ASSAY FOR DISEASE RELATED CONFORMATION OF A PROTEIN

摘要

An assay method is disclosed which isolates and detects the presence of a disease related conformation of a protein (e.g., PrPSc) present in a sample also containing the non-disease related conformation of the protein (e.g., PrPC). The sample is treated (e.g., contacted with protease) in a manner whi ch hydrolyzes the disease related conformation and not the non-disease related conformation. The treated sample is contacted with a binding partner (e.g., a labeled antibody which binds PrPSc) and the occurrence of binding provides a n indication that PrPSc is present. Alternatively the PrPSc of the treated sample is denatured (e.g., contacted with guanadine) or unfolded. The unfold ed PrPSc is contacted with a binding partner and the occurrence of binding indicates the presence of PrPSc in the sample. In another embodiment, PrPSc and PrPC are reacted with a labeled antibody that binds both conformations a nd a conformation that binds only the disease related conformation, and the presence of the disease related conformation is determined by comparing the two.