Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
  • C07K—PEPTIDES
  • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
  • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
  • C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P21/00—Drugs for disorders of the muscular or neuromuscular system
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P21/00—Drugs for disorders of the muscular or neuromuscular system
  • A61P21/02—Muscle relaxants, e.g. for tetanus or cramps
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/04—Centrally acting analgesics, e.g. opioids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/08—Antiepileptics; Anticonvulsants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/14—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system for treating abnormal movements, e.g. chorea, dyskinesia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/14—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system for treating abnormal movements, e.g. chorea, dyskinesia
  • A61P25/16—Anti-Parkinson drugs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/18—Antipsychotics, i.e. neuroleptics; Drugs for mania or schizophrenia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/24—Antidepressants
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/28—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system for treating neurodegenerative disorders of the central nervous system, e.g. nootropic agents, cognition enhancers, drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/30—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system for treating abuse or dependence
  • A61P25/34—Tobacco-abuse
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
  • A61P25/30—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system for treating abuse or dependence
  • A61P25/36—Opioid-abuse
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P29/00—Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P3/00—Drugs for disorders of the metabolism
  • A61P3/04—Anorexiants; Antiobesity agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
  • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
  • A61P9/10—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K38/00—Medicinal preparations containing peptides

Definitions

• This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by them and to the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides, and to their production. More particularly, the polypeptides of the present invention is a sodium channel receptor, hereinafter referred to as hSLNACl .
• the mdeg and epithelial sodium channel family is a recent family of proteins composed of the homomeric or multimeric assembly of two transmembrane domain polypeptides to form a sodium channel (Renard S. et al (1994) J. Biol . Chem. 269/17 ppl2981-12986 ; Lingueglia E.et al (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269/19, 13736-13739 ; Renard S., et al (1995) Pfl ⁇ gers Archiv- Eur. J. Physiol 430,299-307 ; Lingueglia et al (1995) Nature 378, 730-733 ; aldmann et al (1996) J. Biol. Chem.
• Agonists or antagonists may be used, for example, to treat neuronal degenerescence problems, hyperalgesia, Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, inflammation, pain, cancer, obesity, to mimic or antagonize effect of some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system, such as for instance opioids or anti-opio ⁇ ds, to alter gustative perception, to cause analgesia or anesthesia, or to diagnose or treat any disorder related to abnormal expression of this protein.
• some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system such as for instance opioids or anti-opio ⁇ ds, to alter gustative perception, to cause analgesia or anesthesia, or to diagnose or treat any disorder related to abnormal expression of this protein.
• the present inventors have found a new class of sodium channel protein. This new subunit may be responsible for some nervous system transmissions, disorders or may be a target to regulate some transmissions linked to various pathologies .
• a novel mature polypeptide which is a sodium channel, as well as fragments, analogs or derivatives.
• the polypeptide of the present invention is of human origin.
• polynucleotides which encode such polypeptide.
• the invention relates to methods to identify agonists and antagonists using the materials provided by the invention, and treating conditions associated with hSLNACl imbalance with said identified compounds.
• Yet another aspect of the invention relates to diagnostic assays for detecting diseases associated with inappropriate hSLNACl activity or levels.
• Figure 1 illustrates the phylogenic relationship between hSLNACl and other members of this sodium channel family.
• the length of each pair of branches represents the distance between sequence pairs. Alignment was performed with the clustal algorythm of MEGALIGN (version 3.10a ) from DNASTAR.
• Figure 2 shows an aminoacid sequence comparison of the hSLNACl receptor with other members of the sodium channel family from the phylogenic tree of Figure 1.
• the alignment was performed with the clustal algorythm of MEGALIG (version 3.10a ) from DNASTAR. Regions of homology to SLNAC1 are shaded in black.
• hNACHA alpha subunit of epithelial sodium channel (accession S SCAA_HUMAN)
• hNACHB beta subunit of epithelial sodium channel (accession PIR 138203)
• hNACHC gamma subunit of epithelial sodium channel (accession PIR 138204)
• hNACHD delta subunit of sodium channel (accession PIR 139196)
• ASIC ASIC sodium channel (as published in Nature 368, 173- 177- accession RNU94403)
• MDEG MDEG sodium channel (accession gi 1280439)
• HAFANACH sodium channel protein from aplysia, gated by FRMF-amide (accession gi 1149511) .
• Figure 3 illustrates secondary structural features of this hSLNACl protein with the hydrophilicity, hydrophobicity, the propency to generate alpha helix, beta sheet, turn or coiled regions, the propency to be on surface of the protein, and the flexible regions .
• the boxed areas are the areas which correspond to the regions indicated.
• the hydrophobicity plot illustrates hydrophobic areas of the protein sequence which are in the lipid bilayer and hydrophilic areas which are outside the lipid bilayer.
• the antigenicity of the protein fragments is higher in areas exposed to the surface, which are hydrophilic and flexible regions.
• the analysis was performed with Protean (version 3.08a) from DNASTAR.
• Receptor Activity or "Biological Activity of the Receptor” refers to the metabolic or physiologic function of said hSLNACl including similar activities or improved activities or these activities with decreased undesirable side-effects. Also included are antigenic and immunogenic activities of said hSLNACl.
• hSLNACl polypeptide refers among others to a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO : 2 or an allelic variant thereof.
• hSLNACl gene or “hSLNACl polynucleotide” refer to a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO : 1 or allelic variants thereof and/or their complemen s .
• Antibodies as used herein includes polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, chimeric, single chain, and humanized antibodies, as well as Fab fragments, including the products of an Fab or other immunoglobulin expression library.
• Isolated means altered “by the hand of man” from the natural state. If an "isolated” composition or substance occurs in nature, it has been changed or removed from its original environment, or both.
• a polynucleotide or a polypeptide naturally present in a living animal is not “isolated,” but the same polynucleotide or polypeptide separated from the coexisting materials of its natural state is “isolated”, as the term is employed herein.
• Polynucleotide generally refers to any polyribonucleotide or polydeoxyribonucleotide, which may be unmodified RNA or DNA or modified RNA or DNA.
• Polynucleotides include, without limitation single- and double-stranded DNA, DNA that is a mixture of single- and double-stranded regions, single- and double-stranded RNA, and RNA that is mixture of single- and double-stranded regions, hybrid molecules comprising DNA and RNA that may be single-stranded or, more typically, double-stranded or a mixture of single- and double-stranded regions.
• polynucleotide refers to triple-stranded regions comprising RNA or DNA or both RNA and DNA.
