METHODS AND DEVICES FOR DETERMINING A DISEASE STATE

摘要

The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods and devices for determining a disease state in a patient. In some embodiments, human serum albumin may be analyzed for associated molecules, wherein the associated molecules are related to a disease such as cancer. Certain aspects of the invention are generally directed to devices and methods for determining a disease state as a function of the three-dimensional structure of a blood protein, human serum albumin (HSA) or its complex with other ligands, e.g., due to binding to disease-specific ligands. HSA interacts with biomolecules associated with a disease presence, and liganded HSA may differentially partition between aqueous phases of a predetermined partitioning system, wherein the partitioning behavior differs between HSA from healthy individuals and HSA from people harboring the predetermined disease, such as breast cancer.

主权项

1. A method for diagnosing breast cancer comprised of the following:
collecting blood from a patient; separating serum or plasma from said blood; partitioning said serum or plasma in at least one aqueous two-phase partitioning system; assaying aqueous phases of said at least one two phase partitioning system for human serum albumin (HSA) using at least one assay specific for said albumin; calculating partition coefficient K of albumin for each aqueous phase of said two phase partitioning system; and, determining presence, lack of, or risk level of breast cancer in said patient by comparing numerical values of calculated partition coefficients with reference values previously determined for HSA in serum or plasma taken from individuals with and without breast cancer.