EP1474506A2 - Proteine p450 cytochrome - Google Patents

Proteine p450 cytochrome

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Publication number
EP1474506A2
EP1474506A2 EP03737382A EP03737382A EP1474506A2 EP 1474506 A2 EP1474506 A2 EP 1474506A2 EP 03737382 A EP03737382 A EP 03737382A EP 03737382 A EP03737382 A EP 03737382A EP 1474506 A2 EP1474506 A2 EP 1474506A2
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
polypeptide
nucleic acid
disease
acid molecule
disorder
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03737382A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Richard Joseph Fagan
Christopher Benjamin Phelps
Ellie Louise James
Sarah Helen Kamp
Kirsty Louisa-Jane Leake
Katheryn Elizabeth Allen
Nelly Collinet
Janet Marjorie Allen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Inpharmatica Ltd
Original Assignee
Inpharmatica Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Inpharmatica Ltd filed Critical Inpharmatica Ltd
Publication of EP1474506A2 publication Critical patent/EP1474506A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12N—MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA
    • C12N9/00—Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes
    • C12N9/0004—Oxidoreductases (1.)
    • C12N9/0071—Oxidoreductases (1.) acting on paired donors with incorporation of molecular oxygen (1.14)
    • C12N9/0073—Oxidoreductases (1.) acting on paired donors with incorporation of molecular oxygen (1.14) with NADH or NADPH as one donor, and incorporation of one atom of oxygen 1.14.13
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
    • C12Y—ENZYMES
    • C12Y114/00—Oxidoreductases acting on paired donors, with incorporation or reduction of molecular oxygen (1.14)
    • C12Y114/13—Oxidoreductases acting on paired donors, with incorporation or reduction of molecular oxygen (1.14) with NADH or NADPH as one donor, and incorporation of one atom of oxygen (1.14.13)
    • C12Y114/1303—Leukotriene-B4 20-monooxygenase (1.14.13.30), i.e. leukotriene-B4-omega-hydroxylase
    • 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 a novel protein (INTP003), herein identified as a P450, and to the use of this protein and nucleic acid sequences from the encoding gene in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease. All publications, patents and patent applications cited herein are incorporated in full by reference.
  • bioinformatics tools increase in potency and in accuracy, these tools are rapidly replacing the conventional techniques of biochemical characterisation. Indeed, the advanced bioinformatics tools used in identifying the present invention are now capable of outputting results in which a high degree of confidence can be placed.
  • P450s are a large superfamily of enzymes all of which use a heme bound iron atom to catalyse the insertion of an oxygen atom into a substrate.
  • the overall reaction of a P450 converts an organic substrate, molecular oxygen and NADPH to a hydroxylated organic substrate, water and NADP+.
  • the oxidation of NADPH is generally carried out by a separate enzyme or enzymes: P450 reductase or ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase, which subsequently transfer the electrons to the P450. Examples have been found where P450 and P450 reductase have been fused however. Subsequent rearrangements and reactions of the hydroxylated product lead to P450s catalysing over 40 known reactions.
  • P450s catalyse the oxygenation of a large range of substrates: over 1000 are known to date and there may be 10 6 in total.
  • This broad range of biochemical functions gives P450s a similarly broad range biological functions: detoxification of harmful chemicals, activation (by modification) of beneficial drug precursors and hormones, activation of harmful chemicals (such as carcinogens), breakdown and synthesis of steroids, vitamins, fatty acids, pigments, pheromones, insecticides amongst other classes of biological molecule.
  • P450s are found in nearly all known organisms including plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. In mammals P450s are found in most tissues though their concentration is highest in the liver where the detoxification of many chemicals takes place.
  • P450 genes are also implicated in growth and differentiation of cells due to their tissue and developmental specific expression patterns.
  • P450s The P450s' role in the metabolism (both activation and deactivation) of drugs and carcinogens has made them the subject of much medical interest.
  • drugs are administered in an inactive form and only become active when they have passed through the liver and been altered by P450s once and even twice.
  • P450s have been the subject of extensive site-directed mutagenesis experiments which have aimed to determine residues essential for substrate binding specificity.
  • Most P450 structures are of soluble bacterial enzymes though there have been efforts to homology model mammalian enzymes in order to aid understanding of variations in substrate binding specificities and to aid rational drug design efforts.
  • Fungal and bacterial P450s are also of medical interest because of their potential as antibiotic targets.
  • Inhibitors of P450s could stop inactivation of drugs and activation of carcinogens.
  • the drug exemestane has been approved for use as an inhibitor of aromatase P450 in breast cancer.
  • Azole antifungals such as Nizoral and Diflucan inhibit the P450 lanosterol demethylase, which catalyses the synthesis of ergosterol, a major component of fungal plasma membranes.
  • Recent studies have also crystallised a Mycobacterium tuberculosis P450 in complex with two different azole inhibitors, 4-phenylimidazole (4-PI) and FLU, helping understanding of binding of these important antifungals.
  • CYP4F family member is CYP4F2 which is widely distributed in human liver and other tissues and catalyses omega- hydroxylation of various lipoxygenoase-derived eicosanoids as well as LTB4 (Kikuto Y et al, 2002, Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat, 68-69:345-62).
  • the ability to modulate the activity of CYP4F enzymes may be useful pharmacologically to reduce inflammation or reverse immunodeficiency.
  • novel P450s and in particular CYP4F family members such as leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylases, as these proteins are implicated in the diseases identified above, as well as in other disease states.
  • novel P450s and in particular CYP4F family members such as leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylases in bacterial, fungal and human systems is therefore extremely relevant for the treatment and diagnosis of disease, particularly those identified above.
  • the invention is based on the discovery that the INTP003 protein functions as a P450.
  • the invention provides a polypeptide, which polypeptide:
  • (ii) is a fragment thereof having P450 activity, preferably having the activity of a member of the cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF (CYP4F), preferably having leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega hydroxylase activity, or having an antigenic determinant in common with the polypeptides of (i); or
  • (i) consists ofthe amino acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO: 26; (ii) is a fragment thereof which functions as a P450, preferably having the activity of a member of the cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF (CYP4F), preferably having as a leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega hydroxylase activity, or having an antigenic determinant in common with the polypeptides of (i); or
  • (iii) is a functional equivalent of (i) or (ii).
  • the polypeptide having the sequence recited in SEQ ID NO: 26 is referred to hereafter as "the INTP003 polypeptide".
  • polypeptides that comprise amino acid sequence or structural features that can be identified as conserved features within the polypeptides of the P450 family, such that the polypeptide's interaction with ligand is not substantially affected detrimentally in comparison to the function of the full length wild type polypeptide.
  • the polypeptide exhibits a characteristic P450 spectrum such that when the heme iron is complexed with carbon monoxide, the spectrum shows a Soret absorption maximum at around 450nm (Garfinkel, 1958, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 77: 493-509; Klingenberg, 1958, Arch. Biochem.
  • the polypeptides and functional equivalents according to the invention function as P450 enzymes, preferably as members of the cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF (CYP4F), preferably as leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega hydroxylases.
  • CYP4F cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF
  • LTB4 leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylases.
  • functions as a P450 enzyme we mean that the polypeptide retains its ability to convert an organic substrate, NADPH and molecular oxygen to NADP+, a hydroxylated organic substrate and water.
  • the ability of a polypeptide to hydroxylate a substrate may be determined by using a suitable assay known in the art.
  • a leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylase assay may be used to confirm that a polypeptide of the invention functions as a P450 enzyme (Kikuta et al, 1998, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 355(2): 201-5).
  • the invention provides a purified nucleic acid molecule, which encodes a polypeptide ofthe first aspect ofthe invention.
  • the purified nucleic acid molecule comprises the nucleic acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO: 25 (encoding the INTP003 polypeptide) or is a redundant equivalent or fragment thereof.
  • the invention further provides that the purified nucleic acid molecule consists of the nucleic acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO: 25 (encoding the INTP003 polypeptide) or is a redundant equivalent or fragment thereof.
  • the invention provides a purified nucleic acid molecule, which hybridizes under high stringency conditions with a nucleic acid molecule of the second aspect of the invention.
  • the invention provides a vector, such as an expression vector, that contains a nucleic acid molecule ofthe second or third aspect ofthe invention.
  • the invention provides a host cell transformed with a vector of the fourth aspect ofthe invention.
  • the invention provides a ligand which binds specifically to, and which preferably inhibits the P450 activity of a polypeptide ofthe first aspect ofthe invention.
  • the invention provides a compound that is effective to alter the expression of a natural gene which encodes a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention or to regulate the activity of a polypeptide ofthe first aspect ofthe invention.
  • a compound of the seventh aspect of the invention may either increase (agonise) or decrease (antagonise) the level of expression ofthe gene or the activity ofthe polypeptide.
  • the identification of the function of the INTP003 polypeptide allows for the design of screening methods capable of identifying compounds that are effective in the treatment and/or diagnosis of disease.
  • Ligands and compounds according to the sixth and seventh aspects ofthe invention may be identified using such methods. These methods are included as aspects of the present invention.
  • the invention provides a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention, or a nucleic acid molecule of the second or third aspect of the invention, or a vector ofthe fourth aspect ofthe invention, or a ligand ofthe sixth aspect ofthe invention, or a compound of the sixth aspect of the invention, for use in therapy or diagnosis of a disease or disorder in which P450s, preferably members ofthe cytochrome P450 subfamily
  • IVF CYP4F
  • LTB4 leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylases
  • These molecules may also be used in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of cell proliferative disorders, such as cancer, including breast, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, cervix, testis, skin and bowel tumour, myeloproliferative disorders, leukaemia, lymphoma,
  • the invention provides a method of diagnosing a disease in a patient, comprising assessing the level of expression of a natural gene encoding a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention or the activity of a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention in tissue from said patient and comparing said level of expression or activity to a control level, wherein a level that is different to said control level is indicative of disease.
  • a method will preferably be carried out in vitro.
  • Similar methods may be used for monitoring the therapeutic treatment of disease in a patient, wherein altering the level of expression or activity of a polypeptide or nucleic acid molecule over the period of time towards a control level is indicative of regression of disease.
  • a preferred method for detecting polypeptides of the first aspect of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) contacting a ligand, such as an antibody, of the sixth aspect of the invention with a biological sample under conditions suitable for the formation of a ligand-polypeptide complex; and (b) detecting said complex.
  • a number of different such methods according to the ninth aspect ofthe invention exist, as the skilled reader will be aware, such as methods of nucleic acid hybridization with short probes, point mutation analysis, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and methods using antibodies to detect aberrant protein levels. Similar methods may be used on a short or long-term basis to allow therapeutic treatment of a disease to be monitored in a patient.
  • the invention also provides kits that are useful in these methods for diagnosing disease.
