Kit and Method for Detecting Porous Dental Hydroxyapatite

Abstract

The present invention relates to a kit and a probe for detecting porous dental hydroxyapatite, comprising a protein capable of binding porous dental hydroxyapatite or a detector thereof. The invention also relates to a method for detecting a condition involving porous dental hydroxyapatite comprising detecting in or on a tooth or a sample of the tooth of a subject a protein bound to porous dental hydroxyapatite. The invention also relates to methods for detecting a hypomineralisation developmental dental defect or detecting intact and/or broken MIH enamel, and to a kit and method for removing a protein bound to porous dental hydroxyapatite.

1 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . A kit, when used for detecting porous dental hydroxyapatite, comprising: a protein capable of binding porous dental hydroxyapatite; or a detector that detects said protein bound to porous dental hydroxyapatite, optionally wherein the protein is selected from the group: Serum albumin; Complement C3 beta chain; Alpha-1-antitrypsin; Protein S100-A9; Lactotransferrin; Leukocyte elastase inhibitor; Antithrombin-III; Hemoglobin subunit alpha; Hemoglobin subunit beta; Hemoglobin subunit delta; Prolactin-inducible protein; Alpha amylase 1; Iv kappa chain V-III region SIE; Ig alpha-2 chain C region; Uncharacterized protein c6orf58; Serpin B3; and Amelogenin. 
     
     
         53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . The kit of  claim 52 , wherein the protein specifically binds porous dental hydroxyapatite. 
     
     
         55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The kit of  claim 52 , further comprising a reporter that specifically binds to or is linked to the protein or detector. 
     
     
         57 . The kit of  claim 56 , wherein the reporter is colored or radio-opaque. 
     
     
         58 . The kit of  claim 57 , wherein the colored reporter is amido black. 
     
     
         59 . (canceled) 
     
     
         60 . The kit of  claim 56 , further comprising a linker for linking the reporter to the protein or detector. 
     
     
         61 . The kit of  claim 60 , wherein the linker is a heterobifunctional cross-linker. 
     
     
         62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . The kit of  claim 52 , wherein the protein is Hemoglobin or a subunit thereof. 
     
     
         64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . A probe, when used for detecting porous dental hydroxyapatite, comprising: a protein capable of binding porous dental hydroxyapatite; and a reporter, optionally wherein the protein is selected from the group: Serum albumin; Complement C3 beta chain; Alpha-1-antitrypsin; Protein S100-A9; Lactotransferrin; Leukocyte elastase inhibitor; Antithrombin-III; Hemoglobin subunit alpha; Hemoglobin subunit beta; Hemoglobin subunit delta; Prolactin-inducible protein; Alpha amylase 1; Ig kappa chain V-III region SIE; Ig alpha-2 chain C region; Uncharacterized protein c6orf58; Serpin B3; and Amelogenin. 
     
     
         66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . The probe of  claim 65 , wherein the protein is Hemoglobin or a subunit thereof. 
     
     
         68 . The probe of  claim 65 , wherein the reporter is colored or radio-opaque. 
     
     
         69 . The probe of  claim 68 , wherein the colored reporter is amido black. 
     
     
         70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The probe of  claim 65 , wherein the probe further comprises a linker linking the protein to the reporter. 
     
     
         72 . (canceled) 
     
     
         73 . The probe of  claim 71 , wherein the linker is a heterobifunctional cross-linker. 
     
     
         74 - 75 . (canceled) 
     
     
         76 . A method for detecting a condition involving porous dental hydroxyapatite, comprising detecting in or on a tooth or a sample of the tooth of a subject a protein bound to porous dental hydroxyapatite, optionally wherein the protein is selected from the group: Serum albumin; Complement C3 beta chain; Alpha-1-antitrypsin; Protein S100-A9; Lactotransferrin; Leukocyte elastase inhibitor; Antithrombin-III; Hemoglobin subunit alpha; Hemoglobin subunit beta; Hemoglobin subunit delta; Prolactin-inducible protein; Alpha amylase 1; Ig kappa chain V-III region SIE; Ig alpha-2 chain C region; Uncharacterized protein c6orf58; Serpin B3; and Amelogenin. 
     
     
         77 - 78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the detecting comprises immunodetection, chromatography, electrophoresis, or mass spectrometry. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the subject is a human. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , wherein the human is under about 12 years of age, about 2 to about 12 years of age, about 4 to about 10 years of age, or about 6 to about 10 years of age. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 76 , further comprising permeabilizing the tooth or a sample of the tooth before detecting the protein. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the condition is dental caries, Molar/Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH), amelogenesis imperfecta, dental fluorosis, or other developmental dental defect (DDD). 
     
     
         84 - 102 . (canceled)