Method for diganosing atherosclerotic plaques by measurement of cd36

A method for diagnosing atherosclerotic plaques as unstable in an individual, said method comprising:

• i) determining the concentration of a CD36 polypeptide or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• and/or
• ii) determining the concentration of a CD36 encoding nucleic acid molecule or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• iii) correlating said concentration determined in i) and/or ii) to a standard level of CD36;
• and
• iv) based on said correlation according to iii) diagnosing said atherosclerotic plaques as unstable.

A method for monitoring progress of atherosclerotic plaques in an individual, said method comprising:

• i) determining the concentration of a CD36 polypeptide or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual, and/or
• ii) determining the concentration of a CD36 encoding nucleic acid molecule or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• iii) correlating said concentration determined in i) and/or ii) to a concentration of a CD36 polypeptide or part thereof and/or the concentration of a CD36 encoding nucleic acid molecule or part thereof, measured in the same individual previously, and/or
• iv) correlating said concentration determined in i) and/or ii) to a standard level of CD36;
• and
• v) based on said correlation according to iii) and/or iv) monitoring any progress of said atherosclerotic plaques.

A method for diagnosing an individual at risk of having and/or acquiring unstable atherosclerotic plaques, said method comprising:

• i) determining the concentration of a CD36 polypeptide or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• and/or
• ii) determining the concentration of a CD36 encoding nucleic acid molecule or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• iii) correlating said concentration determined in i) and/or ii) to a standard level of CD36;
• and
• iv) based on said correlation according to iii) diagnosing whether said individual is at risk of having and/or acquiring unstable atherosclerotic plaques.

A method for diagnosing stenosis caused by unstable atherosclerotic plaques in an individual, said method comprising:

• i) determining the concentration of a CD36 polypeptide or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• and/or
• ii) determining the concentration of a CD36 encoding nucleic acid molecule or part thereof in a body fluid sample from said individual;
• iii) correlating said concentration determined in i) and/or ii) to a standard level of CD36;
• and
• iv) based on said correlation according to iii) diagnosing a degree of stenosis caused by unstable atherosclerotic plaques in said individual.

The method according to claim wherein the CD36 polypeptide concentration is determined by a method comprising:

• i) providing a sample to be investigated;
• ii) providing an anti-CD36 antibody;
• iii) exposing the sample to the anti-CD36 antibody;
• iv) optionally, exposing said CD36-antibody complex to at least a further antibody directed against said CD36-antibody complex;
• and
• v) detecting and quantifying the amount of said anti-CD36 antibody of (iii) or optionally said further antibody of (iv).