Biopolymer marker indicative of disease state having a molecular weight of 1348 daltons

Abstract

The instant invention involves the use of a combination of preparatory steps in conjunction with mass spectroscopy and time-of-flight detection procedures to maximize the diversity of biopolymers which are verifiable within a particular sample. The cohort of biopolymers verified within such a sample is then viewed with reference to their ability to evidence at least one particular disease state; thereby enabling a diagnostician to gain the ability to characterize either the presence or absence of said at least one disease state relative to recognition of the presence and/or the absence of the biopolymer.

1 . A method for determining presence of an isolated biopolymer marker indicative of myocardial infarction (MI), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) or congestive heart failure (CHF) consisting of amino acid residues 2-12 of SEQ ID NO:1 from a mass spectrometric analysis of a sample obtained from a patient comprising: 
 (a) preparing said sample for a mass spectrometric analysis by subjecting peptides contained in said sample to chromatography;    (b) conducting mass spectrometric analysis on said sample as prepared in step (a) to obtain mass spectral profiles of peptides contained therein;    (c) comparing a reference mass spectral profile characteristic of said isolated biopolymer marker consisting of amino acid residues 2-12 of SEQ ID NO:1 having an ion peak at about 1348 daltons to mass spectral profiles of peptides obtained from said sample; and    (d) matching said reference mass spectral profile to a mass spectral profile of a peptide obtained from said sample by identifying said ion peak at about 1348 daltons;    wherein a match confirms presence of a biopolymer marker indicative of myocardial infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage or congestive heart failure consisting of amino acid residues 2-12 of SEQ ID NO:1.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, blood products, urine, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, and lymph.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said mass spectrometric analysis is Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization (SELDI) mass spectrometry (MS), tandem mass spectrometry or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said patient is a human.  
     
     
         5 . A kit for determining presence of an isolated biopolymer marker indicative of myocardial infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage or congestive heart failure consisting of amino acid residues 2-12 of SEQ ID NO:1 comprising: (a) a peptide consisting of amino acid residues 2-12 of SEQ ID NO:1 and (b) an antibody that binds to said peptide in a sample obtained from a patient.  
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 5  wherein said antibody is immobilized on a solid support.  
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 5  wherein said antibody is labeled.