• the term polynucleotide also includes DNAs or RNAs containing one or more modified bases and DNAs or RNAs with backbones modified for stability or for other reasons.
• Modified bases include, for example, tritylated bases and unusual bases such as inosine.
• polynucleotide embraces chemically, enzymatically or metabolically modified forms of polynucleotides as typically found in nature, as well as the chemical forms of DNA and RNA characteristic of viruses and cells.
• Polynucleotide also embraces relatively short polynucleotides, often referred to as oligonucleotides .
• Polypeptide refers to any peptide or protein comprising two or more amino acids joined to each other by peptide bonds or modified peptide bonds, i.e., peptide isosteres.
• Polypeptide refers to both short chains, commonly referred to as peptides, oligopeptides or oligomers, and to longer chains, generally referred to as proteins. Polypeptides may contain amino acids other than the 20 gene-encoded amino acids.
• Polypeptides include amino acid sequences modified either by natural processes, such as posttranslational processing, or by chemical modification techniques which are well known in the art. Such modifications are well described in basic texts and in more detailed monographs, as well as in a voluminous research literature.
• Modifications can occur anywhere in a polypeptide, including the peptide backbone, the amino acid side-chains and the amino or carboxyl termini. It will be appreciated that the same type of modification may be present in the same or varying degrees at several sites in a given polypeptide. Also, a given polypeptide may contain many types of modifications. Polypeptides may be branched as a result of ubiquitination, and they may be cyclic, with or without branching. Cyclic, branched and branched cyclic polypeptides may result from posttranslation natural processes or may be made by synthetic methods.
• Modifications include acetylation, acylation, ADP- ribosylation, amidation, covalent attachment of flavin, covalent attachment of a heme moiety, covalent attachment of a nucleotide or nucleotide derivative, covalent attachment of a lipid or lipid derivative, covalent attachment of phosphotidylinositol, cross-linking, cyclization, disulfide bond formation, demethylation, formation of covalent crosslinks, formation of cystine, formation of pyroglutamate, formylation, gamma-carboxylation, glycosylation, GPI anchor formation, hydroxylation, iodination, methylation, myristoylation, oxidation, proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, prenylation, racemization, selenoylation, sulfation, transfer-RNA mediated addition of amino acids to proteins such as arginylation, and ubiquitination.
• variant is a polynucleotide or polypeptide that differs from a reference polynucleotide or polypeptide respectively, but retains essential properties.
• a typical variant of a polynucleotide differs in nucleotide sequence from another, reference polynucleotide. Changes in the nucleotide sequence of the variant may or may not alter the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide encoded by the reference polynucleotide.
• Nucleotide changes may result in amino acid substitutions, additions, deletions, fusions and truncations in the polypeptide encoded by the reference sequence, as discussed below.
• a typical variant of a polypeptide differs in amino acid sequence from another, reference polypeptide. Generally, differences are limited so that the sequences of the reference polypeptide and the variant are closely similar overall and, in many regions, identical.
• a variant and reference polypeptide may differ in amino acid sequence by one or more substitutions, additions, deletions in any combination.
• a substituted or inserted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code.
• a variant of a polynucleotide or polypeptide may be a naturally occurring such as an allelic variant, or it may be a variant that is not known to occur naturally.
• Non- naturally occurring variants of polynucleotides and polypeptides may be made by mutagenesis techniques or by direct synthesis.
• "Identity" is a measure of the identity of nucleotide sequences or amino acid sequences. In general, the sequences are aligned so that the highest order match is obtained. "Identity" per se has an ar -recognized meaning and can be calculated using published techniques.
• a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence having at least, for example, 95% "identity" to a reference nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO : 1 is intended that the nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide is identical to the reference sequence except that the polynucleotide sequence may include up to five point mutations per each 100 nucleotides of the reference nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO : 1
• up to 5% of the nucleotides in the reference sequence may be deleted or substituted with another nucleotide, or a number of nucleotides up to 5% of the total nucleotides in the reference sequence may be inserted into the reference sequence.
• These mutations of the reference sequence may occur at the 5 or 3 terminal positions of the reference nucleotide sequence or anywhere between
• polypeptide having an amino acid sequence having at least, for example, 95% "identity" to a reference amino acid sequence of Figure 3 is intended that the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide is identical to the reference sequence except that the polypeptide sequence may include up to five amino acid alterations per each 100 amino acids of the reference amino acid of SEQ ID NO : 1.
• polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a reference amino acid sequence up to 5% of the amino acid residues in the reference sequence may be deleted or substituted with another amino acid, or a number of amino acids up to 5% of the total amino acid residues in the reference sequence may be inserted into the reference sequence.
• These alterations of the reference sequence may occur at the amino or carboxy terminal positions of the reference amino acid sequence or anywhere between those terminal positions, interspersed either individually among residues in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within the reference sequence .
• the present invention relates to hSLNACl polypeptides.
• the hSLNACl polypeptides include the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2; as well as polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; and polypeptides comprising the amino acid sequence which have at least 80% identity to that of SEQ ID NO: 2 over its entire length, and still more preferably at least 90% identity, and even still more preferably at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO:2. Furthermore, those with at least 97-99% are highly preferred.
• hSLNACl polypeptides having the amino acid sequence which have at least 80% identity to the polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 over its entire length, and still more preferably at least 90% identity, and even still more preferably at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2. Furthermore, those with at least 97-99% are highly preferred.
• hSLNACl polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity, preferably at least 90% identity, and even still more preferably at least 95% to the amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA contained in ATCC 97987 are also included within the present invention.
• hSLNACl polypeptides exhibit at least one biological activity of the receptor.
• the hSLNACl polypeptides may be in the form of the "mature" protein or may be a part of a larger protein such as a fusion protein. It is often advantageous to include an additional amino acid sequence which contains secretory or leader sequences, pro-sequences, sequences which aid in purification such as multiple histidine residues, or an additional sequence for stability during recombinant production.
• a fragment is a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that entirely is the same as part, but not all, of the amino acid sequence of the aforementioned hSLNACl polypeptides.
• fragments may be "free-standing," or comprised within a larger polypeptide of which they form a part or region, most preferably as a single continuous region.
• Representative examples of polypeptide fragments of the invention include, for example, fragments from about amino acid number 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-100, and 101 to the end of hSLNACl polypeptide.
• “about” includes the particularly recited ranges larger or smaller by several, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 amino acid at either extreme or at both extremes .
• Preferred fragments include, for example, truncation polypeptides having the amino acid sequence of hSLNACl polypeptides, except for deletion of a continuous series of residues that includes the amino terminus, or a continuous series of residues that includes the carboxyl terminus or deletion of two continuous series of residues, one including the amino terminus and one including the carboxyl terminus.
