Patent ID: 7494776

Claim:
A method for determining whether multiple isoforms of an analyte are present in a sample, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a capture agent which specifically binds multiple isoforms of the analyte at an epitope that is common to the multiple isoforms of the analyte; (b) providing multiple detection agents, wherein each detection agent specifically binds one of the multiple isoforms of the analyte at an epitope that is unique to the isoform of the analyte, and wherein each detection agent comprises a detector oligonucleotide comprising a first nucleotide sequence unique to the detection agent; (c) providing multiple first labeled oligonucleotides, each first labeled oligonucleotide complementary to the unique first nucleotide sequence of one of the multiple detection agents, wherein each first labeled oligonucleotide comprises a distinct first label; (d) attaching the capture agent to a solid support; (e) bringing into reactive contact the sample, the multiple detection agents, and the multiple first labeled oligonucleotides with the capture agent and solid support; (f) forming multiple complexes each comprising a first labeled oligonucleotide which is in reactive contact with the first nucleotide sequence of a detection agent which detection agent is in reactive contact with an analyte isoform which is in reactive contact with a capture agent which is in reactive contact with a solid support; and (g) detecting the distinct first labels in the multiple complexes formed during step (f), thereby determining whether multiple isoforms of the analyte are present in the sample.