Cripto-1 as a Biomarker for Cardiac Ischemia
Description of Technology:
This technology describes Cripto-1 as a biomarker for infarcted
cardiac tissues. Cripto-1 is a member of the epidermal growth
factor (EGF)-related proteins and is currently thought to play an
important role in several cancers. The present invention
shows that Cripto-1 is overexpressed in infarcted myocardial
tissue, and not expressed or weakly expressed in non-infarct
related heart disease tissues and normal tissues. Furthermore, the
overexpression of Cripto-1 correlates with the hypoxia-inducible
factor-1-alpha indicating specificity to ischemic heart tissue. The
expression of Cripto-1 has also been shown to be highly expressed
in stem cells, which may have an important role in the repair of
damaged myocardial tissue. Thus, this technology could represent a
new biomarker for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction as well as
a surrogate biomarker to monitor the healing process including
regenerative stem cell activity of the infarcted myocardial
tissue.
Applications:
- Diagnostic tool for the detection of myocardial
infarction.
- Method to monitor stem cell activity in damaged myocardial
tissue.
R&D Status: Pre-clinical
development.
Patent Status: U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/046,181 filed 18 Apr 2008
Collaborative Research Opportunity:
The National Cancer Institute's Mammary Biology and Tumorigenesis
Laboratory is seeking statements of capability or interest from
parties interested in collaborative research to further develop,
evaluate, or commercialize biomarkers for infarcted cardiac
tissues. Please contact John D. Hewes, Ph.D. at 301-435-3121
or hewesj@mail.nih.gov for more information.
Please reference advertisement #695
Revision 10/20/2008