Patent ID: 7892753

Claim:
A method of diagnosing susceptibility to a condition selected from human infertility conditions, egg maturation disorders, Down's syndrome and pre-eclampsia, in a subject, which comprises: (a) assaying a sample of body fluid obtained from the subject to measure levels of: (i) a soluble LHCGR polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 1; or (ii) a ligand capable of binding to said polypeptide of (i) wherein the ligand is a hormone; or (iii) a complex of said polypeptide of (i) and said ligand of (ii); and (b) comparing levels measured in (a) to levels measured in a normal condition, wherein: (1) an increase in the measured level of said polypeptide of (i) relative to the measured level in the normal condition is indicative of susceptibility to said condition; or (2) an elevation in the measured level of said complex of (iii) relative to the measured level in the normal condition is indicative of susceptibility to said condition; or (3) a decrease in the measured level of said ligand of (ii) relative to the measured level in the normal condition is indicative of susceptibility to said condition.