WO2001034799A1 - 6 proteines humaines secretees - Google Patents

6 proteines humaines secretees Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001034799A1
WO2001034799A1 PCT/US2000/030657 US0030657W WO0134799A1 WO 2001034799 A1 WO2001034799 A1 WO 2001034799A1 US 0030657 W US0030657 W US 0030657W WO 0134799 A1 WO0134799 A1 WO 0134799A1
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Prior art keywords
polypeptide
seq
sequence
polypeptides
antibodies
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PCT/US2000/030657
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English (en)
Inventor
Steven M. Ruben
George A. Komatsoulis
Jian Ni
Daniel R. Soppet
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Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
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Publication date
Application filed by Human Genome Sciences, Inc. filed Critical Human Genome Sciences, Inc.
Priority to CA002388912A priority Critical patent/CA2388912A1/fr
Priority to AU14738/01A priority patent/AU1473801A/en
Priority to JP2001537495A priority patent/JP2003513668A/ja
Priority to EP00977046A priority patent/EP1235907A4/fr
Publication of WO2001034799A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001034799A1/fr
Priority to US12/198,817 priority patent/US7968689B2/en

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
    • C07K14/46—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from vertebrates
    • C07K14/47—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from vertebrates from mammals
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P17/00—Drugs for dermatological disorders
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P25/00—Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P31/00—Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P35/00—Antineoplastic agents
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P37/00—Drugs for immunological or allergic disorders
    • A61P37/02—Immunomodulators
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P43/00—Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P7/00—Drugs for disorders of the blood or the extracellular fluid
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • A61P9/00—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system
    • A61P9/10—Drugs for disorders of the cardiovascular system for treating ischaemic or atherosclerotic diseases, e.g. antianginal drugs, coronary vasodilators, drugs for myocardial infarction, retinopathy, cerebrovascula insufficiency, renal arteriosclerosis
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K38/00—Medicinal preparations containing peptides

Definitions

  • This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides, polypeptides encoded by these polynucleotides, antibodies that bind these polypeptides, uses of such polynucleotides, polypeptides, and antibodies, and their production.
  • One type of sorting signal directs a class of proteins to an organelle called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
  • ER endoplasmic reticulum
  • the ER separates the membrane-bounded proteins from all other types of proteins. Once localized to the ER, both groups of proteins can be further directed to another organelle called the Golgi apparatus.
  • the Golgi distributes the proteins to vesicles, including secretory vesicles, the cell membrane, lysosomes, and the other organelles. Proteins targeted to the ER by a signal sequence can be released into the extracellular space as a secreted protein.
  • vesicles containing secreted proteins can fuse with the cell membrane and release their contents into the extracellular space - a process called exocytosis. Exocytosis can occur constitutively or after receipt of a triggering signal. In the latter case, the proteins are stored in secretory vesicles (or secretory granules) until exocytosis is triggered. Similarly, proteins residing on the cell membrane can also be secreted into the extracellular space by proteolytic cleavage of a "linker" holding the protein to the membrane.
  • the present invention relates to novel polynucleotides and the encoded polypeptides. Moreover, the present invention relates to vectors, host cells, antibodies, and recombinant and synthetic methods for producing the polypeptides and polynucleotides. Also provided are diagnostic methods for detecting diseases, disorders, and/or conditions related to the polypeptides and polynucleotides, and therapeutic methods for treating such diseases, disorders, and/or conditions. The invention further relates to screening methods for identifying binding partners of the polypeptides.
  • isolated refers to material removed from its original environment (e.g., the natural environment if it is naturally occurring), and thus is altered “by the hand of man” from its natural state.
  • an isolated polynucleotide could be part of a vector or a composition of matter, or could be contained within a cell, and still be “isolated” because that vector, composition of matter, or particular cell is not the original environment of the polynucleotide.
  • isolated does not refer to genomic or cDNA libraries, whole cell total or mRNA preparations, genomic DNA preparations (including those separated by electrophoresis and transferred onto blots), sheared whole cell genomic DNA preparations or other compositions where the art demonstrates no distinguishing features of the polynucleotide/sequences of the present invention.
  • a "secreted” protein refers to those proteins capable of being directed to the ER, secretory vesicles, or the extracellular space as a result of a signal sequence, as well as those proteins released into the extracellular space without necessarily containing a signal sequence. If the secreted protein is released into the extracellular space, the secreted protein can undergo extracellular processing to produce a "mature" protein. Release into the extracellular space can occur by many mechanisms, including exocytosis and proteolytic cleavage.
  • the polynucleotides of the invention are at least 15, at least 30, at least 50, at least 100, at least 125, at least 500, or at least 1000 continuous nucleotides but are less than or equal to 300 kb, 200 kb, 100 kb, 50 kb, 15 kb, 10 kb, 7.5 kb, 5 kb, 2.5 kb, 2.0 kb, or 1 kb, in length.
  • polynucleotides of the invention comprise a portion of the coding sequences, as disclosed herein, but do not comprise all or a portion of any intron.
  • the polynucleotides comprising coding sequences do not contain coding sequences of a genomic flanking gene (i.e., 5' or 3' to the gene of interest in the genome). In other embodiments, the polynucleotides of the invention do not contain the coding sequence of more than 1000, 500, 250, 100, 50, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 genomic flanking gene(s).
  • a "polynucleotide” refers to a molecule having a nucleic acid sequence contained in SEQ ID NO:X or the cDNA contained within the clone deposited with the ATCC.
  • the polynucleotide can contain the nucleotide sequence of the full length cDNA sequence, including the 5' and 3' untranslated sequences, the coding region, with or without the signal sequence, the secreted protein coding region, as well as fragments, epitopes, domains, and variants of the nucleic acid sequence.
  • a "polypeptide" refers to a molecule having the translated amino acid sequence generated from the polynucleotide as broadly defined.
  • the full length sequence identified as SEQ ID NO:X was often generated by overlapping sequences contained in multiple clones (contig analysis).
  • a representative clone containing all or most of the sequence for SEQ ID NO:X was deposited with the American Type Culture Collection ("ATCC"). As shown in Table 1, each clone is identified by a cDNA Clone BD (Identifier) and the ATCC Deposit Number. The ATCC is located at 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Virginia 20110-2209, USA. The ATCC deposit was made pursuant to the terms of the Budapest Treaty on the international recognition of the deposit of microorganisms for purposes of patent procedure.
  • a "polynucleotide” of the present invention also includes those polynucleotides capable of hybridizing, under stringent hybridization conditions, to sequences contained in SEQ ID NO:X, the complement thereof, or the cDNA within the clone deposited with the ATCC.
  • “Stringent hybridization conditions” refers to an overnight incubation at 42 degree C in a solution comprising 50% formamide, 5x SSC (750 mM NaCl, 75 mM trisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.6), 5x Denhardt's solution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20 ⁇ g/ml denatured, sheared salmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the filters in O.lx SSC at about 65 degree C. Also contemplated are nucleic acid molecules that hybridize to the polynucleotides of the present invention at lower stringency hybridization conditions.
  • Changes in the stringency of hybridization and signal detection are primarily accomplished through the manipulation of formamide concentration (lower percentages of formamide result in lowered stringency); salt conditions, or temperature.
  • lower stringency conditions include an overnight incubation at 37 degree C in a solution comprising 6X SSPE (20X SSPE - 3M NaCl; 0.2M NaH 2 PO 4 ; 0.02M EDTA, pH 7.4), 0.5% SDS, 30% formamide, 100 ug/ml salmon sperm blocking DNA; followed by washes at 50 degree C with 1XSSPE, 0.1%) SDS.
  • washes performed following stringent hybridization can be done at higher salt concentrations (e.g. 5X SSC).
  • blocking reagents include Denhardt's reagent, BLOTTO, heparin, denatured salmon sperm DNA, and commercially available proprietary formulations.
  • the inclusion of specific blocking reagents may require modification of the hybridization conditions described above, due to problems with compatibility.