  • the disease diagnosed by a method of the ninth aspect of the invention is cell proliferative disorder, such as cancer, including breast, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, cervix, testis, skin and bowel tumour, a myeloproliferative disorder, leukaemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, and carcinoma, an immunodeficiency and/or infection associated with immunodeficiency, AIDS, autoimmune disorder, an inflammatory disorder including Crohn's disease, arthritis, psoriasis, mutliple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung inflammation, pulmonary fibrosis, atherosclerosis, transplantation, inflammatory pain, cardiovascular disorder, neurological disorder, developmental disorder, skin disorder and dermatological disease such as, psoriasis, pruritus, acne, skin atropy, sun damage, eczema, ichthyosis, kerato
  • the invention provides for the use of a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention as a P450, preferably as a member of the cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF (CYP4F), preferably as a leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega hydroxylase.
  • CYP4F cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF
  • LTB4 leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylase
  • Suitable uses of the polypeptides of the invention as a P450 include use as a regulator of cellular growth, metabolism or differentiation, use as part of a receptor/ligand pair and use as a diagnostic marker for a physiological or pathological condition selected from the list given above.
  • the invention also provides use of the polypeptides of the invention to hydroxylate organic substrates, using assays described above.
  • the invention includes use ofthe polypeptides ofthe invention as drug metabolising enzymes.
  • the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition
  • a pharmaceutical composition comprising a polypeptide ofthe first aspect ofthe invention, or a nucleic acid molecule ofthe second or third aspect ofthe invention, or a vector ofthe fourth aspect ofthe invention, or a host cell of the fifth aspect of the invention, or a ligand of the sixth aspect of the invention, or a compound of the seventh aspect of the invention, in conjunction with a pharmaceutically- acceptable carrier.
  • the present invention provides a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention, or a nucleic acid molecule of the second or third aspect of the invention, or a vector of the fourth aspect of the invention, or a host cell of the fifth aspect of the invention, or a ligand of the sixth aspect of the invention, or a compound of the seventh aspect of the invention, for use in the manufacture of a medicament for the diagnosis or treatment of a disease.
  • the invention provides a method of treating a disease in a patient comprising administering to the patient a polypeptide ofthe first aspect ofthe invention, or a nucleic acid molecule of the second or third aspect of the invention, or a vector of the fourth aspect ofthe invention, or a host cell ofthe fifth aspect ofthe invention, or a ligand ofthe sixth aspect ofthe invention, or a compound ofthe seventh aspect ofthe invention.
  • the polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, ligand or compound administered to the patient should be an agonist.
  • the polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, ligand or compound administered to the patient should be an antagonist.
  • antagonists include antisense nucleic acid molecules, ribozymes and ligands, such as antibodies.
  • the invention provides transgenic or knockout non-human animals that have been transformed to express higher, lower or absent levels of a polypeptide ofthe first aspect of the invention.
  • Such transgenic animals are very useful models for the study of disease and may also be using in screening regimes for the identification of compounds that are effective in the treatment or diagnosis of such a disease.
  • polypeptide includes 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. This term refers both to short chains (peptides and oligopeptides) and to longer chains (proteins).
  • the polypeptide ofthe present invention may be in the form of a mature protein or may be a pre-, pro- or prepro- protein that can be activated by cleavage ofthe pre-, pro- or prepro- portion to produce an active mature polypeptide.
  • the pre-, pro- or prepro- sequence may be a leader or secretory sequence or may be a sequence that is employed for purification ofthe mature polypeptide sequence.
  • the polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention may form part of a fusion protein.
  • the mature polypeptide may be fused with another compound, such as a compound to increase the half-life of the polypeptide (for example, polyethylene glycol).
  • Polypeptides may contain amino acids other than the 20 gene-encoded amino acids, modified either by natural processes, such as by post-translational processing or by chemical modification techniques which are well known in the art.
  • modifications which may commonly be present in polypeptides of the present invention are glycosylation, lipid attachment, sulphation, gamma-carboxylation, for instance of glutamic acid residues, hydroxylation and ADP-ribosylation.
  • Modifications can occur anywhere in a polypeptide, including the peptide backbone, the amino acid side-chains and the amino or carboxyl termini.
  • blockage of the amino or carboxyl terminus in a polypeptide, or both, by a covalent modification is common in naturally occurring and synthetic polypeptides and such modifications may be present in polypeptides ofthe present invention.
  • polypeptides that are made recombinantly the nature and extent ofthe modifications in large part will be determined by the post-translational modification capacity of the particular host cell and the modification signals that are present in the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide in question. For instance, glycosylation patterns vary between different types of host cell.
  • the polypeptides of the present invention can be prepared in any suitable manner. Such polypeptides include isolated naturally occurring polypeptides (for example purified from cell culture), recombinantly-produced polypeptides (including fusion proteins), synthetically-produced polypeptides or polypeptides that are produced by a combination of these methods.
  • the functionally equivalent polypeptides of the first aspect of the invention may be polypeptides that are homologous to the INTP003 polypeptide.
  • Two polypeptides are said to be "homologous", as the term is used herein, if the sequence of one of the polypeptides has a high enough degree of identity or similarity to the sequence ofthe other polypeptide. "Identity” indicates that at any particular position in the aligned sequences, the amino acid residue is identical between the sequences. "Similarity” indicates that, at any particular position in the aligned sequences, the amino acid residue is of a similar type between the sequences.
  • Homologous polypeptides therefore include natural biological variants (for example, allelic variants or geographical variations within the species from which the polypeptides are derived) and mutants (such as mutants containing amino acid substitutions, insertions or deletions) of the INTP003 polypeptide.
  • Such mutants may include polypeptides in which one or more of the amino acid residues are substituted with a conserved or non- conserved amino acid residue (preferably a conserved amino acid residue) and such substituted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code.
  • Typical such substitutions are among Ala, Val, Leu and He; among Ser and Thr; among the acidic residues Asp and Glu; among Asn and Gin; among the basic residues Lys and Arg; or among the aromatic residues Phe and Tyr.
  • Particularly preferred are variants in which several, i.e. between 5 and 10, 1 and 5, 1 and 3, 1 and 2 or just 1 amino acids are substituted, deleted or added in any combination.
  • silent substitutions, additions and deletions which do not alter the properties and activities ofthe protein. Also especially preferred in this regard are conservative substitutions.
  • Such mutants also include polypeptides in which one or more ofthe amino acid residues include a substituent group.
  • polypeptides of the first aspect of the invention have a degree of sequence identity with the INTP003 polypeptide or with active fragments thereof, of greater than 64%. More preferred polypeptides have degrees of identity of greater than 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 98% or 99%, respectively.
  • the functionally equivalent polypeptides of the first aspect of the invention may also be polypeptides, which have been identified using one or more techniques of structural alignment. For example, the Inpharmatica Genome Threader technology that forms one aspect of the search tools used to generate the Biopendium search database may be used (see co-pending International Patent Application No.
  • PCT/GBO 1/01105 PCT/GBO 1/01105 to identify polypeptides of presently-unknown function which, while having low sequence identity as compared to the INTP003 polypeptide, are predicted to have P450 activity, by virtue of sharing significant structural homology with the INTP003 polypeptide sequence.
  • significant structural homology is meant that the Inpharmatica Genome Threader predicts two proteins to share structural homology with a certainty of 10% and above.
  • the polypeptides ofthe first aspect ofthe invention also include fragments ofthe INTP003 polypeptide and fragments of the functional equivalents of the INTP003 polypeptide, provided that those fragments retain P450 activity or have an antigenic determinant in common with the INTP003 polypeptide.
  • fragment refers to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence that is the same as part, but not all, of the amino acid sequence of the INTP003 polypeptide or one of its functional equivalents.
  • the fragments should comprise at least n consecutive amino acids from the sequence and, depending on the particular sequence, n preferably is 7 or more (for example, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or more). Small fragments may form an antigenic determinant.
  • fragments of the INTP003 polypeptide comprise the amino acid sequence as recited in SEQ ID NO:2 (INTP003 exon 1 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:4 (INTP003 exon 2 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:6 (INTP003 exon 3 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:8 (INTP003 exon 4 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 10 (INTP003 exon 5 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: ⁇ 2 (INTP003 exon 6 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:14 (INTP003 exon 7 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 16 (INTP003 exon 8 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 18 (INTP003 exon 9 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:20 (INTP003 exon 10 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:22 (INTP003 exon 11 polypeptide) or SEQ ID NO:24 (INTP003 exon 12 polypeptide).
  • Fragments of the full length INTP003 polypeptide may consist of combinations of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 of neighbouring exon sequences in the INTP003 polypeptide sequence.
  • fragments may be "free-standing", i.e. not part of or fused to other amino acids or polypeptides, or they may be comprised within a larger polypeptide of which they form a part or region.
  • the fragment of the invention When comprised within a larger polypeptide, the fragment of the invention most preferably forms a single continuous region.
  • certain preferred embodiments relate to a fragment having a pre - and/or pro- polypeptide region fused to the amino terminus of the fragment and/or an additional region fused to the carboxyl terminus of the fragment.
  • several fragments may be comprised within a single larger polypeptide.
  • the polypeptides ofthe present invention or their immunogenic fragments can be used to generate ligands, such as polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies, that are immunospeciflc for the polypeptides.
  • ligands such as polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies
  • Such antibodies may be employed to isolate or to identify clones expressing the polypeptides ofthe invention or to purify the polypeptides by affinity chromatography.
  • the antibodies may also be employed as diagnostic or therapeutic aids, amongst other applications, as will be apparent to the skilled reader.
  • immunospeciflc means that the antibodies have substantially greater affinity for the polypeptides ofthe invention than their affinity for other related polypeptides in the prior art.
  • antibody refers to intact molecules as well as to fragments thereof, such as Fab, F(ab')2 and Fv, which are capable of binding to the antigenic determinant in question. Such antibodies thus bind to the polypeptides ofthe first aspect ofthe invention.
  • substantially greater affinity we mean that there is a measurable increase in the affinity for a polypeptide of the invention as compared with the affinity for known P450s, preferably with known members of the cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF (CYP4F), preferably with leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega hydroxylases.
  • the affinity is at least 1.5-fold, 2-fold, 5-fold 10-fold, 100-fold, 10 3 -fold, 10 4 - fold, 10 5 -fold or 10 6 -fold greater for a polypeptide of the invention than for known P450s, preferably members of the cytochrome P450 subfamily IVF (CYP4F), preferably leukotriene B4 (LTB4) omega hydroxylases.
  • a selected mammal such as a mouse, rabbit, goat or horse
  • a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention may be immunised with a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention.
  • the polypeptide used to immunise the animal can be derived by recombinant DNA technology or can be synthesized chemically.
  • the polypeptide can be conjugated to a carrier protein.
  • Commonly used carriers to which the polypeptides may be chemically coupled include bovine serum albumin, thyroglobulin and keyhole limpet haemocyanin.
  • the coupled polypeptide is then used to immunise the animal. Serum from the immunised animal is collected and treated according to known procedures, for example by immunoaffinity chromatography.
  • Monoclonal antibodies to the polypeptides of the first aspect of the invention can also be readily produced by one skilled in the art.
  • the general methodology for making monoclonal antibodies using hybridoma technology is well known (see, for example, Kohler, G. and Milstein, C, Nature 256: 495-497 (1975); Kozbor et al, Immunology Today 4: 72 (1983); Cole et al, 77-96 in Monoclonal Antibodies and Cancer Therapy, Alan R. Liss, Inc. (1985).
  • Panels of monoclonal antibodies produced against the polypeptides of the first aspect of the invention can be screened for various properties, i.e., for isotype, epitope, affinity, etc. Monoclonal antibodies are particularly useful in purification ofthe individual polypeptides against which they are directed. Alternatively, genes encoding the monoclonal antibodies of interest may be isolated from hybridomas, for instance by PCR techniques known in the art, and cloned and expressed in appropriate vectors.
  • Chimeric antibodies in which non-human variable regions are joined or fused to human constant regions (see, for example, Liu et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84, 3439 (1987)), may also be of use.
  • the antibody may be modified to make it less immunogenic in an individual, for example by humanisation (see Jones et al, Nature, 321, 522 (1986); Verhoeyen et al, Science, 239, 1534 (1988); Kabat et al, J. Immunol., 147, 1709 (1991); Queen et al, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 86, 10029 (1989); Gorman et al, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 88, 34181 (1991); and Hodgson et al, Bio/Technology, 9, 421 (1991)).
  • humanisation see Jones et al, Nature, 321, 522 (1986); Verhoeyen et al, Science, 239, 1534 (1988); Kabat et al, J. Immunol., 147, 1709 (1991); Queen et al, Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 86, 10029 (1989); Gorman et
  • humanised antibody refers to antibody molecules in which the CDR amino acids and selected other amino acids in the variable domains ofthe heavy and/or light chains of a non-human donor antibody have been substituted in place ofthe equivalent amino acids in a human antibody.
  • the humanised antibody thus closely resembles a human antibody but has the binding ability ofthe donor antibody.
  • the antibody may be a "bispecific" antibody, that is an antibody having two different antigen-binding domains, each domain being directed against a different epitope.
  • Phage display technology may be utilised to select genes which encode antibodies with binding activities towards the polypeptides ofthe invention either from repertoires of PCR amplified V-genes of lymphocytes from humans screened for possessing the relevant antibodies, or from naive libraries (McCafferty, J. et al, (1990), Nature 348, 552-554; Marks, J. et al, (1992) Biotechnology 10, 779-783).
  • the affinity of these antibodies can also be improved by chain shuffling (Clackson, T. et al, (1991) Nature 352, 624-628).
  • Antibodies generated by the above techniques have additional utility in that they may be employed as reagents in immunoassays, radioimmunoassays (RIA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
  • the antibodies can be labeled with an analytically detectable reagent such as a radioisotope, a fluorescent molecule or an enzyme.
  • nucleic acid molecules of the second and third aspects ofthe invention are those which encode the polypeptide sequence recited in SEQ ID NO: 26, fragments thereof and functionally equivalent polypeptides. These nucleic acid molecules may be used in the methods and applications described herein.
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the invention preferably comprise at least n consecutive nucleotides from the sequences disclosed herein where, depending on the particular sequence, n is 10 or more (for example, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 or more).
  • nucleic acid molecules which encode fragments of the polypeptide sequence recited in SEQ ID NO: 26 comprise the nucleic acid sequence recited in SEQ ID NO:l (encoding the INTP003 exon 1 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:3 (encoding the INTP003 exon 2 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:5 (encoding the INTP003 exon 3 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:7 (encoding the INTP003 exon 4 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:9 (encoding the INTP003 exon 5 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:l 1 (encoding the INTP003 exon 6 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 13 (encoding the INTP003 exon 7 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 15 (encoding the INTP003 exon 8 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 17 (encoding the INTP003 exon 9 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO: 19 (encoding the INTP003 exon 10 polypeptide), SEQ ID NO:
  • nucleic acid molecules of the invention also include sequences that are complementary to nucleic acid molecules described above (for example, for antisense or probing purposes).
  • Nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be in the form of RNA, such as mRNA, or in the form of DNA, including, for instance cDNA, synthetic DNA or genomic DNA. Such nucleic acid molecules may be obtained by cloning, by chemical synthetic techniques or by a combination thereof.
  • the nucleic acid molecules can be prepared, for example, by chemical synthesis using techniques such as solid phase phosphoramidite chemical synthesis, from genomic or cDNA libraries or by separation from an organism. RNA molecules may generally be generated by the in vitro or in vivo transcription of DNA sequences.
  • the nucleic acid molecules may be double-stranded or single-stranded.
  • Single-stranded DNA may be the coding strand, also known as the sense strand, or it may be the non-. coding strand, also referred to as the anti-sense strand.
  • nucleic acid molecule also includes analogues of DNA and RNA, such as those containing modified backbones, and peptide nucleic acids (PNA).
  • PNA peptide nucleic acids
  • PNAs may be pegylated to extend their lifespan in a cell, where they preferentially bind complementary single stranded DNA and RNA and stop transcript elongation (Nielsen, P.E. et al. (1993) Anticancer Drug Des. 8: 53-63).
  • a nucleic acid molecule which encodes the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 26 may be identical to the coding sequence ofthe nucleic acid molecule
  • nucleic acid molecules that encode the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 26 may include, but are not limited to, the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide by itself; the coding sequence for the mature polypeptide and additional coding sequences, such as those encoding a leader or secretory sequence, such as a pro-, pre- or prepro- polypeptide sequence; the coding sequence ofthe mature polypeptide, with or without the aforementioned additional coding sequences, together with further additional, non-coding sequences, including non-coding 5' and 3' sequences, such as the transcribed, non-translated sequences that play a role in transcription (including termination signals), ribosome binding and mRNA stability.
  • the nucleic acid molecules may also include additional sequences, which encode additional amino acids, such as those, which provide additional functionalities.
  • nucleic acid molecules of the second and third aspects of the invention may also encode the fragments or the functional equivalents of the polypeptides and fragments of the first aspect ofthe invention.
  • a nucleic acid molecule may be a naturally occurring variant such as a naturally occurring allelic variant, or the molecule may be a variant that is not known to occur naturally.
  • non-naturally occurring variants of the nucleic acid molecule may be made by mutagenesis techniques, including those applied to nucleic acid molecules, cells or organisms.
  • variants in this regard are variants that differ from the aforementioned nucleic acid molecules by nucleotide substitutions, deletions or insertions.
  • the substitutions, deletions or insertions may involve one or more nucleotides.
  • the variants may be altered in coding or non-coding regions or both. Alterations in the coding regions may produce conservative or non-conservative amino acid substitutions, deletions or insertions.
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the invention can also be engineered, using methods generally known in the art, for a variety of reasons, including modifying the cloning, processing, and/or expression of the gene product (the polypeptide).
  • DNA shuffling by random fragmentation and PCR reassembly of gene fragments and synthetic oligonucleotides are included as techniques, which may be used to engineer the nucleotide sequences.
  • Site-directed mutagenesis may be used to insert new restriction sites, alter glycosylation patterns, change codon preference, produce splice variants, introduce mutations and so forth.
  • Nucleic acid molecules which encode a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention, may be ligated to a heterologous sequence so that the combined nucleic acid molecule encodes a fusion protein.
  • Such combined nucleic acid molecules are included within the second or third aspects of the invention.
  • a fusion protein that can be recognised by a commercially-available antibody.
  • a fusion protein may also be engineered to contain a cleavage site located between the sequence of the polypeptide of the invention and the sequence of a heterologous protein so that the polypeptide may be cleaved and purified away from the heterologous protein.
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the invention also include antisense molecules that are partially complementary to nucleic acid molecules encoding polypeptides of the present invention and that therefore hybridize to the encoding nucleic acid molecules (hybridization).
  • antisense molecules such as oligonucleotides, can be designed to recognise, specifically bind to and prevent transcription of a target nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide ofthe invention, as will be known by those of ordinary skill in the art (see, for example, Cohen, J.S., Trends in Pharm. Sci., 10, 435 (1989), Okano, J. Neurochem. 56, 560 (1991); O'Connor, J. Neurochem 56, 560 (1991); Lee et al, Nucleic Acids Res 6, 3073 (1979); Cooney et al, Science 241, 456 (1988); Dervan et al, Science 251, 1360 (1991).
  • hybridization refers to the association of two nucleic acid molecules with one another by hydrogen bonding. Typically, one molecule will be fixed to a solid support and the other will be free in solution. Then, the two molecules may be placed in contact with one another under conditions that favour hydrogen bonding. Factors that affect this bonding include: the type and volume of solvent; reaction temperature; time of hybridization; agitation; agents to block the non-specific attachment ofthe liquid phase molecule to the solid support (Denhardt's reagent or BLOTTO); the concentration of the molecules; use of compounds to increase the rate of association of molecules (dextran sulphate or polyethylene glycol); and the stringency of the washing conditions following hybridization (see Sambrook et al. [supra]).
  • the inhibition of hybridization of a completely complementary molecule to a target molecule may be examined using a hybridization assay, as known in the art (see, for example, Sambrook et al [supra]).
  • a substantially homologous molecule will then compete for and inhibit the binding of a completely homologous molecule to the target molecule under various conditions of stringency, as taught in Wahl, G.M. and S.L. Berger (1987; Methods Enzymol. 152: 399-407) and Kimmel, A.R. (1987; Methods Enzymol. 152: 507- 511).
  • Stringency refers to conditions in a hybridization reaction that favour the association of very similar molecules over association of molecules that differ.
  • High stringency hybridisation conditions are defined as overnight incubation at 42°C in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5XSSC (150mM NaCl, 15mM trisodium citrate), 50mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5x Denhardts solution, 10% dextran sulphate, and 20 microgram/rnl denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the filters in 0.1X SSC at approximately 65°C.
  • Low stringency conditions involve the hybridisation reaction being carried out at 35°C (see Sambrook et al. [supra]).
  • the conditions used for hybridization are those of high stringency.
  • nucleic acid molecules that are at least 70% identical over their entire length to a nucleic acid molecule encoding the INTP003 polypeptide (SEQ ID NO: 26), such as SEQ ID NO:25, and nucleic acid molecules that are substantially complementary to such nucleic acid molecules.
  • a nucleic acid molecule according to this aspect ofthe invention comprises a region that is at least 80% identical over its entire length to the nucleic acid molecule having the sequence given in SEQ ID NO: 25 or a nucleic acid molecule that is complementary thereto.
  • nucleic acid molecules at least 90%, preferably at least 95%, more preferably at least 98%, 99%, or greater identical over their entire length to the same are particularly preferred.
  • Preferred embodiments in this respect are nucleic acid molecules that encode polypeptides that retain substantially the same biological function or activity as the INTP003 polypeptide.
  • the invention also provides a process for detecting a nucleic acid molecule of the invention, comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a nucleic probe according to the invention with a biological sample under hybridizing conditions to form duplexes; and (b) detecting any such duplexes that are formed.
  • a nucleic acid molecule as described above may be used as a hybridization probe for RNA, cDNA or genomic DNA, in order to isolate full-length cDNAs and genomic clones encoding the INTP003 polypeptide and to isolate cDNA and genomic clones of homologous or orthologous genes that have a high sequence similarity to the gene encoding this polypeptide.
  • the following techniques among others known in the art, may be utilised and are discussed below for purposes of illustration. Methods for DNA sequencing and analysis are well known and are generally available in the art and may, indeed, be used to practice many of the embodiments of the invention discussed herein.
  • Such methods may employ such enzymes as the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, Sequenase (US Biochemical Corp, Cleveland, OH), Taq polymerase (Perkin Elmer), thermostable T7 polymerase (Amersham, Chicago, IL), or combinations of polymerases and proof-reading exonucleases such as those found in the ELONGASE Amplification System marketed by Gibco/BRL (Gaithersburg, MD).
  • the sequencing process may be automated using machines such as the Hamilton Micro Lab 2200 (Hamilton, Reno, NN), the Peltier Thermal Cycler (PTC200; MJ Research, Watertown, MA) and the ABI Catalyst and 373 and 377 D ⁇ A Sequencers (Perkin Elmer).
  • One method for isolating a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide with an equivalent function to that of the I ⁇ TP003 polypeptide is to probe a genomic or cDNA library with a natural or artificially-designed probe using standard procedures that are recognised in the art (see, for example, "Current Protocols in Molecular Biology", Ausubel et al. (eds). Greene Publishing Association and John Wiley Interscience, New York, 1989, 1992). Probes comprising at least 15, preferably at least 30, and more preferably at least 50, contiguous bases that correspond to, or are complementary to, nucleic acid sequences from the appropriate encoding gene (SEQ ID NO: 25), are particularly useful probes.
  • ESTs that are homologous to fragments ofthe nucleic acid sequences encoding INTP003 may be used as probes.
  • Examples of ESTs which may be used as probes include IMAGE 4755240 (BG675134) and IMAGE 4745864 (BG674500). These ESTs form a further embodiment of this aspect ofthe invention.
  • Such probes may be labeled with an analytically detectable reagent to facilitate their identification.
  • Useful reagents include, but are not limited to, radioisotopes, fluorescent dyes and enzymes that are capable of catalysing the formation of a detectable product.
  • the ordinarily skilled artisan will be capable of isolating complementary copies of genomic DNA, cDNA or RNA polynucleotides encoding proteins of interest from human, mammalian or other animal sources and screening such sources for related sequences, for example, for additional members of the family, type and/or subtype.
  • isolated cDNA sequences will be incomplete, in that the region encoding the polypeptide will be cut short, normally at the 5' end.
  • telomere shortening uses universal primers to retrieve unknown nucleic acid sequence adjacent a known locus (Sarkar, G. (1993) PCR Methods Applic. 2: 318-322). Inverse PCR may also be used to amplify or to extend sequences using divergent primers based on a known region (Triglia, T. et al. (1988) Nucleic Acids Res. 16: 8186). Another method which may be used is capture PCR which involves PCR amplification of DNA fragments adjacent a known sequence in human and yeast artificial chromosome DNA (Lagerstrom, M. et al. (1991) PCR Methods Applic, 1, 111-119).
  • Another method which may be used to retrieve unknown sequences is that of Parker, J.D. et al. (1991); Nucleic Acids Res. 19: 3055-3060). Additionally, one may use PCR, nested primers, and PromoterFinderTM libraries to walk genomic DNA (Clontech, Palo Alto, CA). This process avoids the need to screen libraries and is useful in finding intron exon junctions.
  • nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be used for chromosome localisation. In this technique, a nucleic acid molecule is specifically targeted to, and can hybridize with, a particular location on an individual human chromosome.
  • mapping of relevant sequences to chromosomes is an important step in the confirmatory correlation of those sequences with the gene-associated disease.
  • the physical position of the sequence on the chromosome can be correlated with genetic map data.
  • genetic map data are found in, for example, V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man (available on-line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library).
  • the relationships between genes and diseases that have been mapped to the same chromosomal region are then identified through linkage analysis (coinheritance of physically adjacent genes). This provides valuable information to investigators searching for disease genes using positional cloning or other gene discovery techniques.
  • any sequences mapping to that area may represent associated or regulatory genes for further investigation.
  • the nucleic acid molecule may also be used to detect differences in the chromosomal location due to translocation, inversion, etc. among normal, carrier, or affected individuals.
  • the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention are also valuable for tissue localisation. Such techniques allow the determination of expression patterns of the polypeptide in tissues by detection of the niRNAs that encode them. These techniques include in situ hybridization techniques and nucleotide amplification techniques, such as PCR. Results from these studies provide an indication of the normal functions of the polypeptide in the organism. In addition, comparative studies of the normal expression pattern of mRNAs with that of mRNAs encoded by a mutant gene provide valuable insights into the role of mutant polypeptides in disease. Such inappropriate expression may be of a temporal, spatial or quantitative nature.
  • RNA interference (Elbashir, SM et al, Nature 2001, 411, 494-498) is one method of sequence specific post- transcriptional gene silencing that may be employed. Short dsRNA oligonucleotides are synthesised in vitro and introduced into a cell. The sequence specific binding of these dsRNA oligonucleotides triggers the degradation of target mRNA, reducing or ablating target protein expression.
  • Efficacy of the gene silencing approaches assessed above may be assessed through the measurement of polypeptide expression (for example, by Western blotting), and at the RNA level using TaqMan-based methodologies.
  • the vectors of the present invention comprise nucleic acid molecules of the invention and may be cloning or expression vectors.
  • the host cells of the invention which may be transformed, transfected or transduced with the vectors of the invention may be prokaryotic or eukaryotic.
  • polypeptides ofthe invention may be prepared in recombinant form by expression of their encoding nucleic acid molecules in vectors contained within a host cell. Such expression methods are well known to those of skill in the art and many are described in detail by Sambrook et al (supra) and Fernandez & Hoeffler (1998, eds. "Gene expression systems. Using nature for the art of expression”. Academic Press, San Diego, London, Boston, New York, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto).
  • any system or vector that is suitable to maintain, propagate or express nucleic acid molecules to produce a polypeptide in the required host may be used.
  • the appropriate nucleotide sequence may be inserted into an expression system by any of a variety of well- known and routine techniques, such as, for example, those described in Sambrook et al, (supra).
  • the encoding gene can be placed under the control of a control element such as a promoter, ribosome binding site (for bacterial expression) and, optionally, an operator, so that the DNA sequence encoding the desired polypeptide is transcribed into RNA in the transformed host cell.
  • suitable expression systems include, for example, chromosomal, episomal and virus-derived systems, including, for example, vectors derived from: bacterial plasmids, bacteriophage, transposons, yeast episomes, insertion elements, yeast chromosomal elements, viruses such as baculoviruses, papova viruses such as SN40, vaccinia viruses, adenoviruses, fowl pox viruses, pseudorabies viruses and retroviruses, or combinations thereof, such as those derived from plasmid and bacteriophage genetic elements, including cosmids and phagemids.
  • Human artificial chromosomes may also be employed to deliver larger fragments of D ⁇ A than can be contained and expressed in a plasmid.
  • Particularly suitable expression systems include microorganisms such as bacteria transformed with recombinant bacteriophage, plasmid or cosmid D ⁇ A expression vectors; yeast transformed with yeast expression vectors; insect cell systems infected with virus expression vectors (for example, baculovirus); plant cell systems transformed with virus expression vectors (for example, cauliflower mosaic virus, CaMN; tobacco mosaic virus, TMN) or with bacterial expression vectors (for example, Ti or pBR322 plasmids); or animal cell systems.
  • Cell-free translation systems can also be employed to produce the polypeptides ofthe invention.
  • nucleic acid molecules encoding a polypeptide ofthe present invention into host cells can be effected by methods described in many standard laboratory manuals, such as Davis et al, Basic Methods in Molecular Biology (1986) and Sambrook et al,[supra]. Particularly suitable methods include calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, trans vection, microinjection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, scrape loading, ballistic introduction or infection (see Sambrook et al, 1989 [supra]; Ausubel et al, 1991 [supra]; Spector, Goldman & Leinwald, 1998). In eukaryotic cells, expression systems may either be transient (for example, episomal) or permanent (chromosomal integration) according to the needs ofthe system.
  • the encoding nucleic acid molecule may or may not include a sequence encoding a control sequence, such as a signal peptide or leader sequence, as desired, for example, for secretion of the translated polypeptide into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum, into the periplasmic space or into the extracellular environment.
  • a control sequence such as a signal peptide or leader sequence
  • These signals may be endogenous to the polypeptide or they may be heterologous signals.
  • Leader sequences can be removed by the bacterial host in post-translational processing.
  • regulatory sequences are those which cause the expression of a gene to be increased or decreased in response to a chemical or physical stimulus, including the presence of a regulatory compound or to various temperature or metabolic conditions.
  • Regulatory sequences are those non-translated regions of the vector, such as enhancers, promoters and 5' and 3' untranslated regions. These interact with host cellular proteins to carry out transcription and translation.
  • Such regulatory sequences may vary in their strength and specificity.
  • any number of suitable transcription and translation elements including constitutive and inducible promoters, may be used.
  • inducible promoters such as the hybrid lacZ promoter of the Bluescript phagemid (Stratagene, LaJolla, CA) or pSportlTM plasmid (Gibco BRL) and the like may be used.
  • the baculovirus polyhedrin promoter may be used in insect cells. Promoters or enhancers derived from the genomes of plant cells (for example, heat shock, RUBISCO and storage protein genes) or from plant viruses (for example, viral promoters or leader sequences) may be cloned into the vector. In mammalian cell systems, promoters from mammalian genes or from mammalian viruses are preferable.
  • vectors based on SN40 or EBN may be used with an appropriate selectable marker.
  • An expression vector is constructed so that the particular nucleic acid coding sequence is located in the vector with the appropriate regulatory sequences, the positioning and orientation ofthe coding sequence with respect to the regulatory sequences being such that the coding sequence is transcribed under the "control" of the regulatory sequences, i.e., RNA polymerase which binds to the DNA molecule at the control sequences transcribes the coding sequence.
  • control i.e., RNA polymerase which binds to the DNA molecule at the control sequences transcribes the coding sequence.
  • control sequences and other regulatory sequences may be ligated to the nucleic acid coding sequence prior to insertion into a vector.
  • the coding sequence can be cloned directly into an expression vector that already contains the control sequences and an appropriate restriction site.
  • stable expression is preferred.
  • cell lines, which stably express the polypeptide of interest may be transformed using expression vectors which may contain viral origins of replication and/or endogenous expression elements and a selectable marker gene on the same or on a separate vector. Following the introduction ofthe vector, cells may be allowed to grow for 1-2 days in an enriched media before they are switched to selective media.
  • the purpose of the selectable marker is to confer resistance to selection, and its presence allows growth and recovery of cells that successfully express the introduced sequences.
  • Resistant clones of stably transformed cells may be proliferated using tissue culture techniques appropriate to the cell type.
  • Mammalian cell lines available as hosts for expression are known in the art and include many immortalised cell lines available from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) including, but not limited to, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO), HeLa, baby hamster kidney (BHK), monkey kidney (COS), C127, 3T3, BHK, HEK 293, Bowes melanoma and human hepatocellular carcinoma (for example Hep G2) cells and a number of other cell lines.
  • ATCC American Type Culture Collection
  • the materials for baculovirus/insect cell expression systems are commercially available in kit form from, inter alia, Invitrogen, San Diego CA (the "MaxBac” kit). These techniques are generally known to those skilled in the art and are described fully in Summers and Smith, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 1555 (1987). Particularly suitable host cells for use in this system include insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9 cells.
  • plant cell culture and whole plant genetic expression systems There are many plant cell culture and whole plant genetic expression systems known in the art. Examples of suitable plant cellular genetic expression systems include those described in US 5,693,506; US 5,659,122; and US 5,608,143. Additional examples of genetic expression in plant cell culture have been described by Zenk, Phytochemistry 30, 3861- 3863 (1991). In particular, all plants from which protoplasts can be isolated and cultured to give whole regenerated plants can be utilised, so that whole plants are recovered which contain the transferred gene. Practically all plants can be regenerated from cultured cells or tissues, including but not limited to all major species of sugar cane, sugar beet, cotton, fruit and other trees, legumes and vegetables. Examples of particularly preferred bacterial host cells include streptococci, staphylococci, E. coli, Streptomyces and Bacillus subtilis cells.
  • yeast cells for example, S. cerevisiae
  • Aspergillus cells examples include yeast cells (for example, S. cerevisiae) and Aspergillus cells.
  • antimetabolite, antibiotic or herbicide resistance can be used as the basis for selection; for example, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) that confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigler, M. et al. (1980) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 77: 3567-70); npt, which confers resistance to the aminoglycosides neomycin and G-418 (Colbere-Garapin, F. et al (1981) J. Mol. Biol. 150: 1-14) and als or pat, which confer resistance to chlorsulfuron and phosphinotricin acetyltransferase, respectively.
  • DHFR dihydrofolate reductase
  • methotrexate methotrexate
  • npt which confers resistance to the aminoglycosides neomycin and G-418
  • als or pat which confer resistance to chlorsulfuron and phosphinotricin acetyltrans
  • marker gene expression suggests that the gene of interest is also present, its presence and expression may need to be confirmed.
  • a marker gene can be placed in tandem with a sequence encoding a polypeptide of the invention under the control of a single promoter. Expression of the marker gene in response to induction or selection usually indicates expression of the tandem gene as well.
  • host cells that contain a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide ofthe invention and which express said polypeptide may be identified by a variety of procedures known to those of skill in the art. These procedures include, but are not limited to, DNA- DNA or DNA-RNA hybridizations and protein bioassays, for example, fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) or immunoassay techniques (such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and radioimmunoassay [RIA]), that include membrane, solution, or chip based technologies for the detection and/or quantification of nucleic acid or protein (see Hampton, R. et al. (1990) Serological Methods, a Laboratory Manual, APS Press, St Paul, MN) and Maddox, D.E. et al. (1983) J. Exp. Med, 158, 1211-1216).
  • FACS fluorescence activated cell sorting
  • ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
  • RIA radioimmunoassay
  • Means for producing labelled hybridization or PCR probes for detecting sequences related to nucleic acid molecules encoding polypeptides of the present invention include oligolabelling, nick translation, end-labelling or PCR amplification using a labelled polynucleotide.
  • sequences encoding the polypeptide ofthe invention may be cloned into a vector for the production of an mRNA probe.
  • RNA polymerase such as T7, T3 or SP6 and labelled nucleotides. These procedures may be conducted using a variety of commercially available kits (Pharmacia & Upjohn, (Kalamazoo, MI); Promega (Madison WI); and U.S. Biochemical Corp., Cleveland, OH)).
  • Suitable reporter molecules or labels include radionuclides, enzymes and fluorescent, chemiluminescent or chromogenic agents as well as substrates, cofactors, inhibitors, magnetic particles, and the like.
  • Nucleic acid molecules according to the present invention may also be used to create transgenic animals, particularly rodent animals. Such transgenic animals form a further aspect ofthe present invention. This may be done locally by modification of somatic cells, or by germ line therapy to incorporate heritable modifications. Such transgenic animals may be particularly useful in the generation of animal models for drug molecules effective as modulators ofthe polypeptides ofthe present invention.
  • the polypeptide can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by well- known methods including ammonium sulphate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography. High performance liquid chromatography is particularly useful for purification. Well-known techniques for refolding proteins may be employed to regenerate an active conformation when the polypeptide is denatured during isolation and or purification.
  • Specialised vector constructions may also be used to facilitate purification of proteins, as desired, by joining sequences encoding the polypeptides of the invention to a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide domain that will facilitate purification of soluble proteins.
  • purification-facilitating domains include metal chelating peptides such as histidine-tryptophan modules that allow purification on immobilised metals, protein A domains that allow purification on immobilised immunoglobulin, and the domain utilised in the FLAGS extension/affinity purification system (Immunex Corp., Seattle, WA).
  • cleavable linker sequences such as those specific for Factor XA or enterokinase (Invitrogen, San Diego, CA) between the purification domain and the polypeptide of the invention may be used to facilitate purification.
  • One such expression vector provides for expression of a fusion protein containing the polypeptide of the invention fused to several histidine residues preceding a thioredoxin or an enterokinase cleavage site. The histidine residues facilitate purification by IMAC (immobilised metal ion affinity chromatography as described in Porath, J. et al. (1992), Prot. Exp. Purif.
  • polypeptide is to be expressed for use in screening assays, generally it is preferred that it be produced at the surface ofthe host cell in which it is expressed. In this event, the host cells may be harvested prior to use in the screening assay, for example using techniques such as fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) or immunoaffinity techniques. If the polypeptide is secreted into the medium, the medium can be recovered in order to recover and purify the expressed polypeptide. If polypeptide is produced intracellularly, the cells must first be lysed before the polypeptide is recovered.
  • FACS fluorescence activated cell sorting
  • the polypeptide of the invention can be used to screen libraries of compounds in any of a variety of drug screening techniques. Such compounds may activate (agonise) or inhibit (antagonise) the level of expression of the gene or the activity of the polypeptide of the invention and form a further aspect of the present invention. Preferred compounds are effective to alter the expression of a natural gene that encodes a polypeptide of the first aspect ofthe invention or to regulate the activity of a polypeptide of the first aspect of the invention.
  • Agonist or antagonist compounds may be isolated from, for example, cells, cell-free preparations, chemical libraries or natural product mixtures. These agonists or antagonists may be natural or modified substrates, ligands, enzymes, receptors or structural or functional mimetics. For a suitable review of such screening techniques, see Coligan et al, Current Protocols in Immunology 1(2): Chapter 5 (1991).
  • Compounds that are most likely to be good antagonists are molecules that bind to the polypeptide of the invention without inducing the biological effects of the polypeptide upon binding to it.
  • Potential antagonists include small organic molecules, peptides, polypeptides and antibodies that bind to the polypeptide of the invention and thereby inhibit or extinguish its activity. In this fashion, binding of the polypeptide to normal cellular binding molecules may be inhibited, such that the normal biological activity ofthe polypeptide is prevented.
  • the polypeptide of the invention that is employed in such a screening technique may be free in solution, affixed to a solid support, borne on a cell surface or located intracellularly.
  • screening procedures may involve using appropriate cells or cell membranes that express the polypeptide that are contacted with a test compound to observe binding, or stimulation or inhibition of a functional response.
  • the functional response of the cells contacted with the test compound is then compared with control cells that were not contacted with the test compound.
  • Such an assay may assess whether the test compound results in a signal generated by activation of the polypeptide, using an appropriate detection system.
  • Inhibitors of activation are generally assayed in the presence of a known agonist and the effect on activation by the agonist in the presence of the test compound is observed.
  • a preferred method for identifying an agonist or antagonist compound of a polypeptide of the present invention comprises:
  • a further preferred method for identifying an agonist or antagonist of a polypeptide of the invention comprises: (a) contacting a cell expressing on the surface thereof the polypeptide, the polypeptide being associated with a second component capable of providing a detectable signal in response to the binding of a compound to the polypeptide, with a compound to be screened under conditions to permit binding to the polypeptide; and
  • the general methods that are described above may further comprise conducting the identification of agonist or antagonist in the presence of labelled or unlabelled ligand for the polypeptide.
  • the method for identifying an agonist or antagonist of a polypeptide ofthe present invention comprises: determining the inhibition of binding of a ligand to cells which have a polypeptide of the invention on the surface thereof, or to cell membranes containing such a polypeptide, in the presence of a candidate compound under conditions to permit binding to the polypeptide, and determining the amount of ligand bound to the polypeptide.
  • a compound capable of causing reduction of binding of a ligand is considered to be an agonist or antagonist.
  • the ligand is labelled.
  • a method of screening for a polypeptide antagonist or agonist compound comprises the steps of: (a) incubating a labelled ligand with a whole cell expressing a polypeptide according to the invention on the cell surface, or a cell membrane containing a polypeptide ofthe invention, (b) measuring the amount of labelled ligand bound to the whole cell or the cell membrane;
  • step (c) adding, a candidate compound to a mixture of labelled ligand and the whole cell or the cell membrane of step (a) and allowing the mixture to attain equilibrium;
  • step (d) measuring the amount of labelled ligand bound to the whole cell or the cell membrane after step (c);
  • step (e) comparing the difference in the labelled ligand bound in step (b) and (d), such that the compound which causes the reduction in binding in step (d) is considered to be an agonist or antagonist.
  • the INTP003 polypeptides ofthe present invention may promote the metabolism of drugs.
  • the ability ofthe INTP003 polypeptides to promote metabolism of particular drugs can be examined and the methods described above can be used to identify agonists and antagonists ofthe drug metabolising effect ofthe INTP003 polypeptides.
  • simple binding assays may be used, in which the adherence of a test compound to a surface bearing the polypeptide is detected by means of a label directly or indirectly associated with the test compound or in an assay involving competition with a labelled competitor.
  • competitive drug screening assays may be used, in which neutralising antibodies that are capable of binding the polypeptide specifically compete with a test compound for binding. In this manner, the antibodies can be used to detect the presence of any test compound that possesses specific binding affinity for the polypeptide.
  • Assays may also be designed to detect the effect of added test compounds on the production of mRNA encoding the polypeptide in cells.
  • an ELISA may be constructed that measures secreted or cell-associated levels of polypeptide using monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies by standard methods known in the art, and this can be used to search for compounds that may inhibit or enhance the production of the polypeptide from suitably manipulated cells or tissues. The formation of binding complexes between the polypeptide and the compound being tested may then be measured.
  • Assay methods that are also included within the terms of the present invention are those that involve the use of the genes and polypeptides of the invention in overexpression or ablation assays. Such assays involve the manipulation of levels of these genes/polypeptides in cells and assessment of the impact of this manipulation event on the physiology ofthe manipulated cells. For example, such experiments reveal details of signaling and metabolic pathways in which the particular genes/polypeptides are implicated, generate information regarding the identities of polypeptides with which the studied polypeptides interact and provide clues as to methods by which related genes and proteins are regulated. Another technique for drug screening which may be used provides for high throughput screening of compounds having suitable binding affinity to the polypeptide of interest (see International patent application WO84/03564).
  • the polypeptide of the invention may be used to identify membrane-bound or soluble receptors, through standard receptor binding techniques that are known in the art, such as ligand binding and crosslinking assays in which the polypeptide is labelled with a radioactive isotope, is chemically modified, or is fused to a peptide sequence that facilitates its detection or purification, and incubated with a source ofthe putative receptor (for example, a composition of cells, cell membranes, cell supernatants, tissue extracts, or bodily fluids).
  • a source ofthe putative receptor for example, a composition of cells, cell membranes, cell supernatants, tissue extracts, or bodily fluids.
  • the efficacy of binding may be measured using biophysical techniques such as surface plasmon resonance and spectroscopy.
  • Binding assays may be used for the purification and cloning of the receptor, but may also identify agonists and antagonists of the polypeptide, that compete with the binding of the polypeptide to its receptor. Standard methods for conducting screening assays are well understood in the art.
  • the invention also includes a screening kit useful in the methods for identifying agonists, antagonists, ligands, receptors, substrates, and enzymes, that are described above.
  • the invention includes the agonists, antagonists, ligands, receptors, substrates and enzymes, and other compounds which modulate the activity or antigenicity of the polypeptide ofthe invention discovered by the methods that are described above.
  • compositions comprising a polypeptide, nucleic acid, ligand or compound of the invention in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
  • compositions may be suitable as therapeutic or diagnostic reagents, as vaccines, or as other immunogenic compositions, as outlined in detail below.
  • a composition containing a polypeptide, nucleic acid, ligand or compound [X] is "substantially free of impurities [herein, Y] when at least 85% by weight of the total X+Y in the composition is X.
  • X comprises at least about 90% by weight ofthe total of X+Y in the composition, more preferably at least about 95%, 98% or even 99% by weight.
  • compositions should preferably comprise a therapeutically effective amount of the polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, ligand, or compound of the invention.
  • therapeutically effective amount refers to an amount of a therapeutic agent needed to treat, ameliorate, or prevent a targetted disease or condition, or to exhibit a detectable therapeutic or preventative effect.
  • the therapeutically effective dose can be estimated initially either in cell culture assays, for example, of neoplastic cells, or in animal models, usually mice, rabbits, dogs, or pigs. The animal model may also be used to determine the appropriate concentration range and route of administration. Such information can then be used to determine useful doses and routes for administration in humans.
  • an effective amount for a human subject will depend upon the severity of the disease state, general health of the subject, age, weight, and gender of the subject, diet, time and frequency of administration, drug combination(s), reaction sensitivities, and tolerance/response to therapy. This amount can be determined by routine experimentation and is within the judgement ofthe clinician. Generally, an effective dose will be from 0.01 mg/kg to 50 mg/kg, preferably 0.05 mg/kg to 10 mg/kg. Compositions may be administered individually to a patient or may be administered in combination with other agents, drugs or hormones.
  • a pharmaceutical composition may also contain a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for administration of a therapeutic agent.
  • a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for administration of a therapeutic agent.
  • Such carriers include antibodies and other polypeptides, genes and other therapeutic agents such as liposomes, provided that the carrier does not itself induce the production of antibodies harmful to the individual receiving the composition, and which may be administered without undue toxicity.
  • Suitable carriers may be large, slowly metabolised macromolecules such as proteins, polysaccharides, polylactic acids, polyglycolic acids, polymeric amino acids, amino acid copolymers and inactive virus particles.
  • Pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be used therein, for example, mineral acid salts such as hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, phosphates, sulphates, and the like; and the salts of organic acids such as acetates, propionates, malonates, benzoates, and the like.
  • mineral acid salts such as hydrochlorides, hydrobromides, phosphates, sulphates, and the like
  • organic acids such as acetates, propionates, malonates, benzoates, and the like.
  • Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers in therapeutic compositions may additionally contain liquids such as water, saline, glycerol and ethanol. Additionally, auxiliary substances, such as wetting or emulsifying agents, pH buffering substances, and the like, may be present in such compositions.
  • Such carriers enable the pharmaceutical compositions to be formulated as tablets, pills, dragees, capsules, liquids, gels, syrups, slurries, suspensions, and the like, for ingestion by
  • compositions of the invention can be administered directly to the subject.
  • the subjects to be treated can be animals; in particular, human subjects can be treated.
  • compositions utilised in this invention may be administered by any number of routes including, but not limited to, oral, intravenous, intramuscular, intra- arterial, intra edullary, intrathecal, intraventricular, transdermal or transcutaneous applications (for example, see WO98/20734), subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intranasal, enteral, topical, sublingual, intravaginal or rectal means.
  • Gene guns or hyposprays may also be used to administer the pharmaceutical compositions ofthe invention.
  • the therapeutic compositions may be prepared as injectables, either as liquid solutions or suspensions; solid forms suitable for solution in, or suspension in, liquid vehicles prior to injection may also be prepared.
  • Direct delivery of the compositions will generally be accomplished by injection, subcutaneously, intraperitoneally, intravenously or intramuscularly, or delivered to the interstitial space of a tissue.
  • the compositions can also be administered into a lesion. Dosage treatment may be a single dose schedule or a multiple dose schedule.
  • One approach comprises administering to a subject an inhibitor compound (antagonist) as described above, along with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in an amount effective to inhibit the function ofthe polypeptide, such as by blocking the binding of ligands, substrates, enzymes, receptors, or by inhibiting a second signal, and thereby alleviating the abnormal condition.
  • an inhibitor compound as described above
  • a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in an amount effective to inhibit the function ofthe polypeptide, such as by blocking the binding of ligands, substrates, enzymes, receptors, or by inhibiting a second signal, and thereby alleviating the abnormal condition.
  • antagonists are antibodies.
  • such antibodies are chimeric and/or humanised to minimise their immunogenicity, as described previously.
  • polypeptide that retain binding affinity for the ligand, substrate, enzyme, receptor, in question, may be administered.
  • polypeptide may be administered in the form of fragments that retain the relevant portions.
  • expression of the gene encoding the polypeptide can be inhibited using expression blocking techniques, such as the use of antisense nucleic acid molecules (as described above), either internally generated or separately administered.
  • Modifications of gene expression can be obtained by designing complementary sequences or antisense molecules (DNA, RNA, or PNA) to the control, 5' or regulatory regions (signal sequence, promoters, enhancers and introns) of the gene encoding the polypeptide.
  • inhibition can be achieved using "triple helix" base-pairing methodology. Triple helix pairing is useful because it causes inhibition ofthe ability ofthe double helix to open sufficiently for the binding of polymerases, transcription factors, or regulatory molecules.
  • the complementary sequence or antisense molecule may also be designed to block translation of mRNA by preventing the transcript from binding to ribosomes.
  • Such oligonucleotides may be administered or may be generated in situ from expression in vivo.
  • Ribozymes are catalytically active RNAs that can be natural or synthetic (see for example Usman, N, et al, Curr. Opin. Struct. Biol (1996) 6(4), 527-33). Synthetic ribozymes can be designed to specifically cleave mRNAs at selected positions thereby preventing translation of the mRNAs into functional polypeptide. Ribozymes may be synthesised with a natural ribose phosphate backbone and natural bases, as normally found in RNA molecules. Alternatively the ribozymes may be synthesised with non-natural backbones, for example, 2'-O-methyl RNA, to provide protection from ribonuclease degradation and may contain modified bases.
  • RNA molecules may be modified to increase intracellular stability and half-life. Possible modifications include, but are not limited to, the addition of flanking sequences at the 5' and/or 3' ends of the molecule or the use of phosphorothioate or 2' O-methyl rather than phosphodiesterase linkages within the backbone of the molecule. This concept is inherent in the production of PNAs and can be extended in all of these molecules by the inclusion of non-traditional bases such as inosine, queosine and butosine, as well as acetyl-, methyl-, thio- and similarly modified forms of adenine, cytidine, guanine, thymine and uridine which are not as easily recognised by endogenous endonucleases.
  • One approach comprises administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of a compound that activates the polypeptide, i.e., an agonist as described above, to alleviate the abnormal condition.
  • a therapeutic amount of the polypeptide in combination with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier may be administered to restore the relevant physiological balance of polypeptide.
  • Gene therapy may be employed to effect the endogenous production ofthe polypeptide by the relevant cells in the subject. Gene therapy is used to treat permanently the inappropriate production of the polypeptide by replacing a defective gene with a corrected therapeutic gene.
  • Gene therapy of the present invention can occur in vivo or ex vivo.
  • Ex vivo gene therapy requires the isolation and purification of patient cells, the introduction of a therapeutic gene and introduction of the genetically altered cells back into the patient.
  • in vivo gene therapy does not require isolation and purification of a patient's cells.
  • the therapeutic gene is typically "packaged" for administration to a patient.
  • Gene delivery vehicles may be non-viral, such as liposomes, or replication-deficient viruses, such as adenovirus as described by Berkner, K.L., in Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 158, 39-66 (1992) or adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors as described by Muzyczka, N., in Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol., 158, 97-129 (1992) and U.S. Patent No. 5,252,479.
  • a nucleic acid molecule encoding a polypeptide of the invention may be engineered for expression in a replication-defective retroviral vector.
  • This expression construct may then be isolated and introduced into a packaging cell transduced with a retroviral plasmid vector containing RNA encoding the polypeptide, 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 (see Chapter 20, Gene Therapy and other Molecular Genetic-based Therapeutic Approaches, (and references cited therein) in Human Molecular Genetics (1996), T Strachan and A P Read, BIOS Scientific Publishers Ltd).
  • Another approach is the administration of "naked DNA" in which the therapeutic gene is directly injected into the bloodstream or muscle tissue.
  • the invention provides that they can be used in vaccines to raise antibodies against the disease causing agent.
  • Vaccines according to the invention may either be prophylactic (ie. to prevent infection) or therapeutic (ie. to treat disease after infection).
  • Such vaccines comprise immunising antigen(s), immunogen(s), polypeptide(s), protein(s) or nucleic acid, usually in combination with pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers as described above, which include any carrier that does not itself induce the production of antibodies harmful to the individual receiving the composition. Additionally, these carriers may function as immunostimulating agents ("adjuvants").
  • the antigen or immunogen may be conjugated to a bacterial toxoid, such as a toxoid from diphtheria, tetanus, cholera, H. pylori, and other pathogens.
  • vaccines comprising polypeptides are preferably administered parenterally (for instance, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, or intradermal injection).
  • parenteral administration include aqueous and non-aqueous sterile injection solutions which may contain anti- oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes which render the formulation isotonic with the blood of the recipient, and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions which may include suspending agents or thickening agents.
  • the vaccine formulations of the invention may be presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers.
  • sealed ampoules and vials may be stored in a freeze-dried condition requiring only the addition of the sterile liquid carrier immediately prior to use.
  • the dosage will depend on the specific activity of the vaccine and can be readily determined by routine experimentation.
  • Genetic delivery of antibodies that bind to polypeptides according to the invention may also be effected, for example, as described in International patent application
  • the technology referred to as jet injection may also be useful in the formulation of vaccine compositions.
  • This invention also relates to the use of nucleic acid molecules according to the present invention as diagnostic reagents. Detection of a mutated form of the gene characterised by the nucleic acid molecules of the invention which is 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 spatial or temporal expression ofthe gene. Individuals carrying mutations in the gene may be detected at the DNA level by a variety of techniques.
  • Nucleic acid molecules 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, ligase chain reaction (LCR), strand displacement amplification (SDA), or other amplification techniques (see Saiki et al, Nature, 324, 163-166 (1986); Bej, et al, Crit. Rev. Biochem. Molec. Biol, 26, 301-334 (1991); Birkenmeyer et al, J. Virol. Meth., 35, 117-126 (1991); Van Brunt, J., Bio/Technology, 8, 291-294 (1990)) prior to analysis.
  • LCR ligase chain reaction
  • SDA strand displacement amplification
  • this aspect ofthe invention provides a method of diagnosing a disease in a patient, comprising assessing the level of expression of a natural gene encoding a polypeptide according to the invention and comparing said level of expression to a control level, wherein a level that is different to said control level is indicative of disease.
  • the method may comprise the steps of: a)contacting a sample of tissue from the patient with a nucleic acid probe under stringent conditions that allow the formation of a hybrid complex between a nucleic acid molecule ofthe invention and the probe; b)contacting a control sample with said probe under the same conditions used in step a); c)and detecting the presence of hybrid complexes in said samples; Wherein detection of levels of the hybrid complex in the patient sample that differ from levels ofthe hybrid complex in the control sample is indicative of disease.
  • a further aspect ofthe invention comprises a diagnostic method comprising the steps of: a)obtaining a tissue sample from a patient being tested for disease; b)isolating a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention from said tissue sample; and c)diagnosing the patient for disease by detecting the presence of a mutation in the nucleic acid molecule which is associated with disease.
  • an amplification step for example using PCR, may be included.
  • Deletions and insertions can be detected by a change in the size ofthe amplified product in comparison to the normal genotype.
  • Point mutations can be identified by hybridizing amplified DNA to labeled RNA of the invention or alternatively, labeled antisense DNA sequences of the invention. Perfectly matched sequences can be distinguished from mismatched duplexes by RNase digestion or by assessing differences in melting temperatures.
  • the presence or absence of the mutation in the patient may be detected by contacting DNA with a nucleic acid probe that hybridises to the DNA under stringent conditions to form a hybrid double-stranded molecule, the hybrid double-stranded molecule having an unhybridised portion of the nucleic acid probe strand at any portion corresponding to a mutation associated with disease; and detecting the presence or absence of an unhybridised portion of the probe strand as an indication of the presence or absence of a disease-associated mutation in the corresponding portion ofthe DNA strand.
  • Such diagnostics are particularly useful for prenatal and even neonatal testing.
  • Point mutations and other sequence differences between the reference gene and "mutant" genes can be identified by other well-known techniques, such as direct DNA sequencing or single-strand conformational polymorphism, (see Orita et al, Genomics, 5, 874-879 (1989)).
  • a sequencing primer may be used with double-stranded PCR product or a single-stranded template molecule generated by a modified PCR.
  • the sequence determination is performed by conventional procedures with radiolabeled nucleotides or by automatic sequencing procedures with fluorescent-tags.
  • Cloned DNA segments may also be used as probes to detect specific DNA segments. The sensitivity of this method is greatly enhanced when combined with PCR.
  • point mutations and other sequence variations, such as polymorphisms can be detected as described above, for example, through the use of allele-specific oligonucleotides for PCR amplification of sequences that differ by single nucleotides.
  • DNA sequence differences may also be detected by alterations in the electrophoretic mobility of DNA fragments in gels, with or without denaturing agents, or by direct DNA sequencing (for example, Myers et al, Science (1985) 230: 1242). Sequence changes at specific locations may also be revealed by nuclease protection assays, such as RNase and SI protection or the chemical cleavage method (see Cotton et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA (1985) 85: 4397-4401).
  • mutations such as microdeletions, aneuploidies, translocations, inversions, can also be detected by in situ analysis (see, for example, Keller et al, DNA Probes, 2nd Ed., Stockton Press, New York, N.Y., USA (1993)), that is, DNA or RNA sequences in cells can be analysed for mutations without need for their isolation and/or immobilisation onto a membrane.
  • Fluorescence in situ hybridization is presently the most commonly applied method and numerous reviews of FISH have appeared (see, for example, Trachuck et al, Science, 250, 559-562 (1990), and Trask et al, Trends, Genet., 7, 149-154 (1991)).
  • an array of oligonucleotide probes comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention can be constructed to conduct efficient screening of genetic variants, mutations and polymorphisms.
  • 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, Science (1996), Vol 274, pp 610-613).
  • the array is prepared and used according to the methods described in PCT application WO95/11995 (Chee et al); Lockhart, D. J. et al (1996) Nat. Biotech. 14: 1675-1680); and Schena, M. et al (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 93: 10614-10619).
  • Oligonucleotide pairs may range from two to over one million.
  • the oligomers are synthesized at designated areas on a substrate using a light-directed chemical process.
  • the substrate may be paper, nylon or other type of membrane, filter, chip, glass slide or any other suitable solid support.
  • an oligonucleotide may be synthesized on the surface of the substrate by using a chemical coupling procedure and an ink jet application apparatus, as described in PCT application W095/251116 (Baldeschweiler et al).
  • a "gridded" array analogous to a dot (or slot) blot may be used to arrange and link cDNA fragments or oligonucleotides to the surface of a substrate using a vacuum system, thermal, UN, mechanical or chemical bonding procedures.
  • An array such as those described above, may be produced by hand or by using available devices (slot blot or dot blot apparatus), materials (any suitable solid support), and machines (including robotic instruments), and may contain 8, 24, 96, 384, 1536 or 6144 oligonucleotides, or any other number between two and over one million which lends itself to the efficient use of commercially-available instrumentation.
  • diseases may be diagnosed by methods comprising determining, from a sample derived from a subject, an abnormally decreased or increased level of polypeptide or mR ⁇ A. Decreased or increased expression can be measured at the R ⁇ A level using any of the methods well known in the art for the quantitation of polynucleotides, such as, for example, nucleic acid amplification, for instance PCR, RT-PCR, R ⁇ ase protection, Northern blotting and other hybridization methods.
  • nucleic acid amplification for instance PCR, RT-PCR, R ⁇ ase protection, Northern blotting and other hybridization methods.
  • Assay techniques that can be used to determine levels of a polypeptide of the present invention in a sample derived from a host are well-known to those of skill in the art and are discussed in some detail above (including radioimmunoassays, competitive-binding assays, Western Blot analysis and ELISA assays).
  • This aspect of the invention provides a diagnostic method which comprises the steps of: (a) contacting a ligand as described above with a biological sample under conditions suitable for the formation of a ligand- polypeptide complex; and (b) detecting said complex.
  • Protocols such as ELISA, RIA, and FACS for measuring polypeptide levels may additionally provide a basis for diagnosing altered or abnormal levels of polypeptide expression.
  • Normal or standard values for polypeptide expression are established by combining body fluids or cell extracts taken from normal mammalian subjects, preferably humans, with antibody to the polypeptide under conditions suitable for complex formation The amount of standard complex formation may be quantified by various methods, such as by photometric means.
  • Antibodies which specifically bind to a polypeptide of the invention may be used for the diagnosis of conditions or diseases characterised by expression of the polypeptide, or in assays to monitor patients being treated with the polypeptides, nucleic acid molecules, ligands and other compounds of the invention.
  • Antibodies useful for diagnostic purposes may be prepared in the same manner as those described above for therapeutics. Diagnostic assays for the polypeptide include methods that utilise the antibody and a label to detect the polypeptide in human body fluids or extracts of cells or tissues.
  • the antibodies may be used with or without modification, and may be labeled by joining them, either covalently or non-covalently, with a reporter molecule.
  • a wide variety of reporter molecules known in the art may be used, several of which are described above.
  • Diagnostic assays may be used to distinguish between absence, presence, and excess expression of polypeptide and to monitor regulation of polypeptide levels during therapeutic intervention. Such assays may also be used to evaluate the efficacy of a particular therapeutic treatment regimen in animal studies, in clinical trials or in monitoring the treatment of an individual patient.
  • a diagnostic kit ofthe present invention may comprise:
  • a diagnostic kit may comprise a first container containing a nucleic acid probe that hybridises under stringent conditions with a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention; a second container containing primers useful for amplifying the nucleic acid molecule; and instructions for using the probe and primers for facilitating the diagnosis of disease.
  • the kit may further comprise a third container holding an agent for digesting unhybridised RNA.
  • a diagnostic kit may comprise an array of nucleic acid molecules, at least one of which may be a nucleic acid molecule according to the invention.
