Method for detecting anti-squalene antibodies

• US 6,214,566 B1
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Administrators Of The Tulane Educational Fund (ADMINISTRATORS|DAVID H. COY)
• Original Assignee: Administrators Of The Tulane Educational Fund (ADMINISTRATORS|DAVID H. COY)
• Inventors: Asa, Pamela B., Garry, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): PARK, HANKYEL
• Application Number:
  US09/193,115
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 435/7.1, 435/39, 530/387.1
• US Class Current: 435/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2430/00 Assays, e.g. immunoassays or enzyme assays, involving synthetic organic compounds as analytes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/6854 Immunoglobulins

Abstract

Gulf War Syndrome is an ill-defined disease affecting thousands of individuals. A correlation is believed to exist between Gulf War Syndrome and the presence of antisqualene antibodies in affected individuals. The invention discloses a method and a kit useful for identifying the presence or absence of antisqualene antibodies. A diagnosis of Gulf War Syndrome is suggested for individuals having detectable levels of antisqualene antibodies.

Claims

1. A method for detecting antisqualene antibody comprising the steps of:

providing a test sample suspected of containing an antisqualene antibody;

contacting the test sample and squalene, wherein the squalene complexes with the antisqualene antibody to form a binary complex;

contacting the binary complex with an indicator reagent, wherein the indicator reagent complexes with the binary complex to form a ternary complex; and

detecting the presence or absence of the ternary complex.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the test sample is obtained from a bodily fluid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the test sample is obtained from blood.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the squalene is immobilized on a solid support.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the solid support is a membrane, plastic, agarose bead, or magnetic bead.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the solid support is polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyamide, polycarbonate, polyether, polymethyl methacrylate, nitrocellulose, polyvinylidene difluoride, agarose, metal, or nylon.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the solid support is a nitrocellulose membrane.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator reagent is conjugated to a detectable label.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the detectable label is a protein, enzyme, radioisotope, nucleic acid segment, fluorochrome, or fluorescent protein.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the enzyme is horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, or β

-galactosidase.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the enzyme catalyzes the conversion of a non-chemiluminescent reagent into a chemiluminescent product.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the enzyme catalyzes the conversion of a non-colorimetric reagent to a colorimetric product.