  • polynucleotide which hybridizes only to polyA+ sequences (such as any 3' terminal polyA-H tract of a cDNA shown in the sequence listing), or to a complementary stretch of T (or U) residues, would not be included in the definition of "polynucleotide,” since such a polynucleotide would hybridize to any nucleic acid molecule containing a poly (A) stretch or the complement thereof (e.g., practically any double-stranded cDNA clone generated using oligo dT as a primer).
  • polynucleotide of the present invention can be composed of any polyribonucleotide or polydeoxribonucleotide, which may be unmodified RNA or DNA or modified RNA or DNA.
  • polynucleotides can be composed of single- and double-stranded DNA, DNA that is a mixture of single- and double- stranded regions, single- and double-stranded RNA, and RNA that is mixture of single- and double-stranded regions, hybrid molecules comprising DNA and RNA that may be single-stranded or, more typically, double-stranded or a mixture of single- and double-stranded regions.
  • polynucleotide can be composed of triple-stranded regions comprising RNA or DNA or both RNA and DNA.
  • a polynucleotide may also contain one or more modified bases or DNA or RNA backbones modified for stability or for other reasons.
  • Modified bases include, for example, tritylated bases and unusual bases such as inosine.
  • a variety of modifications can be made to DNA and RNA; thus, "polynucleotide” embraces chemically, enzymatically, or metabolically modified forms.
  • the polypeptide of the present invention can be composed of amino acids joined to each other by peptide bonds or modified peptide bonds, i.e., peptide isosteres, and may contain amino acids other than the 20 gene-encoded amino acids.
  • the polypeptides may be modified by either natural processes, such as posttranslational processing, or by chemical modification techniques which are well known in the art. Such modifications are well described in basic texts and in more detailed monographs, as well as in a voluminous research literature. Modifications can occur anywhere in a polypeptide, including the peptide backbone, the amino acid side-chains and the amino or carboxyl termini.
  • polypeptides may be branched , for example, as a result of ubiquitination, and they may be cyclic, with or without branching. Cyclic, branched, and branched cyclic polypeptides may result from posttranslation natural processes or may be made by synthetic methods.
  • Modifications include acetylation, acylation, ADP-ribosylation, amidation, covalent attachment of flavin, covalent attachment of a heme moiety, covalent attachment of a nucleotide or nucleotide derivative, covalent attachment of a lipid or lipid derivative, covalent attachment of phosphotidylinositol, cross-linking, cyclization, disulfide bond formation, demethylation, formation of covalent cross-links, formation of cysteine, formation of pyro glutamate, formylation, gamma-carboxylation, glycosylation, GPI anchor formation, hydroxylation, iodination, methylation, myristoylation, oxidation, pegylation, proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, prenylation, racemization, selenoylation, sulfation, transfer-RNA mediated addition of amino acids to proteins such as arginylation, and ubiquitination.
  • SEQ ID NO:X refers to a polynucleotide sequence while “SEQ ID NO:Y” refers to a polypeptide sequence, both sequences identified by an integer specified in Table 1.
  • a polypeptide having biological activity refers to polypeptides exhibiting activity similar, but not necessarily identical to, an activity of a polypeptide of the present invention, including mature forms, as measured in a particular biological assay, with or without dose dependency. In the case where dose dependency does exist, it need not be identical to that of the polypeptide, but rather substantially similar to the dose-dependence in a given activity as compared to the polypeptide of the present invention (i.e., the candidate polypeptide will exhibit greater activity or not more than about 25-fold less and, preferably, not more than about tenfold less activity, and most preferably, not more than about three-fold less activity relative to the polypeptide of the present invention.)
  • ATP/GTP-binding sites Included in this invention as preferred domains are ATP/GTP-binding sites, which were identified using the ProSite analysis tool (Swiss Institute of
  • Bioinformatics From sequence comparisons and crystallographic data analysis it has been shown that an appreciable proportion of proteins that bind ATP or GTP share a number of more or less conserved sequence motifs.
  • the best conserved of these motifs is a glycine-rich region, which typically forms a flexible loop between a beta- strand and an alpha-helix. This loop interacts with one of the phosphate groups of the nucleotide.
  • This sequence motif is generally referred to as the A' consensus sequence or the 'P-loop'.
  • the consensus pattern is as follows: [AG]-x(4)-G-K-[ST].
  • polypeptides of the invention comprise, or alternatively consist of, an amino acid sequence selected from the group: AGSAVGKT (SEQ ID NO:50); SIEAGSAVGKTTSF (SEQ ID NO.51); and/or
  • polypeptides such as, for example, fragments as described herein, polypeptides at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100% identical to these polypeptides, or polypeptides encoded by a polynucleotide which hybridizes, under stringent conditions, to the polynucleotide encoding these polypeptides
  • polypeptides encoded by a polynucleotide which hybridizes, under stringent conditions, to the polynucleotide encoding these polypeptides are encompassed by the invention.
  • Antibodies that bind polypeptides of the invention and polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides are also encompassed by the invention.
  • polypeptides comprising the ATP/GTP- binding site above, and at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 50, or 75 additional contiguous amino acid residues of the amino acid sequence referenced in Table 1 for this gene.
  • the additional contiguous amino acid residues may be N-terminal or C- terminal to the ATP/GTP-binding site.
  • the additional contiguous amino acid residues may be both N-terminal and C-terminal to the ATP/GTP-binding site , wherein the total N- and C-terminal contiguous amino acid residues equal the specified number.
  • Figures 1A-D show the nucleotide (SEQ ID NO:l 1) and deduced amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 28) corresponding to this gene.
  • Figure 2 shows an analysis of the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 28).
  • Alpha, beta, turn and coil regions; hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity; amphipathic regions; flexible regions; antigenic index and surface probability are shown, and all were generated using the default settings of the recited computer algorithyms.
  • the positive peaks indicate locations of the highly antigenic regions of the protein, i.e., regions from which epitope-bearing peptides of the invention can be obtained.
  • Polypeptides comprising, or alternatively consisting of, domains defined by these graphs are contemplated by the present invention, as are polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides.
  • the data presented in Figure 2 are also represented in tabular form in Table 6.
  • Preferred embodiments of the invention in this regard include fragments that comprise, or alternatively consisting of, one or more of the following regions: alpha- helix and alpha-helix forming regions ("alpha-regions”), beta-sheet and beta-sheet forming regions ("beta-regions"), turn and turn-forming regions ("turn-regions”), coil and coil-forming regions ("coil-regions”), hydrophilic regions, hydrophobic regions, alpha amphipathic regions, beta amphipathic regions, flexible regions, surface- forming regions and high antigenic index regions.
  • alpha-regions alpha- helix and alpha-helix forming regions
  • beta-sheet and beta-sheet forming regions beta-sheet and beta-sheet forming regions
  • turn-regions turn and turn-forming regions
  • coil-regions coil and coil-forming regions
  • the data presented in columns VIII, IX, XIII, and XIV of Table 6 can be used to determine regions of the protein which exhibit a high degree of potential for antigenicity. Regions of high antigenicity are determined from the data presented in columns VIII, IX, XIII, and/or XIV by choosing values which represent regions of the polypeptide which are likely to be exposed on the surface of the polypeptide in an environment in which antigen recognition may occur in the process of initiation of an immune response.
  • the present invention is further directed to fragments of the polynucleotide sequences described herein.
  • a fragment of, for example, the polynucleotide sequence of a deposited cDNA or the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NOT 1 is intended polynucleotide fragments at least about 15nt, and more preferably at least about 20 nt, at least about 25nt, still more preferably at least about 30 nt, at least about 35nt, and even more preferably, at least about 40 nt in length, at least about 45nt in length, at least about 50nt in length, at least about 60nt in length, at least about 70nt in length, at least about 80nt in length, at least about 90nt in length, at least about lOOnt in length, at least about 125nt in length, at least about 150nt in length, at least about 175nt in length, which are useful as diagnostic probes and primers as discussed herein.
  • fragments 200-1500 nt in length are also useful according to the present invention, as are fragments corresponding to most, if not all, of the nucleotide sequence of a deposited cDNA or as shown in SEQ ID NO: 11.
  • a fragment at least 20 nt in length for example, is intended fragments which include 20 or more contiguous bases from the nucleotide sequence of a deposited cDNA or the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 11.
