Detection of a genetic predisposition to cancers and non-cancerous pathologies in mammals

Abstract

Methods are provided for the detection of susceptibility to cancer and non-cancerous pathologies in a mammal. Diagnostic kits are also provided.

1 . A method of detecting the susceptibility to cancer in a mammal comprising:
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from the mammal; and   (b) detecting a molecular biomarker in the sample, wherein the molecular biomarker is a p53 allele comprising an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO:14 as compared to position 246-247 as in SEQ ID NO:16.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alteration is a substitution, deletion or insertion. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alteration is an insertion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the alteration is an insertion of a thymidine. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting comprises contacting the sample with a nucleic acid segment selected from SEQ ID NOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a feline. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the feline is a domestic cat. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cancer is sarcoma or a vaccine-associated feline sarcoma. 
     
     
         9 . A method of detecting the susceptibility to a non-cancerous pathology in a mammal comprising:
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from the mammal; and   (b) detecting a molecular biomarker in the sample, wherein the molecular biomarker is indicative of disease susceptibility in the mammal.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the molecular biomarker is p53. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the p53 comprises an alteration in intron 7. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the alteration is a substitution, deletion or insertion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the alteration is an insertion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the alteration is an insertion of a thymidine. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the p53 intron 7 comprises an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO:14 as compared to position 246-247 as in SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the detecting comprises contacting the sample with a nucleic acid segment selected from SEQ ID NOs:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the non-cancerous pathology is a urinary disorder, endocrine system disorder or cardiac disease. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the non-cancerous pathology is a cardiac disease. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cardiac disease is cardiomyopathy, heart valve dysfunction, heart murmur, valvular-associated murmur, a cardiac lesion or a valvular lesion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the non-cancerous pathology is a urinary disorder. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the non-cancerous pathology is an endocrine system disorder. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the endocrine system disorder is an adrenal gland disorder or a thyroid disorder. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the thyroid disorder is a thyroid gland nodule or hyperthyroidism. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the mammal is a feline. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the feline is a domestic cat. 
     
     
         26 . A method of detecting the susceptibility to cancer in a cat comprising:
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from the cat; and   (b) detecting a molecular biomarker in the sample, wherein the molecular biomarker is a p53 allele comprising an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO:14 as compared to position 246-247 in SEQ ID NO: 16, wherein the molecular biomarker is indicative of cancer susceptibility in the cat.   
     
     
         27 . A method of detecting the susceptibility to a urinary disorder in a cat comprising:
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from the cat; and   (b) detecting a molecular biomarker in the sample, wherein the molecular biomarker is a p53 allele comprising an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO:14 as compared to position 246-247 in SEQ ID NO:16, wherein the molecular biomarker is indicative of susceptibility to the disorder in the cat.   
     
     
         28 . A diagnostic kit for detecting the susceptibility to cancer in a mammal, which comprises packaging, containing a primer that specifically detects an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO: 14 as compared to position 246-247 in SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         29 . The kit of any of  claim 28 , wherein the primer consists of SEQ ID NOs:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13. 
     
     
         30 . A diagnostic kit for detecting the susceptibility to a urinary disorder in a mammal, which comprises packaging, containing a primer that specifically detects an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO:14 as compared to position 246-247 in SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         31 . The kit of any of  claim 30 , wherein the primer consists of SEQ ID NOs:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13. 
     
     
         32 . A diagnostic kit for detecting the susceptibility to vaccine-associated feline sarcoma in a cat, which comprises packaging, containing a primer that specifically detects an alteration at position 246, 247 or 248 in SEQ ID NO:14 as compared to position 246-247 in SEQ ID NO:16. 
     
     
         33 . The kit of any of  claim 32 , wherein the primer consists of SEQ ID NOs:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 or 13 
     
     
         34 . A method for studying a cancer in a mammal comprising:
 (a) obtaining a biological sample from a mammal;   (b) analyzing the biological sample to establish the presence of a p53 alteration; and   (c) utilizing the mammal to study the cancer.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the alteration is in intron 7 of p53. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the mammal is a cat.