SAMPLE CONTAINER FOR BIOMARKER MAINTENANCE
Sample container for biomarker maintenance. In at least one embodiment of a system for stabilizing a diagnostic marker of the present disclosure, the system comprises a sample container having an opening and least one rigid chamber for containing a body fluid, the body fluid comprising at least one diagnostic marker, a stabilizing agent contained within the sample container, the stabilizing agent capable of completely or substantially preventing the degradation or inactivation of the diagnostic marker, and a securing device for closing the opening of the sample container, wherein the stabilizing agent is coupled to a solid support. In an exemplary embodiment of a system of the present disclosure, the stabilizing agent may be adsorbed to the solid support.
1 . A system for stabilizing a diagnostic marker comprising:
a sample container having an opening and least one rigid chamber for containing a body fluid, the body fluid comprising at least one diagnostic marker;
a stabilizing agent contained within the sample container, the stabilizing agent capable of completely or substantially preventing the degradation or inactivation of the diagnostic marker; and
a securing device for closing the opening of the sample container;
wherein the stabilizing agent is coupled to a solid support.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is adsorbed to the solid support.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of Fixanal® Buffer 6.0 (Sigma-Aldrich Co.), acetic acid, aluminum hydroxide bentonite, aluminum sulfate hydrate, aluminum potassium sulfate dodecahydrate, benzoic acid, caffeine, and 3-tert-butyl-hydroxyanisole, or a combination thereof.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent comprises a plurality of stabilizing agents each present in approximately the same concentration.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is selected from the group consisting of a protease inhibitor, a DNase inhibitor, and a RNase inhibitor.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diagnostic marker is selected from the group consisting of a protein, a glycoprotein, a nucleic acid, an enzyme, an enzyme inhibitor, and a metabolite.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is useful to completely or substantially inactivate an enzyme selected from the group consisting of an amylase, a lysozyme, a peroxidase, a glycosidase, an esterase, a protease, and a peptidase.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the body fluid is selected from the group consisting of saliva, a mucous secretion, tears, sweat, semen, urine, a vaginal secretion, exhalate, blood, serum, and an anal secretion.
9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is able to inhibit the degradation or inactivation of the diagnostic marker for an inhibitory period selected from the group consisting of at least one minute, at least about five minutes, at least about ten minutes, at least about fifteen minutes, at least about thirty minutes, at least about one hour, at least about two hours, at least about four hours, and at least about eight hours.