AU2002330288B2 - Novel PRO213-1 PRO1330 and PRO1449 polypeptides and nucleic acids encoding same - Google Patents

Description

NOVEL PRO213-1 PRO1330 AND PR01449 POLYPEPTIDES AND 0 NUCLEIC ACIDS ENCODING SAME The entire disclosure in the complete 00 00 specification of our Australian Patent Application No.

C 30721/99 is by this cross-reference incorporated into the Spresent specification.

c, FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the identification and isolation of novel DNA and to the recombinant production of novel polypeptides encoded by that DNA.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION All references, including any patents or patent applications, cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or in any other country.

Extracellular proteins play an important role in the formation, differentiation and maintenance of multicellular organisms. The fate of many individual cells, proliferation, migration, differentiation, or interaction with other cells, is typically governed by information received from other cells and/or the immediate environment. This information is often transmitted by secreted polypeptides (for instance, mitogenic factors, H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 survival factors, cytotoxic factors, differentiation factors, neuropeptides, and hormones) which are, in turn, received and interpreted by diverse cell receptors or membrane-bound proteins. These secreted polypeptides or signaling molecules normally pass through the cellular secretory pathway to reach their site of action in the extracellular environment.

Secreted proteins have various industrial applications, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, biosensors and bioreactors. Most protein drugs available at present, such as thrombolytic agents, interferons, interleukins, erythropoietins, colony stimulating factors, and various other cytokines, are secretory proteins.

Their receptors, which are membrane proteins, also have potential as therapeutic or diagnostic agents. Efforts are being undertaken by both industry and academia to identify new, native secreted proteins. Many efforts are focused on the screening of mammalian recombinant DNA libraries to identify the coding sequences for novel secreted proteins. Examples of screening methods and techniques are described in the literature [see, for example, Klein et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 93:7108- 7113 (1996); U.S. Patent No. 5,536,637)].

Membrane-bound proteins and receptors can play an important role in the formation, differentiation and maintenance of multicellular organisms. The fate of many individual cells, proliferation, migration, differentiation, or interaction with other cells, is typically governed by information received from other cells and/or the immediate environment. This information is often transmitted by secreted polypeptides (for instance, mitogenic factors, survival factors, cytotoxic factors, differentiation factors, neuropeptides, and hormones) which are, in turn, received and interpreted by diverse cell receptors or membrane-bound proteins. Such membrane-bound proteins and cell receptors include, but H\RBe11\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 are not limited to, cytokine receptors, receptor kinases, receptor phosphatases, receptors involved in cell-cell interactions, and cellular adhesin molecules like selectins and integrins. For instance, transduction of signals that regulate cell growth and differentiation is regulated in part by phosphorylation of various cellular proteins. Protein tyrosine kinases, enzymes that catalyze that process, can also act as growth factor receptors.

Examples include fibroblast growth factor receptor and nerve growth factor receptor.

Membrane-bound proteins and receptor molecules have various industrial applications, including as pharmaceutical and diagnostic agents. Receptor immunoadhesins, for instance, can be employed as therapeutic agents to block receptor-ligand interaction.

The membrane-bound proteins can also be employed for screening of potential peptide or small molecule inhibitors of the relevant receptor/ligand interaction.

Efforts are being undertaken by both industry and academia to identify new, native receptor proteins. Many efforts are focused on the screening of mammalian recombinant DNA libraries to identify the coding sequences for novel receptor proteins.

We herein describe the identification and characterization of novel secreted and transmembrane polypeptides and novel nucleic acids encoding those polypeptides.

Human growth arrest-specific gene 6 (gas6) encodes a protein that is expressed in a variety of different tissues and which has been reported to be highly expressed during periods of serum starvation and negatively regulated during growth induction. See Manfioletti et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 13(8):4976-4985 (1993) and Stitt et al., Cell 80:661-670 (1995).

Manfioletti et al. (1993), supra, have suggested that the gas6 protein is member of the vitamin K-dependent family H:\RBell\Keep\P46467 .doc 02/12/02 of proteins, wherein the members of the latter family of proteins (which include, for example, Protein S, Protein C and Factor X) all play regulatory roles in the blood coagulation pathway. Thus, it has been suggested that gas6 may play a role in the regulation of a protease cascade relevant in growth regulation or in the blood coagulation cascade.

Given the physiological importance of the gas6 protein, efforts are currently being undertaken by both industry and academia to identify new, native proteins which are homologous to gas6. Many of these efforts are focused on the screening of mammalian recombinant DNA libraries to identify the coding sequences for novel secreted and membrane-bound receptor proteins, specifically those having homology to gas6. Examples of such screening methods and techniques are described in the literature [see, for example, Klein et al., Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci., 93:7108-7113 (1996); U.S. Patent No.

5,536,637)]. We herein describe the identification of a novel polypeptide which has homology to the gas6 polypeptide.

Cancer is characterized by the increase in the number of abnormal, or neoplastic, cells derived from a normal tissue which proliferate to form a tumor mass, the invasion of adjacent tissues by these neoplastic tumor cells, and the generation of malignant cells which eventually spread via the blood or lymphatic system to regional lymph nodes and to distant sites (metastasis).

In a cancerous state a cell proliferates under conditions in which normal cells would not grow. Cancer manifests itself in a wide variety of forms, characterized by different degrees of invasiveness and aggressiveness.

Alteration of gene expression is intimately related to the uncontrolled cell growth and dedifferentiation which are a common feature of all cancers.

The genomes of certain well studied tumors have been found H:\RBe11\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Sto show decreased expression of recessive genes, usually referred to as tumor suppression genes, which would 00 normally function to prevent malignant cell growth, and/or overexpression of certain dominant genes, such as oncogenes, that act to promote malignant growth. Each of 00 00 these genetic changes appears to be responsible for importing some of the traits that, in aggregate, represent

C

the full neoplastic phenotype (Hunter, Cell 64, 1129 CN [1991]; Bishop, Cell 64, 235-248 [1991]).

A well known mechanism of gene oncogene) overexpression in cancer cells is gene amplification.

This is a process wherein the chromosome of the ancestral cell multiple copies of a particular gene are produced.

The process involves unscheduled replication of the region of chromosome comprising the gene, followed by recombination of the replicated segments back into the chromosome (Alitalo et al., Adv. Cancer Res. 47, 235-281 [1986]). It is believed that the overexpression of the gene parallels gene amplification, i.e. is proportionate to the number of copies made.

Proto-oncogenes that encode growth factors and growth factor receptors have been identified to play important roles in the pathogenesis of various human malignancies, including breast cancer. For example, it has been found that the human ErbB2 gene (erbB2, also known as her2, or c-erbB-2), which encodes a 185-kd transmembrane glycoprotein receptor (pl85HER2; HER2) related to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), is overexpressed in about 25% to 30% of human breast cancer (Slamon et al., Science 235:177-182 [1987]; Slamon et al., Science 244:707-712 [1989]).

It has been reported that gene amplification of a protooncogene is an event typically involved in the more malignant forms of cancer, and could act as a predictor of clinical outcome (Schwab et al., Genes Chromosomes Cancer 1, 181-193 [1990]; Alitalo et al., supra). Thus, erbB2 H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 overexpression is commonly regarded as a predictor of a poor prognosis, especially in patients with primary disease that involves axillary lymph nodes (Slamon et al., [1987] and [1989], supra; Ravdin and Chamness, Gene 159:19-27 [1995]; and Hynes and Stern, Biochem Biophys Acta 1198: 165-184 [1994]), and has been linked to sensitivity and/or resistance to hormone therapy and chemotherapeutic regimens, including CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluoruracil) and anthracyclines (Baselga et al., Oncology 11 (3 Suppl 1): 43-48 [1997]). However, despite the association of erbB2 overexpression with poor prognosis, the odds of HER2positive patients responding clinically to treatment with taxanes were greater than three times those of HER2negative patients (Ibid). A recombinant humanized anti- ErbB2 (anti-HER2) monoclonal antibody (a humanized version of the murine anti-ErbB2 antibody 4D5, referred to as rhuMAb HER2 or Herceptin 78) has been clinically active in patients with ErbB2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancers that had received extensive prior anticancer therapy. (Baselga et al., J. Clin. Oncol. 14:737-744 [1996] The protein Notch and its homologues are key regulatory receptors in determining the cell fate in various development processes. The protein Notch-4, also known as int-3 oncogene, was originally identified as a frequent target in mouse mammary tumor virus (MMVS).

Notch-4 is believed to be a transgene which affects the differentiation capacity of stem cells and leads to neoplastic proliferation in epithelial cells. Shirayoshi et al., Genes Cells 213-224 (1997). During embryogenesis, the expression of Notch-4 was detected in endothelial cells of blood vessels forming tissues such as the dorsal aorta, intersegmental vessels, yolk sac vessels, cephalic vessels, heart, vessels in branchial arches, and capillary plexuses. Notch-4 expression in H:\RBe1I\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Sthese tissues was also associated with flk-1, the major regulatory gene of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.

Notch-4 is also upregulated in vitro during the differentiation of endothelial stem cell. The endothelial cell specific expression pattern of Notch-4, as well as 00 its structural similarity to Notch suggest that Notch-4 is 00 C an endothelial cell specific homologue of Notch and that Sit may play a role in vaculogenesis and angiogenesis.

C In the claims which follow and in the description of the invention, except where the context requires Sotherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicants have identified a cDNA clone that encodes a novel polypeptide, wherein the polypeptide is designated in the present application as "PRO213-1", "PRO1330", or "PRO1449".

Accordingly, the present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule having at least sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of the amino acid sequences shown in Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508), and Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), respectively.

The invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid having at least 80% sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence that encodes a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of the amino acid sequences shown in Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508), and Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), respectively.

H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 The invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid which comprises the full-length coding sequence of the DNA deposited under accession number ATCC 209791, ATCC 203242 or ATCC 203243.

The invention further provides an isolated native sequence polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence shown in Figure 2 (SEQ ID NO:2).

The invention further provides an isolated native sequence polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of the amino acid sequences shown in Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) and Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510).

The invention furhter provides an isolated polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotides deposited under accession numbers ATCC 209791, ATCC 203242 or ATCC 203243. In particular, the invention provides isolated native sequence PR0213 polypeptide, which in one embodiment, includes an amino acid sequence comprising residues 1 to 295 of Figure 2 (SEQ ID NO:2).

The present invention concerns compositions and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of neoplastic cell growth and proliferation in mammals, including humans.

The present invention is based on the identification of genes that are amplified in the genome of tumor cells.

Such gene amplification is expected to be associated with the overexpression of the gene product and contribute to tumorigenesis. Accordingly, the proteins encoded by the amplified genes are believed to be useful targets for the diagnosis and/or treatment (including prevention) of certain cancers, and may act as predictors of the prognosis of tumor treatment.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising DNA encoding H\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 10 0 a PRO213-1, PRO1330 and/or PRO1449 polypeptide. In one c-I aspect, the isolated nucleic acid comprises DNA encoding Sthe PR0213-1, PRO1330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide having amino acid residues 1 to 273 of Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), CI 5 20 to 273 of Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) and 20 to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), respectively, or is 00 complementary to such encoding nucleic acid sequence, and CI remains stably bound to it under at least moderate, and C optionally, under high stringency conditions. The 10 isolated nucleic acid sequence may comprise the cDNA insert of the vector designated as DNA30943-1-1163-1 (ATCC C 209791) deposited on April 21, 1998; DNA64907-1163-1 (ATCC 203242) deposited on September 9, 1998 and/or DNA64908- 1163-1 (ATCC 203243) deposited on September 9, 1998.

In another embodiment, the present invention comprises an isolated nucleic acid molecule having at least about 80% sequence identity, preferably at least about 85% sequence identity, more preferably at least about 90% sequence identity, most preferably at least about 95% sequence identity to a DNA molecule encoding a PRO213-1, PRO1330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide having amino acid residues 1 to 273 of Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), to 273 of Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) and 20 to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), respectively; or the complement of the DNA molecule of In another embodiment, the invention provides an isolated PRO213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide. In particular, the invention provides isolated native sequence PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide, which in one embodiment, includes an amino acid sequence comprising residues 1 to 273 of Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), to 273 of Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) or 20 to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), respectively. Optionally, the PRO213-1, PRO1330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide is obtained or obtainable by expressing the polypeptide encoded by the cDNA insert of the DNA30943-1-1163-1 (ATCC 209791), DNA64907- H,\veronica\keep\speci\200233O288.1idoc 18/02/05 11 0 1163-1 (ATCC 203242) or DNA64908-1163-1 (ATCC 203243).

c-I In another aspect, the invention provides an 1 isolated PR0213-1, PR01330, and/or PR01449 polypeptide, comprising an amino acid sequence having at least about CI 5 80% sequence identity, preferably at least about sequence identity, more preferably at least about CA Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), 20 to 273 of Figure 6 n (SEQ ID NO:508) or 20 to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), C- 10 inclusive.

In yet another embodiment, the invention provides c- an isolated PR0213-1, PR01330, and/or PR01449 polypeptide, comprising the amino acid residues 1 to 273 of Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), 20 to 273 of Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) or 20 to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), or a fragment thereof sufficient to provide a binding site for an anti- PR0213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody.

Preferably, the PR0213-1, PR01330, and/or PR01449 fragment retains a qualitative biological activity of a native PR0213-1, PR01330, and/or PR01449 polypeptide.

In a further aspect, the invention concerns an isolated PR0213-1, PR01330, and/or PR01449 polypeptide, comprising an amino acid sequence scoring at least about positives, preferably at least about 85% positives, more preferably at least about 90% positives, most preferably at least about 95% positives when compared with the amino acid sequence of residues 1 to 273 of Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), 20 to 273 of Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) and to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), respectively.

In still a further aspect, the invention provides a polypeptide produced by hybridizing a test DNA molecule under stringent conditions with: a DNA molecule encoding a PR0213-1, PR01330, and/or PR01449 polypeptide having the amino acid residues from 1 to 273 of Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), 20 to 273 of Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508) and 20 to 273 of Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510), H.\veronica\keep\speci\200233O288.1.doc 18/02/05 respectively; or the complement of the DNA molecule of and if said test DNA molecule has at least about an sequence identity to or (ii) culturing a host cell comprising said test DNA molecule under conditions suitable for the expression of said polypeptide, and (iii) recovering said polypeptide from the cell culture.

In one embodiment, the present invention concerns an isolated antibody which binds a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide. In one aspect, the antibody induces death of a cell overexpressing a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide. In another aspect, the antibody is a monoclonal antibody, which preferably has nonhuman complementarity determining region (CDR) residues and human framework region (FR) residues. The antibody may be labeled and may be immobilized on a solid support.

In a further aspect, the antibody is an antibody fragment, a single-chain antibody, or an anti-idiotypic antibody.

In another embodiment, the invention concerns a composition comprising an antibody which binds a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In one aspect, the composition comprises a therapeutically effective amount of the antibody. In another aspect, the composition comprises a further active ingredient, which may, for example, be a further antibody or a cytotoxic or chemotherapeutic agent. Preferably, the composition is sterile.

In a further embodiment, the invention concerns nucleic acid encoding an anti-PR0213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody, and vectors and recombinant host cells comprising such nucleic acid.

The invention further concerns antagonists and agonists of a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide that inhibit one or more of the functions or activities of the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide.

In a further embodiment, the invention concerns H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 isolated nucleic acid molecules that hybridize to the complement of the nucleic acid molecules encoding the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptides. The nucleic acid preferably is DNA, and hybridization preferably occurs under stringent conditions. Such nucleic acid molecules can act as antisense molecules of the amplified genes identified herein, which, in turn, can find use in the modulation of the respective amplified genes, or as antisense primers in amplification reactions.

Furthermore, such sequences can be used as part of ribozyme and/or triple helix sequence which, in turn, may be used in regulation of the amplified genes.

In another embodiment, the invention concerns a method for determining the presence of a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide comprising exposing a cell suspected of containing the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide to an anti-PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 antibody and determining binding of the antibody to the cell.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention concerns a method of diagnosing tumor in a mammal, comprising detecting the level of expression of a gene encoding a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide in a test sample of tissue cells obtained from the mammal, and in a control sample of known normal tissue cells of the same cell type, wherein a higher expression level in the test sample indicates the presence of tumor in the mammal from which the test tissue cells were obtained.

In another embodiment, the present invention concerns a method of diagnosing tumor in a mammal, comprising contacting an anti-PR0213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody with a test sample of tissue cells obtained from the mammal, and detecting the formation of a complex between the anti-PRO213-1, anti- PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody and the PR0213-1, H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 PRO1330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide in the test sample.

The detection may be qualitative or quantitative, and may be performed in comparison with monitoring the complex formation in a control sample of known normal tissue cells of the same cell type. A larger quantity of complexes formed in the test sample indicates the presence of tumor in the mammal from which the test tissue cells were obtained. The antibody preferably carries a detectable label. Complex formation can be monitored, for example, by light microscopy, flow cytometry, fluorimetry, or other techniques known in the art. The test sample is usually obtained from an individual suspected to have neoplastic cell growth or proliferation cancerous cells).

In another embodiment, the present invention concerns a cancer diagnostic kit, comprising an anti- PR0213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody and a carrier a buffer) in suitable packaging. The kit preferably contains instructions for using the antibody to detect the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide.

In yet another embodiment, the invention concerns a method for inhibiting the growth of tumor cells comprising exposing a cell which overexpresses a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide to an effective amount of an agent inhibiting the expression and/or activity of the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide. The agent preferably is an anti-PRO213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody, a small organic and inorganic molecule, peptide, phosphopeptide, antisense or ribozyme molecule, or a triple helix molecule. In a specific aspect, the agent, e.g. anti-PRO213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody induces cell death. In a further aspect, the tumor cells are further exposed to radiation treatment and/or a cytotoxic or chemotherapeutic agent.

In a further embodiment, the invention concerns an article of manufacture, comprising: H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 a) a container; b) a label on the container; and c) a composition comprising an active agent contained within the container; wherein the composition is effective for inhibiting the growth of tumor cells, the label on the container indicates that the composition can be used for treating conditions characterized by overexpression of a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide, and the active agent in the composition is an agent inhibiting the expression and/or activity of the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide. In a preferred aspect, the active agent is an anti-PR0213-1, anti-PR01330 and/or anti-PR01449 antibody.

In yet a further embodiment, the invention provides a method for identifying a compound capable of inhibiting the expression and/or activity of a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide, comprising contacting a candidate compound with a PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow these two components to interact. In a specific aspect, either the candidate compound or the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 polypeptide is immobilized on a solid support. In another aspect, the non-immobilized component carries a detectable label.

In other embodiments of the present invention, the invention provides vectors comprising DNA encoding any of the above or below described polypeptides. A host cell comprising any such vector is also provided. By way of example, the host cells may be CHO cells, E. coli, or yeast. A process for producing any of the above or below described polypeptides is further provided and comprises culturing host cells under conditions suitable for expression of the desired polypeptide and recovering the desired polypeptide from the cell culture.

In other embodiments, the invention provides chimeric molecules comprising any of the above or below H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 in O described polypeptides fused to a heterologous polypeptide Sor amino acid sequence. An example of such a chimeric molecule comprises any of the above or below described 00 polypeptides fused to an epitope tag sequence or a Fc region of an immunoglobulin.

In another embodiment, the invention provides an 00 antibody which specifically binds to any of the above or C below described polypeptides. Optionally, the antibody is C a monoclonal antibody.

Cq 10 In yet other embodiments, the invention provides Soligonucleotide probes useful for isolating genomic and cDNA nucleotide sequences, wherein those probes may be derived from any of the above or below described nucleotide sequences.

The present invention further provides an isolated nucleic acid which comprises the full-length coding sequence of the DNA deposited under accession number ATCC 209791, ATCC 203242, or ATCC 203243.

The present invention further provides an isolated native sequence polypeptide having at least sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of the amino acid sequences shown in Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508), and Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510).

The present invention further provides an isolated polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotides deposited under accession numbers ATCC 209791, ATCC 203242, or ATCC 203243.

The invention further provides a nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a nucleic acid molecule encoding PR0213-1, PR01330, or PR01449.

H\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 i 16a SBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a nucleotide sequence OO (SEQ ID NO:1) of a native sequence PRO213 cDNA, wherein SEQ ID NO:1 is a clone designated herein as "UNQ187" and/or "DNA30943-1163".

00 Figure 2 shows the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:2) derived from the coding sequence of SEQ ID c NO:1 shown in Figure 1.

C1 Figure 3 shows a nucleotide sequence 0 10 (SEQ ID NO:505) of a native sequence PRO213-1 cDNA, wherein SEQ ID NO:505 is a clone designated herein as "DNA30943-1-1163-1".

Figure 4 shows the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:506) derived from the coding sequence of SEQ ID NO:505 shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:507) of a native sequence PRO1330 cDNA, wherein SEQ ID NO:507 is a clone designated herein as "DNA64907- 1163-1".

Figure 6 shows the amino acid sequence H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 (SEQ ID NO:508) derived from the coding sequence of SEQ ID NO:507 shown in Figure Figure 7 shows a nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID NO:509) of a native sequence PRO1449 cDNA, wherein SEQ ID NO:509 is a clone designated herein as "DNA64908- 1163-1".

Figure 8 shows the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:510) derived from the coding sequence of SEQ ID NO:509 shown in Figure 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Definitions The terms "PRO polypeptide" and "PRO" as used herein and when immediately followed by a numerical designation refer to various polypeptides, wherein the complete designation PRO/number) refers to specific polypeptide sequences as described herein. The terms PRO/number polypeptide and PRO/number as used herein encompass native sequence polypeptides and polypeptide variants (which are further defined herein). The PRO polypeptides described herein may be isolated from a variety of sources, such as from human tissue types or from another source, or prepared by recombinant or synthetic methods.

A "native sequence PRO polypeptide" comprises a polypeptide having the same amino acid sequence as the corresponding PRO polypeptide derived from nature. Such native sequence PRO polypeptides can be isolated from nature or can be produced by recombinant or synthetic means. The term "native sequence PRO polypeptide" specifically encompasses naturally-occurring truncated or secreted forms of the specific PRO polypeptide an extracellular domain sequence), naturally-occurring variant forms alternatively spliced forms) and naturally-occurring allelic variants of the polypeptide.

In various embodiments of the invention, the native H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 sequence PRO213 polypeptide is a mature or full-length native sequence PRO213 polypeptide comprising amino acids 1 to 295 of Figure 2 (SEQ ID NO:2).