  • “about” includes the particularly recited size, an sizes larger or smaller by several (5, 4, 3, 2, or 1) nucleotides, at either terminus or at both termini.
  • polynucleotide fragments of the invention include, for example, fragments that comprise, or alternatively, consist of, a sequence from about nucleotide 1 to about 50, from about 51 to about 100, from about 101 to about 150, from about 151 to about 200, from about 201 to about 250, from about 251 to about 300, from about 301 to about 350, from about 351 to about 400, from about 401 to about 450, from about 451 to about 500, and from about 501 to about 550, and from about 551 to about 600, from about 601 to about 650, from about 651 to about 700, from about 701 to about 750, from about 751 to about 800, from about 801 to about 850, from about 851 to about 900, from about 901 to about 950, from about 951 to about 1000, from about 1001 to about 1050, from about 1051 to about 1100, from about 1101 to about 1150 from about 1151 to about 1200, from about 1201 to about 1250, from about 1251 to
  • polynucleotides of the invention encode functional attributes of the corresponding protein.
  • Preferred polypeptide fragments of the invention comprise, or alternatively consist of, the secreted protein having a continuous series of deleted residues from the amino or the carboxy terminus, or both.
  • N-terminal deletions of the polypeptide can be described by the general formula m-595 where m is an integer from 2 to 590, where m corresponds to the position of the amino acid residue identified in SEQ ID NO:28.
  • the invention provides polynucleotides encoding polypeptides comprising, or alternatively consisting of, an amino acid sequence selected from the group: G-2 to G-595; C-3 to G-595; L-4 to G- 595; W-5 to G-595; G-6 to G-595; L-7 to G-595; A-8 to G-595; L-9 to G-595; P-10 to G-595; L-l l to G-595; F-12 to G-595; F-13 to G-595; F-14 to G-595; C-15 to G-595; W-16 to G-595; E-17 to G-595; V-18 to G-595; G-19 to G-595; V-20 to G-595; S-21 to G-595; G-22 to G-595; S-23 to G-595; S-24 to G-595; A-25 to G-595; G-26 to G- 595; P-27 to G-595; S-28 to G-595; T-29 to G-595; R-30 to G-595; R-
  • Polypeptides encoded by these polynucleotides are also encompassed by the invention. Also as mentioned above, even if deletion of one or more amino acids from the C-terminus of a protein results in modification of loss of one or more biological functions of the protein, other functional activities (e.g., biological activities, ability to multimerize, ability to bind ligand, ability to generate antibodies, ability to bind antibodies) may still be retained. For example the ability of the shortened polypeptide to induce and/or bind to antibodies which recognize the complete or mature forms of the polypeptide generally will be retained when less than the majority of the residues of the complete or mature polypeptide are removed from the C-terminus.
  • other functional activities e.g., biological activities, ability to multimerize, ability to bind ligand, ability to generate antibodies, ability to bind antibodies
  • the present invention further provides polypeptides having one or more residues deleted from the carboxy terminus of the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide shown in Figures 1 A-D (SEQ ID NO: 28), as described by the general formula 1-n, where n is an integer from 6 to 594, where n corresponds to the position of the amino acid residue identified in SEQ ID NO:28.
  • the invention provides polynucleotides encoding polypeptides comprising, or alternatively consisting of, an amino acid sequence selected from the group: M-1 to R-594; M-1 to R-593; M-1 to V-592; M-1 to R-591; M-1 to L-590; M-1 to L-589; M- 1 to S-588; M-1 to V-587; M-1 to Q-586; M-1 to F-585; M-1 to H-584; M-1 to P-583; M-1 to A-582; M-1 to H-581; M-1 to A-580; M-1 to H-579; M-1 to L-578; M-1 to E- 577; M-1 to R-576; M-1 to H-575; M-1 to L-574; M-1 to Q-573; M-1 to Q-572; M-1 to M-571; M-1 to L-570; M-1 to R-569; M-1 to E-568; M-1 to A-567; M-1 to V-566; M-1 to R-565; M-1 to
  • any of the above listed N- or C-terminal deletions can be combined to produce a N- and C-terminal deleted polypeptide.
  • the invention also provides polypeptides comprising, or alternatively consisting of, one or more amino acids deleted from both the amino and the carboxyl termini, which may be described generally as having residues m-n of SEQ ID NO:28, where n and m are integers as described above. Polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides are also encompassed by the invention.
  • the present invention is also directed to proteins containing polypeptides at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identical to a polypeptide sequence set forth herein as m-n.
  • the application is directed to proteins containing polypeptides at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%>, 96%, 97%o, 98% or 99% identical to polypeptides having the amino acid sequence of the specific N- and C-terminal deletions recited herein. Polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides are also encompassed by the invention.
  • polypeptides encoded by these polynucleotides also are encompassed by the invention.
  • This gene has been demonstrated to be highly expressed in ovarian and/or ovarian cancer tissues. In addition, this gene is expressed primarily in the following tissues/cDNA libraries: Ovarian Tumor 10-3-95 and to a lesser extent in Stratagene colon (#937204); Lung, Cancer (4005163 B7): Invasive, Poorly Diff.
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful as reagents for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s) present in a biological sample and for diagnosis of diseases and conditions which include but are not limited to: proliferative disorders, such as cancer.
  • polypeptides and antibodies directed to these polypeptides are useful in providing immunological probes for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s).
  • tissue or cell types e.g., cancerous and wounded tissues
  • bodily fluids e.g., serum, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid
  • another tissue or sample taken from an individual having such a disorder relative to the standard gene expression level, i.e., the expression level in healthy tissue or bodily fluid from an individual not having the disorder.
  • Preferred polypeptides of the present invention comprise immuno genie epitopes shown in SEQ ID NO: 28 as residues: Pro- 27 to Asp-33, Thr-37 to Glu-42, Thr-64 to Ser-69, Pro-76 to Ala-83, Ser-87 to Pro- 100, Gly-1 17 to Ala-122, Asp-147 to Lys-153, Ser-176 to Gly-182, Ser-190 to Gly- 201, Ser-209 to Gly-220, Ser-228 to Gly-239, Ser-247 to Gly-258, Ser-266 to Gly- 277, Ile-315 to Ser-320, Asp-349 to Lys-354, Asn-389 to Val-396, Phe-470 to Thr- 477, Gly-484 to Leu-493, Pro-498 to Asn-508, Ala-518 to Thr-528, Thr-530 to Thr- 538, Glu-559 to Arg-565.
  • Polynucleotides encoding said polypeptides
  • tissue distribution indicates that polynucleotides and polypeptides corresponding to this gene, as well as fragments thereof, agonists and/or antagonists directed thereto (e.g., including, but not limited to antibodies directed to the polynucleotide and/or polypeptide of the invention) would be useful for the diagnosis, monitoring, evaluation, and/or treatment of several types of cancers including ovarian cancer, as well as cancers of other tissues where expression has been indicated.
  • agonists and/or antagonists directed thereto e.g., including, but not limited to antibodies directed to the polynucleotide and/or polypeptide of the invention
  • ovarian cancer tissue may indicate the gene or its products can be used to treat, prevent, detect and/or diagnose disorders of the ovary, including inflammatory disorders, such as oophoritis (e.g., caused by viral or bacterial infection), ovarian cysts, amenorrhea, infertility, hirsutism, and ovarian cancer (e.g., including, but not limited to, primary and secondary cancerous growth, endometrioid carcinoma of the ovary, ovarian papillary serous adenocarcinoma, ovarian mucinous adenocarcinoma, and Ovarian Krukenberg tumor).
  • oophoritis e.g., caused by viral or bacterial infection
  • ovarian cysts e.g., amenorrhea, infertility, hirsutism
  • ovarian cancer e.g., including, but not limited to, primary and secondary cancerous growth, endometrioid carcinoma of the
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides and/or antibodies of the invention would be useful for the diagnosis and imaging of ovarian tissues as described below in the sections entitled “Diagnosis and Imaging” and “Kits.”
  • polynucleotides polypeptides and/or agonists or antagonists thereof would be useful for the treatment, detection, diagnosis and/or prevention of hyperproliferative disorders, specifically ovarian neoplasms, as described below in the section entitled "Hyperproliferative Disorders.”
