24 Diagnostic Applications of Phycobiliproteins
587
24.2.1 Diagnosis of Human Metabolic Disorders/Syndromes
Usage of PBPs as detection system in the diagnosis of many metabolic disorders/syndromes in human remains exhaustive. For example, functional ability of
platelets in thrombosis and hemostasis could be diagnosed by the expression
of Integrin αIIbβ3. Its expression was low on resting platelets. This diagnostic
system used R-phycoerythrin conjugated with monoclonal antibody (mAb) against
Integrin αIIbβ3 (Bergmeier et al. 2002). Alzheimer’s disease was diagnosed by
detecting the amyloid protein (Aβ) employing the fluorochrome phycoerythrin
(PE) (Patel and Good 2007). Amyloid is the primary protein component of senile
plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, down-regulation of CD5 expression
on activated CD8
+ T cells in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis was identified
using immunofluorescence kit containing the corresponding antibody conjugated
phycoerythrin and other dyes (Wada et al. 2013).
However, usage of PBPs particularly phycoerythrin in most of the cases was well
documented among patents of various countries designed to diagnose a range of
human illness (Table 24.1). Diagnosis of fitness of human body, common ailments,
and major diseases of cardiac, brain and other central nervous system (CNS), multiorgans of the body, reproductive system, and other health issues were extensively
worked out and patented exploiting PBPs (Table 24.1). It was illustrated that diagnostic kits to assess nutritional status, obesity, multiple pathology, and hereditary
issues were profound using PBPs as an adduct system. Similarly, cardiac ailments like
arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular diseases, etc., could be detected.
Brain and other CNS ailments such as Alzheimer’s, amyloid diseases, schizophrenia,
and nerve imaging to detect neurodegenerative disorders were performed. In the case
of multi-organ ailments, kits used for detecting problems of more than one organ
were presented like a combination of pulmonary and cardiac ailments, cardiac and
kidney, kidney and cardiovascular diseases, etc. Diseases pertaining to various organs
like lung, kidney, liver, ear dysfunction, reproductive system, and certain hereditary diseases were addressed among diagnostic patents using PBPs as a detection
component (Table 24.1).
24.2.2 Diagnosis of Human Infectious Diseases
Comparable to the utility of PBPs for the diagnosis of human metabolic disorders,
an equivalent quantum of exploitation of these pigments for the diagnosis of human
infectious diseases was made. Detection of food borne pathogen, Escherichia. coli
O157:H7 in ready to eat food was done using polyclonal antibodies conjugated
to R-phycoerythrin (Subires et al. 2014) On-chip nested multiplex amplification in
microfluidic channels for analysis and detection of respiratory viruses from nasopharyngeal sample was investigated using streptavidin-conjugated R-phycoerythrin and
real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) probing (Ritzi-Lehnert et al. 2011).
587
24.2.1 Diagnosis of Human Metabolic Disorders/Syndromes
Usage of PBPs as detection system in the diagnosis of many metabolic disorders/syndromes in human remains exhaustive. For example, functional ability of
platelets in thrombosis and hemostasis could be diagnosed by the expression
of Integrin αIIbβ3. Its expression was low on resting platelets. This diagnostic
system used R-phycoerythrin conjugated with monoclonal antibody (mAb) against
Integrin αIIbβ3 (Bergmeier et al. 2002). Alzheimer’s disease was diagnosed by
detecting the amyloid protein (Aβ) employing the fluorochrome phycoerythrin
(PE) (Patel and Good 2007). Amyloid is the primary protein component of senile
plaques in Alzheimer’s disease. Similarly, down-regulation of CD5 expression
on activated CD8
+ T cells in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis was identified
using immunofluorescence kit containing the corresponding antibody conjugated
phycoerythrin and other dyes (Wada et al. 2013).
However, usage of PBPs particularly phycoerythrin in most of the cases was well
documented among patents of various countries designed to diagnose a range of
human illness (Table 24.1). Diagnosis of fitness of human body, common ailments,
and major diseases of cardiac, brain and other central nervous system (CNS), multiorgans of the body, reproductive system, and other health issues were extensively
worked out and patented exploiting PBPs (Table 24.1). It was illustrated that diagnostic kits to assess nutritional status, obesity, multiple pathology, and hereditary
issues were profound using PBPs as an adduct system. Similarly, cardiac ailments like
arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular diseases, etc., could be detected.
Brain and other CNS ailments such as Alzheimer’s, amyloid diseases, schizophrenia,
and nerve imaging to detect neurodegenerative disorders were performed. In the case
of multi-organ ailments, kits used for detecting problems of more than one organ
were presented like a combination of pulmonary and cardiac ailments, cardiac and
kidney, kidney and cardiovascular diseases, etc. Diseases pertaining to various organs
like lung, kidney, liver, ear dysfunction, reproductive system, and certain hereditary diseases were addressed among diagnostic patents using PBPs as a detection
component (Table 24.1).
24.2.2 Diagnosis of Human Infectious Diseases
Comparable to the utility of PBPs for the diagnosis of human metabolic disorders,
an equivalent quantum of exploitation of these pigments for the diagnosis of human
infectious diseases was made. Detection of food borne pathogen, Escherichia. coli
O157:H7 in ready to eat food was done using polyclonal antibodies conjugated
to R-phycoerythrin (Subires et al. 2014) On-chip nested multiplex amplification in
microfluidic channels for analysis and detection of respiratory viruses from nasopharyngeal sample was investigated using streptavidin-conjugated R-phycoerythrin and
real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) probing (Ritzi-Lehnert et al. 2011).