Method of detecting neurological disease or dysfunction

A method for detecting the presence of nPTP in a human fetus or embryo, said method comprising:

• (a) removing amniotic fluid from a female human pregnant with said fetus or embryo
• (b) contacting the amniotic fluid of (a) with one or more antibodies that specifically bind PTP and nPTP;
• and
• (c) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, nPTP.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease in a human subject suspected of having Alzheimer's Disease which comprises:

• (a) incubating a biological sample comprising cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue from said subject in the presence of an antibody that specifically binds PTP and nPTP;
• and
• (b) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, nPTP,
• wherein detection of elevated levels of nPTP indicates that said subject has or should be further examined for other indications of Alzheimer's Disease.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of Down's Syndrome in a human subject suspected of having Down's Syndrome which comprises:

• (a) incubating a biological sample comprising cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue from said subject in the presence of one or more antibodies that specifically bind PTP and nPTP;
• (b) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, nPTP in said sample;
• and
• (c) comparing the results obtained in step (b) with results obtained with samples comprising known concentrations of purified PTP or nPTP, in order to determine the concentration of nPTP in said sample,
• wherein detection of at least approximately 20 ng/ml of nPTP in said sample indicates that said subject has Down's Syndrome.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of a neural tube defect in a human subject suspected of having a neural tube defect which comprises:

• (a) incubating a biological sample comprising cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue from said subject which is suspected of containing elevated levels of nPTP, in the presence of one or more antibodies that specifically bind PTP and nPTP;
• (b) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, nPTP in said sample;
• and
• (c) comparing the results obtained in step (b) with results obtained with samples comprising known concentrations of purified PTP or nPTP, in order to determine the concentration of nPTP in said sample,
• wherein detection of at least approximately 200 ng/ml of nPTP indicates that said subject has a neural tube defect.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease or injury in a human subject suspected of having pancreatic disease or injury which comprises:

• (a) incubating a sample of urine from said subject suspected of containing elevated levels of PTP in the presence of one or more antibodies that specifically bind PTP;
• (b) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, PTP;
• and
• (c) comparing the results obtained in step (b) with results obtained with samples comprising known concentrations of purified PTP or NPTP, in order to determine the concentration of PTP in said sample,
• wherein detection of at least approximately 150 ng/ml of PTP in said sample indicates that said subject suffers from pancreatic disease or injury.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of Down's Syndrome in a human subject suspected of having Down's Syndrome which comprises:

• (a) incubating a biological sample comprising cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue from said subject which is suspected of containing elevated levels of nPTP, in the presence of one or more antibodies that specifically bind PTP and nPTP;
• and
• (b) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, nPTP,
• wherein detection of elevated levels of nPTP indicates that said subject has or should be further examined for other indications of Down's Syndrome.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of a neural tube defect in a human subject suspected of having a neural tube defect which comprises:

• (a) incubating a biological sample comprising cerebrospinal fluid or brain tissue from said subject which is suspected of containing elevated levels of nPTP, in the presence of one or more antibodies capable of binding PTP and nPTP;
• and
• (b) detecting any of said antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, NPTP,
• wherein detection of elevated levels of nPTP indicates that said subject has or should be further examined for other indications of a neural tube defect.

A method for detecting the presence of nPTP in a human subject, said method comprising:

• (a) preparing a soluble extract of cerebrospinal fluid, brain tissue, blood, urine, lymph or serum from said human subject;
• (b) fractionating the soluble extract of (a) according to molecular size, and retaining fractions comprising material with an apparent molecular weight of from about 17 to about 20 kilodaltons;
• (c) contacting one or more of the fractions retained in (b) with one or more antibodies that specifically bind nPTP;
• and
• (d) detecting any of said bound antibodies which are bound to, or detecting any of said antibodies which are not bound to, nPTP.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of pancreatic or neural disease or injury in a human subject suspected of having pancreatic or neural disease or injury which comprises:

• (a) contacting cerebrospinal fluid, blood or lymph of said subject with one or more labeled antibodies that specifically bind nPTP and PTP;
• and
• (b) detecting by imaging any of said antibodies which are bound to PTP, nPTP or PTP and nPTP,
• wherein the detection of an elevated level of PTP, nPTP or PTP and nPTP is performed by in situ imaging of said bound antibodies, and wherein detection of an elevated level of PTP, nPTP or PTP and nPTP indicates that said subject has or should be further examined for other indications of pancreatic or neural disease or injury.

A method which aids in the diagnosis of pancreatic or neural disease or injury in a human subject suspected of having pancreatic or neural disease or injury which comprises:

• (a) contacting cerebrospinal fluid, blood or lymph of said subject with one or more labeled antibodies that specifically bind nPTP and PTP;
• and
• (b) detecting by imaging any of said antibodies which are bound to PTP, nPTP or PTP and nPTP,
• wherein the detection of an elevated level of PTP, nPTP or PTP and nPTP is performed by in vitro imaging of said bound antibodies, and wherein detection of an elevated level of PTP, nPTP or PTP and nPTP indicates that said subject has or should be further examined for other indications of pancreatic or neural disease or injury.