Patent ID: 7723056
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: A61K,G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting a cell type of interest present or potentially present in a sample comprising treating the sample, in vitro or ex vivo, with lipid vesicle particles which specifically bind to said cell type of interest, said particles having at least one layer of enveloping lipids and incorporating a cytolytic peptide, which is non-covalently attached thereto, wherein said peptide, in response to a predetermined extracellular metabolic signal from said cell type of interest, if present in the sample, interacts with the layer to act as or mediate the opening of pores or channels within the lipid layer to thereby modulate the permeability of the particles, said particles further incorporating a species which is released on said modulation of permeability, wherein said species produces a detectable signal in the presence of said metabolic signal, and monitoring directly or indirectly for the species, wherein a portion of said particles have a first binding moiety and a further portion of said particles have a second binding moiety which is capable of binding with said first binding moiety whereby said particles are, or are capable of being, aggregated together, and wherein said sample is treated with said particles under conditions such that a collection of said particles is aggregated around said cell type of interest.