• fragments characterized by structural or functional attributes such as fragments that comprise alpha- helix and alpha-helix forming regions, beta-sheet and beta- sheet-forming regions, turn and turn-forming regions, coil and coil -forming regions, hydrophilic regions, hydrophobic regions, alpha amphipathic regions, beta amphipathic regions, flexible regions, surface-forming regions, substrate binding region, and high antigenic index regions.
• Other preferred fragments are biologically active fragments.
• Biologically active fragments are those that mediate receptor activity, including those with a similar activity or an improved activity, or with a decreased undesirable activity. Also included are those that are antigenic or immunogenic in an animal, especially in a human.
• variants are those that vary from the referents by conservative amino acid substitutions i.e., those that substitute a residue with another of like characteristics. Typical such substitutions are among Ala, Val , Leu and lie; among Ser and Thr; among the acidic residues Asp and Glu; among Asn and Gin; and among the basic residues Lys and Arg; or aromatic residues Phe and Tyr. Particularly preferred are variants in which several, 5-10, 1-5, or 1-2 amino acids are substituted, deleted, or added in any combination.
• the hSLNACl polypeptides of the invention can be prepared in any suitable manner.
• Such polypeptides include isolated naturally occurring polypeptides, recombinantly produced polypeptides, synthetically produced polypeptides, or polypeptides produced by a combination of these methods. Means for preparing such polypeptides are well understood in the art .
• hSLNACl polynucleotides include isolated polynucleotides which encode the hSLNACl polypeptides and fragments, and polynucleotides closely related thereto. More specifically, hSLNACl polynucleotide of the invention include a polynucleotide comprising the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:l encoding a hSLNACl polypeptide of SEQ ID NO : 2, and polynucleotide having the particular sequence of SEQ ID NO:l.
• hSLNACl polynucleotides further include a polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that has at least 80% identity to a nucleotide sequence encoding the hSLNACl polypeptide of SEQ ID NO : 2 over its entire length, and a polynucleotide that is at least 80% identical to that having SEQ ID NO : 1 over its entire length.
• polynucleotides at least 90% identical are particularly preferred, and those with at least 95% are especially preferred.
• those with at least 97% are highly preferred and those with at least 98-99% are most highly preferred, with at least 99% being the most preferred.
• hSLNACl polynucleotides are a nucleotide sequence which has sufficient identity to a nucleotide sequence contained in SEQ ID NO : 1 or contained in the cDNA insert in the plasmid deposited with the ATCC Deposit number 97987 (see herein-below) to hybridize under conditions useable for amplification or for use as a probe or marker .
• Such a sequence may, for example, consists in the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO : 3 which constitutes another object of the present invention, as well as the its deduced polypeptide sequence SEQ ID NO : 4 and polunucleotides and polypeptide sequences having at least 80% identity, preferably 90% identity, more preferably 97 % identity and still more preferably at least 99% identity to said sequence SEQ ID NO: 3 and SEQ ID NO : 4.
• the cDNA deposited at the ATCC with Deposit Number 97987 is identical to SEQ ID NO : 3.
• SEQ ID NO : 3 may be used as probe for diagnostic.
• hSLNACl polynucleotide include a nucleotide sequence having at least 80% identity to the cDNA insert deposited at the ATCC with Deposit Number 97987, and a nucleotide sequence comprising at least 15 contiguous nucleotides of such cDNA insert.
• the invention also provides polynucleotides which are complementary to all the above hSLNACl polynucleotides.
• a deposit containing a hSLNACl cDNA has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) , 12301 Park Lawn Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA, on April 16, 1997, and assigned ATCC Deposit Number 97987.
• the deposited material (clone) is plasmid pcDNA3 which can be obtained from Invitrogen, Inc. containing that further contains the full length hSLNACl cDNA, referred to as p3SLNACl upon deposit.
• the cDNA insert is within KpnI-NotI sites in the vector.
• the nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotides contained in the deposited material, as well as the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide encoded thereby, are controlling in the event of any conflict with any description of sequences herein.
• hSLNACl of the invention is structurally related to other proteins of the sodium channel family, as shown by the results of sequencing the cDNA of SEQ ID N0:1.
• the cDNA sequence of SEQ ID NO : 1 contains an open reading frame
• nucleotide number 76 to 1629 encoding a polypeptide of 518 amino acids of SEQ ID NO : 2.
• Amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 has about 52,1% identity and 71,8% similarity (using GCG gap algorythm) in 518 amino acid residues with ASIC Protein (gi/2039366) Waldmann R. et al . , Nature, (1997) 386:173-177 ⁇ .
• Nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:l has about 60,7% identity (using GCG gap algorythm) in 1554 nucleotide residues with ASIC Protein (gi/2039365) .
• One polynucleotide of the present invention encoding hSLNACl may be obtained using standard cloning and screening, from a cDNA library derived from mRNA in cells of human cerebellum using the expressed sequence tag (EST) analysis (Adams, M.D., et al . Sci ence (1991) 252:1651-1656; Adams, M.D. et al . , Nature, (1992) 355:632-634; Adams, M.D., et al . , Nature (1995) 377 Supp:3-174).
• Polynucleotides of the invention can also be obtained from natural sources such as genomic DNA libraries or can be synthesized using well known and commercially available techniques.
• the nucleotide sequence encoding hSLNACl polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2 may be identical to the polypeptide encoding sequence contained in SEQ ID NO : 1 (nucleotide number 13 to 1641) , or it may be a sequence, which as a result of the redundancy (degeneracy) of the genetic code, also encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 2.
• the polynucleotide may include the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide or a fragment thereof, by itself; the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide or fragment in reading frame with other coding sequences, such as those encoding a leader or secretory sequence, a pre-, or pro- or prepro- protein sequence, or other fusion peptide portions.
• a marker sequence which facilitates purification of the fused polypeptide can be encoded.
• the marker sequence is a hexa-histidine peptide, as provided in the pQE vector (Qiagen, Inc.) and described in Gentz et al . , Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (1989) 86:821-824, or is an HA tag.
• the polynucleotide may also contain non- coding 5' and 3' sequences, such as transcribed, non- translated sequences, splicing and polyadenylation signals, ribosome binding sites and sequences that stabilize mRNA.
• hSLNACl variants comprising the amino acid sequence of hSLNACl polypeptide of SEQ ID NO : 2 in which several, 5-10, 1-5, 1-3, 1-2 or 1 amino acid residues are substituted, deleted or added, in any combination.
