Patent ID: 6372442
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: C07K,G01N

Abstract:
A method of characterizing the degradation of type II collagen in a body fluid, comprising:(a) subjecting a sample of body fluid to at least two distinct immunological assays, wherein a first assay comprises measuring the amount of a first population of type II collagen breakdown products present in the sample by contacting the sample with a first immunological binding partner which binds to said first population, and a second assay comprises measuring the amount of a second population of type II collagen breakdown products present in the sample by contacting the sample with a second immunological binding partner which binds to said second population; and (b) forming a numerical index representing the difference in the results of said measurements, which index serves to characterize said degradation; wherein each of said first and second populations comprises one or more of the following type HI collagen amino acid sequences:Glu-Lys-Gly-Pro-Asp (SEQ ID NO. 9); an isoaspartic derivative of Glu-Lys-Gly-Pro-Asp (SEQ ID NO. 9); Gly-Val-Lys (SEQ ID NO. 10); Pro-Gly-Val-Lys-Gly (SEQ ID NO. 11); Pro-Gly-Pro-Lys-Gly-Glu (SEQ ID NO. 12); Gly-Gln-Lys-Gly-Glu-Pro (SEQ ID NO. 13); Gly-Asp-Ile-Lys-Asp-Ile-Val (SEQ ID NO. 14); or an isoaspartic derivative of Gly-Asp-Ile-Lys-Asp-Ile-Val (SEQ ID NO. 14).