Patent ID: 8586313
Filing Date: 2013-11-19
Classification: A61P,C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method for validating or providing a validated precursor cell population culture, comprising: identifying, with respect to a reference precursor cell population, one or a plurality of genomic target loci for at least one polycomb group protein (PcG) or polycomb repressive complex; identifying one or a plurality of said target loci having a disorder-specific and/or cancer-specific methylation status for at least one CpG dinucleotide sequence position within at least one region of the at least one of the polycomb group protein (PcG) target loci in a cellular proliferative disorder and/or cancer to provide a set of preferred diagnostic/prognostic loci for the disorder and/or cancer; obtaining genomic DNA from a first cultured test precursor cell population of interest; and determining, by analyzing the genomic DNA of the first cultured test precursor cell population using a suitable assay, the methylation status of the at least one CpG dinucleotide sequence position within the at least one region of the at least one of the polycomb group protein (PcG) preferred diagnostic/prognostic loci, wherein the first cultured test precursor cell population is validated with respect to the presence or absence of the characteristic methylation status of the at least one target loci having a disorder-specific and/or cancer-specific methylation status in the cellular proliferative disorder and/or cancer, or is validated with respect to the presence or absence of cells of the cellular proliferative disorder and/or cancer, or is validated with respect to the presence or absence of cells having a predisposition thereto, wherein validating the first cultured test precursor cell population comprises validating for a presence or absence, in the first cultured test precursor cell population, of rogue cells having the methylation status of the cellular proliferative disorder and/or cancer, or of cells, in the first cultured test precursor cell population, having a predisposition thereto.