The PRO polypeptide "extracellular domain" or "ECD" refers to a form of the PRO polypeptide which is essentially free of the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. Ordinarily, a PRO polypeptide ECD will have less than 1% of such transmembrane and/or cytoplasmic domains and preferably, will have less than 0.5% of such domains.

It will be understood that any transmembrane domains identified for the PRO polypeptides of the present invention are identified pursuant to criteria routinely employed in the art for identifying that type of hydrophobic domain. The exact boundaries of a transmembrane domain may vary but most likely by no more than about 5 amino acids at either end of the domain as initially identified. Optionally, therefore, an extracellular domain of a PRO polypeptide may contain from about 5 or fewer amino acids on either or the transmembrane domain as initially identified.

"PRO polypeptide variant" means an active PRO polypeptide as defined above or below having at least about 80% amino acid sequence identity with the fulllength native sequence PRO polypeptide sequence as disclosed herein. Such PRO polypeptide variants include, for instance, PRO polypeptides wherein one or more amino acid residues are added, or deleted, at the N- or Cterminus of the full-length native amino acid sequence.

Ordinarily, a PRO polypeptide variant will have at least about 80% amino acid sequence identity, more preferably at least about 85% amino acid sequence identity, and even more preferably at least about 90% amino acid sequence identity, even more preferably at least about 91% amino acid sequence identity, even more preferably at least about 92% amino acid sequence identity, even more preferably at least about 93% amino acid sequence H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 identity, even more preferably at least about 94% amino acid sequence identity, even more preferably at least about 95% amino acid sequence identity, yet more preferably at least about 96% amino acid sequence identity, yet more preferably at least about 97% amino acid sequence identity, yet more preferably at least about 98% amino acid sequence identity and most preferably at least about 99% amino acid sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of the full-length native amino acid sequence as disclosed herein.

"Percent amino acid sequence identity" with respect to the PRO polypeptide sequences identified herein is defined as the percentage of amino acid residues in a candidate sequence that are identical with the amino acid residues in the specific PRO polypeptide sequence, after aligning the sequences and introducing gaps, if necessary, to achieve the maximum percent sequence identity, and not considering any conservative substitutions as part of the sequence identity. Alignment for purposes of determining percent amino acid sequence identity can be achieved in various ways that are within the skill in the art, for instance, using publicly available computer software such as BLAST, BLAST-2, ALIGN or Megalign (DNASTAR) software.

The preferred software alignment program is BLAST. Those skilled in the art can determine appropriate parameters for measuring alignment, including any algorithms needed to achieve maximal alignment over the full length of the sequences being compared. The identity values used herein have been generated using the WU-BLAST-2 computer program (Altschul et al., Methods in Enzymology 266:460- 480 (1996); http://blast.wustl/edu/blast/README.html).

Most of the WU-BLAST-2 search parameters were set to the default values. The adjustable parameters were set with the following values: overlap span 1, overlap fraction 0.125, word threshold 11, and scoring matrix BLOSUM62. The HSP S and HSP S2 parameters, which H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 are dynamic values used by BLAST-2, are established by the program itself depending upon the composition of the sequence of interest and composition of the database against which the sequence is being searched. However, the values may be adjusted to increase sensitivity. A sequence identity value is determined by the fraction of matching identical residues divided by the total number of residues in the aligned region.

"Percent nucleic acid sequence identity" with respect to PRO-encoding nucleic acid sequences identified herein is defined as the percentage of nucleotides in a candidate sequence that are identical with the nucleotides in the PRO nucleic acid sequence of interest, after aligning the sequences and introducing gaps, if necessary, to achieve the maximum percent sequence identity.

Alignment for purposes of determining percent nucleic acid sequence identity can be achieved in various ways that are within the skill in the art, for instance, using publicly available computer software such as BLAST, BLAST-2, ALIGN or Megalign (DNASTAR) software. Those skilled in the art can determine appropriate parameters for measuring alignment, including any algorithms needed to achieve maximal alignment over the full length of the sequences being compared. The identity values used herein were generated by the BLASTN module of WU-BLAST-2 set to the default parameters, with overlap span and overlap fraction set to 1 and 0.125, respectively.

The term "positives", in the context of sequence comparison performed as described above, includes residues in the sequences compared that are not identical but have similar properties as a result of conservative substitutions). The value of positives is determined by the fraction of residues scoring a positive value in the BLOSUM 62 matrix divided by the total number of residues in the aligned region, as defined above.

The term "epitope tagged" where used herein H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 refers to a chimeric polypeptide comprising a PRO polypeptide, or domain sequence thereof, fused to a "tag polypeptide". The tag polypeptide has enough residues to provide an epitope against which an antibody may be made, or which can be identified by some other agent, yet is short enough such that it does not interfere with the activity of the PRO polypeptide of interest. The tag polypeptide preferably is also fairly unique so that the antibody does not substantially cross-react with other epitopes. Suitable tag polypeptides generally have at least six amino acid residues and usually between about 8 to about 50 amino acid residues (preferably, between about to about 20 residues).

"Isolated," when used to describe the various polypeptides disclosed herein, means polypeptide that has been identified and separated and/or recovered from a component of its natural environment. Contaminant components of its natural environment are materials that would typically interfere with diagnostic or therapeutic uses for the polypeptide, and may include enzymes, hormones, and other proteinaceous or non-proteinaceous solutes. In preferred embodiments, the polypeptide will be purified to a degree sufficient to obtain at least residues of N-terminal or internal amino acid sequence by use of a spinning cup sequenator, or to homogeneity by SDS-PAGE under non-reducing or reducing conditions using Coomassie blue or, preferably, silver stain.

Isolated polypeptide includes polypeptide in situ within recombinant cells, since at least one component of the PRO polypeptide natural environment will not be present.

Ordinarily, however, isolated polypeptide will be prepared by at least one purification step.

An "isolated" PRO polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid is a nucleic acid molecule that is identified and separated from at least one contaminant nucleic acid molecule with which it is ordinarily associated in the H:\R~e11\Keep\p46467.doc 02/12/02 natural source of the PRO polypeptide nucleic acid. An isolated PRO polypeptide nucleic acid molecule is other than in the form or setting in which it is found in nature. Isolated PRO polypeptide nucleic acid molecules therefore are distinguished from the specific PRO polypeptide nucleic acid molecule as it exists in natural cells. However, an isolated PRO polypeptide nucleic acid molecule includes PRO polypeptide nucleic acid molecules contained in cells that ordinarily express the PRO polypeptide where, for example, the nucleic acid molecule is in a chromosomal location different from that of natural cells.

The term "control sequences" refers to DNA sequences necessary for the expression of an operably linked coding sequence in a particular host organism. The control sequences that are suitable for prokaryotes, for example, include a promoter, optionally an operator sequence, and a ribosome binding site. Eukaryotic cells are known to utilize promoters, polyadenylation signals, and enhancers.

Nucleic acid is "operably linked" when it is placed into a functional relationship with another nucleic acid sequence. For example, DNA for a presequence or secretory leader is operably linked to DNA for a polypeptide if it is expressed as a preprotein that participates in the secretion of the polypeptide; a promoter or enhancer is operably linked to a coding sequence if it affects the transcription of the sequence; or a ribosome binding site is operably linked to a coding sequence if it is positioned so as to facilitate translation. Generally, "operably linked" means that the DNA sequences being linked are contiguous, and, in the case of a secretory leader, contiguous and in reading phase. However, enhancers do not have to be contiguous.

Linking is accomplished by ligation at convenient restriction sites. If such sites do not exist, the H;\RBe11\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 synthetic oligonucleotide adaptors or linkers are used in accordance with conventional practice.

The term "antibody" is used in the broadest sense and specifically covers single anti-PRO polypeptide monoclonal antibodies (including agonist, antagonist, and neutralizing antibodies) and anti-PRO polypeptide antibody compositions with polyepitopic specificity. The term "monoclonal antibody" as used herein refers to an antibody obtained from a population of substantially homogeneous antibodies, the individual antibodies comprising the population are identical except for possible naturallyoccurring mutations that may be present in minor amounts.

"Active" or "activity" for the purposes herein refers to form(s) of PRO polypeptide which retain the biologic and/or immunologic activities of the specific native or naturally-occurring PRO polypeptide.

"Treatment" or "treating" refers to both therapeutic treatment and prophylactic or preventative measures. Those in need of treatment include those already with the disorder as well as those prone to have the disorder of those in which the disorder is to be prevented.

"Mammal" for purposes of treatment refers to any animal classified as a mammal, including humans, domestic and farm animals, and zoo, sports, or pet animals, such as sheep, dogs, horses, cats, cows, and the like.

Preferably, the mammal herein is a human.

"Carriers" as used herein include pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, excipients, or stabilizers which are nontoxic to the cell or mammal being exposed thereto at the dosages and concentrations employed. Often the physiologically acceptable carrier is an aqueous pH buffered solution. Examples of physiologically acceptable carriers include buffers such as phosphate, citrate, and other organic acids; antioxidants including ascorbic acid; low molecular weight H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 (less than about 10 residues) polypeptide; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin, or immunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone; amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine or lysine; monosaccharides, disaccharides, and other carbohydrates including glucose, mannose, or dextrins; chelating agents such as EDTA; sugar alcohols such as mannitol or sorbitol; salt-forming counterions such as sodium; and/or nonionic surfactants such as TWEENT, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and PLURONICSm.

The term "agonist" is used to refer to peptide and non-peptide analogs of the native PRO polypeptides (where native PRO polypeptide refers to pro-PRO polypeptide, pre-PRO polypeptide, prepro-PRO polypeptide, or mature PRO polypeptide) of the present invention and to antibodies specifically binding such native PRO polypeptides, provided that they retain at least one biological activity of a native PRO polypeptide.

Preferably, the agonists of the present invention retain the qualitative binding recognition properties and receptor activation properties of the native PRO polypeptide.

The term "antagonist" is used to refer to a molecule inhibiting a biological activity of a native PRO polypeptide of the present invention wherein native PRO polypeptide refers to pro-PRO polypeptide, pre-PRO polypeptide, prepro-PRO polypeptide, or mature PRO polypeptide. Preferably, the antagonists herein inhibit the binding of a native PRO polypeptide of the present invention to a binding partner. A PRO polypeptide "antagonist" is a molecule which prevents, or interferes with, a PRO antagonist effector function a molecule which prevents or interferes with binding and/or activation of a PRO polypeptide receptor by PRO polypeptide). Such molecules can be screened for their ability to competitively inhibit PRO polypeptide receptor H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 activation by monitoring binding of native PRO polypeptide in the presence and absence of the test antagonist molecule, for example. An antagonist of the invention also encompasses an antisense polynucleotide against the PRO polypeptide gene, which antisense polynucleotide blocks transcription or translation of the PRO polypeptide gene, thereby inhibiting its expression and biological activity.

"Stringency" of hybridization reactions is readily determinable by one of ordinary skill in the art, and generally is an empirical calculation dependent upon probe length, washing temperature, and salt concentration.

In general, longer probes require higher temperatures for proper annealing, while shorter probes need lower temperatures. Hybridization generally depends on the ability of denatured DNA to reanneal when complementary strands are present in an environment below their melting temperature. The higher the degree of desired homology between the probe and hybridizable sequence, the higher the relative temperature which can be used. As a result, it follows that higher relative temperatures would tend to make the reaction conditions more stringent, while lower temperatures less so. For additional details and explanation of stringency of hybridization reactions, see Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Wiley Interscience Publishers, (1995).

"Stringent conditions" means employing low ionic strength and high temperature for washing, for example, 0.015 sodium chloride/0.0015 M sodium citrate/0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate at 50 0 C, or (2) employing during hybridization a denaturing agent, such as formamide, for example, 50% (vol/vol) formamide with 0.1% bovine serum albumin/0.1% Ficoll/0.1% nM sodium phosphate buffer at pH 6.5 with 750 mM sodium chloride, 75 mM sodium citrate at 42 0 C. Another example is use of 50% formamide, 5 x SSC H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 (0.75 M NaCi, 0.075 M sodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 0.1% sodium pyrophosphate, x Denhardt's solution, sonicated salmon sperm DNA pg/ml), 0.1% SDS, and 10% dextran sulfate at 42 0 C, with washes at 42 0 C in 0.2 x SSC and 0.1% SDS. Yet another example is hybridization using a buffer of 10% dextran sulfate, 2 x SSC (sodium chloride/sodium citrate) and formamide at 55°C, followed by a high-stringency wash consisting of 0.1 x SSC containing EDTA at 55 0

C.

"Moderately stringent conditions" are described in Sambrook et al., supra, and include the use of a washing solution and hybridization conditions temperature, ionic strength, and %SDS) less stringent than described above. An example of moderately stringent conditions is a condition such as overnight incubation at 37 0 C in a solution comprising: 20% formamide, 5 x SSC (150 mM NaCl, 15 mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 5 x Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20 mg/mL denatured sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the filters in 1 x SSC at about 37-50 0 C. The skilled artisan will recognize how to adjust the temperature, ionic strength, etc., as necessary to accommodate factors such as probe length and the like.

"Southern analysis" or "Southern blotting" is a method by which the presence of DNA sequences in a restriction endonuclease digest of DNA or a DNA-containing composition is confirmed by hybridization to a known, labeled oligonucleotide or DNA fragment. Southern analysis typically involves electrophoretic separation of DNA digests on agarose gels, denaturation of the DNA after electrophoretic separation, and transfer of the DNA to nitrocellulose, nylon, or another suitable membrane support for analysis with a radiolabeled, biotinylated, or enzyme-labeled probe as described in sections 9.37-9.52 of Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989).

H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 "Northern analysis" or "Northern blotting" is a method used to identify RNA sequences that hybridize to a known probe such as an oligonucleotide, DNA fragment, cDNA or fragment thereof, or RNA fragment. The probe is labeled with a radioisotope such as 32 P, or by biotinylation, or with an enzyme. The RNA to be analyzed is usually electrophoretically separated on an agarose or polyacrylamide gel, transferred to nitrocellulose, nylon, or other suitable membrane, and hybridized with the probe, using standard techniques well known in the art such as those described in sections 7.39-7.52 of Sambrook et al., supra.

As used herein, the term "immunoadhesin" designates antibody-like molecules which combine the binding specificity of a heterologous protein (an "adhesin") with the effector functions of immunoglobulin constant domains. Structurally, the immunoadhesins comprise a fusion of an amino acid sequence with the desired binding specificity which is other than the antigen recognition and binding site of an antibody is "heterologous"), and an immunoglobulin constant domain sequence. The adhesin part of an immunoadhesin molecule typically is a contiguous amino acid sequence comprising at least the binding site of a receptor or a ligand. The immunoglobulin constant domain sequence in the immunoadhesin may be obtained from any immunoglobulin, such as IgG-1, IgG-2, IgG-3, or IgG-4 subtypes, IgA (including IgA-1 and IgA-2), IgE, IgD or IgM.

"Chronic" administration refers to administration of the agent(s) in a continuous mode as opposed to an acute mode, so as to maintain the initial therapeutic effect (activity) for an extended period of time.

"Intermittent" administration is treatment that is not consecutively done without interruption, but rather is cyclic in nature.

Administration "in combination with" one or more H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 further therapeutic agents includes simultaneous (concurrent) and consecutive administration in any order.

The term "expression vector" is used to define a vector, in which a nucleic acid encoding a PRO polypeptide herein is operably linked to control sequences capable of affecting its expression is a suitable host cells.

Vectors ordinarily carry a replication site (although this is not necessary where chromosomal integration will occur). Expression vectors also include marker sequences which are capable of providing phenotypic selection in transformed cells. For example, E. coli is typically transformed using pBR322, a plasmid derived from an E.

coli species (Bolivar, et al., Gene 2: 95 [1977]). pBR322 contains genes for ampicillin and tetracycline resistance and thus provides easy means for identifying transformed cells, whether for purposes of cloning or expression.

Expression vectors also optimally will contain sequences which are useful for the control of transcription and translation, promoters and Shine-Dalgarno sequences (for prokaryotes) or promoters and enhancers (for mammalian cells). The promoters may be, but need not be, inducible; even powerful constitutive promoters such as the CMV promoter for mammalian hosts have been found to produce the LHR without host cell toxicity. While it is conceivable that expression vectors need not contain any expression control, replicative sequences or selection genes, their absence may hamper the identification of hybrid transformants and the achievement of high level hybrid immunoglobulin expression.

The term "lipopolysaccharide" or "LPS" is used herein as a synonym of "endotoxin Lipopolysaccharides" (LPS) are characteristic components of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli. They consist of a polysaccharide part and a fat called lipid A.

The polysaccharide, which varies from one bacterial species to another, is made up of the O-specific chain H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 (built from repeating units of three to eight sugars) and the two-part core. Lipid A virtually always includes two glucosamine sugars modified by phosphate and a variable number of fatty acids. For further information see, for example, Rietschel and Brade, Scientific American August 1992, 54-61.

The term "septic shock" is used herein in the broadest sense, including all definitions disclosed in Bone, Ann. Intern Med. 114, 332-333 (1991). Specifically, septic shock starts with a systemic response to infection, a syndrome called sepsis. When this syndrome results in hypotension and organ dysfunction, it is called septic shock. Septic shock may be initiated by gram-positive organisms and fungi, as well as endotoxin-containing Gramnegative organisms. Accordingly, the present definition is not limited to "endotoxin shock".

The phrases "gene amplification" and "gene duplication" are used interchangeably and refer to a process by which multiple copies of a gene or gene fragment are formed in a particular cell or cell line. The duplicated region (a stretch of amplified DNA) is often referred to as "amplicon". Usually, the amount of the messenger RNA (mRNA) produced, the level of gene expression, also increases in the proportion of the number of copies made of the particular gene expressed.

"Tumor", as used herein, refers to all neoplastic cell growth and proliferation, whether malignant or benign, and all pre-cancerous and cancerous cells and tissues. The terms "cancer" and "cancerous" refer to or describe the physiological condition in mammals that is typically characterized by unregulated cell growth.

Examples of cancer include but are not limited to, carcinoma, lymphoma, blastoma, sarcoma, and leukemia.

More particular examples of such cancers include breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, squamous cell cancer, small-cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, pancreatic cancer, glioblastoma, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, hepatoma, colorectal cancer, endometrial carcinoma, salivary gland carcinoma, kidney cancer, vulval cancer, thyroid cancer, hepatic carcinoma and various types of head and neck cancer.

The term "cytotoxic agent" as used herein refers to a substance that inhibits or prevents the function of cells and/or causes destruction of cells. The term is intended to include radioactive isotopes 1131, 1125, and Re186), chemotherapeutic agents, and toxins such as enzymatically active toxins of bacterial, fungal, plant or animal origin, or fragments thereof.

A "chemotherapeutic agent" is a chemical compound useful in the treatment of cancer. Examples of chemotherapeutic agents include adriamycin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil, cytosine arabinoside ("Aracyclophosphamide, thiotepa, busulfan, cytoxin, taxoids, e.g. paclitaxel (Taxol, Bristol-Myers Squibb Oncology, Princeton, NJ), and doxetaxel (Taxoterec<, Rhone- Poulenc Rorer, Antony, France), toxotere, methotrexate, cisplatin, melphalan, vinblastine, bleomycin, etoposide, ifosfamide, mitomycin C, mitoxantrone, vincristine, vinorelbine, carboplatin, teniposide, daunomycin, carminomycin, aminopterin, dactinomycin, mitomycins, esperamicins (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,187), melphalan and other related nitrogen mustards. Also included in this definition are hormonal agents that act to regulate or inhibit hormone action on tumors such as tamoxifen and onapristone.

A "growth inhibitory agent" when used herein refers to a compound or composition which inhibits growth of a cell, especially cancer cell overexpressing any of the genes identified herein, either in vitro or in vivo.

Thus, the growth inhibitory agent is one which significantly reduces the percentage of cells H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 overexpressing such genes in S phase. Examples of growth inhibitory agents include agents that block cell cycle progression (at a place other than S phase), such as agents that induce G1 arrest and M-phase arrest.

Classical M-phase blockers include the vincas (vincristine and vinblastine), taxol, and topo II inhibitors such as doxorubicin, epirubicin, daunorubicin, etoposide, and bleomycin. Those agents that arrest G1 also spill over into S-phase arrest, for example, DNA alkylating agents such as tamoxifen, prednisone, dacarbazine, mechlorethamine, cisplatin, methotrexate, and ara-C. Further information can be found in The Molecular Basis of Cancer, Mendelsohn and Israel, eds., Chapter 1, entitled "Cell cycle regulation, oncogens, and antineoplastic drugs "by Murakami et al. (WB Saunders: Philadelphia, 1995), especially p.13.

"Doxorubicin" is an athracycline antibiotic.

The term "cytokine" is a generic term for proteins released by one cell population which act on another cell as intercellular mediators. Examples of such cytokines are lymphokines, monokines, and traditional polypeptide hormones. Included among the cytokines are growth hormone such as human growth hormone, N-methionyl human growth hormone, and bovine growth hormone; parathyroid hormone; thyroxine; insulin; proinsulin; relaxin; prorelaxin; and the like. As used herein, the term cytokine includes proteins from natural sources or from recombinant cell culture and biologically active equivalents of the native sequence cytokines.

"Immunological cross-reactivity" as used herein means that the candidate polypeptide is capable of competitively inhibiting the qualitative biological activity of a PR0213-1, PR01330, or PR01449 polypeptide having this activity with polyclonal antisera raised against the known active PR0213-1, PR01330, or PR01449 polypeptide. Such antisera may be prepared in H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 conventional fashion by injecting goats or rabbits, for example, subcutaneously with the known active analogue in complete Freund's adjuvant, followed by booster intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection in incomplete Freunds. The immunological cross-reactivity preferably is "specific", which means that the binding affinity of the immunological cross-reactive molecule antibody) identified, to the corresponding PR0213-1, PR01330, or PR01449 polypeptide is significantly higher (preferably at least about 2-times, more preferably at least about 4times, even more preferably at least about 6-times, most preferably at least about 8-times higher) than the binding affinity of that molecule to any other known native polypeptide.

"Native antibodies" and "native immunoglobulins" are usually heterotetrameric glycoproteins of about 150,000 daltons, composed of two identical light (L) chains and two identical heavy chains. Each light chain is linked to a heavy chain by one covalent disulfide bond, while the number of disulfide linkages varies among the heavy chains of different immunoglobulin isotypes.

Each heavy and light chain also has regularly spaced intrachain disulfide bridges. Each heavy chain has at one end a variable domain (VH) followed by a number of constant domains. Each light chain has a variable domain at one end (VL) and a constant domain at its other end; the constant domain of the light chain is aligned with the first constant domain of the heavy chain, and the light chain variable domain is aligned with the variable domain of the heavy chain. Particular amino acid residues are believed to form an interface between the light- and heavy-chain variable domains.

