected, as a result of exposure to Coenzyme Q10.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , wherein the oncological disorder is an oncological disorder selected from the group consisting of: a leukemia, a lymphoma, a melanoma, a carcinoma and a sarcoma.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , wherein the sample comprises a fluid obtained from the subject.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood fluids, vomit, saliva, lymph, cystic fluid, urine, fluids collected by bronchial lavage, fluids collected by peritoneal rinsing, and gynecological fluids.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sample is a blood sample or a component thereof.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , wherein the sample comprises a tumor tissue or component thereof obtained from the subject.

10. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , wherein the subject is a human.

11. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 , wherein the detection reagents are labeled.

12. The method of claim 1 or 3 , wherein the level of expression of the markers in the sample is determined using a technique selected from the group consisting of immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry and ELISA.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , further comprising continuing administration of Coenzyme Q10 to a subject determined to be afflicted with an oncological disorder in a Coenzyme Q10 responsive state.

14. The method of any one of claims 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 , wherein the oncological disorder is an aggressive carcinoma or melanoma.