Patent ID: 8852956
Filing Date: 2014-10-07
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of diagnosing primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) comprising: a. contacting a test sample from an individual suspected of having PBC with one or more purified recombinant target antigens of hexokinase 1 comprising SEQ ID NO: 1 or a homologous sequence of hexokinase 1, comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS. 7, 8 and 11; b. detecting binding of the one or more purified recombinant target antigens to one or more autoantibodies specific for the one or more purified recombinant target antigens in the test sample; and c. comparing the level of autoantibodies to a control; wherein an increased level of the one or more autoantibodies bound to the one or more purified recombinant target antigens as compared to a threshold level of hexokinase 1 or a homologous sequence of hexokinase 1 autoantibodies obtained from a healthy individual is indicative of primary biliary cirrhosis.