Methods of assessing the risk of reproductive failure by measuring telomere length
AssigneeWomen & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island
InventorDavid Keefe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention features a method of identifying oocytes with a risk of reproductive failure and/or aneuploidy based on a telomere length assay.
Claims50
A method for determining the risk of reproductive failure in a cell comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the cell;
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere;
- to thereby determine the risk of reproductive failure in the cell.
9-12. (canceled)
A method for determining the predisposition of an oocyte to reproductive failure comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the oocyte:
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere;
- to thereby determine the predisposition of the oocyte to reproductive failure.
A method for selecting a fertilized oocyte with a low risk of reproductive failure for in vitro fertilization, comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the polar body of the fertilized oocyte;
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere;
- to thereby select a fertilized oocyte with a low risk of reproductive failure for in vitro fertilization.
A method for determining the risk of aneuploidy in a cell comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the cell;
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere;
- to thereby determine the risk of aneuploidy in the cell.
The method of claim 33 further comprising:
- hybridizing telomere-specific probes to said chromosome;
- and
- performing quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) analysis.
A method for selecting a fertilized oocyte with a low risk of aneuploidy for in vitro fertilization, comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the polar body of the fertilized oocyte;
- hybridizing telomere-specific probes to said chromosome;
- performing quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) analysis;
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere;
- to thereby select a cell with a low risk of aneuploidy.
A method for determining the predisposition of an oocyte to anouploidy comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the oocyte;
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere;
- to thereby optimize the viability of the embryo.
A method of pre-implantation genetic testing to identify an oocyte with a predisposition to aneuploidy comprising:
- obtaining at least one chromosome from the oocyte;
- measuring telomere length of the chromosome;
- and
- comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control telomere.
A kit for determining the risk of reproductive failure and/or aneuploidy in a cell comprising
- reagents for preparing a chromosomal spread from the cell or at least one cell in a population of cells representative of said cell;
- labeled telomere-specific repeat probes;
- reagents for performing quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) analysis on the chromosomal spread;
- and instructions for measuring the length of a telomere obtained from the chromosomal spread, or obtained from a chromosome of said cell, and comparing the measured length of the telomere to the standardized average length of a control.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.