Method for detecting the presence of a phospholipid
A method, kit and probe for detecting the presence of a phospholipid, such as phosphatidylserine, in a biological material is provided. A binding agent including lactadherin, a fragment of lactadherin, a functional equivalent of lactadherin, or a functional equivalent of a fragment of lactadherin, is used to detect the presence of any phospholipid.
1. A method of detecting the presence of a phospholipid in a biological material, comprising the steps of:
a) providing a biological material;
b) contacting the biological material with at least one binding agent selected from the group consisting of lactadherin, a fragment of lactadherin, a functional equivalent of lactadherin, and a functional equivalent of a fragment of lactadherin;
c) binding the biological material and the binding agent; and
d) detecting the presence of any phospholipid bound to the binding agent or the binding agent bound to the biological material.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the phospholipid comprises phosphatidylserine.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the phospholipid comprises a phospho-L-serine moiety of phosphatidylserine.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the biological material comprises a cell, a cell membrane, a cell appendage, a cell fragment, a lipoprotein, or a cellular particle.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
any binding in step c) is independent of any Ca ++ or phosphatidylethanolamine.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
any binding in step c) is increased with increasing of cell membrane curvature.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
any binding in step c) increases proportionally to the content of phosphatidylserine in a range of about 0-2%.
8. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the cell membrane comprises a curved region.