COPD Diagnostic Tool

Background

Chronic bronchitis (CB) affects 15 million individuals in the United States and is defined by airway mucus accumulation and abnormal changes to mucus-producing goblet cells. CB is often an early developmental phase of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). CB is currently diagnosed by self-reporting of symptoms and patient questionaries like the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) have developed a novel, quantitative method of diagnosing CB based on levels of mucin present in sputum samples utilizing mass spectrometry.

This objective test can be used to diagnose CB, define the severity of CB, and help determine the appropriate therapies. Additionally, this test quantifies the ratio of the individual airway mucins. This is of key relevance, as Researchers have identified that overproduction and accumulation of the mucin subtype MUC5AC leads to lung damage and is associated with poor lung function and COPD exacerbations in a clinical study of 331 individuals in healthy, at-risk, and COPD groups. MUC5AC concentration is a reliable biomarker for identifying individuals at risk of developing COPD and may be useful in selecting novel targets for the development of COPD therapies.

• Objective diagnostic for diagnosing CB
• Measures MUC5AC concentration to identify individuals at elevated risk of developing COPD
• Early diagnosis facilitates early intervention

Further Information:

• Kesimer, M., et al. (2017). Airway Mucin Concentration as a Marker of Chronic Bronchitis. New England Journal of Medicine, 377(10), 911–922. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa1701632
• Derewicz, M. (2017, September 7). Chronic Bronchitis: New Insights Could Lead to First Diagnostic Test and Better Treatments | UNC Health and UNC School of Medicien, Newsroom. https://news.unchealthcare.org/2017/09/new-insights-chronic-bronchitis-diagnostic-test-treatments/
• Radicioni, G., et al. (2021). Airway mucin MUC5AC and MUC5B concentrations and the initiation and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: an analysis of the SPIROMICS cohort. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, _9_(11), 1241–1254. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2213-2600(21)00079-5

Benefits

• Identifies ratio of airway mucins MUC5AC and MUC5B in sputum; and (3)
• Combinatorial measurements (Kesimer MUCQuant index) offer enhanced diagnostic utility for patient stratification, CB disease severity, COPD exacerbation status
• Can be used to monitor CB progression and COPD exacerbation
• Can serve as a tool to guide the development of CB therapies

Applications

• Can be used to monitor CB progression and COPD exacerbation
• Can serve as a tool to guide the development of CB therapies