Methods of diagnosing renal salt wasting syndrome and alzheimer's disease and methods of treating the same

Abstract

A method is described to diagnose (1) renal salt wasting syndrome and (2) Alzheimer's disease among dementia patients by measuring a patient's level of prostaglandin D 2 synthase. Methods are also described to (1) treat renal salt wasting syndrome, (2) inhibit the rate of apoptosis or (3) prevent the onset of, or slow the rate of, progression of Alzheimer's disease. These methods involve inhibiting the rate of −Δ 12 prostaglandin J 2 synthesis or by inhibiting the activity of −Δ 12 prostaglandin J 2 .

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A diagnostic kit for detecting the presence of prostaglandin D 2  synthase in a sample, said kit comprising antibodies to said prostaglandin D 2  synthase, and means for measuring prostaglandin D 2  synthase:anti-prostaglandin D 2  synthase immunocomplexes.  
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said measuring means comprises an enzyme labelled anti-immunoglobulin and a chromogenic substrate for said enzyme label.  
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said antibodies are immobilized on a substrate.  
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said kit is for use in detection of Alzheimer's disease, and further includes a comparison standard for correlating said measurement to likelihood a patient from whom said sample was taken is afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.  
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein said kit is for detection of renal salt wasting syndrome, and further includes a comparison standard for correlating said measurement to likelihood a patient from whom said sample was taken is afflicted with renal salt wasting syndrome.