  • the protein may also be used to determine biological activity, to raise antibodies, as tissue markers, to isolate cognate ligands or receptors, to identify agents that modulate their interactions, in addition to its use as a nutritional supplement.
  • Protein, as well as, antibodies directed against the protein may show utility as a tumor marker and/or immunotherapy targets for the above listed tissues.
  • Many polynucleotide sequences such as EST sequences, are publicly available and accessible through sequence databases. Some of these sequences are related to SEQ ID NO: 11 and may have been publicly available prior to conception of the present invention. Preferably, such related polynucleotides are specifically excluded from the scope of the present invention. To list every related sequence would be cumbersome.
  • polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence described by the general formula of a-b, where a is any integer between 1 to 2143 of SEQ ID NO:l 1, b is an integer of 15 to 2157, where both a and b correspond to the positions of nucleotide residues shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 , and where b is greater than or equal to a + 14.
  • This gene is expressed primarily in the following tissues/cDNA libraries: PC3 Prostate cell line; Neutrophils control, re-excision.
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful as reagents for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s) present in a biological sample and for diagnosis of diseases and conditions which include but are not limited to: prostate and immunological disorders.
  • polypeptides and antibodies directed to these polypeptides are useful in providing immunological probes for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s).
  • tissue or cell types e.g., cancerous and wounded tissues
  • bodily fluids e.g., lymph, serum, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid
  • another tissue or sample taken from an individual having such a disorder relative to the standard gene expression level, i.e., the expression level in healthy tissue or bodily fluid from an individual not having the disorder.
  • the expression in prostate tissue may indicate the gene and its products, as well as antibodies directed against these gene products, can be used in the detection and/or treatment of disorders of the prostate, including inflammatory disorders, such as chronic prostatitis, granulomatous prostatitis and malacoplakia, prostatic hyperplasia and prostate neoplastic disorders, including adenocarcinoma, transitional cell carcinomas, ductal carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, or as hormones or factors with systemic or reproductive functions.
  • disorders of the prostate including inflammatory disorders, such as chronic prostatitis, granulomatous prostatitis and malacoplakia, prostatic hyperplasia and prostate neoplastic disorders, including adenocarcinoma, transitional cell carcinomas, ductal carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, or as hormones or factors with systemic or reproductive functions.
  • Preferred polypeptides of the invention comprise a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set out in the sequence listing as SEQ ID NO: 46 and/or SEQ ID NO: 48.
  • fragments and variants of these polypeptides (such as, for example, fragments as described herein, polypeptides at least 80%, 85%>, 90%, 95%>, 96%o, 97%o, 98%o, or 99%o identical to these polypeptides and polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotide which hybridizes, under stringent conditions, to the polynucleotide encoding these polypeptides ) are encompassed by the invention.
  • Antibodies that bind polypeptides of the invention are also encompassed by the invention.
  • Polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides are also encompassed by the invention.
  • This gene is expressed primarily in the following tissues/cDNA libraries: Primary Dendritic Cells, lib 1 and to a lesser extent in Soares placenta Nb2HP; Soares infant brain 1NEB; Soares melanocyte 2NbHM; Soares_pregnant_uterus_NbHPU; Soares_testis_NHT; NCI_CGAP_Lu5; Soares fetal liver spleen 1NFLS; Smooth muscle, serum treated; H Macrophage (GM-CSF treated), re-excision; Soares_parathyroid_tumor_NbHPA; Smooth muscle,control; normalized infant brain cDNA; Bone Marrow Stromal Cell, untreated; Human Adrenal Gland Tumor; Fetal Heart; Activated T-Cell (12hs)/Thiouridine labelledEco; Soares_multiple_sclerosis_2NbHMSP; Monocyte activated; Soares_placenta_8to9weeks_2N
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful as reagents for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s) present in a biological sample and for diagnosis of diseases and conditions which include but are not limited to: immunological and proliferative disorders.
  • polypeptides and antibodies directed to these polypeptides are useful in providing immunological probes for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s).
  • tissue or cell types e.g., cancerous and wounded tissues
  • bodily fluids e.g., serum, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid
  • another tissue or sample taken from an individual having such a disorder relative to the standard gene expression level, i.e., the expression level in healthy tissue or bodily fluid from an individual not having the disorder.
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides corresponding to this gene are useful for the detection, prevention, and/or treatment of cancer and/or immune disorders.
  • Preferred polypeptides of the invention comprise a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set out in the sequence listing as SEQ ED NO: 49.
  • fragments and variants of these polypeptides (such as, for example, fragments as described herein, polypeptides at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99%o identical to these polypeptides and polypeptides encoded by the polynucleotide which hybridizes, under stringent conditions, to the polynucleotide encoding these polypeptides ) are encompassed by the invention.
  • Antibodies that bind polypeptides of the invention are also encompassed by the invention.
  • Polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides are also encompassed by the invention. This gene is expressed primarily in the following tissues/cDNA libraries:
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful as reagents for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s) present in a biological sample and for diagnosis of diseases and conditions which include but are not limited to: cancer and immunological disorders.
  • polypeptides and antibodies directed to these polypeptides are useful in providing immunological probes for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s).
  • tissue or cell types e.g., cancerous and wounded tissues
  • bodily fluids e.g., serum, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid
  • another tissue or sample taken from an individual having such a disorder relative to the standard gene expression level, i.e., the expression level in healthy tissue or bodily fluid from an individual not having the disorder.
  • tissue distribution indicates that polynucleotides and polypeptides corresponding corresponding to this gene would be useful for the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of immune system disorders and cancers. Representative uses are described in the "Immune Activity” and “Infectious Disease” sections below, in Example 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20, and 27, and elsewhere herein. Briefly, the expression indicates a role in regulating the proliferation; survival; differentiation; and or activation of hematopoietic cell lineages, including blood stem cells. Involvement in the regulation of cytokine production, antigen presentation, or other processes suggests a usefulness for treatment of cancer (e.g. by boosting immune responses). Expression in cells of lymphoid origin, indicates the natural gene product would be involved in immune functions.
  • immunological disorders including arthritis, asthma, immunodeficiency diseases such as AIDS, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatous disease, inflammatory bowel disease, sepsis, acne, neutropenia, neutrophilia, psoriasis, hypersensitivities, such as T-cell mediated cytotoxicity; immune reactions to transplanted organs and tissues, such as host-versus-graft and graft- versus-host diseases, or autoimmunity disorders, such as autoimmune infertility, lense tissue injury, demyelination, systemic lupus erythematosis, drug induced hemolytic anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's disease, and scleroderma.
  • immunodeficiency diseases such as AIDS, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatous disease, inflammatory bowel disease, sepsis, acne, neutropenia, neutrophilia,
  • the protein may represent a secreted factor that influences the differentiation or behavior of other blood cells, or that recruits hematopoietic cells to sites of injury.
  • this gene product is thought to be useful in the expansion of stem cells and committed progenitors of various blood lineages, and in the differentiation and/or proliferation of various cell types.
  • the protein may also be used to determine biological activity, raise antibodies, as tissue markers, to isolate cognate ligands or receptors, to identify agents that modulate their interactions, in addition to its use as a nutritional supplement. Protein, as well as, antibodies directed against the protein may show utility as a tumor marker and/or immunotherapy targets for the above listed tissues.
  • This gene is expressed in activated monocytes.
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful as reagents for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s) present in a biological sample and for diagnosis of diseases and conditions which include but are not limited to: immunological disorders.
  • polypeptides and antibodies directed to these polypeptides are useful in providing immunological probes for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s).
  • tissue or cell types e.g., cancerous and wounded tissues
  • bodily fluids e.g., lymph, serum, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid
  • another tissue or sample taken from an individual having such a disorder relative to the standard gene expression level, i.e., the expression level in healthy tissue or bodily fluid from an individual not having the disorder.
  • tissue distribution indicates that polynucleotides and polypeptides corresponding to this gene are useful for immune disorders, including but not limited to arthritis, asthma, immune deficiency diseases such as AIDS, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, sepsis, acne, and psoriasis.
