Biopolymer marker indicative of disease state having a molecular weight of 1350 daltons
The instant invention involves the use of a combination of preparatory steps in conjunction with mass spectroscopy and time-of-flight detection procedures to maximize the diversity of biopolymers which are verifiable within a particular sample. The cohort of biopolymers verified within such a sample is then viewed with reference to their ability to evidence at least particular disease state; thereby enabling a diagnostician to gain the ability to characterize either the presence or absence of at least one disease state relative to recognition of the presence and/or the absence of the biopolymer.
1. An isolated peptide consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1.
2. A method for determining the presence of the peptide of claim 1 comprising:
(a) providing a mass spectrum profile of SEQ ID NO: 1;
(b) obtaining a sample from a patient;
(c) conducting mass spectrometric analysis on said sample in a manner effective to maximize elucidation of discernible peptide fragments contained therein, and comparing the mass spectrum profiles of SEQ ID NO: 1 to the mass spectrum profiles of peptides elucidated from said sample; and
(d) confirming the presence of SEQ ID NO: 1 in said sample by detecting the presence of a peak profile at about 1350 Da in said mass spectrum profile.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the sample is an unfractionated body fluid or a tissue sample.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said sample is selected from the group consisting of blood, blood products, urine, saliva, cerebrospinal fluid, and lymph.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said mass spectrometric analysis is Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption Ionization (SELDI) mass spectrometry (MS).
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein said patient is a human.