The term "variable" refers to the fact that certain portions of the variable domains differ extensively in sequence among antibodies and are used in the binding and specificity of each particular antibody H\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 for its particular antigen. However, the variability is not evenly distributed throughout the variable domains of antibodies. It is concentrated in three segments called complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) or hypervariable regions both in the light-chain and the heavy-chain variable domains. The more highly conserved portions of variable domains are called the framework The variable domains of native heavy and light chains each comprise four FR regions, largely adopting a 8-sheet configuration, connected by three CDRs, which form loops connecting, and in some cases forming part of, the A-sheet structure. The CDRs in each chain are held together in close proximity by the FR regions and, with the CDRs from the other chain, contribute to the formation of the antigen-binding site of antibodies (see Kabat et al., NIH Publ. No.91-3242, Vol. I, pages 647-669 (1991)).

The constant domains are not involved directly in binding an antibody to an antigen, but exhibit various effector functions, such as participation of the antibody in antibody-dependent cellular toxicity.

"Antibody fragments" comprise a portion of an intact antibody, preferably the antigen binding or variable region of the intact antibody. Examples of antibody fragments include Fab, Fab', F(ab')2, and Fv fragments; diabodies; linear antibodies (Zapata et al., Protein Eng. 8(10): 1057-1062 [19953); single-chain antibody molecules; and multispecific antibodies formed from antibody fragments.

Papain digestion of antibodies produces two identical antigen-binding fragments, called "Fab" fragments, each with a single antigen-binding site, and a residual "Fc" fragment, a designation reflecting the ability to crystallize readily. Pepsin treatment yields an F(ab')2 fragment that has two antigen-combining sites and is still capable of cross-linking antigen.

"Fv" is the minimum antibody fragment which H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 contains a complete antigen-recognition and -binding site.

This region consists of a dimer of one heavy- and one light-chain variable domain in tight, non-covalent association. It is in this configuration that the three CDRs of each variable domain interact to define an antigen-binding site on the surface of the VH-VL dimer.

Collectively, the six CDRs confer antigen-binding specificity to the antibody. However, even a single variable domain (or half of an Fv comprising only three CDRs specific for an antigen) has the ability to recognize and bind antigen, although at a lower affinity than the entire binding site.

The Fab fragment also contains the constant domain of the light chain and the first constant domain (CH1) of the heavy chain. Fab fragments differ from Fab fragments by the addition of a few residues at the carboxy terminus of the heavy chain CH1 domain including one or more cysteines from the antibody hinge region. Fab'-SH is the designation herein for Fab' in which the cysteine residue(s) of the constant domains bear a free thiol group. F(ab')2 antibody fragments originally were produced as pairs of Fab' fragments which have hinge cysteines between them. Other chemical couplings of antibody fragments are also known.

The "light chains" of antibodies (immunoglobulins) from any vertebrate species can be assigned to one of two clearly distinct types, called kappa and lambda, based on the amino acid sequences of their constant domains.

Depending on the amino acid sequence of the constant domain of their heavy chains, immunoglobulins can be assigned to different classes. There are five major classes of immunoglobulins: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM, and several of these may be further divided into subclasses (isotypes), IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA, and IgA2.

H \RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 "Single-chain Fv" or "sFv" antibody fragments comprise the VH and VL domains of antibody, wherein these domains are present in a single polypeptide chain.

Preferably, the Fv polypeptide further comprises a polypeptide linker between the VH and VL domains which enables the sFv to form the desired structure for antigen binding. For a review of sFv see Pluckthun in The Pharmacology of Monoclonal Antibodies, vol. 113, Rosenburg and Moore eds., Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 269-315 (1994).

The term "diabodies" refers to small antibody fragments with two antigen-binding sites, which fragments comprise a heavy-chain variable domain (VH) connected to a light-chain variable domain (VL) in the same polypeptide chain (VH VL). By using a linker that is too short to allow pairing between the two domains on the same chain, the domains are forced to pair with the complementary domains of another chain and create two antigen-binding sites. Diabodies are described more fully in, for example, EP 404,097; WO 93/11161; and Hollinger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 90:6444-6448 (1993).

An "isolated" antibody is one which has been identified and separated and/or recovered from a component of its natural environment. Contaminant components of its natural environment are materials which would interfere with diagnostic or therapeutic uses for the antibody, and may include enzymes, hormones, and other proteinaceous or nonproteinaceous solutes. In preferred embodiments, the antibody will be purified to greater than 95% by weight of antibody as determined by the Lowry method, and most preferably more than 99% by weight, to a degree sufficient to obtain at least 15 residues of N-terminal or internal amino acid sequence by use of a spinning cup sequenator, or to homogeneity by SDS-PAGE under reducing or nonreducing conditions using Coomassie blue or, preferably, silver stain. Isolated antibody includes H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 the antibody in situ within recombinant cells since at least one component of the antibody's natural environment will not be present. Ordinarily, however, isolated antibody will be prepared by at least one purification step.

The word "label" when used herein refers to a detectable compound or composition which is conjugated directly or indirectly to the antibody so as to generate a "labelled" antibody. The label may be detectable by itself radioisotope labels or fluorescent labels) or, in the case of an enzymatic label, may catalyze chemical alteration of a substrate compound or composition which is detectable.

By "solid phase" is meant a non-aqueous matrix to which the antibody of the present invention can adhere.

Examples of solid phases encompassed herein include those formed partially or entirely of glass controlled pore glass), polysaccharides agarose), polyacrylamides, polystyrene, polyvinyl alcohol and silicones. In certain embodiments, depending on the context, the solid phase can comprise the well of an assay plate; in others it is a purification column an affinity chromatography column). This term also includes a discontinuous solid phase of discrete particles, such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,275,149.

A "liposome" is a small vesicle composed of various types of lipids, phospholipids and/or surfactant which is useful for delivery of a drug to a mammal. The components of the liposome are commonly arranged in a bilayer formation, similar to the lipid arrangement of biological membranes.

H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 37 D II. Compositions and Methods of the Invention SFull-length PRO213 Polypeptides The present invention provides newly identified C 5 and isolated nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides referred to in the present application as PR0213. In 00 particular, Applicants have identified and isolated cDNA Cq encoding a PRO213 polypeptide, as disclosed in further C detail in the Examples below. Using BLAST and FastA C< 10 sequence alignment computer programs, Applicants found that a portion of the PRO213 polypeptide has significant homology with the human growth arrest-specific 6 (gas6) protein. Accordingly, it is presently believed that PRO213 polypeptide disclosed in the present application may have the same or simular activity as does the gas6 protein.

Full-length PRO213-1, PRO1330 and PRO1449 Polypeptides The present invention provides newly identified and isolated nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides referred to in the present application as PRO213-1, PRO1330 and/or PRO1449. In particular, cDNA encoding a PRO213-1, PR01330 and/or PRO1449 polypeptide has been identified and isolated, as disclosed in further detail in the Examples below. It is noted that proteins produced in separate expression rounds may be given different PRO numbers but the UNQ number is unique for any given DNA and the encoded protein, and will not be changed. However, for sake of simplicity, in the present specification the protein encoded by DNA30943-1-1163-1, DNA64907-1163-1 and DNA64908-1163-1 as well as all further native homologues and variants included in the foregoing definition of PRO213-1, PRO1330 and/or PRO1449, will be referred to as "PRO213-1, PRO1330 and/or PRO1449", regardless of their origin or mode of preparation.

H \veronica\keep\speci\2002330288.1.doc 18/02/05 PRO Polypeptide Variants In addition to the full-length native sequence PRO polypeptides described herein, it is contemplated that PRO polypeptide variants can be prepared. PRO polypeptide variants can be prepared by introducing appropriate nucleotide changes into the PRO polypeptide DNA, or by synthesis of the desired PRO polypeptide. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that amino acid changes may alter post-translational processes of the PRO polypeptides, such as changing the number or position of glycosylation sites or altering the membrane anchoring characteristics.

Variations in the native full-length sequence PRO polypeptides or in various domains of the PRO polypeptides described herein, can be made, for example, using any of the techniques and guidelines for conservative and nonconservative mutations set forth, for instance, in U.S.

Patent No. 5,364,934. Variations may be a substitution, deletion or insertion of one or more codons encoding the PRO polypeptide that results in a change in the amino acid sequence of the PRO polypeptide as compared with the native sequence PRO polypeptide. Optionally the variation is by substitution of at least one amino acid with any other amino acid in one or more of the domains of the PRO polypeptide. Guidance in determining which amino acid residue may be inserted, substituted or deleted without adversely affecting the desired activity may be found by comparing the sequence of the PRO polypeptide with that of homologous known protein molecules and minimizing the number of amino acid sequence changes made in regions of high homology. Amino acid substitutions can be the result of replacing one amino acid with another amino acid having similar structural and/or chemical properties, such as the replacement of a leucine with a serine, conservative amino acid replacements. Insertions or deletions may optionally be in the range of 1 to 5 amino acids. The H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 variation allowed may be determined by systematically making insertions, deletions or substitutions of amino acids in the sequence and testing the resulting variants for activity in the in vitro assay described in the Examples below.

In particular embodiments, conservative substitutions of interest are shown in Table 1 under the heading of preferred substitutions. If such substitutions result in a change in biological activity, then more substantial changes, denominated exemplary substitutions in Table 1, or as further described below in reference to amino acid classes, are introduced and the products screened.

H \RBe11\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Table 1 Original Residue Exemplary Substitutions Preferred Substitutions Ala Arg Asn Asp Cys Gin Glu Gly His Ile Leu (L) val; leu; ile lys; gin; asn gin; his; lys; arg glu ser asn asp pro; ala asn; gin; lys; arg leu; val; met; ala; phe; norleucine norleucine; ile; val; met; ala; phe arg; gin; asn leu; phe; ile leu; val; ile; ala; tyr ala thr ser tyr; phe trp; phe; thr; ser ile; leu; met; phe; ala; norleucine val lys gin glu ser asn asp ala arg leu ile arg leu leu ala thr ser tyr phe leu Lys Met Phe Pro Ser Thr Trp Tyr Val Substantial modifications in function or immunological identity of the PRO polypeptide are accomplished by selecting substitutions that differ significantly in their effect on maintaining the structure of the polypeptide backbone in the area of the substitution, for example, as a sheet or helical conformation, the charge or hydrophobicity of the H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 molecule at the target site, or the bulk of the side chain. Naturally occurring residues are divided into groups based on common side-chain properties: hydrophobic: norleucine, met, ala, val, leu, ile; neutral hydrophilic: cys, ser, thr; acidic: asp, glu; basic: asn, gln, his, lys, arg; residues that influence chain orientation: gly, pro; and aromatic: trp, tyr, phe.

Non-conservative substitutions will entail exchanging a member of one of these classes for another class. Such substituted residues also may be introduced into the conservative substitution sites or, more preferably, into the remaining (non-conserved) sites.

The variations can be made using methods known in the art such as oligonucleotide-mediated (site-directed) mutagenesis, alanine scanning, and PCR mutagenesis. Sitedirected mutagenesis [Carter et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 13:4331 (1986); Zoller et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 10:6487 (1987)], cassette mutagenesis [Wells et al., Gene, 34:315 (1985)], restriction selection mutagenesis [Wells et al., Philos. Trans. R. Soc. London SerA, 317:415 (1986)] or other known techniques can be performed on the cloned DNA to produce the desired PRO polypeptide variant DNA.

Scanning amino acid analysis can also be employed to identify one or more amino acids along a contiguous sequence. Among the preferred scanning amino acids are relatively small, neutral amino acids. Such amino acids include alanine, glycine, serine, and cysteine. Alanine is typically a preferred scanning amino acid among this group because it eliminates the side-chain beyond the beta-carbon and is less likely to alter the main-chain conformation of the variant. Alanine is also typically preferred because it is the most common amino acid.

Further, it is frequently found in both buried and exposed H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 positions [Creighton, The Proteins, Freeman Co., Chothia, J. Mol. Biol., 150:1 (1976)]. If alanine substitution does not yield adequate amounts of variant, an isoteric amino acid can be used.

Modifications of PRO Polypeptides Covalent modifications of PRO polypeptides are included within the scope of this invention. One type of covalent modification includes reacting targeted amino acid residues of the PRO polypeptide with an organic derivatizing agent that is capable of reacting with selected side chains or the N- or C- terminal residues of the PRO polypeptide. Derivatization with bifunctional agents is useful, for instance, for crosslinking a PRO polypeptide to a water-insoluble support matrix or surface for use in the method for purifying anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies, and vice-versa. Commonly used crosslinking agents include, 1,1-bis(diazoacetyl)-2-phenylethane, glutaraldehyde, N-hydroxysuccinimide esters, for example, esters with 4-azidosalicylic acid, homobifunctional imidoesters, including disuccinimidyl esters such as 3,3'dithiobis(succinimidylpropionate), bifunctional maleimides such as bis-N-maleimido-1,8-octane and agents such as methyl-3-[(p-azidophenyl)dithio]propioimidate.

Other modifications include deamidation of glutaminyl and asparaginyl residues to the corresponding glutamyl and aspartyl residues, respectively, hydroxylation of proline and lysine, phosphorylation of hydroxyl groups of seryl or threonyl residues, methylation of the a-amino groups of lysine, arginine, and histidine side chains Creighton, Proteins: Structure and Molecular Properties, W.H. Freeman Co., San Francisco, pp. 79-86 (1983)], acetylation of the N-terminal amine, and amidation of any C-terminal carboxyl group.

Another type of covalent modification of the PRO polypeptides included within the scope of this invention H\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 comprises altering the native glycosylation pattern of the polypeptide. "Altering the native glycosylation pattern" is intended for purposes herein to mean deleting one or more carbohydrate moieties found in a native sequence PRO polypeptide, and/or adding one or more glycosylation sites that are not present in the native sequence PRO polypeptide, and/or alteration of the ratio and/or composition of the sugar residues attached to the glycosylation site(s).

Addition of glycosylation sites to the PRO polypeptide may be accomplished by altering the amino acid sequence. The alteration may be made, for example, by the addition of, or substitution by, one or more serine or threonine residues to the native sequence PRO polypeptide (for O-linked glycosylation sites). The PRO polypeptide amino acid sequence may optionally be altered through changes at the DNA level, particularly by mutating the DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide at preselected bases such that codons are generated that will translate into the desired amino acids.

Another means of increasing the number of carbohydrate moieties on the PRO polypeptide polypeptide is by chemical or enzymatic coupling of glycosides to the polypeptide. Such methods are described in the art, e.g., in WO 87/05330 published 11 September 1987, and in Aplin and Wriston, CRC Crit. Rev. Biochem., pp. 259-306 (1981).

Removal of carbohydrate moieties present on the PRO polypeptide may be accomplished chemically or enzymatically or by mutational substitution of codons encoding for amino acid residues that serve as targets for glycosylation. Chemical deglycosylation techniques are known in the art and described, for instance, by Hakimuddin, et al., Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 259:52 (1987) and by Edge et al., Anal. Biochem., 118:131 (1981).

Enzymatic cleavage of carbohydrate moieties on polypeptides can be achieved by the use of a variety of H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 endo- and exo-glycosidases as described by Thotakura et al., Meth. Enzymol., 138:350 (1987).

Another type of covalent modification of PRO polypeptides of the invention comprises linking the PRO polypeptide to one of a variety of nonproteinaceous polymers, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, or polyoxyalkylenes, in the manner set forth in U.S.

Patent Nos. 4,640,835; 4,496,689; 4,301,144; 4,670,417; 4,791,192 or 4,179,337.

The PRO polypeptides of the present invention may also be modified in a way to form a chimeric molecule comprising a PRO polypeptide fused to another, heterologous polypeptide or amino acid sequence. In one embodiment, such a chimeric molecule comprises a fusion of the PRO polypeptide with a tag polypeptide which provides an epitope to which an anti-tag antibody can selectively bind. The epitope tag is generally placed at the aminoor carboxyl- terminus of the PRO polypeptide. The presence of such epitope-tagged forms of the PRO polypeptide can be detected using an antibody against the tag polypeptide. Also, provision of the epitope tag enables the PRO polypeptide to be readily purified by affinity purification using an anti-tag antibody or another type of affinity matrix that binds to the epitope tag. In an alternative embodiment, the chimeric molecule may comprise a fusion of the PRO polypeptide with an immunoglobulin or a particular region of an immunoglobulin. For a bivalent form of the chimeric molecule, such a fusion could be to the Fc region of an IgG molecule.

Various tag polypeptides and their respective antibodies are well known in the art. Examples include poly-histidine (poly-his) or poly-histidine-glycine (polyhis-gly) tags; the flu HA tag polypeptide and its antibody 12CA5 [Field et al., Mol. Cell. Biol., 8:2159-2165 (1988)]; the c-myc tag and the 8F9, 3C7, 6E10, G4, B7 and H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 9E10 antibodies thereto [Evan et al., Molecular and Cellular Biology, 5:3610-3616 (1985)]; and the Herpes Simplex virus glycoprotein D (gD) tag and its antibody [Paborsky et al., Protein Engineering, 3(6):547-553 (1990)]. Other tag polypeptides include the Flag-peptide [Hopp et al., BioTechnology, 6:1204-1210 (1988)]; the KT3 epitope peptide [Martin et al., Science, 255:192-194 (1992)]; an a-tubulin epitope peptide [Skinner et al., J.

Biol. Chem., 266:15163-15166 (1991)]; and the T7 gene protein peptide tag [Lutz-Freyermuth et al., Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci. USA, 87:6393-6397 (1990)].

Preparation of PRO Polypeptides The description below relates primarily to production of PRO polypeptides by culturing cells transformed or transfected with a vector containing the desired PRO polypeptide nucleic acid. It is, of course, contemplated that alternative methods, which are well known in the art, may be employed to prepare the PRO polypeptide. For instance, the PRO polypeptide sequence, or portions thereof, may be produced by direct peptide synthesis using solid-phase techniques [see, Stewart et al., Solid-Phase Peptide Synthesis, W.H. Freeman Co., San Francisco, CA (1969); Merrifield, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 85:2149-2154 (1963)]. In vitro protein synthesis may be performed using manual techniques or by automation.

Automated synthesis may be accomplished, for instance, using an Applied Biosystems Peptide Synthesizer (Foster City, CA) using manufacturer's instructions. Various portions of the desired PRO polypeptide may be chemically synthesized separately and combined using chemical or enzymatic methods to produce the full-length PRO polypeptide.

H \RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 A. Isolation of DNA Encoding PRO Polypeptides DNA encoding PRO polypeptides may be obtained from a cDNA library prepared from tissue believed to possess the desired PRO polypeptide mRNA and to express it at a detectable level. Accordingly, human PRO polypeptide DNA can be conveniently obtained from a cDNA library prepared from human tissue, such as described in the Examples. The PRO polypeptide-encoding gene may also be obtained from a genomic library or by oligonucleotide synthesis.

Libraries can be screened with probes (such as antibodies to the desired PRO polypeptide or oligonucleotides of at least about 20-80 bases) designed to identify the gene of interest or the protein encoded by it. Screening the cDNA or genomic library with the selected probe may be conducted using standard procedures, such as described in Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual (New York: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1989). An alternative means to isolate the gene encoding the desired PRO polypeptide is to use PCR methodology [Sambrook et al., supra; Dieffenbach et al., PCR Primer:A Laboratory Manual (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1995)].

The Examples below describe techniques for screening a cDNA library. The oligonucleotide sequences selected as probes should be of sufficient length and sufficiently unambiguous that false positives are minimized. The oligonucleotide is preferably labeled such that it can be detected upon hybridization to DNA in the library being screened. Methods of labeling are well known in the art, and include the use of radiolabels like 32 P-labeled ATP, biotinylation or enzyme labeling.

Hybridization conditions, including moderate stringency and high stringency, are provided in Sambrook et al., supra.

Sequences identified in such library screening H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 methods can be compared and aligned to other known sequences deposited and available in public databases such as GenBank or other private sequence databases. Sequence identity (at either the amino acid or nucleotide level) within defined regions of the molecule or across the fulllength sequence can be determined through sequence alignment using computer software programs such as BLAST, ALIGN, DNAstar, and INHERIT which employ various algorithms to measure homology.

Nucleic acid having protein coding sequence may be obtained by screening selected cDNA or genomic libraries using the deduced amino acid sequence disclosed herein for the first time, and, if necessary, using conventional primer extension procedures as described in Sambrook et al., supra, to detect precursors and processing intermediates of mRNA that may not have been reverse-transcribed into cDNA.

B. Selection and Transformation of Host Cells Host cells are transfected or transformed with expression or cloning vectors described herein for PRO polypeptide production and cultured in conventional nutrient media modified as appropriate for inducing promoters, selecting transformants, or amplifying the genes encoding the desired sequences. The culture conditions, such as media, temperature, pH and the like, can be selected by the skilled artisan without undue experimentation. In general, principles, protocols, and practical techniques for maximizing the productivity of cell cultures can be found in Mammalian Cell Biotechnology: a Practical Approach, M. Butler, ed. (IRL Press, 1991) and Sambrook et al., supra.

Methods of transfection are known to the ordinarily skilled artisan, for example, CaP0 4 and electroporation. Depending on the host cell used, transformation is performed using standard techniques H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 appropriate to such cells. The calcium treatment employing calcium chloride, as described in Sambrook et al., supra, or electroporation is generally used for prokaryotes or other cells that contain substantial cellwall barriers. Infection with Agrobacterium tumefaciens is used for transformation of certain plant cells, as described by Shaw et al., Gene, 23:315 (1983) and WO 89/05859 published 29 June 1989. For mammalian cells without such cell walls, the calcium phosphate precipitation method of Graham and van der Eb, Virology, 52:456-457 (1978) can be employed. General aspects of mammalian cell host system transformations have been described in U.S. Patent No. 4,399,216. Transformations into yeast are typically carried out according to the method of Van Solingen et al., J. Bact., 130:946 (1977) and Hsiao et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA), 76:3829 (1979). However, other methods for introducing DNA into cells, such as by nuclear microinjection, electroporation, bacterial protoplast fusion with intact cells, or polycations, polybrene, polyornithine, may also be used. For various techniques for transforming mammalian cells, see Keown et al., Methods in Enzymology, 185:527- 537 (1990) and Mansour et al., Nature, 336:348-352 (1988).