• the present invention further relates to polynucleotides that hybridize to the herein above-described sequences.
• the present invention especially relates to polynucleotides which hybridize under stringent conditions to the herein above-described polynucleotides.
• stringent conditions means hybridization will occur only if there is at least 95% and preferably at least 97% identity between the sequences.
• Polynucleotides of the invention which are identical or sufficiently identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO : 1 or a fragment thereof, or to the cDNA insert in the plasmid deposited at the ATCC with Deposit Number 97987 or a fragment thereof, may be used as hybridization probes for cDNA and genomic DNA, to isolate full-length cDNAs and genomic clones encoding hSLNACl and to isolate cDNA and genomic clones of other genes that have a high sequence similarity to the hSLNACl gene.
• Such hybridization techniques are known to those of skill in the art.
• these nucleotide sequences are 80% identical, preferably 90% identical, more preferably 95% identical to that of the referent.
• the probes generally will comprise at least 15 nucleotides. Preferably, such probes will have at least 30 nucleotides and may have at least 50 nucleotides. Particularly preferred probes will range between 30 and 50 nucleotides .
• to obtain a polynucleotide encoding hSLNACl polypeptide comprises the steps of screening an appropriate library under stingent hybridization conditions with a labeled probe having the SEQ ID NO : 1 or a fragment thereof; and isolating full-length cDNA and genomic clones containing said polynucleotide sequence.
• Such hybridization techniques are well known to those of skill in the art.
• Stringent hybridization conditions are as defined above or alternatively conditions under overnight incubation at 42°C in a solution comprising: 50% formamide, 5xSSC (150mM NaCl, 15mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5x Denhardt ' s solution, 10 % dextran sulfate, and 20 microgram/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the filters in 0. lx SSC at about 65°C.
• polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention may be employed as research reagents and materials for discovery of treatments and diagnostics to animal and human disease.
• the present invention also relates to vectors which include the isolated DNA molecules of the present invention, host cells which are genetically engineered with the recombinant vectors, and the production of hSLNACl polypeptides or fragments thereof by recombinant techniques.
• the polynucleotides may be joined to a vector containing a selectable marker for propagation in a host.
• a plasmid vector is introduced in a precipitate, such as a calcium phosphate precipitate, or in a complex with a charged lipid. If the vector is a virus, it may be packaged in vi tro using an appropriate packaging cell line and then transduced into host cells.
• the DNA insert should be operatively linked to an appropriate promoter, such as the phage lambda PL promoter, the E. coli lac, trp and tac promoters, the SV40 early and late promoters and promoters of retroviral LTRs, to name a few.
• an appropriate promoter such as the phage lambda PL promoter, the E. coli lac, trp and tac promoters, the SV40 early and late promoters and promoters of retroviral LTRs, to name a few.
• Other suitable promoters will be known to the skilled artisan.
• the expression constructs will further contain sites for transcription initiation, termination and, in the transcribed region, a ribosome binding site for translation.
• the coding portion of the mature transcripts expressed by the constructs will preferably include a translation initiating at the beginning and a termination codon (UAA, UGA or UAG) appropriately positioned at the end of the polypeptide to be translated.
• the expression vectors will preferably include at least one selectable marker.
• markers include dihydrofolate reductase , zeocin, hygromycin, or neomycin resistance for eukaryotic cell culture and tetracycline or ampicillin resistance genes for culturing in E. coli and other bacteria.
• appropriate heterologous hosts include, but are not limited to, bacterial cells, such as E. coli , Streptomyces and Salmonella typhimurium cells; fungal cells, such as yeast cells; insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9 cells; animal cells such as CHO, COS and Bowes melanoma cells; and plant cells. Appropriate culture mediums and conditions for the above-described host cells are known in the art.
• vectors preferred for use in bacteria include pQE70, pQE60 and pQE-9, available from Qiagen; pBS vectors, Phagescript vectors, Bluescript vectors, pNH8A, pNH16a, pNH18A, pNH46A, available from Stratagene; and ptrc99a, pKK223-3, pKK233-3, pDR540, pRIT5 available from Pharmacia.
• preferred eukaryotic vectors are pWLNEO, pSV2CAT, pOG44, pXTl and pSG available from Stratagene; and pSVK3 , pBPV, pMSG and pSVL available from Pharmacia.
• Other suitable vectors will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan.
• the construct into the host cell can be effected by calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, infection or other methods. Such methods are described in many standard laboratory manuals, such as Davis et al . , Basic Methods In Molecular Biology (1986) .
• the polypeptide may be expressed in a modified form, such as a fusion protein, and may include not only secretion signals, but also additional heterologous functional regions. For instance, a region of additional amino acids, particularly charged amino acids, may be added to the N-terminus of the polypeptide to improve stability and persistence in the host cell, during purification, or during subsequent handling and storage.
• peptide moieties may be added to the polypeptide to facilitate purification. Such regions may be removed prior to final preparation of the polypeptide.
• a preferred fusion protein comprises a heterologous region from immunoglobulin that is useful to solubilize proteins.
• EP-A-O 464 533 (Canadian counterpart 2045869) discloses fusion proteins comprising various portions of constant region of immunoglobulin molecules together with another human protein or part thereof.
• the Fc part in a fusion protein is thoroughly advantageous for use in therapy and diagnosis and thus results, for example, in improved pharmacokinetic properties (EP-A 0232 262) .
• human proteins, such as, hIL5- has been fused with Fc portions for the purpose of high-throughput screening assays to identify antagonists of hIL-5. See, D. Bennett et al .
• the hSLNACl receptor can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by well-known methods, including ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography. Most preferably, high performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”) is employed for purification.
• HPLC high performance liquid chromatography
• Polypeptides of the present invention include naturally purified products, products of chemical synthetic procedures, and products produced by recombinant techniques from a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host, including, for example, bacterial, yeast, higher plant, insect and mammalian cells. Depending upon the host employed in a recombinant production procedure, the polypeptides of the present invention may be glycosylated or may be non-glycosylated. In addition, polypeptides of the invention may also include an initial modified methionine residue, in some cases as a result of host -mediated processes.
• This invention also relates to the use of hSLNACl polynucleotides for use as diagnostic reagents. Detection of a mutated form of hSLNACl gene associated with a dysfunction will provide a diagnostic tool that can add to or define a diagnosis of a disease or susceptibility to a disease which results from under-expression, over-expression or altered expression of hSLNACl. Individuals carrying mutations in the hSLNACl gene may be detected at the DNA level by a variety of techniques . Nucleic acids for diagnosis may be obtained from a subject's cells, such as from blood, urine, saliva, tissue biopsy or autopsy material .
