Patent ID: 8227197
Filing Date: 2012-07-24
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for assessing the glycosylation status of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a pregnant woman comprising: (i) contacting a biological sample from the pregnant woman in a combination assay comprising a first capture antibody that specifically binds the same invasive trophoblast antigen (ITA) epitope that is bound by antibody B152, a second capture antibody that specifically binds the same hCG epitope that is bound by antibody 827, and a detection antibody that binds the same epitope on hCG and ITA that is bound by antibody B207, the detection antibody comprising a detectable label, wherein the first and second capture antibodies and the detection antibody bind to different epitopes; (ii) detecting the detectable label; and (iii) comparing the total ITA and hCG signal generated in the sample to the signal generated from a population of pregnant women carrying normal fetuses, wherein an elevated signal in the sample relative to the signal from the population of women carrying normal fetuses indicates an increased glycosylation of hCG in the pregnant woman.