Suitable host cells for cloning or expressing the DNA in the vectors herein include prokaryote, yeast, or higher eukaryote cells. Suitable prokaryotes include but are not limited to eubacteria, such as Gram-negative or Gram-positive organisms, for example, Enterobacteriaceae such as E. coli. Various E. coli strains are publicly available, such as E. coli K12 strain MM294 (ATCC 31,446); E. coli X1776 (ATCC 31,537); E. coli strain W3110 (ATCC 27,325) and K5 772 (ATCC 53,635). Other suitable prokaryotic host cells include Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia, E. coli, Enterobacter, Erwinia, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella, Salmonella typhimurium, Serratia, Serratia marcescans, and H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Shigella, as well as Bacilli such as B. subtilis and B. licheniformis B. licheniformis 41P disclosed in DD 266,710 published 12 April 1989), Pseudomonas such as P. aeruginosa, and Streptomyces. Various E. coli strains are publicly available, such as E. coli K12 strain MM294 (ATCC 31,446); E. coli X1776 (ATCC 31,537); E. coli strain W3110 (ATCC 27,325); and K5 772 (ATCC 53,635). These examples are illustrative rather than limiting. Strain W3110 is one particularly preferred host or parent host because it is a common host strain for recombinant DNA product fermentations. Preferably, the host cell secretes minimal amounts of proteolytic enzymes. For example, strain W3110 may be modified to effect a genetic mutation in the genes encoding proteins endogenous to the host, with examples of such hosts including E. coli W3110 strain 1A2, which has the complete genotype tonA E. coli W3110 strain 9E4, which has the complete genotype tonA ptr3; E. coli W3110 strain 27C7 (ATCC 55,244), which has the complete genotype tonA ptr3 phoA E15 (argF-lac)169 degP ompT kanr; E. coli W3110 strain 37D6, which has the complete genotype tonA ptr3 phoA E15 (argF-lac)169 degP ompT rbs7 ilvG kan'; E. coli W3110 strain 40B4, which is strain 37D6 with a non-kanamycin resistant degP deletion mutation; and an E. coli strain having mutant periplasmic protease disclosed in U.S. Patent No.

4,946,783 issued 7 August 1990. Alternatively, in vitro methods of cloning, PCR or other nucleic acid polymerase reactions, are suitable.

In addition to prokaryotes, eukaryotic microbes such as filamentous fungi or yeast are suitable cloning or expression hosts for PRO polypeptide-encoding vectors.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a commonly used lower eukaryotic host microorganism. Others include Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Beach and Nurse, Nature, 290: 140 [1981]; EP 139,383 published 2 May 1985); Kluyveromyces hosts Patent No. 4,943,529; Fleer et H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 al., Bio/Technology, 9: 968-975 (1991)) such as, e.g., K. lactis (MW98-8C, CBS683, CBS4574; Louvencourt et al., J. Bacteriol., 737 [1983]), K. fragilis (ATCC 12,424), K. bulgaricus (ATCC 16,045), K. wickeramii (ATCC 24,178), K. waltii (ATCC 56,500), K. drosophilarum (ATCC 36,906; Van den Berg et al., Bio/Technology, 8: 135 (1990)), K. thermotolerans, and K. marxianus; yarrowia (EP 402,226); Pichia pastoris (EP 183,070; Sreekrishna et al., J. Basic Microbiol., 28: 265-278 [1988]); Candida; Trichoderma reesia (EP 244,234); Neurospora crassa (Case et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 76: 5259-5263 [1979]); Schwanniomyces such as Schwanniomyces occidentalis (EP 394,538 published 31 October 1990); and filamentous fungi such as, Neurospora, Penicillium, Tolypocladium (WO 91/00357 published 10 January 1991), and Aspergillus hosts such as A. nidulans (Ballance et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 112: 284-289 [1983]; Tilburn et al., Gene, 26: 205-221 [1983]; Yelton et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 81: 1470-1474 [1984]) and A. niger (Kelly and Hynes, EMBO 4: 475-479 [1985]).

Methylotropic yeasts are suitable herein and include, but are not limited to, yeast capable of growth on methanol selected from the genera consisting of Hansenula, Candida, Kloeckera, Pichia, Saccharomyces, Torulopsis, and Rhodotorula. A list of specific species that are exemplary of this class of yeasts may be found in C. Anthony, The Biochemistry of Methylotrophs, 269 (1982).

Suitable host cells for the expression of glycosylated PRO polypeptides are derived from multicellular organisms. Examples of invertebrate cells include insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9, as well as plant cells. Examples of useful mammalian host cell lines include Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and COS cells. More specific examples include monkey kidney CV1 line transformed by SV40 (COS-7, ATCC CRL 1651); human embryonic kidney line (293 or 293 cells subcloned for H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 growth in suspension culture, Graham et al., J. Gen Virol., 36:59 (1977)); Chinese hamster ovary cells/-DHFR (CHO, Urlaub and Chasin, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:4216 (1980)); mouse sertoli cells (TM4, Mather, Biol.

Reprod., 23:243-251 (1980)); human lung cells (W138, ATCC CCL 75); human liver cells (Hep G2, HB 8065); and mouse mammary tumor (MMT 060562, ATCC CCL51). The selection of the appropriate host cell is deemed to be within the skill in the art.

C. Selection and Use of a Replicable Vector The nucleic acid cDNA or genomic DNA) encoding a desired PRO polypeptide may be inserted into a replicable vector for cloning (amplification of the DNA) or for expression. Various vectors are publicly available. The vector may, for example, be in the form of a plasmid, cosmid, viral particle, or phage. The appropriate nucleic acid sequence may be inserted into the vector by a variety of procedures. In general, DNA is inserted into an appropriate restriction endonuclease site(s) using techniques known in the art. Vector components generally include, but are not limited to, one or more of a signal sequence, an origin of replication, one or more marker genes, an enhancer element, a promoter, and a transcription termination sequence. Construction of suitable vectors containing one or more of these components employs standard ligation techniques which are known to the skilled artisan.

The PRO polypeptide of interest may be produced recombinantly not only directly, but also as a fusion polypeptide with a heterologous polypeptide, which may be a signal sequence or other polypeptide having a specific cleavage site at the N-terminus of the mature protein or polypeptide. In general, the signal sequence may be a component of the vector, or it may be a part of the PRO polypeptide DNA that is inserted into the vector. The H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 signal sequence may be a prokaryotic signal sequence selected, for example, from the group of the alkaline phosphatase, penicillinase, Ipp, or heat-stable enterotoxin II leaders. For yeast secretion the signal sequence may be, the yeast invertase leader, alpha factor leader (including Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces a-factor leaders, the latter described in U.S. Patent No.

5,010,182), or acid phosphatase leader, the C. albicans glucoamylase leader (EP 362,179 published 4 April 1990), or the signal described in WO 90/13646 published November 1990. In mammalian cell expression, mammalian signal sequences may be used to direct secretion of the protein, such as signal sequences from secreted polypeptides of the same or related species, as well as viral secretory leaders.

Both expression and cloning vectors contain a nucleic acid sequence that enables the vector to replicate in one or more selected host cells. Such sequences are well known for a variety of bacteria, yeast, and viruses.

The origin of replication from the plasmid pBR322 is suitable for most Gram-negative bacteria, the 2g plasmid origin is suitable for yeast, and various viral origins polyoma, adenovirus, VSV or BPV) are useful for cloning vectors in mammalian cells.

Expression and cloning vectors will typically contain a selection gene, also termed a selectable marker.

Typical selection genes encode proteins that confer resistance to antibiotics or other toxins, e.g., ampicillin, neomycin, methotrexate, or tetracycline, complement auxotrophic deficiencies, or supply critical nutrients not available from complex media, e.g., the gene encoding D-alanine racemase for Bacilli.

An example of suitable selectable markers for mammalian cells are those that enable the identification of cells competent to take up the PRO polypeptide nucleic acid, such as DHFR or thymidine kinase. An appropriate H \RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 host cell when wild-type DHFR is employed is the CHO cell line deficient in DHFR activity, prepared and propagated as described by Urlaub et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 77:4216 (1980). A suitable selection gene for use in yeast is the trpl gene present in the yeast plasmid YRp7 [Stinchcomb et al., Nature, 282:39 (1979); Kingsman et al., Gene, 7:141 (1979); Tschemper et al., Gene, 10:157 (1980)]. The trpl gene provides a selection marker for a mutant strain of yeast lacking the ability to grow in tryptophan, for example, ATCC No. 44076 or PEP4-1 [Jones, Genetics, 85:12 (1977)].

Expression and cloning vectors usually contain a promoter operably linked to the PRO polypeptide nucleic acid sequence to direct mRNA synthesis. Promoters recognized by a variety of potential host cells are well known. Promoters suitable for use with prokaryotic hosts include the A-lactamase and lactose promoter systems [Chang et al., Nature, 275:615 (1978); Goeddel et al., Nature, 281:544 (1979)], alkaline phosphatase, a tryptophan (trp) promoter system [Goeddel, Nucleic Acids Res., 8:4057 (1980); EP 36,776], and hybrid promoters such as the tac promoter [deBoer et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.

USA, 80:21-25 (1983)]. Promoters for use in bacterial systems also will contain a Shine-Dalgarno sequence operably linked to the DNA encoding the desired PRO polypeptide.

Examples of suitable promoting sequences for use with yeast hosts include the promoters for 3-phosphoglycerate kinase [Hitzeman et al., J. Biol.

Chem., 255:2073 (1980)] or other glycolytic enzymes [Hess et al., J. Adv. Enzyme Reg., 7:149 (1968); Holland, Biochemistry, 17:4900 (1978)], such as enolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, pyruvate decarboxylase, phosphofructokinase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, 3-phosphoglycerate mutase, pyruvate kinase, triosephosphate isomerase, phosphoglucose H \RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 isomerase, and glucokinase.

Other yeast promoters, which are inducible promoters having the additional advantage of transcription controlled by growth conditions, are the promoter regions for alcohol dehydrogenase 2, isocytochrome C, acid phosphatase, degradative enzymes associated with nitrogen metabolism, metallothionein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and enzymes responsible for maltose and galactose utilization. Suitable vectors and promoters for use in yeast expression are further described in EP 73,657.

PRO polypeptide transcription from vectors in mammalian host cells is controlled, for example, by promoters obtained from the genomes of viruses such as polyoma virus, fowlpox virus (UK 2,211,504 published July 1989), adenovirus (such as Adenovirus bovine papilloma virus, avian sarcoma virus, cytomegalovirus, a retrovirus, hepatitis-B virus and Simian Virus 40 from heterologous mammalian promoters, the actin promoter or an immunoglobulin promoter, and from heatshock promoters, provided such promoters are compatible with the host cell systems.

Transcription of a DNA encoding the desired PRO polypeptide by higher eukaryotes may be increased by inserting an enhancer sequence into the vector. Enhancers are cis-acting elements of DNA, usually about from 10 to 300 bp, that act on a promoter to increase its transcription. Many enhancer sequences are now known from mammalian genes (globin, elastase, albumin, a-fetoprotein, and insulin). Typically, however, one will use an enhancer from a eukaryotic cell virus. Examples include the SV40 enhancer on the late side of the replication origin (bp 100-270), the cytomegalovirus early promoter enhancer, the polyoma enhancer on the late side of the replication origin, and adenovirus enhancers. The enhancer may be spliced into the vector at a position H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 or 3' to the PRO polypeptide coding sequence, but is preferably located at a site 5' from the promoter.

Expression vectors used in eukaryotic host cells (yeast, fungi, insect, plant, animal, human, or nucleated cells from other multicellular organisms) will also contain sequences necessary for the termination of transcription and for stabilizing the mRNA. Such sequences are commonly available from the 5' and, occasionally untranslated regions of eukaryotic or viral DNAs or cDNAs. These regions contain nucleotide segments transcribed as polyadenylated fragments in the untranslated portion of the mRNA encoding PRO polypeptides.

Still other methods, vectors, and host cells suitable for adaptation to the synthesis of PRO polypeptides in recombinant vertebrate cell culture are described in Gething et al., Nature, 293:620-625 (1981); Mantei et al., Nature, 281:40-46 (1979); EP 117,060; and EP 117,058.

D. Detecting Gene Amplification/Expression Gene amplification and/or expression may be measured in a sample directly, for example, by conventional Southern blotting, Northern blotting to quantitate the transcription of mRNA [Thomas, Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci. USA, 77:5201-5205 (1980)], dot blotting (DNA analysis), or in situ hybridization, using an appropriately labeled probe, based on the sequences provided herein. Alternatively, antibodies may be employed that can recognize specific duplexes, including DNA duplexes, RNA duplexes, and DNA-RNA hybrid duplexes or DNA-protein duplexes. The antibodies in turn may be labeled and the assay may be carried out where the duplex is bound to a surface, so that upon the formation of duplex on the surface, the presence of antibody bound to the duplex can be detected.

H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Gene expression, alternatively, may be measured by immunological methods, such as immunohistochemical staining of cells or tissue sections and assay of cell culture or body fluids, to quantitate directly the expression of gene product. Antibodies useful for immunohistochemical staining and/or assay of sample fluids may be either monoclonal or polyclonal, and may be prepared in any mammal. Conveniently, the antibodies may be prepared against a native sequence PRO polypeptide or against a synthetic peptide based on the DNA sequences provided herein or against exogenous sequence fused to a PRO polypeptide DNA and encoding a specific antibody epitope.

E. Purification of Polypeptide Forms of PRO polypeptides may be recovered from culture medium or from host cell lysates. If membranebound, it can be released from the membrane using a suitable detergent solution Triton-X 100) or by enzymatic cleavage. Cells employed in expression of PRO polypeptides can be disrupted by various physical or chemical means, such as freeze-thaw cycling, sonication, mechanical disruption, or cell lysing agents.

It may be desired to purify PRO polypeptides from recombinant cell proteins or polypeptides. The following procedures are exemplary of suitable purification procedures: by fractionation on an ion-exchange column; ethanol precipitation; reverse phase HPLC; chromatography on silica or on a cation-exchange resin such as DEAE; chromatofocusing; SDS-PAGE; ammonium sulfate precipitation; gel filtration using, for example, Sephadex protein A Sepharose columns to remove contaminants such as IgG; and metal chelating columns to bind epitopetagged forms of the PRO polypeptide. Various methods of protein purification may be employed and such methods are known in the art and described for example in Deutscher, H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Methods in Enzymology, 182 (1990); Scopes, Protein Purification: Principles and Practice, Springer-Verlag, New York (1982). The purification step(s) selected will depend, for example, on the nature of the production process used and the particular PRO polypeptide produced.

Uses for PRO Polypeptides Nucleotide sequences (or their complement) encoding the PRO polypeptides of the present invention have various applications in the art of molecular biology, including uses as hybridization probes, in chromosome and gene mapping and in the generation of anti-sense RNA and DNA. PRO polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid will also be useful for the preparation of PRO polypeptides by the recombinant techniques described herein.

The full-length native sequence PRO polypeptideencoding nucleic acid or portions thereof, may be used as hybridization probes for a cDNA library to isolate the full-length PRO polypeptide gene or to isolate still other genes (for instance, those encoding naturally-occurring variants of the PRO polypeptide or PRO polypeptides from other species) which have a desired sequence identity to the PRO polypeptide nucleic acid sequences. Optionally, the length of the probes will be about 20 to about bases. The hybridization probes may be derived from the nucleotide sequence of any of the DNA molecules disclosed herein or from genomic sequences including promoters, enhancer elements and introns of native sequence PRO polypeptide encoding DNA. By way of example, a screening method will comprise isolating the coding region of the PRO polypeptide gene using the known DNA sequence to synthesize a selected probe of about 40 bases.

Hybridization probes may be labeled by a variety of labels, including radionucleotides such as 32 P or 35 S, or enzymatic labels such as alkaline phosphatase coupled to the probe via avidin/biotin coupling systems. Labeled H\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 probes having a sequence complementary to that of the specific PRO polypeptide gene of the present invention can be used to screen libraries of human cDNA, genomic DNA or mRNA to determine which members of such libraries the probe hybridizes to. Hybridization techniques are described in further detail in the Examples below.

The ESTs disclosed in the present application may similarly be employed as probes, using the methods disclosed herein.

The probes may also be employed in PCR techniques to generate a pool of sequences for identification of closely related PRO polypeptide sequences.

Nucleotide sequences encoding a PRO polypeptide can also be used to construct hybridization probes for mapping the gene which encodes that PRO polypeptide and for the genetic analysis of individuals with genetic disorders. The nucleotide sequences provided herein may be mapped to a chromosome and specific regions of a chromosome using known techniques, such as in situ hybridization, linkage analysis against known chromosomal markers, and hybridization screening with libraries.

When the coding sequence for the PRO polypeptide encodes a protein which binds to another protein, the PRO polypeptide can be used in assays to identify its ligands.

Similarly, inhibitors of the receptor/ligand binding interaction can be identified. Proteins involved in such binding interactions can also be used to screen for peptide or small molecule inhibitors or agonists of the binding interaction. Screening assays can be designed to find lead compounds that mimic the biological activity of a native PRO polypeptide or a ligand for the PRO polypeptide. Such screening assays will include assays amenable to high-throughput screening of chemical libraries, making them particularly suitable for identifying small molecule drug candidates. Small molecules contemplated include synthetic organic or H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 inorganic compounds. The assays can be performed in a variety of formats, including protein-protein binding assays, biochemical screening assays, immunoassays and cell based assays, which are well characterized in the art.

Nucleic acids which encode a PRO polypeptide or its modified forms can also be used to generate either transgenic animals or "knock out" animals which, in turn, are useful in the development and screening of therapeutically useful reagents. A transgenic animal a mouse or rat) is an animal having cells that contain a transgene, which transgene was introduced into the animal or an ancestor of the animal at a prenatal, an embryonic stage. A transgene is a DNA which is integrated into the genome of a cell from which a transgenic animal develops. In one embodiment, cDNA encoding a PRO polypeptide of interest can be used to clone genomic DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide in accordance with established techniques and the genomic sequences used to generate transgenic animals that contain cells which express DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide.

Methods for generating transgenic animals, particularly animals such as mice or rats, have become conventional in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,736,866 and 4,870,009. Typically, particular cells would be targeted for PRO polypeptide transgene incorporation with tissue-specific enhancers. Transgenic animals that include a copy of a transgene encoding a PRO polypeptide introduced into the germ line of the animal at an embryonic stage can be used to examine the effect of increased expression of DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide.

Such animals can be used as tester animals for reagents thought to confer protection from, for example, pathological conditions associated with its overexpression. In accordance with this facet of the invention, an animal is treated with the reagent and a H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 reduced incidence of the pathological condition, compared to untreated animals bearing the transgene, would indicate a potential therapeutic intervention for the pathological condition.

Alternatively, non-human homologues of PRO polypeptides can be used to construct a PRO polypeptide "knock out" animal which has a defective or altered gene encoding the PRO polypeptide of interest as a result of homologous recombination between the endogenous gene encoding the PRO polypeptide and altered genomic DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide introduced into an embryonic cell of the animal. For example, cDNA encoding a PRO polypeptide can be used to clone genomic DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide in accordance with established techniques.

A portion of the genomic DNA encoding a PRO polypeptide can be deleted or replaced with another gene, such as a gene encoding a selectable marker which can be used to monitor integration. Typically, several kilobases of unaltered flanking DNA (both at the 5' and 3' ends) are included in the vector [see Thomas and Capecchi, Cell, 51:503 (1987) for a description of homologous recombination vectors]. The vector is introduced into an embryonic stem cell line by electroporation) and cells in which the introduced DNA has homologously recombined with the endogenous DNA are selected [see e.g., Li et al., Cell, 69:915 (1992)]. The selected cells are then injected into a blastocyst of an animal a mouse or rat) to form aggregation chimeras [see e.g., Bradley, in Teratocarcinomas and Embryonic Stem Cells: A Practical Approach, E. J. Robertson, ed. (IRL, Oxford, 1987), pp. 113-152]. A chimeric embryo can then be implanted into a suitable pseudopregnant female foster animal and the embryo brought to term to create a "knock out" animal. Progeny harboring the homologously recombined DNA in their germ cells can be identified by standard techniques and used to breed animals in which all H:\RBeI1\KeeP\P46467.doc 02/12/02 cells of the animal contain the homologously recombined DNA. Knockout animals can be characterized for instance, for their ability to defend against certain pathological conditions and for their development of pathological conditions due to absence of the PRO polypeptide.

When in vivo administration of a PRO polypeptide is employed, normal dosage amounts may vary from about ng/kg to up to 100 mg/kg of mammal body weight or more per day, preferably about 1 pg/kg/day to 10 mg/kg/day, depending upon the route of administration. Guidance as to particular dosages and methods of delivery is provided in the literature; see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos.

4,657,760; 5,206,344; or 5,225,212. It is anticipated that different formulations will be effective for different treatment compounds and different disorders, that administration targeting one organ or tissue, for example, may necessitate delivery in a manner different from that to another organ or tissue.

Where sustained-release administration of a PRO polypeptide is desired in a formulation with release characteristics suitable for the treatment of any disease or disorder requiring administration of the PRO polypeptide, microencapsulation of the PRO polypeptide is contemplated. Microencapsulation of recombinant proteins for sustained release has been successfully performed with human growth hormone (rhGH), interferon- (rhIFN- interleukin-2, and MN rgpl20. Johnson et al., Nat. Med., 2: 795-799 (1996); Yasuda, Biomed. Ther., 27: 1221-1223 (1993); Hora et al., Bio/Technology, 8: 755-758 (1990); Cleland, "Design and Production of Single Immunization Vaccines Using Polylactide Polyglycolide Microsphere Systems," in Vaccine Design: The Subunit and Adjuvant Approach, Powell and Newman, eds, (Plenum Press: New York, 1995), pp. 439-462; WO 97/03692, WO 96/40072, WO 96/07399; and U.S Pat. No. 5,654,010.

The sustained-release formulations of these H\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 proteins were developed using poly-lactic-coglycolic acid (PLGA) polymer due to its biocompatibility and wide range of biodegradable properties. The degradation products of PLGA, lactic and glycolic acids, can be cleared quickly within the human body. Moreover, the degradability of this polymer can be adjusted from months to years depending on its molecular weight and composition. Lewis, "Controlled release of bioactive agents from lactide/glycolide polymer," in: M. Chasin and R. Langer Biodegradable Polymers as Drug Delivery Systems (Marcel Dekker: New York, 1990), pp. 1-41.

