Method of determining the risk of scoliosis
OwnerAlain Moreauinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for determining the risk for developing a scoliosis comprising monitoring osteopontin (OPN) expression in a sample from a subject over time; wherein an OPN expression that increases in the subject sample over time is indicative that the subject is at risk for developing a scoliosis.
Claims39
A method for determining the risk for developing a scoliosis comprising
- (a) monitoring osteopontin (OPN) expression in a sample from a subject over time;
- or
- (b) measuring osteopontin (OPN) expression in a sample from a subject;
- wherein an OPN expression that increases in the subject sample over time or wherein an OPN expression that is higher in the subject sample than that in a control sample, is indicative that the subject is at risk for developing a scoliosis.
(canceled)
A method of stratifying a subject having a scoliosis comprising
- measuring osteopontin (OPN) expression in a sample from the subject;
- whereby the measuring step enables the stratification of the subject into a scoliosis subgroup.
A method for assessing the efficacy of a brace on a subject having a scoliosis comprising
- measuring osteopontin (OPN) expression in a sample from the subject prior to and at least once after bracing the subject,
- wherein an increase in the OPN expression after as compared to prior to bracing the subject is indicative that the brace is ineffective.
A method of selecting an agent as a potential candidate for the reduction or prevention of scoliosis comprising:
- (a) contacting a candidate agent with a cell expressing osteopontin (OPN), and detecting the expression of OPN, wherein when the expression of OPN is lower in the presence of the candidate agent as compared to in the absence thereof, the candidate agent is selected;
- (b) contacting a candidate agent with a cell expressing sCD44, and detecting the expression of sCD44, wherein when the expression of sCD44 is higher in the presence of the candidate agent as compared to in the absence thereof, the candidate agent is selected;
- or (c) administering a candidate agent to a scoliosis model animal before scoliosis has developed in the animal, whereby the candidate is selected when the scoliosis is prevented or reduced in the model animal as compared to in a control animal who was not administered the candidate agent.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of preventing or reducing scoliosis comprising administering to a subject having scoliosis a therapeutically effective amount of (a) an osteopontin inhibitor (OPN) or a selenium rich diet;
- (b) a CD44 inhibitor;
- or (c) a sCD44 stimulator, whereby scoliosis is thereby prevented or treated.
33-34. (canceled)
38-47. (canceled)
A kit for predicting the risk of developing a scoliosis comprising a ligand specific to osteopontin (OPN) and instructions to use the kit for predicting the risk of developing a scoliosis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.