Patent ID: 7659077
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a compound capable of modulating the polarization of CD4+ lymphocytes, the method comprising: (a) contacting said compound with naïve CD4+ lymphocytes; (b) inducing Th1 or Th2 polarization of the lymphocytes by contacting said lymphocytes with IL-4; (c) preparing a gene expression profile from the lymphocytes; and (d) comparing the lymphocyte gene expression profile obtained from step (c) to a gene expression profile, obtained from similarly polarized CD4+ lymphocytes not contacted with the compound wherein said gene expression profiles of steps (c) and (d) comprise the expression of STK17B and wherein a (difference between the expression profiles of step (c) and (d) identifies a compound capable of modulating the polarization of CD4+ lymphocytes.