• the genomic DNA may be used directly for detection or may be amplified enzymatically by using PCR or other amplification techniques prior to analysis.
• RNA or cDNA may also be used in similar fashion. Deletions and insertions can be detected by a change in size of the amplified product in comparison to the normal genotype. Point mutations can be identified by hybridizing amplified DNA to labeled hSLNACl nucleotide sequences. Perfectly matched sequences can be distinguished from mismatched duplexes by RNase digestion or by differences in melting temperatures. DNA sequence differences may also be detected by alterations in electrophoretic mobility of DNA fragments in gels, with or without denaturing agents, or by direct DNA sequencing. See, e.g., Myers et al . , Science
• an array of oligonucleotides probes comprising hSLNACl nucleotide sequence or fragments thereof can be constructed to conduct efficient screening of e.g., genetic mutations.
• Array technology methods are well known and have general applicability and can be used to address a variety of questions in molecular genetics including gene expression, genetic linkage, and genetic variability. (See for example: M.Chee et al .
• the diagnostic assays offer a process for diagnosing or determining a susceptibility to the treatment of diseases through detection of mutation in the hSLNACl gene by the methods described.
• Said diseases are, in particular, chosen among the following : neuronal degenerescence problems, hyperalgesia, Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, inflammation, pain, cancer, obesity, to mimic or antagonize effect of some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system (such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds) , alteration of gustative perception, disorder related to abnormal expression of the hSLNACl protein.
• some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds
• the same diseases can be diagnosed by methods comprising determining from a sample derived from a subject an abnormally decreased or increased level of hSLNACl polypeptide or hSLNACl mRNA. Decreased or increased expression can be measured at the RNA level using any of the methods well known in the art for the quantitation of polynucleotides, such as, for example, PCR, RT-PCR, RNase protection, Northern blotting and other hybridization methods . Assay techniques that can be used to determine levels of a protein, such as an hSLNACl, in a sample derived from a host are well-known to those of skill in the art. Such assay methods include radioimmunoassays , competitive- binding assays, Western Blot analysis and ELISA assays.
• the expression level of the hSLNACl gene can be readily assayed by one of ordinary skill in the art.
• assaying the expression level of the gene encoding the hSLNACl polypeptide is intended qualitatively or quantitatively measuring or estimating the level of the hSLNACl polypeptide or the level of the mRNA encoding the hSLNACl polypeptide in a biological sample (e.g., by determining or estimating absolute protein level or mRNA level) .
• biological sample any biological sample obtained from an individual, cell line, tissue culture, or other source which contains hSLNACl polypeptide or hSLNACl mRNA.
• tissues include cerebellum, brain, midbrain, spinal cord, nerve endings, retina, breast, pituitary, heart, placenta, lung, skeletal muscle, kidney, and pancreas.
• Biological samples include mammalian tissues which contain hSLNACl polypeptide. Preferred mammals include monkeys, apes, cats, dogs, cows, pigs, horses, rabbits, and humans. Particularly preferred are humans.
• Total cellular RNA can be isolated from a biological sample using the single-step guanidinium-thiocyanate-phenol- chloroform method described in Chomczynski and Sacchi (Anal. Biochem . 162 : 156 - 159 (1987)). Levels of mRNA encoding the hSLNACl receptor are then assayed using any appropriate method. These include Northern blot analysis (Harada et al . , Cell 53:303-312 (1990)), SI nuclease mapping (Harada et al .
• PCR polymerase chain reaction
• RT-PCR reverse transcription in combination with the polymerase chain reaction
• RT-LCR reverse transcription in combination with the ligase chain reaction
• hSLNACl polypeptide levels in a biological sample can occur using antibody-based techniques.
• hSLNACl polypeptide expression in tissues can be studied with classical immunohistological methods (Jalkanen, M. et al . , J. Cell . Biol . 101:976-985 (1985); Jalkanen, M. et al . , J. Cell . Biol . 105 : 3087-3096 (1987)).
• Other antibody-based methods useful for detecting hSLNACl polypeptide gene expression include immunoassays, such as the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the radioimmunoassay (RIA) .
• ELISA enzyme linked immunosorbent assay
• RIA radioimmunoassay
• Suitable labels are known in the art and include enzyme labels, such as glucose oxidase, and radioisotopes, such as iodine ( 125 I, 121 I) , carbon ( 14 C) , sulfur ( 35 S) , tritium ( 3 H) , indium ( 11 In) , and technetium ( 99m Tc) , biotin and fluorescent labels, such as fluorescein and rhodamine .
• the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention are also valuable for chromosome identification.
• the sequence is specifically targeted to and can hybridize with a particular location on an individual human chromosome.
• the mapping of DNAs to chromosomes according to the present invention is an important first step in correlating those sequences with genes associated with disease.
• the cDNA herein disclosed is used to clone genomic DNA of a hSLNACl polypeptide gene. This can be accomplished using a variety of well known techniques and libraries, which generally are available commercially. The genomic DNA then is used for in si tu chromosome mapping using well known techniques for this purpose.
• sequences can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp) from the cDNA. Computer analysis of the 3' untranslated region of the gene is used to rapidly select primers that do not span more than one exon in the genomic DNA, thus complicating the amplification process. These primers are then used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes . Fluorescence in situ hybridization ("FISH") of a cDNA clone to a metaphase chromosomal spread can be used to provide a precise chromosomal location in one step. This technique can be used with probes from the cDNA as short as 50 or 60 bp.
• FISH Fluorescence in situ hybridization
• the polypeptides of the invention or their fragments or analogs thereof, or cells expressing them can also be used as immunogens to produce antibodies immunospecific for the hSLNACl polypeptides.
• immunospecific means that the antibodies have substantiall greater affinity for the polypeptides of the invention than their affinity for other related polypeptides in the prior art.
• Antibodies generated against the hSLNACl polypeptides can be obtained by administering the polypeptides or epitope-bearing fragments, analogs or cells to an animal, preferably a nonhuman, using routine protocols.
• any technique which provides antibodies produced by continuous cell line cultures can be used. Examples include the hybridoma technique (Kohler, G.
• Non-limiting examples of polypeptides or peptides that can be used to generate hSLNACl polypeptide-specific antibodies include: a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 75 to about 81 of SEQ ID NO 2 ; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 96 to about 106 of SEQ ID NO 2; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 130 to about 137 of SEQ ID NO 2 ; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 215 to about 234 of SEQ ID NO 2 ; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 240 to about 250 of SEQ ID NO 2; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 287 to about 297 of SEQ ID NO 2; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 302 to about 310 of SEQ ID NO 2; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from about 341 to about 352 of SEQ ID NO 2; a polypeptide comprising amino acid residues from
• the inventors have determined that the above polypeptide fragments are antigenic regions of the hSLNACl polypeptide.
