BIOMARKERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF PSORIASIS

1 . A method of predicting whether a patient will be responsive to a treatment for psoriasis comprising:

obtaining cells from the patient;

culturing the cells in the presence or absence of the treatment compound;

measuring the level of a cell marker selected from CD11c. CD3, CD56, ICAM-1, Foxp3, HLA-DR, Langerin and a combination thereof; and

comparing the level of the cell marker in the cells cultured in the presence of the treatment compound to that in cells cultured in the absence of the treatment compound;

wherein a decreased level of the cell marker in the presence of the treatment compound indicates the likelihood of an effective patient response to the treatment compound.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the level of only one of the cell markers is monitored.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the levels of two or more of the cell markers are monitored simultaneously.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment compound is (S)—N-(2-(1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(methylsulfonyl)ethyl)-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)acetamide.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the treatment compound is cyclopropanecarboxylic acid {2-[(1S)-1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-2-methanesulfonyl-ethyl]-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-yl}-amide.

6 . A method of monitoring patient response to a psoriasis treatment comprising:

obtaining a biological sample from the patient;

measuring the level of a cell marker selected from CD11c, CD3, CD56, ICAM-1, Foxp3, Langerin, HLA-DR and a combination thereof, in the biological sample;

administering a treatment compound to the patient;

thereafter obtaining a second biological sample from the patient;

measuring the level of the same cell marker in the second biological sample; and

comparing the levels of the cell marker obtained from first and second biological samples;

wherein a decreased level of the cell marker in the second biological sample indicates an effective response.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the level of CD11c obtained from the dermis region is monitored, and the decrease is about 30%, 35%, 40%, or 45% or more as compared to the level of CD11c in the first biological sample.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the level of CD 11c obtained from the epidermis region is monitored, and the decrease is about 60%, 65%, 70% or 75% or more as compared to the level of CD11c in the first biological sample.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the level of CD3 obtained from the dermis region is monitored, and the decrease is about 15%, 20%, 25% or 30% or more as compared to the level of CD3 in the first biological sample.

10 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the level of CD3 obtained from the epidermis region is monitored, and the decrease is about 25%, 30%, 35%, or 40% or more as compared to the level of CD3 in the first biological sample.

11 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the level of CD56 obtained from the dermis region is monitored and the decrease is about 15%, 20%, 25%, or 30% or more as compared to the level of CD56 in the first biological sample.

12 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the level of CD56 obtained from the epidermis region is monitored, and the decrease is about 60%, 65%, 70%, or 75% or more as compared to the level of CD56 in the first biological sample.

13 . The method of claim 6 wherein the level of Langerin obtained from the dermis region is monitored, and the decrease is about 40%, 45%, 50%, or 55% or more as compared to the level of Langerin in the first biological sample.

14 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the treatment compound is (S)—N-(2-(1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(methylsulfonyl)ethyl)-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)acetamide.

15 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the treatment compound is cyclopropanecarboxylic acid {2-[(1S)-1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-2-methanesulfonyl-ethyl]-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-yl}-amide.

16 . A method of predicting whether a patient will be responsive to a treatment for psoriasis comprising:

obtaining cells from the patient;

culturing the cells in the presence or absence of the treatment compound;

measuring the level of an mRNA selected from mRNA for Keratin 16, iNOS, L-12/IL-23 p40, IL-23 p19, IL-17A. IL-22, DEFB4, IL-8, MX-1, IL-10, IFN-γ, CXCL9 and a combination thereof; and

comparing the level of the mRNA in the cells cultured in the presence of the treatment compound to that in cells cultured in the absence of the treatment compound;

wherein a decreased level of the mRNA in the presence of the treatment compound indicates the likelihood of an effective patient response to the treatment compound.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the level of only one of the mRNA is monitored.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the levels of two or more of the mRNAs are monitored simultaneously.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the treatment compound is (S)—N-(2-(1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(methylsulfonyl)ethyl)-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-4-yl)acetamide.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the treatment compound is cyclopropanecarboxylic acid {2-[(1S)-1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-2-methanesulfonyl-ethyl]-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-yl}-amide.

21 . A method for monitoring patient compliance with a drug treatment protocol for psoriasis comprising:

obtaining a biological sample from said patient;

measuring the level of an mRNA selected from mRNA for Keratin 16, iNOS, IL-12/IL-23 p40, IL-23 p19, IL-17A, IL-22, DEFB4, IL-8, MX-1, IL-10, IFN-γ, CXCL9 and a combination thereof, in the biological sample; and

determining if the expression level is decreased in the patient sample compared to the expression level in a control untreated sample;

wherein a decreased expression indicates patient compliance with said drug treatment protocol.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of IL-12/IL-13 p40 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95% or more as compared to the level of IL-12/IL-13 p40 mRNA in the first biological sample.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of iNOS mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 50%, 55%, 60%, or 65% or more as compared to the level of iNOS mRNA in the first biological sample.

24 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of IL-22 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 65%, 70%, 75%, or 80% or more as compared to the level of IL-22 mRNA in the first biological sample.

25 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of IL-8 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 65%, 70%, 75%, or 80% or more as compared to the level of IL-8 mRNA in the first biological sample.

26 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of DEFB4 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 45%, 50%, 55%, or 60% or more as compared to the level of DEFB4 mRNAin the first biological sample.

27 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of MX-1 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 40%, 45%, 50%, or 55% or more as compared to the level of MX-1 mRNA in the first biological sample.

28 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of Keratin 16 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 50%, 55%, 60%, or 65% or more as compared to the level of Keratin 16 mRNA in the first biological sample.

29 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of IL-17A mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 60%, 65%, 70%, or 75% or more as compared to the level of IL-17A mRNA in the first biological sample.

30 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of IL-23 p19 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 40%, 45%, 50%, or 55% or more as compared to the level of IL-23 p19 mRNA in the first biological sample.

31 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of IL-10 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 40%, 45%, 50%, or 55% or more as compared to the level of IL-10 mRNA in the first biological sample.

32 . The method of claim 21 wherein the level of IFN-γ mRNA is monitored and the decrease is about 30%, 35%, 40%, or 45% or more as compared to the level of IFN-γ mRNA in the first biological sample.

33 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the level of CXCL9 mRNA is monitored, and the decrease is about 20%, 25%, 30%, or 35% or more as compared to the level of CXCL9 mRNA in the first biological sample.

34 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the treatment compound is (S)—N-{2-[1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-2-methanesulfonylethyl]-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-yl}acetamide.

35 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the treatment compound is cyclopropanecarboxylic acid {2-[(1S)-1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-2-methanesulfonyl-ethyl]-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-isoindol-4-yl}-amide.