Patent ID: 7998682

Claim:
A method of detecting the presence or absence of atherosclerosis or determining the severity of atherosclerosis in a subject, comprising (a) assaying the expression of Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins osteosarcoma (FOS), Dual specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1), or both FOS and DUSP1 in peripheral blood monocytes in a biological sample from the subject; or, (b) assaying the expression of FOS protein in a biological sample of plasma from the subject; wherein either (a) an increase in the expression of FOS, DUSP1, or both FOS and DUSP1 in the peripheral blood monocytes in the biological sample as compared to a control or (b) an increase in FOS protein in the biological sample of plasma as compared to a control detects the presence of atherosclerosis in the subject or determines the severity of atherosclerosis in the subject.