Patent ID: 8084016
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: A61K,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the rate of biosynthesis of a biological molecule in an individual through the detection of a metabolic derivative of the biological molecule, the method comprising the steps of: a) administering a precursor molecule comprising an isotope label to the individual for a period of time sufficient for the isotope label to become incorporated into the biological molecule and for the biological molecule to be metabolized, in vivo, into the metabolic derivative, wherein at least a portion of the metabolic derivative comprises the isotope label; b) obtaining a biological sample from the individual, wherein the biological sample comprises the metabolic derivative; and c) detecting the incorporation of the isotope label in the metabolic derivative of the biological sample; d) calculating the abundance of one or more mass isotopomers of the metabolic derivative by mass isotopomer analysis; and e) applying a precursor-product equation to determine the rate of biosynthesis of the biological molecule based on the abundance of one or mass isotopomers of the metabolic derivative, wherein the biological molecule is selected from the group consisting of proteins, polynucleotides, lipids, glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and carbohydrates.