Genomic indicators in the blood predict drug-induced liver injury

Pharmacogenomics J. 2010 Aug;10(4):267-77. doi: 10.1038/tpj.2010.33.

Abstract

Genomic biomarkers for the detection of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) from blood are urgently needed for monitoring drug safety. We used a unique data set as part of the Food and Drug Administration led MicroArray Quality Control Phase-II (MAQC-II) project consisting of gene expression data from the two tissues (blood and liver) to test cross-tissue predictability of genomic indicators to a form of chemically induced liver injury. We then use the genomic indicators from the blood as biomarkers for prediction of acetaminophen-induced liver injury and show that the cross-tissue predictability of a response to the pharmaceutical agent (accuracy as high as 92.1%) is better than, or at least comparable to, that of non-therapeutic compounds. We provide a database of gene expression for the highly informative predictors, which brings biological context to the possible mechanisms involved in DILI. Pathway-based predictors were associated with inflammation, angiogenesis, Toll-like receptor signaling, apoptosis, and mitochondrial damage. The results show for the first time and support the hypothesis that genomic indicators in the blood can serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers predictive of DILI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acetaminophen / toxicity
  • Algorithms
  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / toxicity
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biomarkers
  • Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / genetics
  • Carbon Tetrachloride Poisoning / pathology
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / blood*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / genetics*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Propanols / toxicity
  • Quality Control

Substances

  • Analgesics, Non-Narcotic
  • Biomarkers
  • Propanols
  • Acetaminophen
  • allyl alcohol