| CPC H01J 49/0045 (2013.01) [B01D 15/163 (2013.01); B01D 15/203 (2013.01); B01D 15/424 (2013.01); G01N 30/16 (2013.01); G01N 30/32 (2013.01); G01N 33/68 (2013.01); H01J 49/4215 (2013.01); G01N 2030/324 (2013.01)] | 13 Claims |

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1. A method for determining the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) phenotype in a sample comprising cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, or serum, said method comprising:
(a) digesting ApoE prior to purification, wherein the digesting comprises trypsin or microwave digestion;
(b) purifying ApoE in the sample;
(c) ionizing ApoE in the sample to produce one or more ion(s) of ApoE;
(d) detecting the ion(s) from step (c) by mass spectrometry; and
(e) determining the phenotype of ApoE allele(s) present in the sample from the ions detected in step (d), wherein the phenotype determined is ApoE2/ApoE2, ApoE2/ApoE4, ApoE3/ApoE3, ApoE3/ApoE4, or ApoE4/ApoE4; and
wherein:
the ApoE2/ApoE2 phenotype is determined by the presence of a fragment ion(s) having a mass/charge ratio selected from the group consisting of 665.72±0.5, 835.93±0.5, 866.99±0.5 and 982.08±0.5;
the ApoE2/ApoE4 phenotype is determined by the presence of a fragment ion(s) having a mass/charge ratio selected from the group consisting of 374.42±0.5, 502.55±0.5, 649.74±0.5, 665.72±0.5, 835.93±0.5; 866.99±0.5, 892.96±0.5, and 982.08±0.5;
the ApoE3/ApoE3 phenotype is determined by the presence of a fragment ion(s) having a mass/charge ratio selected from the group consisting of 374.42±0.5, 502.55±0.5, 866.99±0.5 and 982.08±0.5;
the ApoE3/ApoE4 phenotype is determined by the presence of a fragment ion(s) having a mass/charge ratio selected from the group consisting of 374.42±0.5, 502.55±0.5, 649.74±0.5, 866.99±0.5, 892.96±0.5, and 982.08±0.5; and
the ApoE4/ApoE4 phenotype is determined by the presence of a fragment ion(s) having a mass/charge ratio selected from the group consisting of 374.42±0.5, 502.55±0.5, 649.74±0.5, and 892.96±0.5.
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