Microarray for High Throughput Detection of Enzymatic Activity

Technology Description

The invention gives a novel microarray to detect proteolytic activity in clinical samples (plasma, etc.) and cleavage of specific protein sequences that are of physiological important for normal cell function.
 
The approach advances the state-of-the-art, which consists of protease assays based on cleavage of specific short amino-acid sequences designed to detect specific protease activity. The existing protease detection kits are based on 96 well plates with relatively large sample size (0.1 to 0.3 ml) each and they are not designed to detect cleavage of important biological macromolecules.

Advantages

• Detection of a variety of protease activities simultaneously in a multiplex arrangement.
• Detection of the cleavage of amino acid sequences that are derived from important elements of membrane receptors for physiological function (e.g. the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor, membrane adhesion receptor, growth factor receptors, and many others membrane receptors), plasma proteins, or functional receptors in specific organs (nicotinic receptor in the brain, amyloid protein in Alzheimers disease, glutamate receptors, adrenergic receptors, cholinergic receptors, aminoacid transporters, selectins, glycocalyx proteins, and many others).

Applications

• Diagnostic devices to detect unchecked enzymatic activity in clinical samples.
• In-home use to detect of a broad variety of auto-digestive processes in human diseases.

State Of Development

Proof of concept has been determined.

Patent Status