For example, for a formulation that can provide a dosing of approximately 80 g/kg/day in mammals with a maximum body weight of 85 kg, the largest dosing would be approximately 6.8 mg of the PRO polypeptide per day. In order to achieve this dosing level, a sustained- release formulation which contains a maximum possible protein loading (15-20% w/w PRO polypeptide) with the lowest possible initial burst is necessary. A continuous (zero-order) release of the PRO polypeptide from microparticles for 1-2 weeks is also desirable. In addition, the encapsulated protein to be released should maintain its integrity and stability over the desired release period.

PRO213 polypeptides and portions thereof which possess the ability to regulate the growth induction cascade and/or the blood coagulation cascade may also be employed for such purposes both in vivo therapy and in vitro. Those of ordinary skill in the art will well know how to employ PRO213 polypeptides for such uses.

The compounds of the present invention can be formulated according to known methods to prepare pharmaceutically useful compositions, whereby the PRO polypeptide hereof is combined in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier vehicle. Suitable carrier vehicles and their formulation, inclusive of other H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 human proteins, human serum albumin, are described, for example, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 16th ed., 1980, Mack Publishing Co., edited by Oslo et al. the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Dosages and desired drug concentrations of pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may vary depending on the particular use envisioned. For example, in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis or peripheral vascular disease, "bolus" doses, will typically be preferred with subsequent administrations being given to maintain an approximately constant blood level, preferably on the order of about 3 gg/ml.

However, for use in connection with emergency medical care facilities where infusion capability is generally not available and due to the generally critical nature of the underlying disease embolism, infarct), it will generally be desirable to provide somewhat larger initial doses, such as an intravenous bolus.

Anti-PRO Polypeptide Antibodies The present invention further provides anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies. Exemplary antibodies include polyclonal, monoclonal, humanized, bispecific, and heteroconjugate antibodies.

A. Polyclonal Antibodies The anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies may comprise polyclonal antibodies. Methods of preparing polyclonal antibodies are known to the skilled artisan. Polyclonal antibodies can be raised in a mammal, for example, by one or more injections of an immunizing agent and, if desired, an adjuvant. Typically, the immunizing agent and/or adjuvant will be injected in the mammal by multiple subcutaneous or intraperitoneal injections. The immunizing agent may include the PRO polypeptide or a H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 fusion protein thereof. It may be useful to conjugate the immunizing agent to a protein known to be immunogenic in the mammal being immunized. Examples of such immunogenic proteins include but are not limited to keyhole limpet hemocyanin, serum albumin, bovine thyroglobulin, and soybean trypsin inhibitor. Examples of adjuvants which may be employed include Freund's complete adjuvant and MPL-TDM adjuvant (monophosphoryl Lipid A, synthetic trehalose dicorynomycolate). The immunization protocol may be selected by one skilled in the art without undue experimentation.

B. Monoclonal Antibodies The anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies may, alternatively, be monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies may be prepared using hybridoma methods, such as those described by Kohler and Milstein, Nature, 256:495 (1975). In a hybridoma method, a mouse, hamster, or other appropriate host animal, is typically immunized with an immunizing agent to elicit lymphocytes that produce or are capable of producing antibodies that will specifically bind to the immunizing agent. Alternatively, the lymphocytes may be immunized in vitro.

The immunizing agent will typically include the PRO polypeptide of interest or a fusion protein thereof.

Generally, either peripheral blood lymphocytes ("PBLs") are used if cells of human origin are desired, or spleen cells or lymph node cells are used if non-human mammalian sources are desired. The lymphocytes are then fused with an immortalized cell line using a suitable fusing agent, such as polyethylene glycol, to form a hybridoma cell [Goding, Monoclonal Antibodies: Principles and Practice, Academic Press, (1986) pp. 59-103]. Immortalized cell lines are usually transformed mammalian cells, particularly myeloma cells of rodent, bovine and human origin. Usually, rat or mouse myeloma cell lines are H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 employed. The hybridoma cells may be cultured in a suitable culture medium that preferably contains one or more substances that inhibit the growth or survival of the unfused, immortalized cells. For example, if the parental cells lack the enzyme hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT or HPRT), the culture medium for the hybridomas typically will include hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine ("HAT medium"), which substances prevent the growth of HGPRT-deficient cells.

Preferred immortalized cell lines are those that fuse efficiently, support stable high level expression of antibody by the selected antibody-producing cells, and are sensitive to a medium such as HAT medium. More preferred immortalized cell lines are murine myeloma lines, which can be obtained, for instance, from the Salk Institute Cell Distribution Center, San Diego, California and the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland.

Human myeloma and mouse-human heteromyeloma cell lines also have been described for the production of human monoclonal antibodies [Kozbor, J. Immunol., 133:3001 (1984); Brodeur et al., Monoclonal Antibody Production Techniques and Applications, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, (1987) pp. 51-63].

The culture medium in which the hybridoma cells are cultured can then be assayed for the presence of monoclonal antibodies directed against the PRO polypeptide of interest. Preferably, the binding specificity of monoclonal antibodies produced by the hybridoma cells is determined by immunoprecipitation or by an in vitro binding assay, such as radioimmunoassay (RIA) or enzymelinked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Such techniques and assays are known in the art. The binding affinity of the monoclonal antibody can, for example, be determined by the Scatchard analysis of Munson and Pollard, Anal. Biochem., 107:220 (1980).

After the desired hybridoma cells are identified, H;\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 the clones may be subcloned by limiting dilution procedures and grown by standard methods [Goding, supra].

Suitable culture media for this purpose include, for example, Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium and RPMI-1640 medium. Alternatively, the hybridoma cells may be grown in vivo as ascites in a mammal.

The monoclonal antibodies secreted by the subclones may be isolated or purified from the culture medium or ascites fluid by conventional immunoglobulin purification procedures such as, for example, protein A- Sepharose, hydroxylapatite chromatography, gel electrophoresis, dialysis, or affinity chromatography.

The monoclonal antibodies may also be made by recombinant DNA methods, such as those described in U.S.

Patent No. 4,816,567. DNA encoding the monoclonal antibodies of the invention can be readily isolated and sequenced using conventional procedures by using oligonucleotide probes that are capable of binding specifically to genes encoding the heavy and light chains of murine antibodies). The hybridoma cells of the invention serve as a preferred source of such DNA. Once isolated, the DNA may be placed into expression vectors, which are then transfected into host cells such as simian COS cells, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, or myeloma cells that do not otherwise produce immunoglobulin protein, to obtain the synthesis of monoclonal antibodies in the recombinant host cells. The DNA also may be modified, for example, by substituting the coding sequence for human heavy and light chain constant domains in place of the homologous murine sequences Patent No.

4,816,567; Morrison et al., supra] or by covalently joining to the immunoglobulin coding sequence all or part of the coding sequence for a non-immunoglobulin polypeptide. Such a non-immunoglobulin polypeptide can be substituted for the constant domains of an antibody of the invention, or can be substituted for the variable domains H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 of one antigen-combining site of an antibody of the invention to create a chimeric bivalent antibody.

The antibodies may be monovalent antibodies.

Methods for preparing monovalent antibodies are well known in the art. For example, one method involves recombinant expression of immunoglobulin light chain and modified heavy chain. The heavy chain is truncated generally at any point in the Fc region so as to prevent heavy chain crosslinking. Alternatively, the relevant cysteine residues are substituted with another amino acid residue or are deleted so as to prevent crosslinking.

In vitro methods are also suitable for preparing monovalent antibodies. Digestion of antibodies to produce fragments thereof, particularly, Fab fragments, can be accomplished using routine techniques known in the art.

C. Humanized Antibodies The anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies of the invention may further comprise humanized antibodies or human antibodies. Humanized forms of non-human murine) antibodies are chimeric immunoglobulins, immunoglobulin chains or fragments thereof (such as Fv, Fab, Fab', F(ab') 2 or other antigen-binding subsequences of antibodies) which contain minimal sequence derived from non-human immunoglobulin. Humanized antibodies include human immunoglobulins (recipient antibody) in which residues from a complementary determining region (CDR) of the recipient are replaced by residues from a CDR of a non-human species (donor antibody) such as mouse, rat or rabbit having the desired specificity, affinity and capacity. In some instances, Fv framework residues of the human immunoglobulin are replaced by corresponding nonhuman residues. Humanized antibodies may also comprise residues which are found neither in the recipient antibody nor in the imported CDR or framework sequences. In general, the humanized antibody will comprise H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 substantially all of at least one, and typically two, variable domains, in which all or substantially all of the CDR regions correspond to those of a non-human immunoglobulin and all or substantially all of the FR regions are those of a human immunoglobulin consensus sequence. The humanized antibody optimally also will comprise at least a portion of an immunoglobulin constant region typically that of a human immunoglobulin [Jones et al., Nature, 321: 522-525 (1986); Riechmann et al., Nature, 332:323-329 (1988); and Presta, Curr. Op.

Struct. Biol., 2:593-596 (1992)].

Methods for humanizing non-human antibodies are well known in the art. Generally, a humanized antibody has one or more amino acid residues introduced into it from a source which is non-human. These non-human amino acid residues are often referred to as "import" residues, which are typically taken from an "import" variable domain. Humanization can be essentially performed following the method of Winter and co-workers [Jones et al., Nature, 321: 522-525 (1986); Riechmann et al., Nature, 332:323-327 (1988); Verhoeyen et al., Science, 239:1534-1536 (1988)], by substituting rodent CDRs or CDR sequences for the corresponding sequences of a human antibody. Accordingly, such "humanized" antibodies are chimeric antibodies Patent No. 4,816,567), wherein substantially less than an intact human variable domain has been substituted by the corresponding sequence from a non-human species. In practice, humanized antibodies are typically human antibodies in which some CDR residues and possibly some FR residues are substituted by residues from analogous sites in rodent antibodies.

Human antibodies can also be produced using various techniques known in the art, including phage display libraries [Hoogenboom and Winter, J. Mol. Biol., 227:381 (1991); Marks et al., J. Mol. Biol., 222:581 (1991)]. The techniques of Cole et al. and Boerner et al.

H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 are also available for the preparation of human monoclonal antibodies (Cole et al., Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, p. 77 (1985) and Boerner et al., J.

Immunol., 147(1):86-95 (1991)].

D. Bispecific Antibodies Bispecific antibodies are monoclonal, preferably human or humanized, antibodies that have binding specificities for at least two different antigens. In the present case, one of the binding specificities is for the PRO polypeptide, the other one is for any other antigen, and preferably for a cell-surface protein or receptor or receptor subunit.

Methods for making bispecific antibodies are known in the art. Traditionally, the recombinant production of bispecific antibodies is based on the coexpression of two immunoglobulin heavy-chain/light-chain pairs, where the two heavy chains have different specificities [Milstein and Cuello, Nature, 305:537-539 (1983)]. Because of the random assortment of immunoglobulin heavy and light chains, these hybridomas (quadromas) produce a potential mixture of ten different antibody molecules, of which only one has the correct bispecific structure. The purification of the correct molecule is usually accomplished by affinity chromatography steps. Similar procedures are disclosed in WO 93/08829, published 13 May 1993, and in Traunecker et al., EMBO 10:3655-3659 (1991).

Antibody variable domains with the desired binding specificities (antibody-antigen combining sites) can be fused to immunoglobulin constant domain sequences.

The fusion preferably is with an immunoglobulin heavychain constant domain, comprising at least part of the hinge, CH2, and CH3 regions. It is preferred to have the first heavy-chain constant region (CH1) containing the site necessary for light-chain binding present in at least H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 one of the fusions. DNAs encoding the immunoglobulin heavy-chain fusions and, if desired, the immunoglobulin light chain, are inserted into separate expression vectors, and are co-transfected into a suitable host organism. For further details of generating bispecific antibodies see, for example, Suresh et al., Methods in Enzymology, 121:210 (1986).

E. Heteroconjugate Antibodies Heteroconjugate antibodies are also within the scope of the present invention. Heteroconjugate antibodies are composed of two covalently joined antibodies. Such antibodies have, for example, been proposed to target immune system cells to unwanted cells Patent No. 4,676,980], and for treatment of HIV infection [WO 91/00360; WO 92/200373; EP 03089]. It is contemplated that the antibodies may be prepared in vitro using known methods in synthetic protein chemistry, including those involving crosslinking agents. For example, immunotoxins may be constructed using a disulfide exchange reaction or by forming a thioether bond.

Examples of suitable reagents for this purpose include iminothiolate and methyl-4-mercaptobutyrimidate and those disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 4,676,980.

Therapeutic composition Therapeutic compositions are prepared for storage by mixing the active ingredient having the desired degree of purity with optional physiologically acceptable carriers, excipients or stabilizers (Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences 16th Edition, Osol, A. Ed. 1980) in the form of lyophilized formulations or aqueous solutions. Acceptable carriers, excipients or stabilizers are nontoxic to recipients at the dosages and concentrations employed, and include buffers such as phosphate, citrate and other organic acids; antioxidants H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 including ascorbic acid; low molecular weight (less than about 10 residues) polypeptides; proteins, such as serum albumin, gelatin or immunoglobulins; hydrophilic polymers such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, amino acids such as glycine, glutamine, asparagine, arginine or lysine; monosaccharides, disaccharides and other carbohydrates including glucose, mannose, or dextrins; chelating agents such as EDTA; sugar alcohols such as mannitol or sorbitol; salt-forming counterions such as sodium; and/or nonionic surfactants such as Tween, Pluronics or PEG.

The active ingredients may also be entrapped in microcapsules prepared, for example, by coacervation techniques or by interfacial polymerization, for example, hydroxymethylcellulose or gelatin-microcapsules and poly- (methylmethacylate) microcapsules, respectively), in colloidal drug delivery systems (for example, liposomes, albumin microspheres, microemulsions, nano-particles and nanocapsules) or in macroemulsions. Such techniques are disclosed in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, supra.

The formulations to be used for in vivo administration must be sterile. This is readily accomplished by filtration through sterile filtration membranes, prior to or following lyophilization and reconstitution.

Therapeutic compositions herein generally are placed into a container having a sterile access port, for example, an intravenous solution bag or vial having a stopper pierceable by a hypodermic injection needle.

The route of administration is in accord with known methods, e.g. injection or infusion by intravenous, intraperitoneal, intracerebral, intramuscular, intraocular, intraarterial or intralesional routes, topical administration, or by sustained release systems.

Suitable examples of sustained release preparations include semipermeable polymer matrices in the form of shaped articles, e.g. films, or microcapsules.

Hs\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Sustained release matrices include polyesters, hydrogels, polylactides Patent 3,773,919, EP 58,481), copolymers of L-glutamic acid and gamma ethyl-L-glutamate Sidman et al., Biopolymers 22 547-556 [1983]), poly (2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate) Langer, et al., J.

Biomed. Mater. Res. 15: 167-277 [1981] and R. Langer, Chem. Tech. 12: 98-105 [1982]), ethylene vinyl acetate (R.

Langer et al., Id.) or poly-D-(-)-3-hydroxybutyric acid (EP 133,988). Sustained release compositions also include liposomes. Liposomes containing a molecule within the scope of the present invention are prepared by methods known per se: DE 3,218,121; Epstein et al., Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci. USA 82: 3688-3692 (1985); Hwang et al., Proc.

Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77: 4030-4034 (1980); EP 52322; EP 36676A; EP 88046; EP 143949; EP 142641; Japanese patent application 83-118008; U.S. patents 4,485,045 and 4,544,545; and EP 102,324. Ordinarily the liposomes are of the small (about 200-800 Angstroms) unilamelar type in which the lipid content is greater than about 30 mol.

cholesterol, the selected proportion being adjusted for the optimal NT-4 therapy.

An effective amount of the active ingredient will depend, for example, upon the therapeutic objectives, the route of administration, and the condition of the patient.

Accordingly, it will be necessary for the therapist to titer the dosage and modify the route of administration as required to obtain the optimal therapeutic effect. A typical daily dosage might range from about 1 gg/kg to up to 100 mg/kg or more, depending on the factors mentioned above. Typically, the clinician will administer a molecule of the present invention until a dosage is reached that provides the required biological effect. The progress of this therapy is easily monitored by conventional assays.

H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 Uses for Anti-PRO Polypeptide Antibodies The anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies of the invention have various utilities. For example, anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies may be used in diagnostic assays for a PRO polypeptide, detecting its expression in specific cells, tissues, or serum. Various diagnostic assay techniques known in the art may be used, such as competitive binding assays, direct or indirect sandwich assays and immunoprecipitation assays conducted in either heterogeneous or homogeneous phases [Zola, Monoclonal Antibodies: A Manual of Techniques, CRC Press, Inc. (1987) pp. 147-158]. The antibodies used in the diagnostic assays can be labeled with a detectable moiety. The detectable moiety should be capable of producing, either directly or indirectly, a detectable signal. For example, the detectable moiety may be a radioisotope, such as 3H, 1C, 32P 35S, or 12sI, a fluorescent or chemiluminescent compound, such as fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, or luciferin, or an enzyme, such as alkaline phosphatase, beta-galactosidase or horseradish peroxidase. Any method known in the art for conjugating the antibody to the detectable moiety may be employed, including those methods described by Hunter et al., Nature, 144:945 (1962); David et al., Biochemistry, 13:1014 (1974); Pain et al., J.

Immunol. Meth., 40:219 (1981); and Nygren, J. Histochem.

and Cytochem., 30:407 (1982).

Anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies also are useful for the affinity purification of PRO polypeptide from recombinant cell culture or natural sources. In this process, the antibodies against the PRO polypeptide are immobilized on a suitable support, such a Sephadex resin or filter paper, using methods well known in the art. The immobilized antibody then is contacted with a sample containing the PRO polypeptide to be purified, and thereafter the support is washed with a suitable solvent that will remove substantially all the material in the H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 sample except the PRO polypeptide, which is bound to the immobilized antibody. Finally, the support is washed with another suitable solvent that will release the PRO polypeptide from the antibody.

The following examples are offered for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way.

All patent and literature references cited in the present specification are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

EXAMPLES

Commercially available reagents referred to in the examples were used according to manufacturer's instructions unless otherwise indicated. The source of those cells identified in the following examples, and throughout the specification, by ATCC accession numbers is the American Type Culture Collection, Rockville, Maryland.

EXAMPLE 1: Extracellular Domain Homology Screening to Identify Novel Polypeptides and cDNA Encoding Therefor The extracellular domain (ECD) sequences (including the secretion signal sequence, if any) from about 950 known secreted proteins from the Swiss-Prot public database were used to search EST databases. The EST databases included public databases Dayhoff, GenBank), and proprietary databases LIFESEQ

T

Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto, CA). The search was performed using the computer program BLAST or BLAST2 (Altschul and Gish, Methods in Enzymology 266: 460-480 (1996)) as a comparison of the ECD protein sequences to a 6 frame translation of the EST sequences. Those comparisons with a Blast score of 70 (or in some cases 90) or greater that did not encode known proteins were clustered and assembled into consensus DNA sequences with the program "phrap" H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 (Phil Green, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; (http://bozeman.mbt.washington.edu/phrap.docs/phrap.html).

Using this extracellular domain homology screen, consensus DNA sequences were assembled relative to the other identified EST sequences using phrap. In addition, the consensus DNA sequences obtained were often (but not always) extended using repeated cycles of BLAST and phrap to extend the consensus sequence as far as possible using the sources of EST sequences discussed above.

Based upon the consensus sequences obtained as described above, oligonucleotides were then synthesized and used to identify by PCR a cDNA library that contained the sequence of interest and for use as probes to isolate a clone of the full-length coding sequence for a PRO polypeptide. Forward and reverse PCR primers generally range from 20 to 30 nucleotides and are often designed to give a PCR product of about 100-1000 bp in length. The probe sequences are typically 40-55 bp in length. In some cases, additional oligonucleotides are synthesized when the consensus sequence is greater than about l-1.5kbp. In order to screen several libraries for a full-length clone, DNA from the libraries was screened by PCR amplification, as per Ausubel et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, with the PCR primer pair.

A positive library was then used to isolate clones encoding the gene of interest using the probe oligonucleotide and one of the primer pairs.

The cDNA libraries used to isolate the cDNA clones were constructed by standard methods using commercially available reagents such as those from Invitrogen, San Diego, CA. The cDNA was primed with oligo dT containing a NotI site, linked with blunt to Sall hemikinased adaptors, cleaved with NotI, sized appropriately by gel electrophoresis, and cloned in a defined orientation into a suitable cloning vector (such as pRKB or pRKD; pRK5B is a precursor of pRK5D that does H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 not contain the SfiI site; see, Holmes et al., Science, 253:1278-1280 (1991)) in the unique XhoI and NotI sites.

EXAMPLE 2: Isolation of cDNA clones by Amylase Screening 1. Preparation of oligo dT primed cDNA library mRNA was isolated from a human tissue of interest using reagents and protocols from Invitrogen, San Diego, CA (Fast Track This RNA was used to generate an oligo dT primed cDNA library in the vector pRK5D using reagents and protocols from Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, MD (Super Script Plasmid System). In this procedure, the double stranded cDNA was sized to greater than 1000 bp and the SalI/NotI linkered cDNA was cloned into XhoI/NotI cleaved vector. pRK5D is a cloning vector that has an sp 6 transcription initiation site followed by an Sfil restriction enzyme site preceding the XhoI/NotI cDNA cloning sites.

2. Preparation of random primed cDNA library A secondary cDNA library was generated in order to preferentially represent the 5' ends of the primary cDNA clones. Sp6 RNA was generated from the primary library (described above), and this RNA was used to generate a random primed cDNA library in the vector pSST- AMY.0 using reagents and protocols from Life Technologies (Super Script Plasmid System, referenced above). In this procedure the double stranded cDNA was sized to 500-1000 bp, linkered with blunt to NotI adaptors, cleaved with SfiI, and cloned into SfiI/NotI cleaved vector. pSST- AMY.0 is a cloning vector that has a yeast alcohol dehydrogenase promoter preceding the cDNA cloning sites and the mouse amylase sequence (the mature sequence without the secretion signal) followed by the yeast alcohol dehydrogenase terminator, after the cloning sites.

Thus, cDNAs cloned into this vector that are fused in frame with amylase sequence will lead to the secretion of H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 amylase from appropriately transfected yeast colonies.

3. Transformation and Detection DNA from the library described in paragraph 2 above was chilled on ice to which was added electrocompetent DH1OB bacteria (Life Technologies, ml). The bacteria and vector mixture was then electroporated as recommended by the manufacturer.

Subsequently, SOC media (Life Technologies, 1 ml) was added and the mixture was incubated at 37 0 C for 30 minutes.

