Methods for classification of toxic agents

1. A method of determining changes in protein expression that result from contacting a cell culture system with a toxic agent, the method comprising:

contacting a cell culture system with the toxic agent, wherein the cell culture system is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) primary human endothelial cells cultured in the presence of two or more factors selected from the group consisting of TNF-α, IL-1, IFN-γ, thrombin, oxidized lipids, angiotensin-II, endothelin-1, aldosterone, IL-4, IL-13, TGF-β, histamine, glucose, and insulin; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: E-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MCP-1, MIG, IL-8, HLA-DR, uPAR, CD141/thrombomodulin;

(b) primary human endothelial cells in a co-culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with a factor stimulating the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4); and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: CD14, CD142, CD40, CD69, MCP-1, E-selectin, IL-1a, IL-8, M-CSF, VCAM-1, CD25, thrombomodulin, and tissue factor;

(c) primary human endothelial cells in a co-culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with a superantigen; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: CD38, CD40, CD69, CD154/CD40L, E-selectin, IL-8, MCP-1, and MIG;

(d) primary human fibroblasts, early passage primary human keratinocytes, or a combination of the two, cultured with IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ and TGFβ; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), ICAM-1 (intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1), collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF (macrophage colony stimulating factor), MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFb1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1a, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, eotaxin-3, and IL-8;

(e) macrophages and endothelial cells co-cultured with TLR2/6 ligand zymosan; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1, ICAM-1, collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF, MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFβ1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1α, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, Eotaxin-3, and IL-8;

(f) primary human bronchial epithelial cells stimulated with IL-1, TNF and IFNg; or TNF, IL4 and IL-13; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1, ICAM-1, collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF, MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFβ1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1α, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, Eotaxin-3, and IL-8; and

(g) smooth muscle cells, optionally co-cultured with endothelial cells, stimulated with IL-1β, TNF, and IFN-γ; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1, ICAM-1, collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF, MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFβ1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1α, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, Eotaxin-3, and IL-8;

determining changes in protein expression that result from the contacting of the toxic agent, wherein the determining is based on differences between the protein levels in the absence of the toxic agent and subsequent to the contacting; and

recording the changes in protein expression.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said toxic agent is one of a library of synthetic or natural compounds.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the toxic agent is an experimental human pharmaceutical.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the toxic agent is a small molecule.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the toxic agent is a chemotherapeutic agent.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting two or more of cell culture systems (a)-(g) with the toxic agent.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting three or more of cell culture systems (a)-(g) with the toxic agent.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting four or more of cell culture systems (a)-(g) with the toxic agent.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting five or more of cell culture systems (a)-(g) with the toxic agent.

10. The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting six of cell culture systems (a)-(g) with the toxic agent.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising contacting each of cell culture systems (a)-(g) with the toxic agent.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein protein levels are measured using an immunoassay.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the immunoassay is an enzyme-linked immunosorbance assay (ELISA).

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cell culture system is a primary cell culture system.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to the contacting, the agent is subjected to a chemical modification to produce a structural analog of the toxic agent.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the chemical modification is directed.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the chemical modification is random.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the chemical modification is selected from the group consisting of: acylation, alkylation, esterification, and amidification.

19. A method of determining changes in protein expression that result from contacting a cell culture system with an agent, the method comprising:

contacting a cell culture system comprising macrophages and endothelial cells co-cultured with TLR2/6 ligand zymosan with the agent;

measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1, ICAM-1, collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF, MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFβ1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1α, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, Eotaxin-3, and IL-8; and

determining changes in protein expression that result from the contacting of the agent, wherein the determining is based on differences between the protein levels in the absence of the agent and subsequent to the contacting; and

recording the changes in protein expression.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises:

contacting a cell culture system with the agent, wherein the cell culture system is selected from the group consisting of:

(a) primary human endothelial cells cultured in the presence of two or more factors selected from the group consisting of TNF-α, IL-1, IFNg, thrombin, oxidized lipids, angiotensin-II, endothelin-1, aldosterone, IL-4, IL-13, TGFb, histamine, glucose, and insulin; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: E-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, MCP-1, MIG, IL-8, HLA-DR, uPAR, CD141/thrombomodulin;

(b) primary human endothelial cells in a co-culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with a factor stimulating the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4); and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: CD14, CD142, CD40, CD69, MCP-1, E-selectin, IL-1a, IL-8, M-CSF, VCAM-1, CD25, thrombomodulin, and tissue factor;

(c) primary human endothelial cells in a co-culture with peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with a superantigen; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: CD38, CD40, CD69, CD154/CD40L, E-selectin, IL-8, MCP-1, and MIG;

(d) primary human fibroblasts, early passage primary human keratinocytes, or a combination of the two, cultured with IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ and TGFβ; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1 (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1), ICAM-1 (intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1), collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF (macrophage colony stimulating factor), MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFb1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1a, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, eotaxin-3, and IL-8;

(e) primary human bronchial epithelial cells stimulated with IL-1, TNF and IFNg; or TNF, IL4 and IL-13; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1, ICAM-1, collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF, MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFb1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1α, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, Eotaxin-3, and IL-8; and

(f) smooth muscle cells, optionally co-cultured with endothelial cells, stimulated with IL-1β, TNF, and IFN-γ; and measuring, subsequent to the contacting, the levels of 3 or more proteins selected from the group consisting of: MCP-1, ICAM-1, collagen I, collagen III, IP-10, Mig, M-CSF, MMP-9, PAI-1, TGFb1, TIMP-1, uPA, uPAR, I-TAC, HLA-DR, IL-1α, keratin 8/18, MMP-1, Eotaxin-3, and IL-8.