Patent ID: 7198899
Filing Date: 2007-04-03
Classification: A61K,A61P,C07K,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of diagnosing colon cancer in a patient, said method comprising: (a) contacting a polynucleotide that binds to mRNA encoding an NRG4 polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 with nucleic acids of a biological sample acquired from said patient under binding conditions suitable to form a duplex; and (b) comparing the amount of the duplex formed to the amount of duplex formed when the polynucleotide is contacted with nucleic acids of a biological sample acquired from a normal control, wherein increased levels of the amount of duplex formed upon contacting said polynucleotide and said nucleic acids of the biological sample acquired from said patient compared to the amount of duplex formed upon contacting said polynucleotide and said nucleic acids of the biological sample acquired from a normal control is indicative of the presence of colon cancer in said patient.