  • the protein may also be used to determine biological activity, to raise antibodies, as tissue markers, to isolate cognate ligands or receptors, to identify agents that modulate their interactions, in addition to its use as a nutritional supplement. Protein, as well as, antibodies directed against the protein may show utility as a tumor marker and/or immunotherapy targets for the above listed tissues.
  • polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful as reagents for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s) present in a biological sample and for diagnosis of diseases and conditions which include but are not limited to: developmental and proliferative disorders.
  • polypeptides and antibodies directed to these polypeptides are useful in providing immunological probes for differential identification of the tissue(s) or cell type(s).
  • tissue or cell types e.g., cancerous and wounded tissues
  • bodily fluids e.g., serum, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid
  • another tissue or sample taken from an individual having such a disorder relative to the standard gene expression level, i.e., the expression level in healthy tissue or bodily fluid from an individual not having the disorder.
  • fetal tissue and other cellular sources marked by proliferating cells, such as tumors indicates this protein may play a role in the regulation of cellular division, and may show utility in the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention of developmental diseases and disorders, including cancer, and other proliferative conditions. Representative uses are described in the "Hyperproliferative Disorders" and “Regeneration” sections below and elsewhere herein. Briefly, developmental tissues rely on decisions involving cell differentiation and/or apoptosis in pattern formation.
  • Dysregulation of apoptosis can result in inappropriate suppression of cell death, as occurs in the development of some cancers, or in failure to control the extent of cell death, as is believed to occur in acquired immunodeficiency and certain degenerative disorders, such as spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
  • this gene product may be involved in the pattern of cellular proliferation that accompanies early embryogenesis.
  • aberrant expression of this gene product in tissues - particularly adult tissues - may correlate with patterns of abnormal cellular proliferation, such as found in various cancers. Because of potential roles in proliferation and differentiation, this gene product may have applications in the adult for tissue regeneration and the treatment of cancers. It may also act as a morphogen to control cell and tissue type specification.
  • the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention are useful in treating, detecting, and/or preventing said disorders and conditions, in addition to other types of degenerative conditions.
  • this protein may modulate apoptosis or tissue differentiation and would be useful in the detection, treatment, and/or prevention of degenerative or proliferative conditions and diseases.
  • the protein would be useful in modulating the immune response to aberrant polypeptides, as may exist in proliferating and cancerous cells and tissues.
  • the protein can also be used to gain new insight into the regulation of cellular growth and proliferation.
  • the protein may also be used to determine biological activity, to raise antibodies, as tissue markers, to isolate cognate ligands or receptors, to identify agents that modulate their interactions, in addition to its use as a nutritional supplement. Protein, as well as, antibodies directed against the protein may show utility as a tumor marker and/or immunotherapy targets for the above listed tissues.
  • Table 1 summarizes the information corresponding to each "Gene No.” described above.
  • the nucleotide sequence identified as “NT SEQ ID NO:X” was assembled from partially homologous ("overlapping") sequences obtained from the "cDNA clone ID” identified in Table 1 and, in some cases, from additional related DNA clones.
  • the overlapping sequences were assembled into a single contiguous sequence of high redundancy (usually three to five overlapping sequences at each nucleotide position), resulting in a final sequence identified as SEQ ID NO:X.
  • the cDNA Clone ID was deposited on the date and given the corresponding deposit number listed in "ATCC Deposit No:Z and Date.” Some of the deposits contain multiple different clones corresponding to the same gene. "Vector” refers to the type of vector contained in the cDNA Clone ID.
  • Total NT Seq refers to the total number of nucleotides in the contig identified by "Gene No.”
  • the deposited clone may contain all or most of these sequences, reflected by the nucleotide position indicated as “5' NT of Clone Seq.” and the "3 ' NT of Clone Seq.” of SEQ ID NO:X.
  • the nucleotide position of SEQ ID NO:X of the putative start codon (methionine) is identified as "5' NT of Start Codon.”
  • the nucleotide position of SEQ ED NO:X of the predicted signal sequence is identified as "5' NT of First AA of Signal Pep.”
  • the translated amino acid sequence beginning with the methionine, is identified as "AA SEQ ID NO:Y,” although other reading frames can also be easily translated using known molecular biology techniques.
  • the polypeptides produced by these alternative open reading frames are specifically contemplated by the present invention.
  • SEQ ID NO:Y of the predicted signal peptide is identified as "First AA of Sig Pep" and "Last AA of Sig Pep.”
  • the predicted first amino acid position of SEQ ID NO:Y of the secreted portion is identified as "Predicted First AA of Secreted Portion.”
  • amino acid position of SEQ ED NO:Y of the last amino acid in the open reading frame is identified as "Last AA of ORF.”
  • SEQ ID NO:X (where X may be any of the polynucleotide sequences disclosed in the sequence listing) and the translated SEQ ID NO:Y (where Y may be any of the polypeptide sequences disclosed in the sequence listing) are sufficiently accurate and otherwise suitable for a variety of uses well known in the art and described further below.
  • SEQ ID NO:X is useful for designing nucleic acid hybridization probes that will detect nucleic acid sequences contained in SEQ ID NO:X or the cDNA contained in the deposited clone. These probes will also hybridize to nucleic acid molecules in biological samples, thereby enabling a variety of forensic and diagnostic methods of the invention.
  • polypeptides identified from SEQ ID NO: Y may be used, for example, to generate antibodies which bind specifically to proteins containing the polypeptides and the secreted proteins encoded by the cDNA clones identified in Table 1. Nevertheless, DNA sequences generated by sequencing reactions can contain sequencing errors.
  • the errors exist as misidentified nucleotides, or as insertions or deletions of nucleotides in the generated DNA sequence.
  • the erroneously inserted or deleted nucleotides cause frame shifts in the reading frames of the predicted amino acid sequence.
  • the predicted amino acid sequence diverges from the actual amino acid sequence, even though the generated DNA sequence may be greater than 99.9% identical to the actual DNA sequence (for example, one base insertion or deletion in an open reading frame of over 1000 bases).
  • the present invention provides not only the generated nucleotide sequence identified as SEQ ID NO:X and the predicted translated amino acid sequence identified as SEQ ID NO:Y, but also a sample of plasmid DNA containing a human cDNA of the invention deposited with the ATCC, as set forth in Table 1.
  • the nucleotide sequence of each deposited clone can readily be determined by sequencing the deposited clone in accordance with known methods. The predicted amino acid sequence can then be verified from such deposits.
  • amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by a particular clone can also be directly determined by peptide sequencing or by expressing the protein in a suitable host cell containing the deposited human cDNA, collecting the protein, and determining its sequence.
  • the present invention also relates to the genes corresponding to SEQ ID NO: 1
  • the corresponding gene can be isolated in accordance with known methods using the sequence information disclosed herein. Such methods include preparing probes or primers from the disclosed sequence and identifying or amplifying the corresponding gene from appropriate sources of genomic material.
  • allelic variants, orthologs, and/or species homologs are also provided in the present invention. Procedures known in the art can be used to obtain full-length genes, allelic variants, splice variants, full-length coding portions, orthologs, and/or species homologs of genes corresponding to SEQ ID NO:X, SEQ ID NO:Y, or a deposited clone, using information from the sequences disclosed herein or the clones deposited with the ATCC.
  • allelic variants and/or species homologs may be isolated and identified by making suitable probes or primers from the sequences provided herein and screening a suitable nucleic acid source for allelic variants and/or the desired homologue.
  • Table 2 provides preferred epitopes contained in certain embodiments of the invention and polynucleotide sequences that may be disclaimed according to certain embodiments of the invention.
  • the first column refers to each "Gene No.” described above in Table 1.
  • the second column provides the sequence identifier, "NT SEQ ID NO:X”, for polynucleotide sequences disclosed in Table 1.
  • the third column provides the sequence identifier, "AA SEQ ID NO:Y”, for polypeptide sequences disclosed in Table 1.
  • the fourth column provides a unique integer "ntA” where "ntA” is any integer between 1 and the final nucleotide minus 15 of SEQ ID NO:X
  • the fifth column provides a unique integer "ntB” where "ntB” is any integer between 15 and the final nucleotide of SEQ ID NO:X, where both ntA and ntB correspond to the positions of nucleotide residues shown in SEQ ID NO:X, and where ntB is greater than or equal to a + 14.
  • This method returns a measure of the probability that a given residue is found on the surface of the protein. Regions where the antigenic index score is greater than 0.9 over at least 6 amino acids are indicated in Table 2 as "Preferred Epitopes". Polypeptides of the invention may possess one, two, three, four, five or more antigenic epitopes comprising residues described in Table 2. It will be appreciated that depending on the analytical criteria used to predict antigenic determinants, the exact address of the determinant may vary slightly.
  • Table 3 summarizes the expression profile of polynucleotides corresponding to the clones disclosed in Table 1.
  • the first column provides a unique clone identifier, "Clone ID”, for a cDNA clone related to each contig sequence disclosed in Table 1.
  • Column 2 "Library Codes” shows the expression profile of tissue and/or cell line libraries which express the polynucleotides of the invention.
  • Each Library Code in column 2 represents a tissue/cell source identifier code corresponding to the Library Code and Library description provided in Table 4. Expression of these polynucleotides was not observed in the other tissues and/or cell libraries tested.
  • One of skill in the art could routinely use this information to identify tissues which show a predominant expression pattern of the corresponding polynucleotide of the invention or to identify polynucleotides which show predominant and/or specific tissue expression.
  • Table 4 provides a key to the Library Code disclosed in Table 3.
  • Column 1 provides the Library Code disclosed in Table 3, column 2.
  • Column 2 provides a description of the tissue or cell source from which the corresponding library was derived.
  • Library codes corresponding to diseased Tissues are indicated in column 3 with the word "disease”.
  • polypeptides of the invention can be prepared in any suitable manner.
  • Such polypeptides include isolated naturally occurring polypeptides, recombinantly produced polypeptides, synthetically produced polypeptides, or polypeptides produced by a combination of these methods. Means for preparing such polypeptides are well understood in the art.
  • polypeptides may be in the form of the secreted protein, including the mature form, or may be a part of a larger protein, such as a fusion protein (see below). It is often advantageous to include an additional amino acid sequence which contains secretory or leader sequences, pro-sequences, sequences which aid in purification , such as multiple histidine residues, or an additional sequence for stability during recombinant production.
  • polypeptides of the present invention are preferably provided in an isolated form, and preferably are substantially purified.
  • a recombinantly produced version of a polypeptide, including the secreted polypeptide can be substantially purified using techniques described herein or otherwise known in the art, such as, for example, by the one-step method described in Smith and Johnson, Gene 67:31-40 (1988).
  • Polypeptides of the invention also can be purified from natural, synthetic or recombinant sources using techniques described herein or otherwise known in the art, such as, for example, antibodies of the invention raised against the secreted protein.
  • the present invention provides a polynucleotide comprising, or alternatively consisting of, the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:X, and/or a cDNA contained in ATCC deposit Z.
  • the present invention also provides a polypeptide comprising, or alternatively, consisting of, the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y and/or a polypeptide encoded by the cDNA contained in ATCC deposit Z.
  • Polynucleotides encoding a polypeptide comprising, or alternatively consisting of the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y and/or a polypeptide sequence encoded by the cDNA contained in ATCC deposit Z are also encompassed by the invention.
  • the present invention also encompasses mature forms of the polypeptide having the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: Y and/or the polypeptide sequence encoded by the cDNA in a deposited clone.
  • Polynucleotides encoding the mature forms are also encompassed by the invention.
  • proteins secreted by mammalian cells have a signal or secretary leader sequence which is cleaved from the mature protein once export of the growing protein chain across the rough endoplasmic reticulum has been initiated.
  • cleavage of a secreted protein is not entirely uniform, which results in two or more mature species of the protein. Further, it has long been known that cleavage specificity of a secreted protein is ultimately determined by the primary structure of the complete protein, that is, it is inherent in the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide.
  • the deduced amino acid sequence of the secreted polypeptide was analyzed by a computer program called SignalP (Henrik Nielsen et al., Protein Engineering 10:1-6 (1997)), which predicts the cellular location of a protein based on the amino acid sequence. As part of this computational prediction of localization, the methods of McGeoch and von Heinje are inco ⁇ orated.
  • the analysis of the amino acid sequences of the secreted proteins described herein by this program provided the results shown in Table 1. As one of ordinary skill would appreciate, however, cleavage sites sometimes vary from organism to organism and cannot be predicted with absolute certainty.
  • the present invention provides secreted polypeptides having a sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:Y which have an N-terminus beginning within 5 residues (i.e., + or - 5 residues) of the predicted cleavage point.
  • SEQ ID NO:Y which have an N-terminus beginning within 5 residues (i.e., + or - 5 residues) of the predicted cleavage point.
  • cleavage of the signal sequence from a secreted protein is not entirely uniform, resulting in more than one secreted species.
  • the signal sequence identified by the above analysis may not necessarily predict the naturally occurring signal sequence.
  • the naturally occurring signal sequence may be further upstream from the predicted signal sequence.
  • the predicted signal sequence will be capable of directing the secreted protein to the ER.
  • the present invention provides the mature protein produced by expression of the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X and/or the polynucleotide sequence contained in the cDNA of a deposited clone, in a mammalian cell (e.g., COS cells, as desribed below).
  • a mammalian cell e.g., COS cells, as desribed below.
  • the present invention also encompasses variants of the polypeptide sequence disclosed in SEQ ED NO:Y and/or encoded by a deposited clone.
  • Variant refers to a polynucleotide or polypeptide differing from the polynucleotide or polypeptide of the present invention, but retaining essential properties thereof. Generally, variants are overall closely similar, and, in many regions, identical to the polynucleotide or polypeptide of the present invention.
  • the present invention is also directed to nucleic acid molecules which comprise, or alternatively consist of, a nucleotide sequence which is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identical to, for example, the nucleotide coding sequence in SEQ ID NO:X or the complementary strand thereto, the nucleotide coding sequence contained in a deposited cDNA clone or the complementary strand thereto, a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:Y, a nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide encoded by the cDNA contained in a deposited clone, and/or polynucleotide fragments of any of these nucleic acid molecules (e.g., those fragments described herein).
  • Polynucleotides which hybridize to these nucleic acid molecules under stringent hybridization conditions or lower stringency conditions are also encompassed by the invention, as are polypeptides encoded by these
  • the present invention is also directed to polypeptides which comprise, or alternatively consist of, an amino acid sequence which is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% identical to, for example, the polypeptide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:Y, the polypeptide sequence encoded by the cDNA contained in a deposited clone, and/or polypeptide fragments of any of these polypeptides (e.g., those fragments described herein).
  • nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence at least, for example, 95% "identical" to a reference nucleotide sequence of the present invention it is intended that the nucleotide sequence of the nucleic acid is identical to the reference sequence except that the nucleotide sequence may include up to five point mutations per each 100 nucleotides of the reference nucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide.
  • nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence at least 95% identical to a reference nucleotide sequence up to 5% of the nucleotides in the reference sequence may be deleted or substituted with another nucleotide, or a number of nucleotides up to 5% of the total nucleotides in the reference sequence may be inserted into the reference sequence.
  • the query sequence may be an entire sequence shown inTable 1 , the ORF (open reading frame), or any fragment specified as described herein.
  • nucleic acid molecule or polypeptide is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identical to a nucleotide sequence of the presence invention can be determined conventionally using known computer programs.
  • a preferred method for determining the best overall match between a query sequence (a sequence of the present invention) and a subject sequence, also referred to as a global sequence alignment, can be determined using the FASTDB computer program based on the algorithm of Brutlag et al. (Comp. App. Biosci. 6:237-245(1990)).
  • a sequence alignment the query and subject sequences are both DNA sequences.
  • An RNA sequence can be compared by converting U's to T's.
  • the result of said global sequence alignment is in percent identity.
  • the percent identity is corrected by calculating the number of bases of the query sequence that are 5' and 3' of the subject sequence, which are not matched/aligned, as a percent of the total bases of the query sequence. Whether a nucleotide is matched/aligned is determined by results of the FASTDB sequence alignment.
