Expression monitoring for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection

Abstract

Certain human genes have been found to be induced or repressed in host cells infected with HCMV. A large set of such genes has been identified. These have diagnostic use in determining the extent of tissue damage caused by the infection as well as in determining the stage of disease progression of the HCMV infection. Such genes are likely those involved in mediating the pathology of the infected tissues. Thus by identifying agents which are able to reverse the induction or repression of such genes, one can find candidate therapeutic agents for use in treating and or preventing HCMV-caused disease pathologies.

1 - 45 . (canceled)  
     
     
         46 . A method for identifying a subset of genes which are improved targets for drug development, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) comparing expression levels of at least two genes in two cell samples, wherein the two cell samples are the same but for differences caused by a selected environmental, genetic, disease, or developmental agent;    (b) identifying a set of genes whose expression levels differ between the two cell samples; (c) searching a database to identify an unselected environmental agent, gene, disease, or developmental stage previously associated with expression or altered expression of individual members of the set of genes;    (d) identifying a common biological feature between the selected environmental, genetic, disease, or developmental difference of step (a) and the unselected environmental agent, gene, disease, or developmental stage identified in step    (c), wherein identification of a common biological feature between two environmental, genetic, disease, or developmental phenomena which both affect expression of a common gene identifies the common gene as being a member of a subset of genes which are improved targets for drug development.    
     
     
         47 . A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising: 
 (a) comparing expression levels of at least two genes in two cell samples, wherein the two cell samples are the same but for differences caused by a selected environmental, genetic, disease, or developmental agent;    (b) identifying a set of genes whose expression levels differ between the two cell samples;    (c) searching a database to identify an unselected environmental agent, gene, disease, or developmental stage previously associated with expression or altered expression of individual members of the set of genes;    (d) identifying a common biological feature between the selected environmental, genetic, disease, or developmental difference of step (a) and the unselected environmental agent, gene, disease, or developmental stage identified in step (c), wherein identification of a common biological feature between two environmental, genetic, disease, or developmental phenomena which both affect expression of a common gene identifies the common gene as being a member of a subset of genes which are improved targets for drug development.