Use of ligands specific to major histocompatibility complex-class I antigens for diagnosing endometriosis
US6376201B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 23, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S435/975
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
It is an object of the present invention to provide the clinicians with a new application for ligands specific to MHC-class I antigens, especially HLA-ABC antigens, this new application residing in the detection and diagnosis of endometriosis. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method and a test kit for diagnosing endometriosis, preferably by immunohistochemistry, using a monoclonal anti- HLA-ABC antibody as a preferred ligand or diagnostic reagent. This new method is non-invasive and is more reliable as a screening test than the conventionally used laparoscopy. When the endometrium of a woman tests negatively with the claimed method, it prevents the use of laparoscopy which is an invasive method for detecting endometriosis. This method can be practised on a specimen obtained from the endometrium of a patient and does not require a specimen sampled directly from the endometriotic foci.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.