Patent ID: 6303301
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A method for detecting a p53 gene functional mutation in target cells comprising the steps of:preparing a reference sample from reference cells having a wild-type p53 gene, said reference cells being otherwise substantially similar to said target cells;detecting the expression of a plurality of down-stream genes in said reference cells and said target cells by measuring the amount of transcripts of said down-stream genes in said reference and target cells to obtain a target expression pattern and a reference expression pattern, wherein said down-stream genes comprise p53 up-regulated gadd45, cyclin G, p21waf1, Bax, IGF-BP3 and Thrombospondin genes and p53 down-regulated c-myc and PCNA genes;comparing said reference expression pattern with said target expression pattern to detect said p53 functional mutation; andindicating a loss of function mutation in said p53 gene if the expression of said p53 up-regulated genes is at least five times less in said target cells than in said reference cells or if the expression of said p53 down-regulated genes is at least five times more in said target cells than in said reference cells.