US5066583A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for distinguishing alcoholics from non-alcoholics
Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
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Filing: 1988-12-21
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Granted: 1991-11-19
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Expires: 2008-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A method for distinguishing an alcoholic person from non-alocholic persons which comprises measuring the potential of lymphocytes from that person to produce phosphatidylenthanol and comparing the results obtained with a standard obtained from the lymphocytes of persons which are known not to be at substantial risk of becoming alcohol dependent which lymphocytes were incubated under identical conditions.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald C. Mueller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:52
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/48; G01N33/50; G01N33/5005; G01N33/5091; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S436/00; Y10S436/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of determining if a person is alcohol dependent, which method comprises: (a) determining under optimum conditions the ability of the lymphocytes of the person to synthesize phosphatidylethanol; and (b) comparing the results obtained against a standard determined under identical conditions employing the lymphocytes of persons known not to be alcohol dependent, whereby a phosphatidylethanol level higher than the standard indicates the person may be alcohol dependent.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
68 words
A method of determining if a person is alcohol dependent, which method comprises: (a) determining under optimum conditions the ability of the lymphocytes of the person to synthesize phosphatidylethanol; and (b) comparing the results obtained against a standard determined under identical conditions employing the lymphocytes of persons known not to be alcohol dependent, whereby a phosphatidylethanol level higher than the standard indicates the person may be alcohol dependent.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of determining if a person may be alcohol dependent which comprises: (a) taking a blood sample from said person and separating the lymphocytes from said sample; (b) putting said lymphocytes into tissue culture; (c) treating the lymphocytes with ethanol, and an activator for the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of phosphatidylethanol and incubating the resulting mixture; (d) measuring the amount of phosphatidylethanol in the mixture which was synthesized by the lymphocytes; and (e) comparing the amount of phosphatidylethanol obtained in (d) against a standard determined by measuring under identical conditions the amount of phosphatidylethanol synthesized by the lymphocytes of persons known not to be alcohol dependent under identical conditions as (c), whereby a higher level of phosphatidylethanol than the standard indicates that said person may be alcohol dependent.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of determining if a person may be alcohol dependent which comprises: (a) taking a blood sample from said person and separating the lymphocytes from said sample; (b) putting said lymphocytes into tissue culture; (c) treating the lymphocytes with ethanol, and an activator for the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of phosphatidylethanol and incubating the resulting mixture; (d) measuring the amount of phosphatidylethanol in the mixture which was synthesized by the lymphocytes; and (e) comparing the amount of phosphatidylethanol obtained in (d) against a standard determined by measuring under identical conditions the amount of phosphatidylethanol synthesized by the lymphocytes of persons known not to be alcohol dependent under identical conditions as (c), whereby a higher level of phosphatidylethanol than the standard indicates that said person may be alcohol dependent.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of claim 2 in which the phosphatidylethanol synthesized is measured by isolating all the phospholipids and separating the different lipids by chromatography.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of determining if a person may be alcohol dependent which comprises: (a) taking a blood sample from said person and isolating the lymphocytes; (b) growing the lymphocytes in tissue culture; (c) labeling the phospholipid precursors to phosphatidylethanol in said lymphocytes; (d) incubating the lymphocytes with ethanol and an activator which promotes the synthesis of phosphatidylethanol; (e) isolating the phospholipids from the cells and separating them; (f) determining the level of phosphatidylethanol synthesized by the lymphocytes by measuring the labeled phospholipids; and (g) comparing said level of phosphatidylethanol obtained to a standard obtained by an identical procedure from the lymphocytes of persons known not to be alcohol dependent and incubated under the same conditions, whereby a phosphatidylethanol level obtained by culturing the lymphocytes of said person which is higher than the standard indicates said person may be alcohol dependent.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
140 words
A method of determining if a person may be alcohol dependent which comprises: (a) taking a blood sample from said person and isolating the lymphocytes; (b) growing the lymphocytes in tissue culture; (c) labeling the phospholipid precursors to phosphatidylethanol in said lymphocytes; (d) incubating the lymphocytes with ethanol and an activator which promotes the synthesis of phosphatidylethanol; (e) isolating the phospholipids from the cells and separating them; (f) determining the level of phosphatidylethanol synthesized by the lymphocytes by measuring the labeled phospholipids; and (g) comparing said level of phosphatidylethanol obtained to a standard obtained by an identical procedure from the lymphocytes of persons known not to be alcohol dependent and incubated under the same conditions, whereby a phosphatidylethanol level obtained by culturing the lymphocytes of said person which is higher than the standard indicates said person may be alcohol dependent.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4770996A
Cited
EP0331361A1
Cited
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