Released cytokeratins as markers for epithelial cells
AssigneeCentre Hospitalier Universitaire De Montpellier
InventorsCatherine Panabières, Klaus Pantel, Jean-Pierre Vendrell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to methods of detecting viable epithelial cells in a sample. The method includes isolating the sample comprising cells from a patient and culturing the cells for a time sufficient for an epithelial cell-specific marker to be released from the cells. The marker includes a substantially full-length cytokeratin. The method further includes detecting the released marker. Detection of the marker indicates the presence of disseminated epithelial cells. Methods are also directed to identifying disseminated epithelial tumor cells.
Claims20
A method of detecting viable disseminated epithelial cells in a sample from a patient, the method comprising:
- isolating a sample from a patient, the sample comprising viable cells;
- culturing the cells in a cell culture media for a time sufficient for an epithelial cell-specific marker to be released from the viable cells into the cell culture media, the released marker comprising a substantially full-length cytokeratin;
- and
- detecting the released epithelial cell-specific marker comprising the substantially full-length cytokeratin that has been released into the cell culture media;
- wherein detection of the released epithelial cell-specific marker comprising the substantially full-length cytokeratin in the cell culture media indicates the presence of viable disseminated epithelial cells in the sample.
A method of identifying a substantially full-length epithelial cell marker released from viable cells, the method comprising:
- isolating a sample from a patient, the sample comprising viable cells;
- culturing the cells in a cell culture media for a time sufficient for the epithelial cell marker to be released from the viable cells into the cell culture media, the released marker comprising a substantially full-length polypeptide having an enzymatic cleavage site within the full-length polypeptide, the full-length polypeptide comprising substantially full-length cytokeratin;
- and
- detecting a portion of the full-length polypeptide comprising the substantially full-length cytokeratin that has been released in the cell culture media, the portion being 5′ to the enzymatic cleavage site;
- wherein detection of the 5′ portion identifies the full-length epithelial cell marker released from viable cells.
A method of detecting viable epithelial cells in tissue sample, the method comprising:
- obtaining a tissue sample from a patient, the sample comprising viable cells;
- culturing the cells in a cell culture media for a time sufficient for an epithelial cell-specific marker to be released from the viable cells into the cell culture media, the released marker comprising a substantially full-length cytokeratin;
- detecting the released epithelial cell-specific marker comprising the substantially full-length cytokeratin that has been released into the cell culture media;
- and
- wherein detection of the released epithelial cell-specific marker comprising the substantially full-length cytokeratin in the cell culture media indicates the presence of a viable epithelial cell in the tissue sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.