Methods for diagnosing osteoarthritis

Abstract

A method of predicting the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) comprising: (a) measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitin (PHB-1) in nucleated cells present in a blood sample from a subject having or suspected of having OA; and (b) comparing said nuclear cellular level to that corresponding to a control sample; and (c) identifying the subject as being at risk of developing OA when the nuclear cellular level of said PHB-1 in said blood sample is higher than in the control sample.

1 . A method of predicting the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) comprising:
 (a) measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitin (PHB-1) in nucleated cells present in a blood sample from a subject having or suspected of having OA; and   (b) comparing said nuclear cellular level to that corresponding to a control sample; and   (c) identifying the subject as being at risk of developing OA when the nuclear cellular level of said PHB-1 in said blood sample is higher than in the control sample.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitone (PHB-2) in said nucleated cells. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sample is from a subject having OA. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said sample is from a subject having OA. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said measuring in step (a) comprises i) contacting said sample with an antibody specific for PHB-1; and ii) detecting the nuclear cellular level of PHB-1 by immunofluorescence. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said measuring in step (a) comprises i) contacting said sample with an antibody specific for PHB-1; and ii) detecting the nuclear cellular level of PHB-1 by immunofluorescence. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said measuring in step (a) comprises i) contacting said sample with an antibody specific for PHB-1; and ii) detecting the nuclear cellular level of PHB-1 by immunofluorescence. 
     
     
         8 . A method of predicting the risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) comprising:
 (a) measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitin (PHB-1) in nucleated cells present in a blood sample from a subject having or suspected of having OA, said measuring comprising:
 i) contacting said cells with an antibody specific for PHB-1; and 
 ii) detecting the nuclear cellular level of PHB-1 by immunofluorescence; 
   (b) comparing said nuclear cellular level to that corresponding to a control sample; and   (c) identifying the subject as being at risk of developing OA when the nuclear cellular level of PHB-1 in said blood sample is higher than in the control sample.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said sample is from a subject having OA. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitone (PHB-2) in said nucleated cells. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising measuring the nuclear cellular level of prohibitone (PHB-2) in said nucleated cells.