Patent ID: 8648017
Filing Date: 2014-02-11
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting in a subject neurite destruction and synapse loss, associated with a neuronal pathology, prior to neuronal cell death, which method comprises: a. measuring the level of a synapse or neurite small RNA in a bodily fluid sample collected from the subject, wherein the bodily fluid is selected from the group consisting of blood plasma, serum, urine, and saliva; b. measuring the level of a normalizer small RNA in the same bodily fluid sample collected from the subject, wherein the normalizer small RNA is a neuronal body small RNA or a small RNA which is not expressed in brain or miRNA selected from the group consisting of miR-181a, miR-491-5p, miR-10b and miR-141; c. calculating the ratio of the levels of the small RNAs measured in steps (a) and (b); d. comparing the ratio of the levels of the small RNAs calculated in step (c) with a corresponding control ratio, wherein the control ratio is selected from the group consisting of (i) a predetermined standard, (ii) the ratio of said synapse or neurite small RNA to said normalizer small RNA in a similarly processed bodily fluid sample from the same subject collected in the past, and (iii) the ratio of said synapse or neurite small RNA to said normalizer small RNA in a similarly processed bodily fluid sample from a control subject, and e. (i) identifying the subject as being afflicted with neurite destruction and synapse loss associated with the neuronal pathology when the ratio of the levels of the small RNAs calculated in step (c) is higher than the corresponding control ratio or (ii) identifying the subject as not being afflicted with neurite destruction and synapse loss associated with the neuronal pathology when the ratio of the levels of the small RNAs calculated in step (c) is not higher than the corresponding control ratio.