Method and compositions for the detection and treatment of multiple sclerosis

Abstract

The present invention relates to an in vitro method for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and/or the susceptibility to multiple sclerosis comprising the steps of a) obtaining a biological sample; and b) detecting and/or measuring the increase, decrease and/or absence of (a) specific marker gene(s) as disclosed herein.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
     
     
         21 . An in vitro method for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or the susceptibility to multiple sclerosis comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a biological sample;    b) measuring the expression level of the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exon1 (CD69) in the biological sample; and    c) providing either 1) a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis or an increased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis if the expression level is increased or 2) a diagnosis of decreased susceptibility to multiple sclerosis if the expression level is not increased.    
     
     
         22 . The in vitro method of  claim 21 , wherein said biological sample is derived from the group consisting of blood, nervous tissue, cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue.  
     
     
         23 . The in vitro method of  claim 21 , wherein measuring step (b) is carried out by measuring the amount of nucleic acid molecules coding for polypeptides encoded by the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exon1 (CD69).  
     
     
         24 . The in vitro method of  claim 23 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is RNA or DNA.  
     
     
         25 . The in vitro method of  claim 24 , wherein said DNA is a cDNA.  
     
     
         26 . The in vitro method of  claim 21 , wherein said measuring step (b) is carried out by measuring the amount of a polypeptide or a fragment thereof encoded by the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exon1 (CD69).  
     
     
         27 . The in vitro method of  claim 21 , wherein the expression level of the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exon1 (CD69) in a biological sample is compared to the expression level of the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exonl (CD69) in a healthy individual.  
     
     
         28 . The in vitro method of  claim 27 , wherein an increase of the expression level in the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exonl (CD69) is an indicator of multiple sclerosis or the susceptibility to multiple sclerosis.  
     
     
         29 . The in vitro method of  claim 21 , further comprising measuring the expression level of one or more genes other than the human gene for early lymphocyte activation antigen cd69 exon1 (CD69).  
     
     
         30 . The in vitro method of  claim 29 , wherein expression levels of the genes are measured using an oligonucleotide array.  
     
     
         31 . The in vitro method of  claim 29 , wherein expression levels of the genes are measured using real time PCR.