Electrophoretic assay to predict risk of cancer and the efficacy and toxicity of cancer therapy
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsCraig W. Stevens, Sheikh Ismail, Thomas Buchholz, Michael Story, William Brock
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method for predicting the risk of occurrence of cancer. It also predicts the presence of BRCA mutations which in turn predicts the risk of developing breast cancer in women. Further, it assesses a cancer patient's level of sensitivity to chemotherapy.
Claims22
A method of assessing the susceptibility of a cell to DNA damage comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an extract comprising proteins from said cell;
- (b) mixing said extract with a labeled oligonucleotide and an excess of non-labeled DNA;
- (c) subjecting the mixture of step (b) to electrophoretic separation;
- (d) determining the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide;
- and
- (e) comparing the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide with that observed when a control is used,
- wherein a change in said band shift, as compared to the control, indicates an altered sensitivity to DNA damage.
A method of predicting the risk of cancer in an individual comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing an extract comprising proteins from cells of said individual;
- (b) mixing said extract with a labeled oligonucleotide and excess of non-labeled DNA;
- (c) subjecting the mixture of step (b) to electrophoretic separation;
- (d) determining the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide;
- and
- (e) comparing the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide with that observed when a control is used,
- wherein a change in said band shift indicates altered susceptibility to DNA damage, which predicts altered risk of cancer in said individual.
A method of predicting the presence of BRCA mutations in an individual comprising:
- (a) providing an extract comprising proteins from cells of said individual;
- (b) mixing said extract with a labeled oligonucleotide and excess of non-labeled DNA;
- (c) subjecting the mixture of step (b) to electrophoretic separation;
- (d) determining the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide;
- and
- (e) comparing the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide with that observed when a control is used,
- wherein a decrease in band shift indicates BRCA mutations damage, which predicts an increased risk of breast cancer in said individual.
A method of predicting the toxicity of a DNA damaging cancer therapy comprising:
- (a) providing an extract comprising proteins from cells of an individual;
- (b) mixing said extract with a labeled oligonucleotide and excess of non-labeled DNA;
- (c) subjecting the mixture of step (b) to electrophoretic separation;
- (d) determining the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide;
- and
- (e) comparing the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide with that observed when a control is used,
- wherein the relative decrease in band shift is indicative of the relative therapeutic toxicity.
A method of measuring tumor cell sensitivity to a DNA damaging cancer therapy comprising:
- (a) providing an extract comprising proteins from tumor cells;
- (b) mixing said extract with a labeled oligonucleotide and excess of non-labeled DNA;
- (c) subjecting the mixture of step (b) to electrophoretic separation;
- (d) determining the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide;
- and
- (e) comparing the band shift of said labeled oligonucleotide with that observed when a control is used,
- wherein a decrease in band shift is indicative of said cells being sensitive to said DNA damaging cancer therapy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.