Materials and non-invasive methods are provided for determining a subject's present drug metabolic capacity by assessing a biofluid sample taken from the subject following administration of a compound and identifying phenotypic variations in activity of one or more drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) enzymes extracted from extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the biofluid sample. Additional materials and methods are provided for determining compound (e.g., drug) efficacy and dose ranging, either in a subject or in a treatment cohort, by quantifying level of expression of such ADME enzymes EVs selectively isolated from biofluid.

The present invention provides a method for providing a diagnosis or prognosis of a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a subject by detecting expression level of the Squalene Epoxidase (SQLE) gene. A kit and device useful for such methods are also provided. In addition, the present invention provides a method for treating NAFLD by suppressing SQLE gene expression or activity.

The present disclosure relates to methods for evaluating the interaction of a candidate compound on 3D hepatocyte spheroid in an invitro culture, including evaluating the metabolism of a candidate compound, for use in various biochemical and molecular biology studies. The methods are performed in labware that combine 3D spheroid culture with micro-patterned design that allows for multiple to several hundreds of spheroids to be treated under the same conditions and to produce sufficient materials (e.g., parent drug, drug metabolites, DNA, RNA, and proteins from cells) and higher detection signal intensity for ADME/Tox (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity) studies. The methods allow for, among other uses, the investigation and generation of accurate invitro intrinsic clearance data and thus more accurate prediction of in vivo clearance, particularly with low clearance compounds.

The invention provides compounds, compositions, methods, substrates, and kits useful for analyzing the metabolic activity in cells, tissue, and animals and for screening test compounds for their effect on cytochrome P450 activity. In particular, a one-step and two-step methods using luminogenic molecules, e.g. luciferins or coelenterazines, that are cytochrome P450 substrates and that are also bioluminescent enzyme, e.g., luciferase, pro-substrates are provided. The present method further provides a method for stabilizing and prolonging the luminescent signal in a luciferase-based assay using luciferase stabilizing agents such as reversible lucifetrase inhibitors.

The present invention provides a method for providing a diagnosis or prognosis of a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a subject by detecting expression level of the Squalene Epoxidase (SQLE) gene. A kit and device useful for such methods are also provided. In addition, the present invention provides a method for treating NAFLD by suppressing SQLE gene expression or activity.

A method, a labeling reagent, sets of labeling reagents, and labeling techniques are provided for the analysis of ketosterol biomarkers such as bile acid precursors from human plasma, serum or whole blood. This method is used for new born screening for Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX). Methods for labeling, analyzing, and quantifying ketosterol biomarkers are also disclosed as are methods that also use mass spectrometry.

Chemiluminescent compositions, methods, assays and kits for oxidative enzymes are described. Further disclosed are dioxetane compounds of the form: ##STR00001##
where R can independently be any branched alkyl or cycloalkyl group which provides stabilization for the dioxetane or where both R groups together form a cycloalkyl or polycycloalkyl moiety spiro bound to the dioxetane ring, wherein each R group or the spiro bound moiety can be unsubstituted or substituted with one or more electron-withdrawing groups or electron donating groups, or groups providing preferential oxidative isozyme substrate recognition, and wherein R.sub.1 is an aryl group, or an alkyl group of 1-20 carbon atoms, which can be optionally substituted with 1 or more halogen atoms, and wherein T is an aryl or heteroaryl ring capable of emitting light upon enzyme activated decomposition of the dioxetane I. Kits, methods and assays are also disclosed that comprise the dioxetane compounds.

The invention provides compounds, compositions, methods, substrates, and kits useful for analyzing the metabolic activity in cells, tissue, and animals and for screening test compounds for their effect on cytochrome P450 activity. In particular, a one-step and two-step methods using luminogenic molecules, e.g. luciferins or coelenterazines, that are cytochrome P450 substrates and that are also bioluminescent enzyme, e.g., luciferase, pro-substrates are provided. The present method further provides a method for stabilizing and prolonging the luminescent signal in a luciferase-based assay using luciferase stabilizing agents such as reversible lucifetrase inhibitors.

Chemiluminescent compositions, methods, assays and kits for oxidative enzymes are described. Further disclosed are dioxetane compounds of the form:

##STR00001##

where R can independently be any branched alkyl or cycloalkyl group which provides stabilization for the dioxetane or where both R groups together form a cycloalkyl or polycycloalkyl moiety spiro bound to the dioxetane ring, wherein each R group or the spiro bound moiety can be unsubstituted or substituted with one or more electron-withdrawing groups or electron donating groups, or groups providing preferential oxidative isozyme substrate recognition, and wherein R.sub.1 is an aryl group, or an alkyl group of 1-20 carbon atoms, which can be optionally substituted with 1 or more halogen atoms, and wherein T is an aryl or heteroaryl ring capable of emitting light upon enzyme activated decomposition of the dioxetane I.

Kits, methods and assays are also disclosed that comprise the dioxetane compounds.

Methods for diagnosing, treating, and preventing catabolism-related vitamin D deficiency and related disorders, related compositions, apparatus and kits, are disclosed. A method involves measuring CYP24 expression and/or activity, or a proxy thereof such as FGF23 level, in a patient and correlating abnormally elevated CYP24 expression and/or activity with catabolism-related vitamin D deficiency or with susceptibility for catabolism-related vitamin D deficiency. In response to abnormally elevated CYP24 expression and/or activity, the method further includes administering a CYP24 inhibitor to the vitamin D deficient or at-risk patient, and preferably avoiding activation of the vitamin D binding receptor, such as by avoiding administration of active vitamin D compounds to such patients. Optionally, a vitamin D prohormone or prohormone can be administered.