  • This percentage is then subtracted from the percent identity, calculated by the above FASTDB program using the specified parameters, to arrive at a final percent identity score.
  • This corrected score is what is used for the purposes of the present invention. Only bases outside the 5' and 3' bases of the subject sequence, as displayed by the FASTDB alignment, which are not matched/aligned with the query sequence, are calculated for the purposes of manually adjusting the percent identity score.
  • a 90 base subject sequence is aligned to a 100 base query sequence to determine percent identity.
  • the deletions occur at the 5' end of the subject sequence and therefore, the FASTDB alignment does not show a matched/alignment of the first 10 bases at 5' end.
  • the 10 unpaired bases represent 10% of the sequence (number of bases at the 5' and 3' ends not matched/total number of bases in the query sequence) so 10% is subtracted from the percent identity score calculated by the FASTDB program. If the remaining 90 bases were perfectly matched the final percent identity would be 90%.
  • a 90 base subject sequence is compared with a 100 base query sequence.
  • deletions are internal deletions so that there are no bases on the 5' or 3' of the subject sequence which are not matched/aligned with the query.
  • percent identity calculated by FASTDB is not manually corrected.
  • bases 5 ' and 3' of the subject sequence which are not matched/aligned with the query sequence are manually corrected for. No other manual corrections are to made for the pu ⁇ oses of the present invention.
  • a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least, for example, 95% "identical" to a query amino acid sequence of the present invention it is intended that the amino acid sequence of the subject polypeptide is identical to the query sequence except that the subject polypeptide sequence may include up to five amino acid alterations per each 100 amino acids of the query amino acid sequence.
  • the amino acid sequence of the subject polypeptide may include up to five amino acid alterations per each 100 amino acids of the query amino acid sequence.
  • up to 5% of the amino acid residues in the subject sequence may be inserted, deleted, (indels) or substituted with another amino acid.
  • These alterations of the reference sequence may occur at the amino or carboxy terminal positions of the reference amino acid sequence or anywhere between those terminal positions, interspersed either individually among residues in the reference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within the reference sequence.
  • any particular polypeptide is at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%), 96%, 97%, 98% or 99% identical to, for instance, an amino acid sequences shown in Table 1 (SEQ ID NO:Y) or to the amino acid sequence encoded by cDNA contained in a deposited clone can be determined conventionally using known computer programs.
  • a preferred method for determing the best overall match between a query sequence (a sequence of the present invention) and a subject sequence also referred to as a global sequence alignment, can be determined using the FASTDB computer program based on the algorithm of Brutlag et al. (Comp. App. Biosci. 6:237-245(1990)).
  • the query and subject sequences are either both nucleotide sequences or both amino acid sequences.
  • the result of said global sequence alignment is in percent identity.
  • Penalty l
  • Window Size sequence length
  • Window Size 500 or the length of the subject amino acid sequence, whichever is shorter. If the subject sequence is shorter than the query sequence due to N- or C- terminal deletions, not because of internal deletions, a manual correction must be made to the results. This is because the FASTDB program does not account for N- and C-terminal truncations of the subject sequence when calculating global percent identity.
  • the percent identity is corrected by calculating the number of residues of the query sequence that are N- and C-terminal of the subject sequence, which are not matched/aligned with a corresponding subject residue, as a percent of the total bases of the query sequence. Whether a residue is matched/aligned is determined by results of the FASTDB sequence alignment. This percentage is then subtracted from the percent identity, calculated by the above FASTDB program using the specified parameters, to arrive at a final percent identity score. This final percent identity score is what is used for the pu ⁇ oses of the present invention.
  • a 90 amino acid residue subject sequence is aligned with a 100 residue query sequence to determine percent identity.
  • the deletion occurs at the N- terminus of the subject sequence and therefore, the FASTDB alignment does not show a matching/alignment of the first 10 residues at the N-terminus.
  • the 10 unpaired residues represent 10% of the sequence (number of residues at the N- and C- termini not matched/total number of residues in the query sequence) so 10% is subtracted from the percent identity score calculated by the FASTDB program. If the remaining 90 residues were perfectly matched the final percent identity would be 90%.
  • a 90 residue subject sequence is compared with a 100 residue query sequence.
  • deletions are internal deletions so there are no residues at the N- or C-termini of the subject sequence which are not matched/aligned with the query.
  • percent identity calculated by FASTDB is not manually corrected.
  • residue positions outside the N- and C-terminal ends of the subject sequence, as displayed in the FASTDB alignment, which are not matched/aligned with the query sequnce are manually corrected for. No other manual corrections are to made for the pu ⁇ oses of the present invention.
  • the variants may contain alterations in the coding regions, non-coding regions, or both.
  • polynucleotide variants containing alterations which produce silent substitutions, additions, or deletions, but do not alter the properties or activities of the encoded polypeptide are preferred.
  • variants in which 5-10, 1-5, or 1-2 amino acids are substituted, deleted, or added in any combination are also preferred.
  • Polynucleotide variants can be produced for a variety of reasons, e.g., to optimize codon expression for a particular host
  • Naturally occurring variants are called "allelic variants," and refer to one of several alternate forms of a gene occupying a given locus on a chromosome of an organism. (Genes II, Lewin, B., ed., John Wiley & Sons, New York (1985).) These allelic variants can vary at either the polynucleotide and/or polypeptide level and are included in the present invention. Alternatively, non-naturally occurring variants may be produced by mutagenesis techniques or by direct synthesis.
  • variants may be generated to improve or alter the characteristics of the polypeptides of the present invention. For instance, one or more amino acids can be deleted from the N-terminus or C-terminus of the secreted protein without substantial loss of biological function.
  • Interferon gamma exhibited up to ten times higher activity after deleting 8-10 amino acid residues from the carboxy terminus of this protein. (Dobeli et al., J. Biotechnology 7:199-216 (1988).)
  • the invention further includes polypeptide variants which show substantial biological activity.
  • variants include deletions, insertions, inversions, repeats, and substitutions selected according to general rules known in the art so as have little effect on activity. For example, guidance concerning how to make phenotypically silent amino acid substitutions is provided in Bowie et al., Science 247:1306-1310 (1990), wherein the authors indicate that there are two main strategies for studying the tolerance of an amino acid sequence to change.
  • the first strategy exploits the tolerance of amino acid substitutions by natural selection during the process of evolution. By comparing amino acid sequences in different species, conserved amino acids can be identified. These conserved amino acids are likely important for protein function. In contrast, the amino acid positions where substitutions have been tolerated by natural selection indicates that these positions are not critical for protein function. Thus, positions tolerating amino acid substitution could be modified while still maintaining biological activity of the protein.
  • the second strategy uses genetic engineering to introduce amino acid changes at specific positions of a cloned gene to identify regions critical for protein function. For example, site directed mutagenesis or alanine-scanning mutagenesis (introduction of single alanine mutations at every residue in the molecule) can be used. (Cunningham and Wells, Science 244:1081-1085 (1989).) The resulting mutant molecules can then be tested for biological activity.
  • tolerated conservative amino acid substitutions involve replacement of the aliphatic or hydrophobic amino acids Ala, Val, Leu and He; replacement of the hydroxyl residues Ser and Thr; replacement of the acidic residues Asp and Glu; replacement of the amide residues Asn and Gin, replacement of the basic residues Lys, Arg, and His; replacement of the aromatic residues Phe, Tyr, and T ⁇ , and replacement of the small-sized amino acids Ala, Ser, Thr, Met, and Gly.
  • variants of the present invention include (i) substitutions with one or more of the non-conserved amino acid residues, where the substituted amino acid residues may or may not be one encoded by the genetic code, or (ii) substitution with one or more of amino acid residues having a substituent group, or (iii) fusion of the mature polypeptide with another compound, such as a compound to increase the stability and/or solubility of the polypeptide (for example, polyethylene glycol), or (iv) fusion of the polypeptide with additional amino acids, such as, for example, an IgG Fc fusion region peptide, or leader or secretory sequence, or a sequence facilitating purification or (v) fusion of the polypeptide with another compound, such as albumin (including, but not limited to, recombinant albumin (see, e.g., U.S.