The transformants were then plated onto 20 standard 150 mm LB plates containing ampicillin and incubated for 16 hours (37 0 Positive colonies were scraped off the plates and the DNA was isolated from the bacterial pellet using standard protocols, e.g. CsC1-gradient. The purified DNA was then carried on to the yeast protocols below.

The yeast methods were divided into three categories: Transformation of yeast with the plasmid/cDNA combined vector; Detection and isolation of yeast clones secreting amylase; and PCR amplification of the insert directly from the yeast colony and purification of the DNA for sequencing and further analysis.

The yeast strain used was HD56-5A (ATCC-90785).

This strain has the following genotype: MAT alpha, ura3- 52, leu2-3, leu2-112, his3-11, his3-15, MAL SUC GAL Preferably, yeast mutants can be employed that have deficient post-translational pathways. Such mutants may have translocation deficient alleles in sec71, sec72, sec62, with truncated sec71 being most preferred.

Alternatively, antagonists (including antisense nucleotides and/or ligands) which interfere with the normal operation of these genes, other proteins implicated in this post translation pathway SEC61p, SEC72p, SEC62p, SEC63p, TDJlp or SSAlp-4p) or the complex H:\RBe1\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 formation of these proteins may also be preferably employed in combination with the amylase-expressing yeast.

Transformation was performed based on the protocol outlined by Gietz et al., Nucl. Acid. Res., 20:1425 (1992). Transformed cells were then inoculated from agar into YEPD complex media broth (100 ml) and grown overnight at 30°C. The YEPD broth was prepared as described in Kaiser et al., Methods in Yeast Genetics, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, p. 207 (1994). The overnight culture was then diluted to about 2 x 106 cells/ml (approx. OD 600 into fresh YEPD broth (500 ml) and regrown to 1 x 107 cells/ml (approx.

OD

600 The cells were then harvested and prepared for transformation by transfer into GS3 rotor bottles in a Sorval GS3 rotor at 5,000 rpm for 5 minutes, the supernatant discarded, and then resuspended into sterile water, and centrifuged again in 50 ml falcon tubes at 3,500 rpm in a Beckman GS-6KR centrifuge. The supernatant was discarded and the cells were subsequently washed with LiAc/TE (10 ml, 10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 7.5, 100 mM Li 2 00CCH 3 and resuspended into LiAc/TE (2.5 ml).

Transformation took place by mixing the prepared cells (100 Al) with freshly denatured single stranded salmon testes DNA (Lofstrand Labs, Gaithersburg, MD) and transforming DNA (1 Mg, vol. 10 Al) in microfuge tubes.

The mixture was mixed briefly by vortexing, then PEG/TE (600 il, 40% polyethylene glycol-4000, 10 mM Tris- HCl, 1 mM EDTA, 100 mM Li 2 00CCH 3 pH 7.5) was added. This mixture was gently mixed and incubated at 30°C while agitating for 30 minutes. The cells were then heat shocked at 42°C for 15 minutes, and the reaction vessel centrifuged in a microfuge at 12,000 rpm for 5-10 seconds, decanted and resuspended into TE (500 Ai, 10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 7.5) followed by recentrifugation. The cells were then diluted into TE (1 ml) and aliquots (200 A 1 H \RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 were spread onto the selective media previously prepared in 150 mm growth plates (VWR).

Alternatively, instead of multiple small reactions, the transformation was performed using a single, large scale reaction, wherein reagent amounts were scaled up accordingly.

The selective media used was a synthetic complete dextrose agar lacking uracil (SCD-Ura) prepared as described in Kaiser et al., Methods in Yeast Genetics, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, p. 208- 210 (1994). Transformants were grown at 30 0 C for 2-3 days.

The detection of colonies secreting amylase was performed by including red starch in the selective growth media. Starch was coupled to the red dye (Reactive Red- 120, Sigma) as per the procedure described by Biely et al., Anal. Biochem., 172:176-179 (1988). The coupled starch was incorporated into the SCD-Ura agar plates at a final concentration of 0.15% and was buffered with potassium phosphate to a pH of 7.0 (50-100 mM final concentration).

The positive colonies were picked and streaked across fresh selective media (onto 150 mm plates) in order to obtain well isolated and identifiable single colonies.

Well isolated single colonies positive for amylase secretion were detected by direct incorporation of red starch into buffered SCD-Ura agar. Positive colonies were determined by their ability to break down starch resulting in a clear halo around the positive colony visualized directly.

4. Isolation of DNA by PCR Amplification When a positive colony was isolated, a portion of it was picked by a toothpick and diluted into sterile water (30 pl) in a 96 well plate. At this time, the positive colonies were either frozen and stored for subsequent analysis or immediately amplified. An aliquot H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 of cells (5 pl) was used as a template for the PCR reaction in a 25 il volume containing: 0.5 1l Klentaq (Clontech, Palo Alto, CA); 4.0 il 10 mM dNTP's (Perkin Elmer-Cetus); 2.5 Al Kentaq buffer (Clontech); 0.25 Al forward oligo 1; 0.25 il reverse oligo 2; 12.5 1l distilled water. The sequence of the forward oligonucleotide 1 was: 5'-TGTAAAACGACGGCCAGTTAAATAGACCTGCAATTATTAATCT-3' (SEQ ID NO:324) The sequence of reverse oligonucleotide 2 was: 5'-CAGGAAACAGCTATGACCACCTGCACACCTGCAAATCCATT-3' (SEQ ID NO:325) PCR was then performed as follows: a. Denature 92 0 C, 5 minutes b. 3 cycles of: Denature 92 0 C, 30 seconds Anneal 59 0 C, 30 seconds Extend 72 0 C, 60 seconds c. 3 cycles of: Denature 92 0 C, 30 seconds Anneal 57 0 C, 30 seconds Extend 72 0 C, 60 seconds d. 25 cycles of: Denature 92 0 C,30 seconds Anneal 55 0 C, 30 seconds Extend 72 0 C, 60 seconds e. Hold 4 0

C

The underlined regions of the oligonucleotides annealed to the ADH promoter region and the amylase region, respectively, and amplified a 307 bp region from vector pSST-AMY.0 when no insert was present. Typically, the first 18 nucleotides of the 5' end of these oligonucleotides contained annealing sites for the sequencing primers. Thus, the total product of the PCR H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 reaction from an empty vector was 343 bp. However, signal sequence-fused cDNA resulted in considerably longer nucleotide sequences.

Following the PCR, an aliquot of the reaction (5 pl) was examined by agarose gel electrophoresis in a 1% agarose gel using a Tris-Borate-EDTA (TBE) buffering system as described by Sambrook et al., supra. Clones resulting in a single strong PCR product larger than 400 bp were further analyzed by DNA sequencing after purification with a 96 Qiaquick PCR clean-up column (Qiagen Inc., Chatsworth, CA).

EXAMPLE 3: Isolation of cDNA Clones Encoding Human PR0213 A consensus sequence was obtained relative to a variety of EST sequences as described in Example 1 above, wherein the consensus sequence obtained is herein designated DNA28735. Based on the DNA28735 consensus sequence, oligonucleotides were synthesized: 1) to identify by PCR a cDNA library that contained the sequence of interest, and 2) for use as probes to isolate a clone of the full-length coding sequence for PR0213.

A pair of PCR primers (forward and reverse) were synthesized: forward PCR primer 5'-TGGAGCAGCAATATGCCAGCC-3' (SEQ ID NO:3) reverse PCR primer 5'-TTTTCCACTCCTGTCGGGTTGG-3' (SEQ ID NO:4) Additionally, a synthetic oligonucleotide hybridization probe was constructed from the consensus DNA28735 sequence which had the following nucleotide sequence hybridization probe 5'-GGTGACACTTGCCAGTCAGATGTGGATGAATGCAGTGCTAGGAGGG-3' (SEQ ID In order to screen several libraries for a source of a full-length clone, DNA from the libraries was screened by PCR amplification with the PCR primer pair H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 C identified above. A positive library was then used to Sisolate clones encoding the PR0213 gene using the probe oligonucleotide and one of the PCR primers. RNA for 00 construction of the cDNA libraries was isolated from human fetal lung tissue.

DNA sequencing of the clones isolated as 00 described above gave the full-length DNA sequence for

(N

0 PR0213 [herein designated as UNQ187 (DNA30943-1163)] M (SEQ ID NO:1) and the derived protein sequence for PR0213.

C 10 The entire nucleotide sequence of UNQ187 S(DNA30943-1-1163-1) is shown in Figure 1 (SEQ ID NO:1).

Clone UNQ187 (DNA30943-1-1163-1) contains a single open reading frame with an apparent translational initiation site at nucleotide positions 399-401 and ending at the stop codon at nucleotide positions 1218-1220 (Figure 1).

The predicted polypeptide precursor is 295 amino acids long (Figure Clone UNQ187 (DNA30943-1-1163-1) has been deposited with ATCC.

Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the fulllength PR0213 polypeptide suggests that a portion of it possesses significant homology to the human growth arrestspecific gene 6 protein. More specifically, an analysis of the Dayhoff database (version 35.45 SwissProt evidenced significant homology between the PR0213 amino acid sequence and the following Dayhoff sequences, 6 and B48089.

EXAMPLE 4: Isolation of cDNA Clones Encoding Human PR0213-1, PR01330 and PR01449 A consensus DNA sequence was assembled relative to other EST sequences using phrap as described in Example 1 above. This consensus sequence is herein designated DNA28735. Based on the DNA28735 consensus sequence, oligonucleotides were synthesized: 1) to identify by PCR a cDNA library that contained the sequence of interest, and 2) for use as probes to isolate a clone of the full-length H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 83 0 coding sequence for PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449.

c-I A pair of PCR primers (forward and reverse) were Ssynthesized: forward PCR primer 5'-TGGAGCAGCAATATGCCAGCC-3' C- 5 (SEQ ID NO:511) reverse PCR primer 5'-TTTTCCACTCCTGTCGGGTTGG-3' 00 (SEQ ID NO:512) Cq Additionally, a synthetic oligonucleotide hybridization C probe was constructed from the consensus DNA28735 sequence C- 10 which had the following nucleotide sequence: hybridization probe C- 5'-GGTGACACTTGCCAGTCAGATGTGGATGAATGCAGTGCTAGGAGGG-3' (SEQ ID NO:513) In order to screen several libraries for a source of a full-length clone, DNA from the libraries was screened by PCR amplification with the PCR primer pair identified above. A positive library was then used to isolate clones encoding the PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 gene using the probe oligonucleotide and one of the PCR primers. RNA for construction of the cDNA libraries was isolated from human fetal lung tissue.

DNA sequencing of the clones isolated as described above gave the full-length DNA sequence encoding PR0213-1, PR01330 and/or PR01449 [DNA30943-1-1163-1 (SEQ ID NO:505), DNA64907-1163-1 (SEQ ID NO:507) and DNA64908-1163-1 (SEQ ID NO:509), respectively].

The entire nucleotide sequences corresponding to DNA30943-1-1163-1 (SEQ ID NO:505), DNA64907-1163-1 (SEQ ID NO:507) and DNA64908-1163-1 (SEQ ID NO:509), respectively. DNA30943-1163, DNA64907-1163-1 and DNA64908-1163-1 contain a single open reading frame with an apparent translational initiation site at nucleotide positions 399-401, 488-490 and 326-328, respectively, and ending at the stop codon at nucleotide positions 1218- 1220, 1307-1309 and 1145-1147, respectively (Figures 3, and The predicted polypeptide precursor is 273, 273 H:\veronica\keep\speci\2OO233O288.1.doc 18/02/05 and 273 amino acids long, respectively (Figures 4, 6 and DNA30943-1-1163-1, DNA64907-1163-1 and DNA64908-1163- 1 have been deposited with ATCC and are assigned ATCC deposit no. 209791, 203242 and 203243, respectively.

Analysis of the amino acid sequence of the fulllength PRO213-1 polypeptide suggests that a portion of it possess significant homology to the human growth arrestspecific gene 6 protein. More specifically, an analysis of the Dayhoff database (version 35.45 SwissProt evidenced significant homology between the PRO213 amino acid sequence and the following Dayhoff sequences, 6 and B48089.

Additional analysis of the amino acid sequence of the full-length PRO1330 and PRO1449 polypeptide indicates significant identity with notch4. More specifically, an analysis of the Dayhoff database (version 35.130 SwissProt evidenced significant identity between PRO1330 and the following Dayhoff sequences, D86566 1 and NEL HUMAN.

EXAMPLE 5: Use of PRO Polypeptide-Encoding Nucleic Acid as Hybridization Probes The following method describes use of a nucleotide sequence encoding a PRO polypeptide as a hybridization probe.

DNA comprising the coding sequence of of a PRO polypeptide of interest as disclosed herein may be employed as a probe or used as a basis from which to prepare probes to screen for homologous DNAs (such as those encoding naturally-occurring variants of the PRO polypeptide) in human tissue cDNA libraries or human tissue genomic libraries.

Hybridization and washing of filters containing either library DNAs is performed under the following high stringency conditions. Hybridization of radiolabeled PRO polypeptide-encoding nucleic acid-derived probe to the filters is performed in a solution of 50% formamide, H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 SSC, 0.1% SDS, 0.1% sodium pyrophosphate, 50 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.8, 2x Denhardt's solution, and 10% dextran sulfate at 42 0 C for 20 hours. Washing of the filters is performed in an aqueous solution of 0.1x SSC and 0.1% SDS at 42 0

C.

DNAs having a desired sequence identity with the DNA encoding full-length native sequence PRO polypeptide can then be identified using standard techniques known in the art.

EXAMPLE 6: Expression of PRO Polypeptides in E. coli This example illustrates preparation of an unglycosylated form of a desired PRO polypeptide by recombinant expression in E. coli.

The DNA sequence encoding the desired PRO polypeptide is initially amplified using selected PCR primers. The primers should contain restriction enzyme sites which correspond to the restriction enzyme sites on the selected expression vector. A variety of expression vectors may be employed. An example of a suitable vector is pBR322 (derived from E. coli; see Bolivar et al., Gene, 2:95 (1977)) which contains genes for ampicillin and tetracycline resistance. The vector is digested with restriction enzyme and dephosphorylated. The PCR amplified sequences are then ligated into the vector. The vector will preferably include sequences which encode for an antibiotic resistance gene, a trp promoter, a polyhis leader (including the first six STII codons, polyhis sequence, and enterokinase cleavage site), the specific PRO polypeptide coding region, lambda transcriptional terminator, and an argU gene.

The ligation mixture is then used to transform a selected E. coli strain using the methods described in Sambrook et al., supra. Transformants are identified by their ability to grow on LB plates and antibiotic resistant colonies are then selected. Plasmid DNA can be H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 isolated and confirmed by restriction analysis and DNA sequencing.

Selected clones can be grown overnight in liquid culture medium such as LB broth supplemented with antibiotics. The overnight culture may subsequently be used to inoculate a larger scale culture. The cells are then grown to a desired optical density, during which the expression promoter is turned on.

After culturing the cells for several more hours, the cells can be harvested by centrifugation. The cell pellet obtained by the centrifugation can be solubilized using various agents known in the art, and the solubilized PRO polypeptide can then be purified using a metal chelating column under conditions that allow tight binding of the protein.

In EP application No. 99912321.9, PRO polypeptides were expressed in E. coli in a poly-His tagged form, using the following procedure. The DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide was initially amplified using selected PCR primers. The primers contained restriction enzyme sites which correspond to the restriction enzyme sites on the selected expression vector, and other useful sequences providing for efficient and reliable translation initiation, rapid purification on a metal chelation column, and proteolytic removal with enterokinase. The PCR-amplified, poly-His tagged sequences were then ligated into an expression vector, which was used to transform an E. coli host based on strain 52 (W3110 fuhA(tonA) lon galE rpoHts(htpRts) clpP(lacIq). Transformants were first grown in LB containing 50 mg/ml carbenicillin at 30 0 C with shaking until an O.D.600 of 3-5 was reached. Cultures were then diluted 50-100 fold into CRAP media (prepared by mixing 3.57 g (NH 4 2 S0 4 0.71 g sodium citrate 2H20, 1.07 g KC1, 5.36 g Difco yeast extract, 5.36 g Sheffield hycase SF in 500 mL water, as well as 110 mM MPOS, pH 7.3, 0.55% glucose and 7 mM MgSO 4 and grown for H:\RBe11\eep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 approximately 20-30 hours at 30°C with shaking. Samples were removed to verify expression by SDS-PAGE analysis, and the bulk culture is centrifuged to pellet the cells.

Cell pellets were frozen until purification and refolding.

E. coli paste from 0.5 to 1 L fermentations (6-10 g pellets) was resuspended in 10 volumes in 7 M guanidine, 20 mM Tris, pH 8 buffer. Solid sodium sulfite and sodium tetrathionate is added to make final concentrations of 0.1M and 0.02 M, respectively, and the solution was stirred overnight at 4°C. This step results in a denatured protein with all cysteine residues blocked by sulfitolization. The solution was centrifuged at 40,000 rpm in a Beckman Ultracentifuge for 30 min. The supernatant was diluted with 3-5 volumes of metal chelate column buffer (6 M guanidine, 20 mM Tris, pH 7.4) and filtered through 0.22 micron filters to clarify.

Depending the clarified extract was loaded onto a 5 ml Qiagen Ni-NTA metal chelate column equilibrated in the metal chelate column buffer. The column was washed with additional buffer containing 50 mM imidazole (Calbiochem, Utrol grade), pH 7.4. The protein was eluted with buffer containing 250 mM imidazole. Fractions containing the desired protein were pooled and stored at 4°C. Protein concentration was estimated by its absorbance at 280 nm using the calculated extinction coefficient based on its amino acid sequence.

The proteins were refolded by diluting sample slowly into freshly prepared refolding buffer consisting of: 20 mM Tris, pH 8.6, 0.3 M NaC1, 2.5 M urea, 5 mM cysteine, 20 mM glycine and 1 mM EDTA. Refolding volumes were chosen so that the final protein concentration was between 50 to 100 micrograms/ml. The refolding solution was stirred gently at 4 0 C for 12-36 hours. The refolding reaction was quenched by the addition of TFA to a final concentration of 0.4% (pH of approximately Before further purification of the protein, the solution was Hi\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 filtered through a 0.22 micron filter and acetonitrile was added to 2-10% final concentration. The refolded protein was chromatographed on a Poros Rl/H reversed phase column using a mobile buffer of 0.1% TFA with elution with a gradient of acetonitrile from 10 to 80%. Aliquots of fractions with A280 absorbance were analyzed on SDS polyacrylamide gels and fractions containing homogeneous refolded protein were pooled. Generally, the properly refolded species of most proteins are eluted at the lowest concentrations of acetonitrile since those species are the most compact with their hydrophobic interiors shielded from interaction with the reversed phase resin.

Aggregated species are usually eluted at higher acetonitrile concentrations. In addition to resolving misfolded forms of proteins from the desired form, the reversed phase step also removes endotoxin from the samples.

Fractions containing the desired folded PRO proteins were pooled and the acetonitrile removed using a gentle stream of nitrogen directed at the solution.

Proteins were formulated into 20 mM Hepes, pH 6.8 with 0.14 M sodium chloride and 4% mannitol by dialysis or by gel filtration using G25 Superfine (Pharmacia) resins equilibrated in the formulation buffer and sterile filtered.

EXAMPLE 7: Expression of PRO Polypeptides in Mammalian Cells This example illustrates preparation of a glycosylated form of a desired PRO polypeptide by recombinant expression in mammalian cells.

The vector, pRK5 (see EP 307,247, published March 1989), is employed as the expression vector.

Optionally, the PRO polypeptide-encoding DNA is ligated into pRK5 with selected restriction enzymes to allow insertion of the PRO polypeptide DNA using ligation H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 methods such as described in Sambrook et al., supra. The resulting vector is called pRK5-PRO polypeptide.

In one embodiment, the selected host cells may be 293 cells. Human 293 cells (ATCC CCL 1573) are grown to confluence in tissue culture plates in medium such as DMEM supplemented with fetal calf serum and optionally, nutrient components and/or antibiotics. About 10 fg PRO polypeptide DNA is mixed with about 1 gg DNA encoding the VA RNA gene [Thimmappaya et al., Cell, 31:543 (1982)] and dissolved in 500 tl of 1 mM Tris-HCl, 0.1 mM EDTA, 0.227 M CaC1 2 To this mixture is added, dropwise, 500 Al of 50 mM HEPES (pH 7.35), 280 mM NaC1, 1.5 mM NaP0 4 and a precipitate is allowed to form for 10 minutes at 25 0 C. The precipitate is suspended and added to the 293 cells and allowed to settle for about four hours at 37 0 C. The culture medium is aspirated off and 2 ml of 20% glycerol in PBS is added for 30 seconds. The 293 cells are then washed with serum free medium, fresh medium is added and the cells are incubated for about 5 days.

Approximately 24 hours after the transfections, the culture medium is removed and replaced with culture medium (alone) or culture medium containing 200 ACi/ml 35 S-cysteine and 200 ACi/ml 35 S-methionine. After a 12 hour incubation, the conditioned medium is collected, concentrated on a spin filter, and loaded onto a 15% SDS gel. The processed gel may be dried and exposed to film for a selected period of time to reveal the presence of PRO polypeptide. The cultures containing transfected cells may undergo further incubation (in serum free medium) and the medium is tested in selected bioassays.

In an alternative technique, PRO polypeptide may be introduced into 293 cells transiently using the dextran sulfate method described by Somparyrac et al., Proc. Natl.

Acad. Sci., 12:7575 (1981). 293 cells are grown to maximal density in a spinner flask and 700 ig polypeptide DNA is added. The cells are first H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 concentrated from the spinner flask by centrifugation and washed with PBS. The DNA-dextran precipitate is incubated on the cell pellet for four hours. The cells are treated with 20% glycerol for 90 seconds, washed with tissue culture medium, and re-introduced into the spinner flask containing tissue culture medium, 5 pg/ml bovine insulin and 0.1 pg/ml bovine transferrin. After about four days, the conditioned media is centrifuged and filtered to remove cells and debris. The sample containing expressed PRO polypeptide can then be concentrated and purified by any selected method, such as dialysis and/or column chromatography.

In another embodiment, PRO polypeptides can be expressed in CHO cells. The pRK5-PRO polypeptide can be transfected into CHO cells using known reagents such as CaP0 4 or DEAE-dextran. As described above, the cell cultures can be incubated, and the medium replaced with culture medium (alone) or medium containing a radiolabel such as 35 S-methionine. After determining the presence of PRO polypeptide, the culture medium may be replaced with serum free medium. Preferably, the cultures are incubated for about 6 days, and then the conditioned medium is harvested. The medium containing the expressed PRO polypeptide can then be concentrated and purified by any selected method.

