The present invention relates to the identification and use of polypeptides that bind to antibodies directed to a desired polypeptide of interest. Using natriuretic peptides and their precursors, and in particular BNP, as an example, the present invention describes a number of natriuretic peptides fragments produced in biological samples, most preferably blood-derived samples, that bind to antibodies directed to BNP. Because production of such fragments is an ongoing process that may be a function of, inter alia, the elapsed time between onset of an event triggering
natriuretic peptide release into the tissues and the time the sample is obtained or analyzed; the elapsed time between sample acquisition and the time the sample is analyzed; the type of
tissue sample at issue; the storage conditions; the quantity of
proteolytic enzymes present; etc., such fragments may be used when both designing an
assay for one or more natriuretic peptides, and when performing such an
assay, in order to provide an accurate prognostic or diagnostic result.