The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 16, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 05, 1994
Toby C Rodman, New York, NY (US);
The Institute for Human Genetics and Biochemistry, Geneva, CH;
Abstract
The present invention is directed to protamine-reactive, IgM antibodies, and their uses in prognosis, diagnosis, and therapy. In a specific embodiment, the invention relates to low affinity binding, protamine-reactive serum IgM antibodies. In particular, such antibodies can recognize a sequence comprising four arginyl residues, including a triplet, within a six amino acid residue sequence. Such antibodies may be natural antibodies (i.e., not induced). A low affinity subset of serum protamine-reactive IgM antibodies may be assayed for prognosis or diagnosis of AIDS. Such antibodies are detectable in sera of normal subjects and HIV-infected individuals who subsequently exhibit a significant period of latency, but are absent or deficient in sera of individuals diagnosed with AIDS and sera of HIV infected individuals, who though asymptomatic at the time of the sampling, proceed to AIDS within a relatively short time. The invention provides methods and diagnostic kits for the detection and/or measurement of the low affinity subset of protamine-reactive serum IgM antibodies, for the prognosis and diagnosis of AIDS and other immune system abnormalities.