Patent ID: 8415096

Claim:
A method for screening for asthma in a subject comprising the steps of: assaying the miRNA expression level in a test sample of cells or tissue from the subject to be screened for asthma; comparing the assayed miRNA expression level of the subject to the miRNA expression level in a normal sample providing a control relative to the test sample of the subject; and computing the differential expression of the miRNA from the subject, wherein the under expression of an asthma-associated miRNA is indicative of asthma; wherein at least one of the miRNAs assayed is an asthma-associated miRNA under-expressed in asthma and wherein at least one under-expressed miRNA is an miRNA designated as miR-690, miR-709, miR-762,miR-320, miR-494, miR-142-3p, let-7f, miR-550, miR-759, miR-573, miR-150. miR-214, miR-637, let7c, miR-381, miR-27a, or miR-575.