Diagnosing asthma patients predisposed to adverse beta-agonist reactions

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel method for identifying individuals who are likely to have negative responses to regular administration of β-agonists. The invention also provides kits useful for this purpose.

1 . A kit comprising: 
 a first set of primers selected so that one of the primers hybridizes to a first portion of a human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene, which first portion includes a sequence encoding position 16 of said human β 2 -adrenergic receptor, in such a manner that, when used in a polymerase chain reaction, said second set of primers amplifies said portion when position 16 is Arg but not when position 16 is Gly; and    a second set of primers selected so that one of the primers hybridizes to a first portion of a human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene in such a manner that, when used in a polymerase chain reaction, said second set of primers amplifies said portion when position 16 is Gly but not when position 16 is Arg,    said first and second sets of primers being provided together in a container.    
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1  further comprising a component selected from the group consisting of: amplification buffer, water, DNA polymerase, first control DNA including a first human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene that encodes Arg at human β 2 -adrenergic receptor position 16, second control DNA including a second human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene allele that encodes Gly at human β 2 -adrenergic receptor position 16, instructions for use, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         3 . A kit comprising: 
 a primer set selected to hybridize to a human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene in such a manner that, when used in a polymerase chain reaction, the primer set amplifies a portion of said human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene, which portion includes a sequence encoding human β 2 -adrenergic receptor residue 16; and    reagents for determining the nucleotide sequence of said amplified portion, said primer set and reagents being arranged together in a container.    
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 3 , wherein said reagents are selected from the group consisting of: a sequencing primer that hybridizes to a piece of said amplified portion in such a way that allows extension across said sequence encoding human β 2 -adrenergic receptor residue 16, DNA polymerase, dNTPs, ddNTPs, buffer, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 3 , wherein said sequencing primer is fluorescently labeled for use in an automated genetic analyzer.  
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 3  further comprising a component selected from the group consisting of amplification buffer, water, DNA polymerase, first control DNA including a first human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene that encodes Arg at human β 2 -adrenergic receptor position 16, second control DNA including a second human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene allele that encodes Gly at human β 2 -adrenergic receptor position 16, instructions for use, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         7 . A kit comprising: 
 an oligonucleotide primer that hybridizes to a portion of a human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene, which portion includes a sequence encoding residue 16 of the human β 2 -adrenergic receptor, said oligonucleotide having higher affinity for said portion when said sequence encodes Arg than it has when said sequence encodes Gly; and    an oligonucleotide primer that hybridizes to a portion of a human β 2 -adrenergic receptor gene, which portion includes a sequence encoding residue 16 of the human β 2 -adrenergic receptor, said oligonucleotide having higher affinity for said portion when said sequence.