Epitope-tagged PRO polypeptide may also be expressed in host CHO cells. The PRO polypeptide may be subcloned out of the pRK5 vector. The subclone insert can undergo PCR to fuse in frame with a selected epitope tag such as a poly-his tag into a Baculovirus expression vector. The poly-his tagged PRO polypeptide insert can then be subcloned into a SV40 driven vector containing a selection marker such as DHFR for selection of stable clones. Finally, the CHO cells can be transfected (as described above) with the SV40 driven vector. Labeling may be performed, as described above, to verify H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 expression. The culture medium containing the expressed poly-His tagged PRO polypeptide can then be concentrated and purified by any selected method, such as by Ni 2 chelate affinity chromatography.

Stable expression in CHO cells was performed using the following procedure. The proteins were expressed as an IgG construct (immunoadhesin), in which the coding sequences for the soluble forms (e.g.

extracellular domains) of the respective proteins were fused to an IgG1 constant region sequence containing the hinge, CH2 and CH2 domains and/or is a poly-His tagged form.

Following PCR amplification, the respective DNAs were subcloned in a CHO expression vector using standard techniques as described in Ausubel et al., Current Protocols of Molecular Biology, Unit 3.16, John Wiley and Sons (1997). CHO expression vectors are constructed to have compatible restriction sites 5' and 3' of the DNA of interest to allow the convenient shuttling of cDNA's. The vector used expression in CHO cells is as described in Lucas et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 24: 9 (1774-1779 (1996), and uses the SV40 early promoter/enhancer to drive expression of the cDNA of interest and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). DHFR expression permits selection for stable maintenance of the plasmid following transfection.

Twelve micrograms of the desired plasmid DNA were introduced into approximately 10 million CHO cells using commercially available transfection reagents Superfect® (Quiagen), Dosper® or Fugene® (Boehringer Mannheim). The cells were grown and described in Lucas et al., supra.

Approximately 3 x 10-7 cells are frozen in an ampule for further growth and production as described below.

The ampules containing the plasmid DNA were thawed by placement into water bath and mixed by vortexing. The contents were pipetted into a centrifuge tube containing 10 mLs of media and centrifuged at 1000 H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 rpm for 5 minutes. The supernatant was aspirated and the cells were resuspended in 10 mL of selective media (0.2 Am filtered PS20 with 5% 0.2 Am diafiltered fetal bovine serum). The cells were then aliquoted into a 100 mL spinner containing 90 mL of selective media. After 1-2 days, the cells were transferred into a 250 mL spinner filled with 150 mL selective growth medium and incubated at 37 0 C. After another 2-3 days, a 250 mL, 500 mL and 2000 mL spinners were seeded with 3 x 10 5 cells/mL. The cell media was exchanged with fresh media by centrifugation and resuspension in production medium. Although any suitable CHO media may be employed, a production medium described in US Patent No. 5,122,469, issued June 16, 1992 was actually used. 3L production spinner is seeded at 1.2 x 106 cells/mL. On day 0, the cell number pH were determined. On day 1, the spinner was sampled and sparging with filtered air was commenced. On day 2, the spinner was sampled, the temperature shifted to 33 0 C, and mL of 500 g/L glucose and 0.6 mL of 10% antifoam 35% polydimethylsiloxane emulsion, Dow Corning 365 Medical Grade Emulsion). Throughout the production, pH was adjusted as necessary to keep at around 7.2. After days, or until viability dropped below 70%, the cell culture was harvested by centrifugtion and filtering through a 0.22 Am filter. The filtrate was either stored at 4 0 C or immediately loaded onto columns for purification.

For the poly-His tagged constructs, the proteins were purified using a Ni-NTA column (Qiagen). Before purification, imidazole was added to the conditioned media to a concentration of 5 mM. The conditioned media was pumped onto a 6 ml Ni-NTA column equilibrated in 20 mM Hepes, pH 7.4, buffer containing 0.3 M NaC1 and 5 mM imidazole at a flow rate of 4-5 ml/min. at 4 0 C. After loading, the column was washed with additional equilibration buffer and the protein eluted with equilibration buffer containing 0.25 M imidazole. The H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 highly purified protein was subsequently desalted into a storage buffer containing 10 mM Hepes, 0.14 M NaCI and 4% mannitol, pH 6.8, with a 25 ml G25 Superfine (Pharmacia) column and stored at -80 0

C.

Immunoadhesin (Fc containing) constructs of were purified from the conditioned media as follows. The conditioned medium was pumped onto a 5 ml Protein A column (Pharmacia) which had been equilibrated in 20 mM Na phosphate buffer, pH 6.8. After loading, the column was washed extensively with equilibration buffer before elution with 100 mM citric acid, pH 3.5. The eluted protein was immediately neutralized by collecting 1 ml fractions into tubes containing 275 AL of 1 M Tris buffer, pH 9. The highly purified protein was subsequently desalted into storage buffer as described above for the poly-His tagged proteins. The homogeneity was assessed by SDS polyacrylamide gels and by N-terminal amino acid sequencing by Edman degradation.

EXAMPLE 8: Expression of PRO Polypeptides in Yeast The following method describes recombinant expression of a desired PRO polypeptide in yeast.

First, yeast expression vectors are constructed for intracellular production or secretion of PRO polypeptides from the ADH2/GAPDH promoter. DNA encoding a desired PRO polypeptide, a selected signal peptide and the promoter is inserted into suitable restriction enzyme sites in the selected plasmid to direct intracellular expression of the PRO polypeptide. For secretion, DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide can be cloned into the selected plasmid, together with DNA encoding the ADH2/GAPDH promoter, the yeast alpha-factor secretory signal/leader sequence, and linker sequences (if needed) for expression of the PRO polypeptide.

Yeast cells, such as yeast strain AB110, can then be transformed with the expression plasmids described H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/D2 above and cultured in selected fermentation media. The transformed yeast supernatants can be analyzed by precipitation with 10% trichloroacetic acid and separation by SDS-PAGE, followed by staining of the gels with Coomassie Blue stain.

Recombinant PRO polypeptide can subsequently be isolated and purified by removing the yeast cells from the fermentation medium by centrifugation and then concentrating the medium using selected cartridge filters.

The concentrate containing the PRO polypeptide may further be purified using selected column chromatography resins.

EXAMPLE 9: Expression of PRO Polypeptides in Baculovirus- Infected Insect Cells The following method describes recombinant expression of PRO polypeptides in Baculovirus-infected insect cells.

The desired PRO polypeptide is fused upstream of an epitope tag contained with a baculovirus expression vector. Such epitope tags include poly-his tags and immunoglobulin tags (like Fc regions of IgG). A variety of plasmids may be employed, including plasmids derived from commercially available plasmids such as pVL1393 (Novagen). Briefly, the PRO polypeptide or the desired portion of the PRO polypeptide (such as the sequence encoding the extracellular domain of a transmembrane protein) is amplified by PCR with primers complementary to the 5' and 3' regions. The 5' primer may incorporate flanking (selected) restriction enzyme sites. The product is then digested with those selected restriction enzymes and subcloned into the expression vector.

Recombinant baculovirus is generated by cotransfecting the above plasmid and BaculoGold T M virus DNA (Pharmingen) into Spodoptera frugiperda cells (ATCC CRL 1711) using lipofectin (commercially available from GIBCO-BRL). After 4-5 days of incubation at 28 0 C, the H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 released viruses are harvested and used for further amplifications. Viral infection and protein expression is performed as described by O'Reilley et al., Baculovirus expression vectors: A laboratory Manual, Oxford: Oxford University Press (1994).

Expressed poly-his tagged PRO polypeptide can then be purified, for example, by Ni 2 -chelate affinity chromatography as follows. Extracts are prepared from recombinant virus-infected Sf9 cells as described by Rupert et al., Nature, 362:175-179 (1993). Briefly, Sf9 cells are washed, resuspended in sonication buffer (25 mL Hepes, pH 7.9; 12.5 mM MgC12; 0.1 mM EDTA; 10% Glycerol; 0.1% NP-40; 0.4 M KC1), and sonicated twice for 20 seconds on ice. The sonicates are cleared by centrifugation, and the supernatant is diluted 50-fold in loading buffer mM phosphate, 300 mM NaC1, 10% Glycerol, pH 7.8) and filtered through a 0.45 Am filter. A Ni2 -NTA agarose column (commercially available from Qiagen) is prepared with a bed volume of 5 mL, washed with 25 mL of water and equilibrated with 25 mL of loading buffer. The filtered cell extract is loaded onto the column at 0.5 mL per minute. The column is washed to baseline A 280 with loading buffer, at which point fraction collection is started.

Next, the column is washed with a secondary wash buffer (50 mM phosphate; 300 mM NaC1, 10% Glycerol, pH which elutes nonspecifically bound protein. After reaching A 280 baseline again, the column is developed with a 0 to 500 mM Imidazole gradient in the secondary wash buffer. One mL fractions are collected and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and silver staining or western blot with Ni2-NTAconjugated to alkaline phosphatase (Qiagen). Fractions containing the eluted Hiso 1 -tagged PRO polypeptide are pooled and dialyzed against loading buffer.

Alternatively, purification of the IgG tagged (or Fc tagged) PRO polypeptide can be performed using known chromatography techniques, including for instance, Protein H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 A or protein G column chromatography.

In EP application No. 99912321.9, PRO polypeptides were successfully expressed in baculovirus infected Sf9 insect cells. While the expression was actually performed in a 0.5-2 L scale, it can be readily scaled up for larger 8 L) preparations. The proteins were expressed as an IgG construct (immunoadhesin), in which the protein extracellular region was fused to an IgG1 constant region sequence containing the hinge, CH2 and CH3 domains and/or in poly-His tagged forms.

For expression in baculovirus infected Sf9 cells, following PCR amplification, the respective coding sequences were subcloned into a baculovirus expression vector (pb.PH.IgG for IgG fusions and pb.PH.His.c for poly-His tagged proteins), and the vector and Baculogold® baculovirus DNA (Pharmingen) were co-transfected into 105 Spodoptera frugiperda cells (ATCC CRL 1711), using Lipofectin (Gibco BRL). pb.PH.IgG and pb.PH.His are modifications of the commercially available baculovirus expression vector pVL1393 (Pharmingen), with modified polylinker regions to include the His or Fc tag sequences.

The cells were grown in Hink's TNM-FH medium supplemented with 10% FBS (Hyclone). Cells were incubated for 5 days at 28 0 C. The supernatant was harvested and subsequently used for the first viral amplification by infecting Sf9 cells in Hink's TNM-FH medium supplemented with 10% FBS at an approximate multiplicity of infection (MOI) of Cells were incubated for 3 days at 28 0 C. The supernatant was harvested and the expression of the constructs in the baculovirus expression vector was determined by batch binding of 1 ml of supernatant to 25 mL of Ni-NTA beads (QIAGEN) for histidine tagged proteins or Protein-A Sepharose CL-4B beads (Pharmacia) for IgG tagged proteins followed by SDS-PAGE analysis comparing to a known concentration of protein standard by Coomassie blue H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 staining.

The first viral amplification supernatant was used to infect a spinner culture (500 ml) of Sf9 cells grown in ESF-921 medium (Expression Systems LLC) at an approximate MOI of 0.1. Cells were incubated for 3 days at 28 0 C. The supernatant was harvested and filtered.

Batch binding and SDS-PAGE analysis was repeated, as necessary, until expression of the spinner culture was confirmed.

The conditioned medium from the transfected cells to 3 L) was harvested by centrifugation to remove the cells and filtered through 0.22 micron filters. For the poly-His tagged constructs, the protein construct were purified using a Ni-NTA column (Qiagen). Before purification, imidazole was added to the conditioned media to a concentration of 5 mM. The conditioned media were pumped onto a 6 ml Ni-NTA column equilibrated in 20 mM Hepes, pH 7.4, buffer containing 0.3 M NaCI and 5 mM imidazole at a flow rate of 4-5 ml/min. at 4 0 C. After loading, the column was washed with additional equilibration buffer and the protein eluted with equilibration buffer containing 0.25 M imidazole. The highly purified protein was subsequently desalted into a storage buffer containing 10 mM Hepes, 0.14 M NaC1 and 4% mannitol, pH 6.8, with a 25 ml G25 Superfine (Pharmacia) column and stored at -80 0

C.

Immunoadhesin (Fc containing) constructs of proteins were purified from the conditioned media as follows. The conditioned media were pumped onto a 5 ml Protein A column (Pharmacia) which had been equilibrated in 20 mM Na phosphate buffer, pH 6.8. After loading, the column was washed extensively with equilibration buffer before elution with 100 mM citric acid, pH 3.5. The eluted protein was immediately neutralized by collecting 1 ml fractions into tubes containing 275 mL of 1 M Tris buffer, pH 9. The highly purified protein was H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 subsequently desalted into storage buffer as described above for the poly-His tagged proteins. The homogeneity of the proteins was verified by SDS polyacrylamide gel (PEG) electrophoresis and N-terminal amino acid sequencing by Edman degradation.

In EP application No. 99912321.9 PRO polypeptides were successfully expressed in baculovirus infected insect cells. While the expression was actually performed in a 0.5-2 L scale, it can be readily scaled up for larger 8 L) preparations.

For expression in baculovirus-infected Hi5 insect cells, the PRO polypeptide-encoding DNA may be amplified with suitable systems, such as Pfu (Stratagene), or fused upstream of an epitope tag contained with a baculovirus expression vector. Such epitope tags include poly-his tags and immunoglobulin tags (like Fc regions of IgG). A variety of plasmids may be employed, including plasmids derived from commercially available plasmids such as pVL1393 (Novagen). Briefly, the PRO polypeptide or the desired portion of the PRO polypeptide (such as the sequence encoding the extracellular domain of a transmembrane protein) is amplified by PCR with primers complementary to the 5' and 3' regions. The 5' primer may incorporate flanking (selected) restriction enzyme sites.

The product is then digested with those selected restriction enzymes and subcloned into the expression vector. For example, derivatives of pVL1393 can include the Fc region of human IgG (pb.PH.IgG) or an 8 histidine (pb.PH.His) tag downstream the NAME sequence.

Preferably, the vector construct is sequenced for confirmation.

cells are grown to a confluency of 50% under the conditions of, 27 0 C, no CO2, NO pen/strep. For each 150 mm plate, 30 ug of pIE based vector containing PRO polypeptide is mixed with 1 ml Ex-Cell medium (Media: Ex- Cell 401 1/100 L-Glu JRH Biosciences #14401-78P (note: H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 this media is light sensitive)), and in a separate tube, 100 ul of CellFectin (CellFECTIN (GibcoBRL #10362-010) (vortexed to mix)) is mixed with 1 ml of Ex-Cell medium.

The two solutions are combined and allowed to incubate at room temperature for 15 minutes. 8 ml of Ex-Cell media is added to the 2ml of DNA/CellFECTIN mix and this is layered on Hi5 cells that have been washed once with Ex- Cell media. The plate is then incubated in darkness for 1 hour at room temperature. The DNA/CellFECTIN mix is then aspirated, and the cells are washed once with Ex-Cell to remove excess CellFECTIN. 30 ml of fresh Ex-Cell media is added and the cells are incubated for 3 days at 28 0 C. The supernatant is harvested and the expression of the PRO polypeptide in the baculovirus expression vector can be determined by batch binding of 1 ml of supernatent to mL of Ni-NTA beads (QIAGEN) for histidine tagged proteins or Protein-A Sepharose CL-4B beads (Pharmacia) for IgG tagged proteins followed by SDS-PAGE analysis comparing to a known concentration of protein standard by Coomassie blue staining.

The conditioned media from the transfected cells to 3 L) is harvested by centrifugation to remove the cells and filtered through 0.22 micron filters. For the poly-His tagged constructs, the protein comprising the PRO polypeptide is purified using a Ni-NTA column (Qiagen).

Before purification, imidazole is added to the conditioned media to a concentration of 5 mM. The conditioned media is pumped onto a 6 ml Ni-NTA column equilibrated in 20 mM Hepes, pH 7.4, buffer containing 0.3 M NaCl and 5 mM imidazole at a flow rate of 4-5 ml/min. at 4 0 C. After loading, the column is washed with additional equilibration buffer and the protein eluted with equilibration buffer containing 0.25 M imidazole. The highly purified protein is subsequently deslated into a storage buffer containing 10 mM Hepes, 0.14 M NaCl and 4% mannitol, pH 6.8, with a 25 ml G25 Superfine (Pharmacia) H \RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 100 column and stored at -80 0

C.

Immunoadhesin (Fc containing) constructs of proteins are purified from the conditioned media as follows. The conditioned media is pumped onto a 5 ml Protein A column (Pharmacia) which had been equilibrated in 20 mM Na phosphate buffer, pH 6.8. After loading, the column is washed extensively with equilibration buffer before elution with 100 mM citric acid, pH 3.5. The eluted protein is immediately neutralized by collecting 1 ml fractions into tubes containing 275 mL of 1 M Tris buffer, pH 9. The highly purified protein is subsequently desalted into storage buffer as described above for the poly-His tagged proteins. The homogeneity of PRO polypeptide can be assessed by SDS polyacrylamide gels and by N-terminal amino acid sequencing by Edman degradation and other analytical procedures as desired or necessary.

EXAMPLE 10: Preparation of Antibodies that Bind to PRO Polypeptides This example illustrates preparation of monoclonal antibodies which can specifically bind to a PRO polypeptide.

Techniques for producing the monoclonal antibodies are known in the art and are described, for instance, in Goding, supra. Immunogens that may be employed include purified PRO polypeptide, fusion proteins containing the PRO polypeptide, and cells expressing recombinant PRO polypeptide on the cell surface.

Selection of the immunogen can be made by the skilled artisan without undue experimentation.

Mice, such as Balb/c, are immunized with the PRO polypeptide immunogen emulsified in complete Freund's adjuvant and injected subcutaneously or intraperitoneally in an amount from 1-100 micrograms. Alternatively, the immunogen is emulsified in MPL-TDM adjuvant (Ribi Immunochemical Research, Hamilton, MT) and injected into H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 the animal's hind foot pads. The immunized mice are then boosted 10 to 12 days later with additional immunogen emulsified in the selected adjuvant. Thereafter, for several weeks, the mice may also be boosted with additional immunization injections. Serum samples may be periodically obtained from the mice by retro-orbital bleeding for testing in ELISA assays to detect anti-PRO polypeptide antibodies.

After a suitable antibody titer has been detected, the animals "positive" for antibodies can be injected with a final intravenous injection of PRO polypeptide. Three to four days later, the mice are sacrificed and the spleen cells are harvested. The spleen cells are then fused (using 35% polyethylene glycol) to a selected murine myeloma cell line such as P3X63AgU.1, available from ATCC, No. CRL 1597. The fusions generate hybridoma cells which can then be plated in 96 well tissue culture plates containing HAT (hypoxanthine, aminopterin, and thymidine) medium to inhibit proliferation of nonfused cells, myeloma hybrids, and spleen cell hybrids.

The hybridoma cells will be screened in an ELISA for reactivity against the PRO polypeptide. Determination of "positive" hybridoma cells secreting the desired monoclonal antibodies against the PRO polypeptide is within the skill in the art.

The positive hybridoma cells can be injected intraperitoneally into syngeneic Balb/c mice to produce ascites containing the anti-PRO polypeptide monoclonal antibodies. Alternatively, the hybridoma cells can be grown in tissue culture flasks or roller bottles.

Purification of the monoclonal antibodies produced in the ascites can be accomplished using ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by gel exclusion chromatography.

Alternatively, affinity chromatography based upon binding of antibody to protein A or protein G can be employed.

H:\RBell\Keep\p46467.dOC 02/12/02 102 EXAMPLE 11: Chimeric PRO Polypeptides PRO polypeptides may be expressed as chimeric proteins with one or more additional polypeptide domains added to facilitate protein purification. Such purification facilitating domains include, but are not limited to, metal chelating peptides such as histidine-tryptophan modules that allow purification on immobilized metals, protein A domains that allow purification on immobilized immunoglobulin, and the domain utilized in the FLAGS T extension/affinity purification system (Immunex Corp., Seattle Wash.). The inclusion of a cleavable linker sequence such as Factor XA or enterokinase (Invitrogen, San Diego Calif.) between the purification domain and the PRO polypeptide sequence may be useful to facilitate expression of DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide.

EXAMPLE 12: Purification of PRO Polypeptides Using Specific Antibodies Native or recombinant PRO polypeptides may be purified by a variety of standard techniques in the art of protein purification. For example, pro-PRO polypeptide, mature PRO polypeptide, or pre-PRO polypeptide is purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using antibodies specific for the PRO polypeptide of interest. In general, an immunoaffinity column is constructed by covalently coupling the anti-PRO polypeptide antibody to an activated chromatographic resin.

Polyclonal immunoglobulins are prepared from immune sera either by precipitation with ammonium sulfate or by purification on immobilized Protein A (Pharmacia LKB Biotechnology, Piscataway, Likewise, monoclonal antibodies are prepared from mouse ascites fluid by ammonium sulfate precipitation or chromatography on immobilized Protein A. Partially purified immunoglobulin is covalently attached to a chromatographic resin such as H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 103 CnBr-activated SEPHAROSEh (Pharmacia LKB Biotechnology).

The antibody is coupled to the resin, the resin is blocked, and the derivative resin is washed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Such an immunoaffinity column is utilized in the purification of PRO polypeptide by preparing a fraction from cells containing PRO polypeptide in a soluble form.

This preparation is derived by solubilization of the whole cell or of a subcellular fraction obtained via differential centrifugation by the addition of detergent or by other methods well known in the art. Alternatively, soluble PRO polypeptide containing a signal sequence may be secreted in useful quantity into the medium in which the cells are grown.

A soluble PRO polypeptide-containing preparation is passed over the immunoaffinity column, and the column is washed under conditions that allow the preferential absorbance of PRO polypeptide high ionic strength buffers in the presence of detergent). Then, the column is eluted under conditions that disrupt antibody/PRO polypeptide binding a low pH buffer such as approximately pH 2-3, or a high concentration of a chaotrope such as urea or thiocyanate ion), and PRO polypeptide is collected.

EXAMPLE 13: Drug Screening This invention is particularly useful for screening compounds by using PRO polypeptides or binding fragment thereof in any of a variety of drug screening techniques. The PRO polypeptide or fragment employed in such a test may either be free in solution, affixed to a solid support, borne on a cell surface, or located intracellularly. One method of drug screening utilizes eukaryotic or prokaryotic host cells which are stably transformed with recombinant nucleic acids expressing the PRO polypeptide or fragment. Drugs are screened against H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 104 such transformed cells in competitive binding assays.

