Method for measuring a marker indicative of the exposure of a patient to nicotine; a kit for measuring such a marker

• US 20040058310A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anne Cormier, Gilbert Lagrue, Jean Pierre Changeux, Regls Christian Grailhe
• Original Assignee: Anne Cormier, Gilbert Lagrue, Jean Pierre Changeux, Regls Christian Grailhe
• Inventors: Lagrue, Gilbert, Changeux, Jean Pierre, Cormier, Anne, Grailhe, Regls Christian
• Application Number:
  US10/247,585
• Publication Number:
  US 20040058310A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/4
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 51/0455 having six-membered rings with one nitrogen as the only ring hetero atom
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/52 Use of compounds or compositions for colorimetric, spectrophotometric or fluorometric investigation, e.g. use of reagent paper and including single- and multilayer analytical elements immunological elements G01N33/54386; involving labelled immunochemicals G01N33/58; for haemoglobin or occult blood G01N33/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/94 involving narcotics or drugs or pharmaceuticals, neurotransmitters or associated receptors

Abstract

The present invention demonstrates that epibatidine binds to nicotinic receptors on leukocytes. Epibatidine is a sensitive detector of increases in the number of nicotinic receptors expressed by a cell. Epibatidine binds to the leukocytes of smokers, but does not bind to the leukocytes of non-smokers. Both in vivo and ex vivo nicotine exposure induces epibatidine receptor expression. Epibatidine binding to leukocytes reflects epibatidine binding in the central nervous system, which in turn reflects nicotine-induced effects on the central nervous system. Epibatidine binding assays in peripheral blood leukocytes can be used to evaluate an individual'"'"'s exposure to, and dependence on, nicotine.

Claims

1. ) A method of measuring the level of a marker indicative of the exposure of a patient to nicotine that comprises

(a) placing epibatidine in contact with leukocytes of said patient;

(b) evaluating the binding of epibatidine to said leukocytes, wherein the amount of bound epibatidine is indicative of the level of said marker on said leukocytes.

2. ) The method of claim 1, wherein said marker is the epibatidine binding site of a neuronal nicotinic receptor.

3. ) The method of claim 1, wherein said leukocytes are polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

4. ) The method of claim 1, wherein said epibatidine is labelled.

5. ) The method of claim 4, wherein said epibatidine is radiolabelled.

6. ) The method of claim 5, wherein said epibatidine is [³H]-epibatidine.

7. ) The method of claim 1, wherein the epibatidine ligand is a synthetic analogue of epibatidine.

8. ) The method of claim 1, wherein epibatidine binding to leukocytes present in a blood sample establishes whether the subject is a smoker or a non-smoker.

9. ) The method of claim 1, wherein epibatidine binding to leukocytes present in a blood sample evaluates a subject'"'"'s tobacco use.

10. ) The method of claim 1, wherein epibatidine binding to leukocytes present in a blood sample evaluates a subject'"'"'s tobacco dependence.

11. ) The method of claim 1, wherein epibatidine binding to leukocytes present in a blood sample evaluates the effects of passive smoke exposure.

12. ) The method of claim 1, wherein epibatidine binding to leukocytes present in a blood sample monitors diseases or conditions associated with tobacco use.

13. ) The method of claim 1, wherein epibatidine binding to leukocytes present in a blood sample is the basis for the design of a smoking cessation program.

14. ) A kit for measuring the level of a marker indicative of the exposure of a patient to nicotine that comprises epibatidine and optionally reagents for evaluating the binding of epibatidine to its binding site.