• the above-mentioned antibodies may be employed to isolate or to identify clones expressing the polypeptide or to purify the polypeptides by affinity chromatography.
• Antibodies against hSLNACl polypeptides may also be employed to treat, among others, patients with nervous system disorders, to treat neuronal degenerescence problems,Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammation, pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer, obesity, to mimic or antagonize effect of some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system (such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds) , to alter gustative perception, to cause analgesia or anesthesia, or to treat any disorder related to abnormal expression of said hSLNACl polypeptide.
• neuronal degenerescence problems such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds
• Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for inducing an immunological response in a mammal which comprises inoculating the mammal with hSLNACl polypeptide, or a fragment thereof, adequate to produce antibody and/or T cell immune response to protect said animal from , among others, nervous system disorders, neuronal degenerescence problems, Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammation, pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer, obesity, to mimic or antagonize effect of some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system (such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds) , to cause analgesia or anesthesia, or to treat any disorder related to abnormal expression said hSLNACl polypeptide.
• nervous system disorders such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds
• Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of inducing immunological response in a mammal which comprises, delivering hSLNACl polypeptide via a vector directing expression of hSLNACl polynucleotide in vivo in order to induce such an immunological response to produce antibody to protect said animal from diseases.
• composition which, when introduced into a mammalian host, induces an immunological response in that mammal to a hSLNACl polypeptide wherein the composition comprises a hSLNACl polypeptide or hSLNACl gene.
• the vaccine formulation may further comprise a suitable carrier. Since hSLNACl polypeptide may be broken down in the stomach, it is preferably administered parenterally (including subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous or intradermal injection) .
• Formulations suitable for parenteral administration include aqueous and non-aqueous sterile injection solutions which may contain anti-oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes which render the formulation instonic with the blood of the recipient; and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions which may include suspending agents or thickening agents.
• the formulations may be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers, for example, sealed ampoules and vials and may be stored in a freeze-dried condition requiring only the addition of the sterile liquid carrier immediately prior to use.
• the vaccine formulation may also include adjuvant systems for enhancing the immunogenicity of the formulation, such as oil -in water systems and other systems known in the art. The dosage will depend on the specific activity of the vaccine and can be readily determined by routine experimentation.
• the hSLNACl polypeptide of the present invention may be employed in a screening process for compounds which bind the receptor and which activate (agonists) or inhibit activation of (antagonists) the receptor polypeptide of the present invention.
• polypeptides of the invention may also be used to assess the binding of small molecule substrates and ligands in, for example, cells, cell-free preparations, chemical libraries, and natural product mixtures. These substrates and ligands may be natural substrates and ligands or may be structural or functional mimetics. See Coligan et al . , Current Protocols in Immunology 1(2) :Chapter 5 (1991) .
• hSLNACl polypeptides may be responsible for many biological functions, including many pathologies.
• agonists are employed for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for such conditions as, among others, nervous system disorders, to treat neuronal degenerescence problems, Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammation, pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer, obesity, to mimic or antagonize effect of some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system (such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds) , to alter gustative perception, to cause analgesia or anesthesia, or to treat any disorder related to abnormal expression of said hSLNACl polypeptide.
• nervous system disorders to treat neuronal degenerescence problems, Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammation, pain, multiple
• Antagonists may be employed for a variety of therapeutic and prophylactic purposes for such conditions as, among others, nervous system disorders, to treat neuronal degenerescence problems,Alzeihmer disease, Parkinson disease, chorea, muscular spasm, epilepsy, stroke, cardiac diseases, schizophrenia, depression, nicotine dependence, morphine dependence, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, inflammation, pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer, obesity, to mimic or antagonize effect of some endogenous transmitter peptides in the central or peripheral nervous system (such as for instance opio ⁇ ds or anti-opio ⁇ ds) , to alter gustative perception, to cause analgesia or anesthesia, or to treat any disorder related to abnormal expression of said hSLNACl polypeptide.
• such screening procedures involve producing appropriate cells which express the receptor polypeptide of the present invention on the surface thereof.
• Such cells include cells from mammals, yeast, Drosophila or E. coli .
• Cells expressing the receptor are then contacted with a test compound to observe binding, or stimulation or inhibition of a functional response.
• the assays may simply test binding of a candidate compound wherein adherence to the cells bearing the receptor is detected by means of a label directly or indirectly associated with the candidate compound or in an assay involving competition with a labeled competitor. Further, these assays may test whether the candidate compound results in a signal generated by activation of the receptor, using detection systems appropriate to the cells bearing the receptor at their surfaces. Inhibitors of activation are generally assayed in the presence of a known agonist and the effect on activation by the agonist by the presence of the candidate compound is observed. Standard methods for conducting such screening assays are well understood in the art .
• mutate the hSLNACl cDNA in order to produce a constitutively active sodium channel (Waldmann et al . , J. Biol. Chem.271 pp 10433- 10436 ; Huang and Chalfie, Nature 367, 467-470) .
• the mutation may for instance consists in changing glycine 411 to phenylalanine .
• the constitutively active sodium channel may be expressed in host cells to produce a screening assay where sodium channel activity is permanent.
• the recording of channel activity may be carried out either by membrane voltage analysis, directly (patch clamp for example) or indirectly (fluorescent probes, cell death by measurement of lactate dehydrogenase release, for example) , or by sodium entry measurement (radioactive sodium influx, fluorescent probes or reporter genes for example) .
• hSLNACl antagonists include antibodies or, in some cases, oligonucleotides or proteins which are closely related to the ligand of the hSLNACl, e.g., a fragment of the ligand, or small molecules which bind to the receptor but do not elicit a response, so that the activity of the receptor is prevented.
• This invention provides methods of treating an abnormal conditions related to both an excess of and insufficient amounts of hSLNACl activity.
• One approach comprises administering to a subject an inhibitor compound (antagonist) as hereinabove described along with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in an amount effective to inhibit activation by blocking binding of ligands to the hSLNACl, or by inhibiting a second signal, and thereby alleviating the abnormal condition.
• soluble forms of hSLNACl polypeptides still capable of binding the ligand in competition with endogenous hSLNACl may be administered.
• Typical embodiments of such competitors comprise fragments of the hSLNACl polypeptide.
• expression of the gene encoding endogenous hSLNACl can be inhibited using expression blocking techniques.
