Uses of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (cps 1) and it's fragments for the diagnosis of liver diseases

Abstract

Use of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS 1) and/or of fragments of the N-terminal part of CPS 1 from body fluids or body tissues as marker peptides for the diagnosis and for the prognosis and the monitoring of inflammations and infections, including sepsis, and of liver failure as part of multiorgan failure or for determinations in connection with inflammatory and other liver diseases.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for diagnosing a liver disease in a human patient comprising:
 (a) obtaining a blood, plasma, or serum sample from said patient; and   (b) determining the presence and amount of human carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS 1) (SEQ ID NO:6) in said sample using an immunodiagnostic assay,   
       wherein an elevated concentration of CPS 1 protein is indicative of liver disease. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising determining the presence and amount of:
 (a) human CPS 1 (SEQ ID NO:6) having an apparent molecular weight of 200 kDa±50 kDa using gel gel filtration and HPLC,   (b) fragments of human CPS 1 (SEQ ID NO:6) having an apparent molecular weight of 68 to 70 kDa±3 kDa and isoelectric points in the range from 5.5 to 6.1 in said sample using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis,   
       wherein an elevated concentration of human CPS 1, or said fragments or components thereof, is indicative of liver disease. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the immunodiagnostic assay is a sandwich assay. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said method comprises using one or more antibody that specifically recognizes the N-terminal portion of human CPS 1 consisting of amino acids 1-630 of SEQ ID NO:6. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the one or more antibody binds a sequence chosen from SEQ ID NO.: 1, SEQ ID NO.:2, SEQ ID NO.:3, SEQ ID NO.:4, SEQ ID NO.:5, SEQ ID NO.:7 and SEQ ID NO.:8. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the antibodies are produced from a protein chosen from SEQ ID NO:7 and SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising determining the severity of the liver disease on the basis of the concentration of CPS 1, wherein the greater the concentration of CPS 1, the greater the severity of the liver disease. 
     
     
         25 . A method for detecting mitochondrial damage of the liver in a human patient comprising:
 (c) obtaining a blood, plasma, or serum sample from said patient; and   (d) determining the presence and amount of human carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1 (CPS 1) (SEQ ID NO:6) in said sample using an immunodiagnostic assay,   
       wherein an elevated concentration of CPS 1 protein is indicative of mitochondrial damage of the liver.