Diagnostic methods for asthma

Abstract

Screening methods for asthma and analogous diseases in which activated eosinophils are found at the disease site are provided. The methods involle assaying for the presence of brominated tyrosine species in a bodily sample which has been obtained from a test subject. The brominated tyrosine species are either free in the sample or protein bound. In one embodiment, the assay involve measuring the amount of a brominated tyrosine species, particularly 3-bromotyrosine, 3,5-dibromotyrosine, or combinations thereof (referred to hereinafter collectively as the “diagnostic marker”) in a bodily sample from the test subject. In another embodiment for determining the prognosis of asthma in a test subject, the concentration or content of the diagnostic marker is determined in bodily samples taken from the test subject over successive time intervals. The concentrations are compared to determine the prognosis of the asthma. In another embodiment of the invention for monitoring the response of the test subject to treatment with an anti-asthmatic drug, the concentration or content of the diagnostic marker is measured in bodily samples obtained from the test subject before and after such treatment. The present invention also relates to a diagnostic kit and to a diagnostic reagent for diagnosing asthma and analogous diseases which are associated with activated eosinophils.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
     
     
         15 . A kit for diagnosing diseases in which activated eosinophils are present at the disease sites said kit comprising a reagent selected from 3-bromotyrosine, 3,5-dibromotyrosine, a peptide consisting of 3-bromotyrosine and one or more amino acids, and a peptide comprising 3,5-dibromotyrosine and one or more amino acids, or any combination thereof thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent is a heavy isotope labeled 3-bromotyrosine or a heavy isotope labeled 3,5-dibromotyrosine.  
     
     
         17 . The kit of  claim 16 , wherein said reagent is labeled with  13 C 6 ,  2 H 4 , or  13 C 9  and  15 N 1 .  
     
     
         18 - 22 . (canceled)  
     
     
         23 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent is 3-bromotyrosine.  
     
     
         24 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent is 3,4-dibromotyrosine.  
     
     
         25 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent a peptide consisting of 3-bromotyrosine and one or more amino acids.  
     
     
         26 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent is a peptide consisting of 3,5-dibromotyrosine and one or more amino acids.  
     
     
         27 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said kit comprises a combination of 3-bromotyrosine, 3,5-dibromotyrosine, a peptide consisting of 3-bromotyrosine and one or more amino acids, and a peptide comprising 3,5-dibromotyrosine and one or more amino acids.  
     
     
         28 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said kit comprises a combination of 3-bromotyrosine, and 3,5-dibromotyrosine.  
     
     
         29 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said kit comprises a combination of a peptide consisting of 3-bromotyrosine and one or more amino acids, and a peptide consisting of 3,5-dibromotyrosine and one or more amino acids.  
     
     
         30 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent is a heavy isotope labeled 3-bromotyrosine.  
     
     
         31 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said reagent is a heavy isotope labeled 3,5-bromotyrosine.  
     
     
         32 . The kit of  claim 15 , wherein said kit comprises a heavy isotope labeled 3-bromotyrosine and a heavy isotope labeled 3,5-dibromotyrosine.