Beckman Coulter, Inc.

University Health Network

Sue Chow

David Hedley

T Vincent Shankey

Lidice L Lopez

Sergei Gulnik

Patricia Grom

David W Hedley

Assays that can measure the effect of proteasome inhibitors on target cells in a biological sample are provided. The assays include evaluation of the effects of proteasome inhibitors on proteasome activity in cells in a biological sample.

Proteasome inhibition assay and methods of use

Methods and reagents are provided for determining the activation state of a signal transduction pathway signaling protein. There exists a need in the art for methods that can monitor the efficacy of a signal transduction inhibitor in a patient. Other needs exist for detecting and monitoring certain disease or disorders that are associated with aberrant activation of a signal transduction pathway signaling protein. The present assay provides a highly sensitive assay that is also useful in patient populations in which obtaining a large cellular sample is difficult, for example, neonates.

Pan-kinase activation and evaluation of signaling pathways

This invention is directed to a method for preparation of a biological sample for measurement of protein epitopes that allows for the preservation of intracellular protein epitopes and detection of signal transduction pathways based on the ability to capture transient activation states of the epitopes. The method provided by the invention allows for the rapid fixation of biological samples containing red blood cells, to ensure that epitopes of signal transduction molecules and other intracellular protein epitopes are preserved in the active state. The method of the invention further allows for lysis of red blood cells, thereby making it a useful method for cytometric analysis of biological samples, including, for example, whole blood, bone marrow aspirates, peritoneal fluids, and other red blood cell containing samples. The invention also provides a method to recover or 'unmask' epitopes on intracellular antigens that have been made inaccessible by the cross linking fixative necessary to fix the sample. Significantly, the methods of the invention allow preservation and analysis of phospho-epitope levels in biological samples taken directly from patients to determine disease-specific characteristics.

Whole blood preparation for cytometric analysis of cell signaling pathways

Growing community of inventors

Markham, Canada

Sue Chow