Patent ID: 6777193
Filing Date: 2004-08-17
Classification: G01N,Y10S

Abstract:
A diagnostic method for indirectly determining the presence of lipidic particles in cell membranes from a sample suspected of having anti-lipidic particle antibodies from an individual suspected of suffering primary antiphospholipid syndrome or a disease associated with secondary antiphospholipid syndrome, wherein the presence of said lipidic particles in cell membranes allows diagnosis of whether said individual is developing an illness associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies though said individual does not present anti-cardiolipin antibodies, lupus anti-coagulant, anti-DNA antibodies or anti-nuclear antibodies, comprising:a) removing a sample suspected of having anti-lipidic particle antibodies from said individual testing said sample from said individual to determine that said sample does not present anti-cardiolipin antibodies, lupus anti-coagulant, anti-DNA antibodies or anti-nuclear antibodies; b) combining the removed sample with an antigen having said lipidic particles, said lipidic particles being immersed in a bilayer structure but not forming part of the bilayer structure, wherein said combining is under conditions effective to permit binding of anti-lipidic particle antibodies present in the sample to said antigen thereby forming a first mixture; c) adding to the first mixture a detectable-labeled reagent useful for detecting binding of anti-lipidic particle antibodies to the antigen having lipidic particles thereby forming a second mixture; d) detecting the presence of anti-lipidic particle antibodies in the sample bound to the antigen having lipidic particles in the second mixture, wherein said detection of anti-lipidic particle antibodies bound to the antigens having lipidic particles is an indirect indication of the presence of lipidic particles in cell membranes of said individual; and e) correlating the presence of anti-lipidic particle antibodies in the second mixture with immune damage in cell membranes having lipidic particles of said individual as one of the first events in illness associated with the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies.