METHODS OF DETECTING SIGNATURES OF DISEASE OR CONDITIONS IN BODILY FLUIDS

Smart overview of the Invention

The patent application describes innovative methods and compositions for diagnosing diseases such as cancer and infections by detecting specific signatures in bodily fluids. These methods focus on identifying tumor-specific, infectious agent-specific, and disease-specific markers. The invention leverages the natural processes of phagocytic cells to detect these markers, offering a potentially effective way to diagnose diseases early and monitor their progression.

Government Support

The research underlying this patent was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Army/Medical Research and Materiel Command. As a result, the government holds certain rights to this invention. This support underscores the significance of the research in advancing public health diagnostics.

Field of Application

The invention pertains to identifying markers related to conditions like fetal gender or diseases such as cancer through genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and other omics signatures. These markers are extracted from cells in bodily fluids, providing a non-invasive means to assess an individual's health status. The approach addresses both genetic and epigenetic alterations that occur in diseases like cancer.

Scientific Background

Tumors evolve from normal cells due to genetic changes that transform them into malignant cells with unique molecular fingerprints. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and their components are present in the blood of cancer patients, providing potential diagnostic markers. The invention capitalizes on the ability of phagocytic cells to engulf these components, allowing for the detection of disease-specific signatures within these cells.

Innovative Methodology

The invention utilizes phagocytes to detect disease markers by analyzing the DNA and protein content within these cells. By comparing expression profiles between phagocytic and non-phagocytic white blood cells (WBCs), it identifies disease-specific signatures that are either absent or under-expressed in non-phagocytic cells. This personalized diagnostic approach does not rely on population averages but rather focuses on individual-specific genomic and proteomic profiles, enabling early detection and monitoring of diseases like cancer.