Gene expression profiling of peripheral blood leukocytes identifies potential novel biomarkers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in current and former smokers

• Published in: Biomarkers Vol. 15; no. 8; pp. 715 - 730
• Main Authors: Edmiston, Jeffery S., Archer, Kellie J., Scian, Mariano J., Joyce, Andrew R., Zedler, Barbara K., Murrelle, E. Lenn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa Healthcare 01.12.2010; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Cigarette smoking; COPD; gene expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Humans; leukocytes; Leukocytes - metabolism; microarray; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - blood; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - physiopathology; random forest; Respiratory Function Tests; Smoking - blood
• ISSN: 1354-750X; 1366-5804
• DOI: 10.3109/1354750X.2010.512091

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease with associated systemic effects. Objective: To use gene expression microarrays in peripheral blood leukocytes of current and former cigarette smokers to identify differences associated with COPD. Materials and methods: Random forest modelling and a split-sample case-control approach were used to identify candidate predictors. Results: We identified 1013 genes and one smoking exposure variable that differentiated current and former smokers with or without COPD. This predictor set was reduced to a nine-gene classifier (IL6R, CCR2, PPP2CB, RASSF2, WTAP, DNTTIP2, GDAP1, LIPE and RPL14). Conclusion: These gene expression profiles represent potential biomarkers for COPD and may help increase mechanistic understanding of the disease.