Serum biomarker-based endotypes of atopic dermatitis in China and prediction for efficacy of dupilumab

Abstract Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly heterogeneous disease clinically and biologically. Serum biomarkers have been utilized for endotype identification and have the potential to be predictors for treatment. Objectives To explore the serum biomarker-based endotypes of Chinese patients with AD and to identify biomarkers for prediction of the efficacy of dupilumab. Methods Sera from 125 patients with moderate-to-severe AD and 60 normal controls (NC) were analysed for 24 cytokines/chemokines using the magnetic Luminex assay. After the patients received 16 weeks of dupilumab treatment, the efficacy was evaluated, and blood eosinophils, serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E and biomarkers were measured. Results Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe AD were characterized by T-helper (Th)2-dominant serum biomarkers that were mixed with differentially increased Th1-, Th17- and Th22-type cytokines/chemokines, and it was mainly Th2-type serum biomarkers that were positively correlated with disease severity and eosinophil counts. Adult (but not adolescent or elderly) patients with AD showed a consistent and more significant increase of biomarkers across different types of inflammation. The patients were grouped into two clusters by unsupervised k-means analysis, which were differentially associated with inflammation. Treatment with dupilumab decreased the levels of most cytokines/chemokines analysed. While there was no difference between the two clusters in the efficacy of dupilumab, baseline levels of CD25/soluble interleukin (sIL)-2Rα, IL-31 and IL-36β were identified as predictive factors associated with the efficacy. Conclusions Our study revealed two inflammation-related endotypes of Chinese patients with AD based on serum biomarkers. High levels of CD25/sIL-2Rα, IL-31 and IL-36β might predict good efficacy of dupilumab treatment.