Method of treating an inflammatory disease by administering an agent which binds a surface receptor on a tuft cell that induces an ILC class 2 inflammatory response

A method for treating an inflammatory disease in a subject, comprising:

• (i) detecting the presence of epithelial tuft cells by expression of a group of genes or polypeptides selected from the groups consisting of:
• a) Lrmp, Dclk1, Cd24a, Tas1r3, Ffar3, Sucnr1, Gabbr1, Drd3, Etv1, Gfi1b, Hmx2, Hmx3, Runx1, Jarid2, Nfatc1, Zp710, Zbtb41, Spib, Foxe1, Sox9, Pou2f3, Ascl2, Fhf Tcf4, Gprc5c, Sucnr1, Ccrl1, CGprc5a, Opn3, Vmnn2r26 and Tas1r3;
• b) Cd24a, Tas1r3, Ffar3, Sucnr1, Gabbr1 and Drd3:
• c) Etv1, Gfi1b, Hmx2, Hmx3, Runx1, Jarid2, Nfatc1, Zfp710, Zbtb41, Spib, Foxe1, Sox9, Pou2f3, Ascl2, Ehf and Tcf4;
• d) Etv1, Hmx2, Spib, Foxe1, Sox9, Pou2/3, Ascl2, Ehf and ift4;
• e) Ffar3, Gprc5c, Sucnr1, Ccrl1, Gprc5a, Opn3, Vmn2r26 and Tas1r3;
• f) Etv1, Hnx2, Spib, Foxe1, Pou2f3, Sox9, Ascl2, Hoxa5, Hivep3, Ehf, Tcf4, Mxd4, Hmx3, Hoxa3 and Nfatc1;
• g) Lrmp, Gnat3, Gnb3, Plac8, Trpm5, Gng13, Ltc4s, Rgs13, Hck, Alox5ap, Avil, Alox5, PRtpn6, Atp2a3 and Plk2;
• and
• h) Rgs13, Rpl41, Pps26, Zmiz1, Gpx3, Suox, Tslp and Socs1;
• (ii) contacting the epithelial tuft cells by administering to the subject a tuft cell modulating agent selected from a therapeutic antibody antagonist or a fragment thereof capable of binding to a surface receptor on the tuft cell in an amount sufficient to reduce the inflammatory response of epithelial tuft cells, wherein the surface receptor is capable of inducing an ILC class 2 inflammatory response.