• antisense sequences either internally generated or separately administered. See, for example, O'Connor, J Neurochem (1991) 56:560 in Oligodeoxynucleotides as Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (1988) .
• oligonucleotides which form triple helices with the gene can be supplied. See, for example, Lee et al . , Nucleic Acids Res (1979) 6:3073; Cooney et al . , Science (1988) 241:456; Dervan et al . , Science
• oligomers can be administered per se or the relevant oligomers can be expressed in vivo.
• One approach comprises administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound which activates hSLNACl, i.e., an agonist as described above, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, to thereby alleviate the abnormal condition.
• a compound which activates hSLNACl i.e., an agonist as described above
• gene therapy may be employed to effect the endogenous production of hSLNACl by the relevant cells in the subject.
• a polynucleotide of the invention may be engineered for expression in a replication defective retroviral vector, as discussed above.
• the retroviral expression construct may then be isolated and introduced into a packaging cell transduced with a retroviral plasmid vector containing RNA encoding a polypeptide of the present invention such that the packaging cell now produces infectious viral particles containing the gene of interest.
• These producer cells may be administered to a subject for engineering cells in vivo and expression of the polypeptide in vivo .
• gene therapy see Chapter 20, Gene Therapy and other Molecular Genetic-based Therapeutic Approaches, (and references cited therein) in Human
• Peptides such as the soluble form of hSLNACl polypeptides, and agonists and antagonist peptides or small molecules, may be formulated in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
• suitable pharmaceutical carrier include but are not limited to, saline, buffered saline, dextrose, water, glycerol , ethanol, and combinations thereof. Formulation should suit the mode of administration, and is well within the skill of the art.
• the invention further relates to pharmaceutical packs and kits comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the aforementioned compositions of the invention.
• Polypeptides and other compounds of the present invention may be employed alone or in conjunction with other compounds, such as therapeutic compounds.
• systemic administration of the pharmaceutical compositions include injection, typically by intravenous injection.
• Other injection routes such as subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intraperitoneal, can be used.
• Alternative means for systemic administration include transmucosal and transdermal administration using penetrants such as bile salts or fusidic acids or other detergents.
• penetrants such as bile salts or fusidic acids or other detergents.
• oral administration may also be possible.
• Administration of these compounds may also be topical and/or localized, in the form of salves, pastes, gels and the like.
• the dosage range required depends on the choice of peptide, the route of administration, the nature of the formulation, the nature of the subject's condition, and the judgment of the attending practitioner. Suitable dosages, however, are in the range of 0.1-100 ⁇ g/kg of subject. Wide variations in the needed dosage, however, are to be expected in view of the variety of compounds available and the differing efficiencies of various routes of administration. For example, oral administration would be expected to require higher dosages than administration by intravenous injection. Variations in these dosage levels can be adjusted using standard empirical routines for optimization, as is well understood in the art. Polypeptides used in treatment can also be generated endogenously in the subject, in treatment modalities often referred to as "gene therapy" as described above.
• cells from a subject may be engineered with a polynucleotide, such as a DNA or RNA, to encode a polypeptide ex vivo, and for example, by the use of a retroviral plasmid vector.
• a polynucleotide such as a DNA or RNA
• the cells are then introduced into the subject.
• Splice variants To ascertain the existence of splice variants of SEQ ID N°l and 3, in some tissues of interest, Polymerase Chain Reactions were performed with oligonucleotides whose sequences were deduced from SEQ ID N°l. These nucleotides are : GGCGGCCGCTCTAGAACTAG ; GCTGCTGGCAAGAAACAAAG ; ATTTAACTCTGGCGCTGATGG ; GTCTAGGATCTCGAGGATGG ;
• the last pair of oligonucleotides allowed the amplification from dorsal root ganglia of a sequence differing in 79 nucleotides. These 79 nucleotides are inserted in the 3 ' part of the coding sequence and allowed the generation of SEQ ID N°5. Due to the reading frame change introduced by this insertion, the deduced protein sequence SEQ ID N°6 differs from SEQ ID N°4 in its C-terminal. As dorsal root ganglia are involved in painful perception, SEQ ID N°5 can be expected to encode a protein whose function is linked to algesia or analgesia.
• the invention also relates to an isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleotide sequence that has at least 80%, preferably 90 %, more preferably 97 %, and still more preferably more than 99 % identity to a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 over its entire length; or a nucleotide sequence complementary to said nucleotide sequence.
• the invention also relates to polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which is at least 80%, preferably 90 %, more preferably 97 %, and still more preferably more than 99 %, identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6 over its entire length.
• the sequence of the hSLNACl was first identified by searching a database containing approximately 1 million human ESTs, which was generated using high throughput automated DNA sequence analysis of randomly selected human cDNA clones (Adams, M.D. et al . , Nature 377:3-174 (1995); Adams, M.D. et al . , Nature 355:632-634 (1992); and Adams, M.D. et al . , Science 252 : 1651 - 1656 (1991)) . Sequence homology comparisons of each EST were performed against the GenBank database using the blastn and tblastn algorithms (Altschul, S.F. et al . , J. Mol . Biol .
• HGS826465 contains 1710 bp and the sequence comparison suggested that it contained the complete open reading frame of a new protein. Sequence of the gene was confirmed by double strand DNA sequencing using the TaqFs (Perkin Elmer) and the gene was shown to be completely new by a blast search against Genbank release 98.
• An expression vector construct was made by inserting the KpnI-NotI fragment carrying the entire hSLNACl coding region into the KpnI-NotI site of the expression vector pcDNA3(-) (Invitrogen, Inc) . This construct was named p3SLNACl.
• a typical mammalian expression vector contains the promoter element, which mediates the initiation of transcription of mRNA, the protein coding sequence, and signals required for the termination of transcription and polyadenylation of the transcript. Additional elements include enhancers, Kozak sequences and intervening sequences flanked by donor and acceptor sites for RNA splicing. Highly efficient transcription can be achieved with the early and late promoters from SV40, the long terminal repeats (LTRS) from Retroviruses, e.g., RSV, HTLVI , HIVI and the early promoter of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) .
• LTRS long terminal repeats
• cellular elements can also be used (e.g., the human actin promoter) .
• Suitable expression vectors for use in practicing the present invention include, for example, vectors such as PSVL and PMSG (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden) , pRSVcat (ATCC 37152), pSV2dhfr (ATCC 37146) and pBC12MI (ATCC 67109) and pcDNA3(-) (Invitrogen).
