VBS Molecular Diagnostics Articles
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The paper “A Bioinformatic Algorithm based on Pulmonary Endoarterial Biopsy for Targeted Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Therapy” published in The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal (Volume 17, Apr 10, 2023) by Abraham Rothman, David Mann, Jose A. Nunez, Reinhardt Tarmidi, Humberto Restrepo, Valeri Sarukhanov, Roy Williams, and William N. Evans introduces a novel bioinformatics strategy. This approach involves ranking currently approved pulmonary arterial hypertension drugs based on gene expression data obtained from percutaneous endoarterial biopsies in an animal model of progressive pulmonary hypertension. Through this ranking process, the study identifies an optimal three-medication regimen at each disease time point, representing a potential paradigm shift in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapy. The suggested approach involves integrating endoarterial biopsy, molecular analysis, and personalized pharmacological therapy, presenting a promising avenue for advancing PAH treatment.
The article “Vascular Histomolecular Analysis By Sequential Endoarterial Biopsy in a Shunt Model of Pulmonary Hypertension” in Pulmonary Circulation, Volume 3, Number 1, January to March 2013, pp. 50-57 by Abraham Rothman, Robert G. Wiencek, William N. Evans, Humberto Restrepo, Valeri Sarukhanov, Erkki Ruoslahti, Roy Williams, and David Mann details how endoarterial biopsy provides a new method of assessing pulmonary vascular histology and gene expression in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Percutaneous pulmonary endoarterial biopsy coupled with histologic and molecular analysis represents a potential new paradigm for diagnosis and potential treatment of PAH. Histomolecular analysis could become a routine component of the diagnostic information obtained in patients with pulmonary vascular diseases at the time of cardiac catheterization. In addition to obtaining pressures, cardiac output, calculation of pulmonary vascular resistance, angiography and vasodilator testing, endoarterial biopsy with histologic and molecular analysis would add a whole new dimension of biologic information to aid in diagnosis and choice of therapy. This analysis could identify novel applications for existing and new PAH drugs. The detection of stage- and disease-specific variation in gene expression could lead to individualized therapies.