  • a diagnostic kit may comprise one or more antibodies that bind to a polypeptide according to the invention; and a reagent useful for the detection of a binding reaction between the antibody and the polypeptide.
  • kits will be of use in diagnosing a disease or disorder, or susceptibility to a disease or disorder, in which P450s, preferably members of the cytochrome P450 subfamily INF
  • CYP4F leukotriene B4 omega hydroxylases
  • diseases and disorders may cell proliferative disorders, such as cancer, including breast, lung, liver, prostate, bladder, cervix, testis, skin and bowel tumour, myeloproliferative disorders, leukaemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, and carcinoma, immunodeficiencies and/or infections associated with immunodeficiency, AIDS, autoimmune disorder, inflammatory disorders including Crohn's disease, arthritis, psoriasis, mutliple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, lung inflammation, pulmonary fibrosis, atherosclerosis, transplantation, inflammatory pain, cardiovascular disorder, neurological disorder, developmental disorder, skin disorder and dermatological disease such as, psoriasis, pruritus, acne, skin atropy, sun damage, eczema, ich
  • Figure 1 Results from BLAST against NCBI non-redundant database using INTP003 polypeptide sequence (SEQ ID NO:26).
  • Figure 2 Alignment generated by BLAST between INTP003 polypeptide sequence (SEQ ID NO:26) and the closest related sequence, Homo sapiens cytochrome P450, subfamily IVF, polypeptide 3.
  • Figure 3 Normalised expression of INTP003 in 22 normal human tissues.
  • the INTP003 polypeptide sequence (SEQ ID NO: 26) derived from combining SEQ ID NO:2 (exon 1), SEQ ID NO:4 (exon 2), SEQ ID NO:6 (exon 3), SEQ ID NO: 8 (exon 4), SEQ ID NO:10 (exon 5), SEQ ID NO:12 (exon 6), SEQ ID NO:14 (exon 7), SEQ ID NO: 16 (exon 8), SEQ ID NO: 18 (exon 9), SEQ ID NO:20 (exon 10), SEQ ID NO:22 (exon 11) and SEQ ID NO:24 (exon 12) was used as a BLAST query against the NCBI non- redundant sequence database.
  • top ten matches include sequences annotated as P450s, all of which align to the query sequence with highly significant E-values (0 to E "178 ) ( Figure 1).
  • Figure 2 shows the alignment of the INTP003 query sequence to the sequence of Homo sapiens cytochrome P450, subfamily IVF, polypeptide 3 (NCBI annotation project, 2001).
  • RNA 1 mg total RNA (Ambion) from different human tissues was used to generate cDNA using the Thermoscript RT (Invitrogen) and oligo dT primer following the manufacturer's protocol. 2 ⁇ l ofthe reaction were used in the subsequent PCR.
  • the PCR products were directly cloned into pCR4-TOPO TA vector (Invitrogen) and sequenced using T7 and T3 primers.
  • the sequences ofthe fragments were identical to those for the predicted INTP003 sequence. This comprised the correctly spliced transcript comprising nucleotides from exons 1 to 12 (without nucleotides from the intervening intron).
  • the complete INTP003 sequence has also been cloned independently from prostate tissue by a group which identified the protein only as an unnamed protein product (see BAC04868, deposited 4th July 2002).
  • Example 3 Tissue distribution analysis of INTP003
  • Taqman RT-PCR quantitation was used.
  • the TaqMan 3'- 5' exonuclease assay signals the formation of PCR amplicons by a process involving the nucleolytic degradation of a double labeled fluorogenic probe that hybridises to the target template at a site between the two primer recognition sequences (cf. U. S. Patent 5,876,930).
  • the ABI Prism 7700 automates the detection and quantitative measurement of these signals, which are stoichiometrically related to the quantities of amplicons produced, during each cycle of amplification. In addition to providing substantial reductions in the time and labour requirements for PCR analyses, this technology permits simplified and potentially highly accurate quantification of target sequences in the reactions.
  • Taqman RT-PCR was carried out using 15ng ofthe indicated cDNA using primers/probes specific for INTP003 and 18s rRNA as described in the detailed description.
  • a standard curve for target and internal control was also carried out, using between 25ng to 0.39ng of cDNA template of a typical tissue sample.
  • Cycle threshold (Ct) determinations i.e. non- integer calculations of the number of cycles required for reporter dye fluorescence resulting from the synthesis of PCR products to become significantly higher than background fluorescence levels were performed by the instrument for each reaction using default parameters.
  • Ct values were used to calculate the amount of actual starting target or 18s cDNA in each test sample.
  • the levels of target cDNA in each sample were normalised to the level of expression of target in a comparative sample, in this case, stomach.
  • the levels of 18s cDNA in each sample were also normalised to the level of expression of 18s in stomach.
  • the expression levels of INTP003 were then normalised to the expression levels of 18s.
  • Figure 3 represents the fold expression of normalised target sequence relative to the level of expression in stomach cDNA, which is set arbitrarily to 1. Each sample was quantitated in two individual experiments. Figure 3 shows the mean ⁇ SEM for the multiple experiments.
  • transcripts of INTP003 are particularly abundant in the liver. This is consistent with the role of INTP003 as a P450 enzyme since such enzymes are generally abundant in the liver due to their drug metabolising action.
  • INTP003 will be useful in assays to determine the pharmacokinetic properties of candidate drugs.
  • An estimate of the half-life of candidate drugs can be obtained by determining how quickly it is metabolised by INTP003.
  • development of agonist and antagonists of INTP003 may have a role in therapeutic intervention in human liver disease and in modulating the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs by co-administering those drugs with INTP003.
  • INTP003 and agonists and antagonists of INTP003 may therefore have a role in the therapeutic intervention in diseases of the bladder and the cervix, such as bladder cancer and cervical cancer.
  • INTP003 transcripts in the testis and the prostate are consistent with INTP003 being a P450 as P450 enzymes are generally expressed in these tissues and mutations in P450s have been linked to prostate cancer. Development of agonists and antagonists for INTP003 may therefore have a role in the therapeutic intervention in various human diseases ofthe testis and the prostate including prostate cancer.
  • RNA prepared from non-diseased organs is purchased from either Ambion Europe (Huntingdon, UK) or Clontech (BD, Franklin Lakes, NJ). Oligo Design Oligonucleotide primers and probes are designed using Primer Express software (Applied Biosystems, Foster City CA) with a GC-content of 40-60%, no G-nucleotide at the 5'-end of the probe, and no more than 4 contiguous Gs.
  • the sequence ofthe primers and probes are:
  • TAMRA fluorescent quencher dye
  • Mem 582nm
  • Primer/probe concentrations are titrated in the range of 50nM to 900nM and optimal concentrations for efficient PCR reactions are determined. Optimal primer and probe concentrations vary in between lOOnM and 900nM depending on the target gene that is amplified.
  • cDNA reaction cDNA is prepared using components from Applied Biosystems, Foster City CA. 50 ⁇ l reactions are prepared in 0.5ml RNase free tubes. Reactions contain 500ng total RNA; lx reverse transcriptase buffer; 5.5mM MgC12; ImM dNTP's; 2.5 ⁇ l random hexamers; 20U RNase inhibitor; and 62.5U reverse transcriptase.
  • reaction 25 ⁇ l reactions are prepared in 0.5 ml thin-walled, optical grade PCR 96 well plates (Applied Biosystems, Foster City CA). Reactions contain: lx final concentration of TaqMan Universal Master Mix (a proprietary mixture of AmpliTaq Gold DNA polymerase, AmpEraseX UNG, dNTPs with UTP, passive reference dye and optimised buffer components, Applied Biosystems, Foster City CA); lOOnM Taqman probe; 900nM forward primer; 900nM reverse primer and 15ng of cDNA template.
  • TaqMan Universal Master Mix a proprietary mixture of AmpliTaq Gold DNA polymerase, AmpEraseX UNG, dNTPs with UTP, passive reference dye and optimised buffer components, Applied Biosystems, Foster City CA
  • lOOnM Taqman probe 900nM forward primer
  • 900nM reverse primer 15ng of cDNA template.
  • Performance of Assay Standard procedures for the operation of the ABI Prism 7700 or similar detection system are used. This includes, for example with the ABI Prism 7700, use of all default program settings with the exception of reaction volume which is changed from 50 to 25 ul.
  • Thermal cycling conditions consist of two min at 50 C, 10 min at 95 C, followed by 40 cycles of 15 sec at 95 C and 1 min at 60 C.
  • Cycle threshold (Ct) determinations i.e. non-integer calculations of the number of cycles required for reporter dye fluorescence resulting from the synthesis of PCR products to become significantly higher than background fluorescence levels are automatically performed by the instrument for each reaction using default parameters.
  • Assays for target sequences and ribosomal 18s (reference) sequences in the same cDNA samples are performed in separate reaction tubes.
  • a standard curve is carried out of a typical tissue sample, from 25ng to 0.39ng of cDNA template. From this standard curve, the amount of actual starting target or 18s cDNA in each test sample is determined.
  • the levels of target cDNA in each sample are normalised to the level of expression of target in a comparative sample.
  • the levels of internal control cDNA in each sample are normalised to the level of expression of internal control in a comparative sample.
  • the data is then represented as fold expression of normalised target sequence relative to the level of expression in the comparative sample, which is set arbitrarily to 1.
  • amino acids encoded by exon-exon junctions the amino acid will be assigned to the more 5' exon.
  • SEQ ID 3 (INTP003 nucleotide sequence exon 2) 1 TACCTTCCAA ATGAGGCGGG CCTTCAAGAT GAGAAGAAGG TACTGGACAA CATGCACCAT 61 GTACTCTTGG TATGGATGGG ACCTGTCCTG CCGCTGTTGG TTCTGGTGCA CCCTGATTAC 121 ATCAAACCCC TTTTGGGAGC CTCAG
  • SEQ ID 6 (INTP003 protein sequence exon 3)
  • SEQ ID 8 (INTP003 protein sequence exon 4)
  • SEQ ID 12 (INTP003 protein sequence exon 6)
  • SEQ ID 16 (INTP003 protein sequence exon 8)
  • SEQ ID 18 (INTP003 protein sequence exon 9)
  • SEQ ID 24 (INTP003 protein sequence exon 12) 1 NCIGQSFAM AELRVVVALT LLRFRLSVDR TRKVRRKPEL ILRTENGLWL KVEPLPPRA

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Abstract

Cette invention concerne une nouvelle protéine (INTP003), identifiée ici en tant que P450, ainsi que l'utilisation de cette protéine et de séquences d'acide nucléique pour le gène codant dans le diagnostic, la prévention et le traitement de maladies.
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CA2475230A1 (fr) 2003-08-14
AU2003244413A8 (en) 2003-09-02
AU2003244413A1 (en) 2003-09-02
GB0202748D0 (en) 2002-03-27

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