Patent ID: 7811759

Claim:
A method for creating a signature ncRNA profile for a disease state or condition, said method comprising: a. determining a first ncRNA profile from a first source, said first source being characterized as being free from said disease state or condition; b. determining a second ncRNA profile from a second source, said second source characterized as being positive for said disease state or condition, said first and second ncRNA profile being obtained according to a method for determining a profile of a plurality of target ncRNA molecules in a RNA sample, said method comprising the steps of: i. providing said RNA sample from a subject, said sample containing said plurality of target ncRNAs; ii. contacting said sample with a first oligonucleotide specific for each of said target ncRNAs to be detected under conditions appropriate to faun a complex between said first oligonucleotides and said target ncRNAs, each of said first oligonucleotides comprising a first signal generator to generate a first detectable signal and each of said first oligonucleotides having a first Tm for binding each of said target ncRNAs that is substantially the same; iii. contacting said sample with a second oligonucleotide capable of binding each of said target ncRNAs to be detected under conditions appropriate to form a complex between said second oligonucleotides and said target ncRNAs, said second oligonucleotide comprising a second signal generator to generate a second detectable signal and each of said second oligonucleotides having a second Tm for binding each of said target ncRNAs that is substantially the same; iv. determining the presence of said plurality of target ncRNA in said sample by measuring the first and second detectable signals; and v. generating a profile of the sample based on the target ncRNAs detected c. comparing said first and second ncRNA profiles and identifying those ncRNA molecules that are altered in said second ncRNA profile to create a signature ncRNA profile for said disease state or condition; where said disease state is breast cancer and said signature ncRNA profile comprises mir-107, mir-15B and mir-103.