Such cells, either in viable or fixed form, can be used for standard binding assays. One may measure, for example, the formation of complexes between PRO polypeptide or a fragment and the agent being tested. Alternatively, one can examine the diminution in complex formation between the PRO polypeptide and its target cell or target receptors caused by the agent being tested.

Thus, the present invention provides methods of screening for drugs or any other agents which can affect a PRO polypeptide-associated disease or disorder. These methods comprise contacting such an agent with an PRO polypeptide or fragment thereof and assaying for the presence of a complex between the agent and the PRO polypeptide or fragment, or (ii) for the presence of a complex between the PRO polypeptide or fragment and the cell, by methods well known in the art. In such competitive binding assays, the PRO polypeptide or fragment is typically labeled. After suitable incubation, free PRO polypeptide or fragment is separated from that present in bound form, and the amount of free or uncomplexed label is a measure of the ability of the particular agent to bind to PRO polypeptide or to interfere with the PRO polypeptide/cell complex.

Another technique for drug screening provides high throughput screening for compounds having suitable binding affinity to a polypeptide and is described in detail in WO 84/03564, published on September 13, 1984.

Briefly stated, large numbers of different small peptide test compounds are synthesized on a solid substrate, such as plastic pins or some other surface. As applied to a PRO polypeptide, the peptide test compounds are reacted with PRO polypeptide and washed. Bound PRO polypeptide is detected by methods well known in the art. Purified PRO polypeptide can also be coated directly onto plates for use in the aforementioned drug screening techniques. In H;\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 105 addition, non-neutralizing antibodies can be used to capture the peptide and immobilize it on the solid support.

This invention also contemplates the use of competitive drug screening assays in which neutralizing antibodies capable of binding PRO polypeptide specifically compete with a test compound for binding to PRO polypeptide or fragments thereof. In this manner, the antibodies can be used to detect the presence of any peptide which shares one or more antigenic determinants with PRO polypeptide.

EXAMPLE 14: Rational Drug Design The goal of rational drug design is to produce structural analogs of biologically active polypeptide of interest a PRO polypeptide) or of small molecules with which they interact, agonists, antagonists, or inhibitors. Any of these examples can be used to fashion drugs which are more active or stable forms of the PRO polypeptide or which enhance or interfere with the function of the PRO polypeptide in vivo Hodgson, Bio/Technology, 9: 19-21 (1991)).

In one approach, the three-dimensional structure of the PRO polypeptide, or of an PRO polypeptide-inhibitor complex, is determined by x-ray crystallography, by computer modeling or, most typically, by a combination of the two approaches. Both the shape and charges of the PRO polypeptide must be ascertained to elucidate the structure and to determine active site(s) of the molecule. Less often, useful information regarding the structure of the PRO polypeptide may be gained by modeling based on the structure of homologous proteins. In both cases, relevant structural information is used to design analogous PRO polypeptide-like molecules or to identify efficient inhibitors. Useful examples of rational drug design may include molecules which have improved activity or H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 106 stability as shown by Braxton and Wells, Biochemistry, 31:7796-7801 (1992) or which act as inhibitors, agonists, or antagonists of native peptides as shown by Athauda et al., J. Biochem., 113:742-746 (1993).

It is also possible to isolate a target-specific antibody, selected by functional assay, as described above, and then to solve its crystal structure. This approach, in principle, yields a pharmacore upon which subsequent drug design can be based. It is possible to bypass protein crystallography altogether by generating anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-ids) to a functional, pharmacologically active antibody. As a mirror image of a mirror image, the binding site of the anti-ids would be expected to be an analog of the original receptor. The anti-id could then be used to identify and isolate peptides from banks of chemically or biologically produced peptides. The isolated peptides would then act as the pharmacore.

By virtue of the present invention, sufficient amounts of the PRO polypeptide may be made available to perform such analytical studies as X-ray crystallography.

In addition, knowledge of the PRO polypeptide amino acid sequence provided herein will provide guidance to those employing computer modeling techniques in place of or in addition to x-ray crystallography.

EXAMPLE 15: Gene Amplification This example shows that genes encoding various PRO polypeptides are amplified in the genome of certain human cancers. Amplification is associated with overexpression of the gene product, indicating that the PRO polypeptide is a useful target for therapeutic intervention in certain cancers such as colon, lung and other cancers. Therapeutic agent may take the form of antagonists of PRO polypeptide-encoding genes, for example, murine-human chimeric, humanized or human H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 107 antibodies against the PRO polypeptide.

The starting material for the screen was genomic DNA isolated from a variety cancers. The DNA is quantitated precisely, fluorometrically. As a negative control, DNA was isolated from the cells of ten normal healthy individuals which was pooled and used as assay controls for the gene copy in healthy individuals (NorHu).

The 5' nuclease assay (for example, TaqMan

T

and real-time quantitative PCR (for example, ABI Prizm 7700 Sequence Detection System T (Perkin Elmer, Applied Biosystems Division, Foster City, were used to find genes potentially amplified in certain cancers. The results were used to determine whether the DNA encoding the PRO polypeptide is over-represented in any of the lung and colon cancers that were screened. The result was reported in Delta CT units. One unit corresponds 1 PCR cycle or approximately a 2-fold amplification relative to normal, two units corresponds to 4-fold, 3 units to 8-fold and so on. Quantitation was obtained using primers and a Taqman T fluorescent derived from the PRO polypeptideencoding gene. Regions of the PRO polypeptide which are most likely to contain unique nucleic acid sequences and which are least likely to have spliced out introns are preferred for the primer derivation, 3'-untranslated region.

The 5' nuclease assay reaction is a fluorescent PCR-based technique which makes use of the 5' exonuclease activity of Taq DNA polymerase enzyme to monitor amplification in real time. Two oligonucleotide primers are used to generate an amplicon typical of a PCR reaction. A third oligonucleotide, or probe, is designed to detect nucleotide sequence located between the two PCR primers. The probe is non-extendible by Taq DNA polymerase enzyme, and is labeled with a reporter fluorescent dye and a quencher fluorescent dye. Any H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 108 laser-induced emission from the reporter dye is quenched by the quenching dye when the two dyes are located close together as they are on the probe. During the amplification reaction, the probe is cleaved by the Taq DNA polymerase enzyme in a template-dependent manner. The resultant probe fragments disassociate in solution, and signal from the released reporter dye is free from the quenching effect of the second fluorophore. One molecule of reporter dye is liberated for each new molecule synthesized, and detection of the unquenched reporter dye provides the basis for quantitative interpretation of the data.

The 5' nuclease procedure is run on a real-time quantitative PCR device such as the ABI Prism 7700TM Sequence Detection. The system consists of a thermocyler, laser, charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and computer.

The system amplifies samples in a 96-well format on a thermocycler. During amplification, laser-induced fluorescent signal is collected in real-time through fiber optics cables for all 96 wells, and detected at the CCD.

The system includes software for running the intrument and for analyzing the data.

Nuclease assay data are initially expressed as Ct, or the threshold cycle. This is defined as the cycle at which the reporter signal accumulates above the background level of fluorescence. The Ct values are used as quantitative measurement of the relative number of starting copies of a particular target sequence in a nucleic acid sample.

Genes encoding the PRO213-1 polypeptides were found to be amplified in the above assay.

EXAMPLE 16: In situ Hybridization In situ hybridization is a powerful and versatile technique for the detection and localization of nucleic acid sequences within cell or tissue preparations. It may H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 109 be useful, for example, to identify sites of gene expression, analyze the tissue distribution of transcription, identify and localize viral infection, follow changes in specific mRNA synthesis and aid in chromosome mapping.

In situ hybridization was performed following an optimized version of the protocol by Lu and Gillett, Cell Vision 1:169-176 (1994), using PCR-generated 33P-labeled riboprobes. Briefly, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded human tissues were sectioned, deparaffinized, deproteinated in proteinase K (20 g/ml) for 15 minutes at 37 0 C, and further processed for in situ hybridization as described by Lu and Gillett, supra. A [33_p] UTP-labeled antisense riboprobe was generated from a PCR product and hybridized at 55 0 C overnight. The slides were dipped in Kodak NTB2 nuclear track emulsion and exposed for 4 weeks.

33 P-Riboprobe synthesis l (125 mCi) of 33 P-UTP (Amersham BF 1002, SA<2000 Ci/mmol) were speed vac dried. To each tube containing dried 33 P-UTP, the following ingredients were added: Al 5x transcription buffer Al DTT (100 mM) A1 NTP mix (2.5 mM 10 A; each of 10 mM GTP, CTP ATP 10 il H 2 0) 1.0 il UTP (50 AM) Al Rnasin pl DNA template (lsg) Al H 2 0 Al RNA polymerase (for PCR products T3 AS, T7 S, usually) The tubes were incubated at 37 0 C for one hour.

Al RQ1 DNase were added, followed by incubation at 37 0

C

for 15 minutes. 90 Al TE (10 mM Tris pH 7.6/1mM EDTA pH were added, and the mixture was pipetted onto DE81 paper. The remaining solution was loaded in a ultrafiltration unit, and spun using program H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 110 (6 minutes). The filtration unit was inverted over a second tube and spun using program 2 (3 minutes). After the final recovery spin, 100 pl TE were added. 1 gl of the final product was pipetted on DE81 paper and counted in 6 ml of Biofluor II.

The probe was run on a TBE/urea gel. 1-3 gl of the probe or 5 gl of RNA Mrk III were added to 3 gl of loading buffer. After heating on a 95 0 C heat block for three minutes, the gel was immediately placed on ice. The wells of gel were flushed, the sample loaded, and run at 180-250 volts for 45 minutes. The gel was wrapped in saran wrap and exposed to XAR film with an intensifying screen in -70 0 C freezer one hour to overnight.

"P-Hybridization A. Pretreatment of frozen sections The slides were removed from the freezer, placed on aluminium trays and thawed at room temperature for minutes. The trays were placed in 55°C incubator for five minutes to reduce condensation. The slides were fixed for 10 minutes in 4% paraformaldehyde on ice in the fume hood, and washed in 0.5 x SSC for 5 minutes, at room temperature (25 ml 20 x SSC 975 ml SQ H 2 After deproteination in 0.5 Ag/ml proteinase K for 10 minutes at 37 0 C (12.5 ~l of 10 mg/ml stock in 250 ml prewarmed RNasefree RNAse buffer), the sections were washed in 0.5 x SSC for 10 minutes at room temperature. The sections were dehydrated in 70%, 95%, 100% ethanol, 2 minutes each.

B. Pretreatment of paraffin-embedded sections The slides were deparaffinized, placed in SQ H 2 0, and rinsed twice in 2 x SSC at room temperature, for minutes each time. The sections were deproteinated in Ag/ml proteinase K (500 A1 of 10 mg/ml in 250 ml RNasefree RNase buffer; 37 0 C, 15 minutes) human embryo, or 8 x proteinase K (100 gl in 250 ml Rnase buffer, 37 0

C,

30 minutes) formalin tissues. Subsequent rinsing in x SSC and dehydration were performed as described H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 111 above.

C. Prehybridization The slides were laid out in a plastic box lined with Box buffer (4 x SSC, 50% formamide) saturated filter paper. The tissue was covered with 50 pl of hybridization buffer (3.75g Dextran Sulfate 6 ml SQ H 2 0), vortexed and heated in the microwave for 2 minutes with the cap loosened. After cooling on ice, 18.75 ml formamide, 3.75 ml 20 x SSC and 9 ml SQ H 2 0 were added, the tissue was vortexed well, and incubated at 42 0 C for 1-4 hours.

D. Hybridization x 106 cpm probe and 1.0 1l tRNA (50 mg/ml stock) per slide were heated at 95C for 3 minutes. The slides were cooled on ice, and 48 Al hybridization buffer were added per slide. After vortexing, 50 l 33 P mix were added to 50 pl prehybridization on slide. The slides were incubated overnight at 55 0

C.

E. Washes Washing was done 2 x 10 minutes with 2xSSC, EDTA at room temperature (400 ml 20 x SSC 16 ml 0.25M EDTA, Vf=4L), followed by RNaseA treatment at 37 0 C for 30 minutes (500 gl of 10 mg/ml in 250 ml Rnase buffer 20 gg/ml), The slides were washed 2 x 10 minutes with 2 x SSC, EDTA at room temperature. The stringency wash conditions were as follows: 2 hours at 55 0 C, 0.1 x SSC, EDTA (20 ml 20 x SSC 16 ml EDTA, Vf=4L).

F. Oligonucleotides In situ analysis was performed on a variety of DNA sequences disclosed herein. The oligonucleotides employed for these analyses were derived from the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein and generally range from about 40 to 55 nucleotides in length.

H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 112 G. Results In situ analysis was performed on a variety of DNA sequences disclosed herein. The results from these analyses are as follows.

DNA64907-1163 (PR01330) In human fetal tissues there was strong specific expression over artrerial, venous, capillary and sinusoidal endothelium in all tissues examined, except for fetal brain. In normal adult tissues expression was low to absent, but when present appeared expression was confined to the vasculature. Highest expression in adult tissues was observed regionally in vessels running within the white matter of rhesus brain the significance of this pattern is unclear. Elevated expression observed in vasculature of many inflamed and diseased tissues, including tumor vasculature. In some of these tissues it was unclear if expression was soley confined to vascular endothelium. In the 15 lung tumors examined no expression was seen over the malignant epithelium, however, vascular expression was observed in many of the tumors and adjacent lung tissue. Moderate, apparently non-specific background, was seen with this probe over hyalinised collagen and sites of tissue necrosis. In the abscence of a sense control, however, it is not possible to be absolutely certain that all of this signal is nonspecific. Some signal, also thought to be non-specific, was seen over the chimp gastric mucosa, transitional cell epithelium of human adult bladder and fetal retina.

Deposit of Material The following materials have been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, MD, USA (ATCC): H:\RBell\Keep\P46467.doc 02/12/02 113 Material ATCC Dep. No. Deposit Date DNA30943-1-1163-1 ATCC 209791 April 21, 1998 DNA64907-1163-1 ATCC 203242 September 9, 1998 DNA64908-1163-1 ATCC 203243 September 9, 1998 These deposits were made under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purpose of Patent Procedure and the Regulations thereunder (Budapest Treaty). This assures maintenance of a viable culture of the deposit for 30 years from the date of deposit. The deposits will be made available by ATCC under the terms of the Budapest Treaty, and subject to an agreement between Genentech, Inc. and ATCC, which assures permanent and unrestricted availability of the progeny of the culture of the deposit to the public upon issuance of the pertinent U.S. patent or upon laying open to the public of any U.S.

or foreign patent application, whichever comes first, and assures availability of the progeny to one determined by the U.S. Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks to be entitled thereto according to 35 USC 122 and the Commissioner's rules pursuant thereto (including 37 CFR 1.14 with particular reference to 886 OG 638).

The assignee of the present application has agreed that if a culture of the materials on deposit should die or be lost or destroyed when cultivated under suitable conditions, the materials will be promptly replaced on notification with another of the same.

Availability of the deposited material is not to be construed as a license to practice the invention in contravention of the rights granted under the authority of any government in accordance with its patent laws.

The foregoing written specification is considered to be sufficient to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. The present invention is not to be limited in scope by the construct deposited, since the H:\RBell\Keep\P46467 .doc 02/12/02 114 deposited embodiment is intended as a single illustration of certain aspects of the invention and any constructs that are functionally equivalent are within the scope of this invention. The deposit of material herein does not constitute an admission that the written description herein contained is inadequate to enable the practice of any aspect of the invention, including the best mode thereof, nor is it to be construed as limiting the scope of the claims to the specific illustrations that it represents. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

H :\RBell\Keep\P46467 .doc 02/12/02 File Note Gene Sequence has been submitted by CD ROM

Claims (26)

1. 2. A nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, which comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of the sequences shown in Figure 3 (SEQ ID NO:505), Figure 5 (SEQ ID NO:507), and Figure 7 (SEQ ID NO:509).
2. 3. A nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 or claim 2, which comprises a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of the full-length coding sequences shown in Figure 3 (SEQ ID NO:505), Figure 5 (SEQ ID NO:507), and Figure 7 (SEQ ID NO:509).
3. 4. An isolated nucleic acid molecule which comprises the full-length coding sequence of the DNA deposited under accession number ATCC 209791, ATCC 203242, or ATCC 203243. A nucleic acid molecule which is antisense to a nucleic acid molecule of any of one of claims 1 to 4.
4. 6. A nucleic acid molecule which hybridises under stringent conditions to the complement of a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to
5. 7. A vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to 6. H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 S- 116 O 8. A vector of claim 7, wherein said nucleic acid Smolecule is operably linked to control sequences recognized by a host cell transformed with the vector. 00
6. 9. A host cell comprising a vector of claim 7 or claim 8. 00 00 A host cell of claim 9, wherein said cell is a c CHO cell, an E. coli or a yeast cell. C 0 0 11. A process for producing PR0213-1, PR01330, and PR01449 polypeptides, comprising culturing a host cell of claim 9 or claim 10 under conditions suitable for expression of said polypeptide and recovering said polypeptide from the cell culture.
7. 12. An isolated native sequence polypeptide having at least 80% sequence identity to an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of the amino acid sequences shown in Figure 4 (SEQ ID NO:506), Figure 6 (SEQ ID NO:508), and Figure 8 (SEQ ID NO:510).
8. 13. An isolated polypeptide having at least sequence identity to the amino acid sequence encoded by the nucleotides deposited under accession numbers ATCC 209791, ATCC 203242, or ATCC 203243.
9. 14. A chimeric molecule comprising a polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13, fused to a heterologous amino acid sequence. A chimeric molecule of claim 14, wherein said heterologous amino acid sequence is an epitope tag sequence.
10. 16. A chimeric molecule of claim 14, wherein said heterologous amino acid sequence is a Fc region of an HR\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 117 immunoglobulin. C-
11. 17. An isolated nucleic acid molecule of any one of 00 claims 1 to 6, or a polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13, for use in a method of medical treatment. 00 00 18. An isolated nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to 6 or 17, or a polypeptide of any one of claims c 12, 13 or 17, for use in inhibiting tumour cell growth. C
12. 19. An antibody which specifically binds to a polypeptide of any one of claims 12, 13, 17 or 18. An antibody of claim 19, wherein said antibody is a humanised antibody.
13. 21. An antibody of claim 19 or claim 20, wherein said antibody is a monoclonal antibody.
14. 22. An antibody of any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein said antibody is a chimeric antibody.
15. 26. An antibody of any one of claims 19 to 22, for use in a method of medical treatment. 24. An antibody of any one of claims 19 to 23, for use in the treatment of neoplastic cell growth. A method of treating neoplastic cell growth, comprising the step of administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to 6, 17 or 18, a polypeptide of any one of claims 12, 13, 17 or 18, and/or an antibody of any one of claims 19 to 24. 26. A method of inhibiting tumour cell growth, comprising the step of administering to a patient in need H;\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 118 Othereof an effective amount of a nucleic acid molecule of Sany one of claims 1 to 6, 17 or 18, a polypeptide of any one of claims 12, 13, 17 or 18, and/or an antibody of any 00 one of claims 19 to 23.
16. 27. A use of a nucleic acid molecule of any one of 00 00 claims 1 to 6, 17 or 18, a polypeptide of any one of claims 12, 13, 17 or 18, and/or an antibody of any one of Sclaims 19 to 24 in the preparation of a medicament for the C1 10 treatment of neoplastic cell growth.
17. 28. Use of an isolated nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to 6, 17 or 18, a polypeptide of any one of claims 12, 13, 17 or 18, and/or an antibody of any one of claims 19 to 23, in the preparation of a medicament for the inhibition of tumour cell growth.
18. 29. A composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to 6, 17 or 18, a polypeptide of any one of claims 12, 13, 17 or 18, and/or an antibody of any one of claims 19 to 24, in admixture with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A method for determining the presence of a polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13, comprising exposing a cell suspected of containing said polypeptide to an antibody of any one of claims 19 to 24 and determining binding of the antibody to the cell.
19. 31. A method of diagnosing tumour in a mammal, comprising detecting the level of expression of a gene encoding a polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13, in a test sample of tissue cell from the mammal and in a control sample of known normal tissue cells of the same cell type, wherein a higher expression level in the test sample indicates the presence of tumour in the mammal from which the test tissue cells were obtained. H:\roChb\Keep\2002330288 .doc 18/04/05 119
20. 32. A method of diagnosing tumour in a mammal, comprising contacting an antibody of any one of claims 00 19 to 23 with a test sample of tissue cells obtained from the mammal, and detecting the formation in the test sample of a complex between the antibody and a polypeptide 00 00 of claim 12 or claim 13. c-I M33. A method of claim 32, wherein the detection is CI 10 performed in comparison with monitoring the complex formation in a control sample of known normal tissue cells of the same cell type, a larger quantity of complexes formed in the test sample indicating the presence of tumor in the mammal from which the test tissue cells were obtained.
21. 34. A method of any one of claims 30, 32 or 33, wherein the antibody carries a detectable label.
22. 35. A cancer diagnostic kit, comprising an antibody of any one of claims 19 to 24 and a carrier in suitable packaging, together with instructions for using the antibody to detect a polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13.
23. 36. An article of manufacture, comprising: a container; a label on the container; and a composition comprising an active agent contained within the container, wherein the composition is effective for inhibiting the growth of tumour cells, the label on the container indicates that the composition can be used for treating conditions characterized by overexpression of a polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13, and the active agent in the composition is an isolated nucleic acid of any one of claims 1 to 6, 17 or 18, or an antibody of any one of claims 19 to 24. H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05 120
24. 37. A method for identifying a compound capable of inhibiting the expression and/or activity of a polypeptide 00 of claim 12 or claim 13, comprising contacting a candidate compound with a said polypeptide under conditions and for a time sufficient to allow these two components to 00 interact. N 0 M 38. A method of claim 37, wherein either the CI 10 candidate compound or said polypeptide is immobilized on a solid support. (N
25. 39. A method of claim 38, wherein the non-immobilized component carries a detectable label. An isolated nucleic acid molecule of any one of claims 1 to 6, substantially as herein described with reference to any of the examples or figures..
26. 41. An isolated polypeptide of claim 12 or claim 13, substantially as herein described with reference to any of the examples or figures. Dated this 18 th day of April 2005 GENENTECH, INC. By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK Fellows Institute of Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys of Australia H:\rochb\Keep\2002330288.doc 18/04/05