Patent ID: 6489095
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A method for determining the risk for or presence of a disease associated with altered mitochondrial function in a first subject suspected of having or being at risk for having such a disease, comprising:quantifying, in each of a first and a second biological sample containing extramitochondrial DNA and mitochondrial DNA, (i) an amount y of a mitochondrial DNA sequence, and (ii) an amount x of an extramitochondrial DNA sequence that corresponds to the mitochondrial DNA sequence, said first biological sample being obtained from a first subject suspected of having or being at risk for having a disease associated with altered mitochondrial function and said second sample being obtained from a second subject known to be free of a risk or presence of a disease associated with altered mitochondrial function; and comparing a ratio r for each of the first and second biological samples using the formula: r=x/(x+y) and therefrom determining the risk or presence of the disease.