Method to predict the presence of inflammation or itaconic acid, irg1 and/or protein irg1 in a subject and pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing inflammation

A method for detecting inflammation in a human subject, comprising the step of determining the presence and/or the level of itaconic acid in a biological sample isolated from said subject wherein the presence and/or level of itaconic acid is indicative of the presence of inflammation.

A method for detecting pro-inflammatory condition in macrophages of a human subject comprising the step of determining the presence and/or the level of itaconic acid in a biological sample isolated from said subject wherein the presence and/or the level of itaconic acid is indicative of a pro-inflammatory condition.

Use of itaconic acid presence and/or level in a biological sample as a biomarker for the determination of the presence in cells of IRG1 and/or protein encoded by IRG1.

Use of itaconic acid presence and/or level in a biological sample comprising mammal cells, with preference human cells, such as macrophage and/or microglia cells, as a biomarker for inflammation, with preference in a method for identifying a compound candidate for pharmacological agent in the treatment of inflammation.

A kit for determining the ability of cells in a biological sample to produce itaconic acid under inflammation characterized in that it comprises at least one selected from:

• a set of primers capable of amplifying specifically mRNA or cDNA transcribed from IRG1, and/or a set of nucleic probe capable of hybridizing specifically with the mRNA or cDNA transcribed from IRG1, with preference the set of primers comprise a pair of oligonucleotide primers consisting of the sequences represented by SEQ. ID. Nos. 2 and 3 or by SEQ. ID Nos. 8 and 9.

A kit for determining the ability of cells in a biological sample to produce itaconic acid under inflammation characterized in that it comprises at least one antibody directed specifically against the peptide encoded by IRG1 or protein encoded by IRG1.

A pharmaceutical composition for use in preventing or treating inflammation bacterial infection by inducing itaconic acid production comprising an expression vector containing IRG1 as the active ingredient, with preference IRG1 coding sequence is SEQ. ID No. 1.

Use of IRG1 for preparing a pharmaceutical composition to induce itaconic acid production for preventing or treating inflammation or bacterial infection, with preference IRG1 coding sequence is SEQ. ID No. 1.