• Mammalian host cells that could be used include, human Hela 293, H9 and Jurkat cells, mouse NIH3T3 and C127 cells, Cos 1, Cos 7 and CV 1, quail QC1-3 cells, mouse L cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.
• the gene can be expressed in stable cell lines that contain the gene integrated into a chromosome.
• a selectable marker such as dhfr, gpt , neomycin, zeocin or hygromycin allows the identification and isolation of the transfected cells.
• the transfected gene can also be amplified to express large amounts of the encoded protein.
• the DHFR (dihydrofolate reductase) marker is useful to develop cell lines that carry several hundred or even several thousand copies of the gene of interest.
• Another useful selection marker is the enzyme glutamine synthase (GS) (Murphy et al . , Biochem . J.
• the expression vector pcDNA3(-) contains the strong promoter (CMV) of the Cytomegalovirus . Multiple cloning sites, e.g., with the restriction enzyme cleavage sites Kpnl , NotI, facilitate the cloning of the gene of interest.
• the vectors contain in addition the 3 ' intron, the polyadenylation and termination signal of the bovine growth hormone gene.
• the expression plasmid, p3SLNACl is made by cloning a cDNA encoding hSLNACl into the expression vector pcDNA3 ( - ) (which can be obtained from Invitrogen, Inc.) .
• the expression vector pcDNA3(-) contains: (1) an E. coli origin of replication effective for propagation in E. coli and other prokaryotic cells; (2) an ampicillin resistance gene for selection of plasmid-containing prokaryotic cells; (3) an SV40 origin of replication for propagation in eukaryotic cells; (4) a CMV promoter, a polylinker ; (5) a polyadenylation from the bovine growth hormone gene arranged so that a cDNA can be conveniently placed under expression control of the CMV promoter and operably linked to the polyadenylation signal by means of restriction sites in the polylinker.
• pcDNA3(-) contains, in addition, the selectable neomycin marker.
• a DNA fragment encoding the hSLNACl polypeptide is cloned into the polylinker region of the vector so that recombinant protein expression is directed by the CMV promoter.
• the plasmid construction strategy is as follows.
• the hSLNACl cDNA of the deposited clone is in the bluescript vector (Stratagene) , it is excised from the bluescript vector with Kpnl and Not I.
• the vector, pcDNA3(-) is digested with Kpnl and Not I.
• the PCR amplified DNA fragment and the linearized vector are then ligated.
• the ligation mixture is transformed into E.
• Plasmid DNA is isolated from resistant colonies and examined by restriction analysis or other means for the presence of the hSLNACl -encoding fragment.
• COS cells are transfected with an expression vector, as described above, using DEAE-Dextran, as described, for instance, in Sambrook et al . , Molecular Cloning: a Laboratory Manual , Cold Spring Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York (1989) . Cells are incubated under conditions for expression of hSLNACl by the vector.
• Example 2 Cloning and Expression in HEK293 Cells
• the vector p3SLNACl is used for the expression of hSLNACl protein. Plasmid p3SLNACl is described in example 1.
• the plasmid contains the mouse neomycin resistance gene under control of the SV40 early promoter.
• HEK293 Cells are transfected with these plasmids can be selected by growing the cells in a selective medium (containing 1 mg/ml
• Neomycin Resistance a gene linked to the Neomycin Resistance gene, it is usually co-expressed. It is known in the art that this approach may be used to develop cell lines expressing large amounts of the protein of interest, up to 1 pmole per mg of cell membrane in the case of a receptor. Subsequently, when the Geneticin is withdrawn, cell lines are obtained which contain the amplified gene integrated into one or more chromosome (s) of the host cell.
• Clontech's Tet-Off and Tet-On gene expression systems and similar systems can be used to express hSLNACl in a regulated way in mammalian cells (Gossen, M. and Bujard, H., Proc . Natl . Acad . Sci . USA 89 : 5547-5551(1992)).
• Other signals e.g., from the human growth hormone or globin genes can be used as well.
• Stable cell lines carrying a gene of interest integrated into the chromosomes can also be selected upon co- transfection with a selectable marker such as gpt, G418 or hygromycin.
• HEK293 cells are used for transfection. 20 ⁇ g of the expression plasmid p3SLNACl is transfected using calcium phosphate (Chen C, Okayama H, (1987) Mol . Cell. Biol. ; 7 : 2745-2752.).
• the plasmid pcDNA3(-) contains a dominant selectable marker, the neomycin resistance gene from Tn5 encoding an enzyme that confers resistance to a group of antibiotics including Geneticin.
• the cells are seeded in MEM supplemented with 1 mg/ml Geneticin. After 2 days, the cells are trypsinized and seeded in cloning plates in MEM supplemented with 1 mg/ml Geneticin.
• single clones are trypsinized and then seeded in 6- well petri dishes or 10 ml flasks. Clones growing are then transferred to new 6-well plates. Expression of the desired gene product is analyzed, for instance, by Northern blot.
• Northern blot analysis can be carried out to examine hSLNACl gene expression in human tissues, using methods described by, among others, Sambrook et al . , cited above.
• a cDNA probe containing the entire nucleotide sequence of the hSLNACl protein (SEQ ID NO : 1) can be labeled with 32 P using the RediprimeTM DNA labeling system (Amersham Life Science, Arlington, IL) , according to manufacturer's instructions. After labeling, the probe can be purified using a CHROMA SPIN- 100TM column (Clontech Laboratories,
• MTN Multiple Tissue Northern
• ATC CGA GTG CAG ATC CAC AGC CAG GAG GAG CCG CCC ATC ATC GAT CAG 768 lie Arg Val Gin He His Ser Gin Glu Glu Pro Pro He He Asp Gin 240 245 250
• MOLECULE TYPE protein
• ORGANISM Homo sapiens
• F TISSUE TYPE: Cerebellum
• AGC CCC AGC CCT CCC TAT ACC CTT ATG GGG TGT CGC CTG GCC TGC GAA 960 Ser Pro Ser Pro Pro Tyr Thr Leu Met Gly Cys Arg Leu Ala Cys Glu
• CAC TCC AGC ACC AAT CTG CTT CAG GAA GGG CTG GGC AGC CAT CGA ACC 1488 His Ser Ser Thr Asn Leu Leu Gin Glu Gly Leu Gly Ser His Arg Thr
• CAA GTT CCC CAC CTC AGC CTG GGC CCC AGC ACT CTG CTC TGT TCC GAA 1536 Gin Val Pro His Leu Ser Leu Gly Pro Ser Thr Leu Leu Cys Ser Glu
• MOLECULE TYPE protein
• SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION SEQ ID NO : 6:

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• 1997
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