  • a further embodiment of the invention relates to a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence of the present invention having an amino acid sequence which contains at least one amino acid substitution, but not more than 50 amino acid substitutions, even more preferably, not more than 40 amino acid substitutions, still more preferably, not more than 30 amino acid substitutions, and still even more preferably, not more than 20 amino acid substitutions.
  • a peptide or polypeptide it is highly preferable for a peptide or polypeptide to have an amino acid sequence which comprises the amino acid sequence of the present invention, which contains at least one, but not more than 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 amino acid substitutions.
  • the number of additions, substitutions, and/or deletions in the amino acid sequence of the present invention or fragments thereof is 1-5, 5-10, 5-25, 5-50, 10-50 or 50-150, conservative amino acid substitutions are preferable.
  • the present invention is also directed to polynucleotide fragments of the polynucleotides of the invention.
  • a "polynucleotide fragment” refers to a short polynucleotide having a nucleic acid sequence which: is a portion of that contained in a deposited clone, or encoding the polypeptide encoded by the cDNA in a deposited clone; is a portion of that shown in SEQ ID NO:X or the complementary strand thereto, or is a portion of a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:Y.
  • the nucleotide fragments of the invention are preferably at least about 15 nt, and more preferably at least about 20 nt, still more preferably at least about 30 nt, and even more preferably, at least about 40 nt, at least about 50 nt, at least about 75 nt, or at least about 150 nt in length.
  • a fragment "at least 20 nt in length,” for example, is intended to include 20 or more contiguous bases from the cDNA sequence contained in a deposited clone or the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:X.
  • “about” includes the particularly recited value, a value larger or smaller by several (5, 4, 3, 2, or 1) nucleotides, at either terminus or at both termini.
  • nucleotide fragments have uses that include, but are not limited to, as diagnostic probes and primers as discussed herein. Of course, larger fragments (e.g., 50, 150, 500, 600, 2000 nucleotides) are preferred.
  • representative examples of polynucleotide fragments of the invention include, for example, fragments comprising, or alternatively consisting of, a sequence from about nucleotide number 1-50, 51-100, 101-150, 151-200, 201-250, 251-300, 301-350, 351-400, 401-450, 451-500, 501-550, 551-600, 651-700, 701-750, 751-800, 800-850, 851-900, 901-950, 951-1000, 1001-1050, 1051-1100, 1101-1150, 1151-1200, 1201-1250, 1251-1300, 1301-1350, 1351-1400, 1401-1450, 1451-1500, 1501-1550, 1551-1600, 1601-1650
  • these fragments encode a polypeptide which has biological activity. More preferably, these polynucleotides can be used as probes or primers as discussed herein. Polynucleotides which hybridize to these nucleic acid molecules under stringent hybridization conditions or lower stringency conditions are also encompassed by the invention, as are polypeptides encoded by these polynucleotides.
  • a "polypeptide fragment" refers to an amino acid sequence which is a portion of that contained in SEQ ID NO:Y or encoded by the cDNA contained in a deposited clone.
  • Protein (polypeptide) fragments may be "freestanding," or comprised within a larger polypeptide of which the fragment forms a part or region, most preferably as a single continuous region.
  • Representative examples of polypeptide fragments of the invention include, for example, fragments comprising, or alternatively consisting of, from about amino acid number 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, 81-100, 102-120, 121-140, 141-160, or 161 to the end of the coding region.
  • polypeptide fragments can be about 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, or 150 amino acids in length.
  • Preferred polypeptide fragments include the secreted protein as well as the mature form. Further preferred polypeptide fragments include the secreted protein or the mature form having a continuous series of deleted residues from the amino or the carboxy terminus, or both. For example, any number of amino acids, ranging from 1- 60, can be deleted from the amino terminus of either the secreted polypeptide or the mature form. Similarly, any number of amino acids, ranging from 1-30, can be deleted from the carboxy terminus of the secreted protein or mature form. Furthermore, any combination of the above amino and carboxy terminus deletions are preferred. Similarly, polynucleotides encoding these polypeptide fragments are also preferred.
  • polypeptide and polynucleotide fragments characterized by structural or functional domains, such as fragments that comprise alpha-helix and alpha-helix forming regions, beta-sheet and beta-sheet-forming regions, turn and turn- forming regions, coil and coil-forming regions, hydrophilic regions, hydrophobic regions, alpha amphipathic regions, beta amphipathic regions, flexible regions, surface-forming regions, substrate binding region, and high antigenic index regions.
  • Polypeptide fragments of SEQ ID NO:Y falling within conserved domains are specifically contemplated by the present invention.
  • polynucleotides encoding these domains are also contemplated.
  • polypeptide fragments are biologically active fragments.
  • Biologically active fragments are those exhibiting activity similar, but not necessarily identical, to an activity of the polypeptide of the present invention.
  • the biological activity of the fragments may include an improved desired activity, or a decreased undesirable activity.
  • Polynucleotides encoding these polypeptide fragments are also encompassed by the invention.
  • the polynucleotide fragments of the invention encode a polypeptide which demonstrates a functional activity.
  • a polypeptide demonstrating a "functional activity” is meant, a polypeptide capable of displaying one or more known functional activities associated with a full-length (complete) polypeptide of invention protein.
  • Such functional activities include, but are not limited to, biological activity, antigenicity [ability to bind (or compete with a polypeptide of the invention for binding) to an antibody to the polypeptide of the invention], immunogenicity (ability to generate antibody which binds to a polypeptide of the invention), ability to form multimers with polypeptides of the invention, and ability to bind to a receptor or ligand for a polypeptide of the invention.
  • polypeptides of the invention and fragments, variants derivatives, and analogs thereof, can be assayed by various methods.
  • various immunoassays known in the art can be used, including but not limited to, competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), "sandwich” immunoassays, immunoradiometric assays, gel diffusion precipitation reactions, immunodiffusion assays, in situ immunoassays (using colloidal gold, enzyme or radioisotope labels, for example), western blots, precipitation reactions, agglutination assays (e.g., gel agglutination assays, hemagglutination assays), complement fixation assays, immunofluorescence assays, protein A assays, and immunoelectrophoresis assays, etc.
  • competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), "sandwich” immunoassays, immunoradiometric
  • antibody binding is detected by detecting a label on the primary antibody.
  • the primary antibody is detected by detecting binding of a secondary antibody or reagent to the primary antibody.
  • the secondary antibody is labeled. Many means are known in the art for detecting binding in an immunoassay and are within the scope of the present invention.
  • binding can be assayed, e.g., by means well-known in the art, such as, for example, reducing and non-reducing gel chromatography, protein affinity chromatography, and affinity blotting. See generally, Phizicky, E., et al., 1995, Microbiol. Rev. 59:94-123.
  • physiological correlates of binding of a polypeptide of the invention to its substrates can be assayed.
  • assays described herein may routinely be applied to measure the ability of polypeptides of the invention and fragments, variants derivatives and analogs thereof to elicit related biological activity related to that of the polypeptide of the invention (either in vitro or in vivo).
  • Other methods will be known to the skilled artisan and are within the scope of the invention.
  • the present invention encompasses polypeptides comprising, or alternatively consisting of, an epitope of the polypeptide having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ED NO:Y, or an epitope of the polypeptide sequence encoded by a polynucleotide sequence contained in ATCC deposit No. Z or encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes to the complement of the sequence of SEQ ID NO:X or contained in ATCC deposit No. Z under stringent hybridization conditions or lower stringency hybridization conditions as defined supra.
  • the present invention further encompasses polynucleotide sequences encoding an epitope of a polypeptide sequence of the invention (such as, for example, the sequence disclosed in SEQ ID NO:X), polynucleotide sequences of the complementary strand of a polynucleotide sequence encoding an epitope of the invention, and polynucleotide sequences which hybridize to the complementary strand under stringent hybridization conditions or lower stringency hybridization conditions defined supra.
  • epitopes refers to portions of a polypeptide having antigenic or immunogenic activity in an animal, preferably a mammal, and most preferably in a human.
  • the present invention encompasses a polypeptide comprising an epitope, as well as the polynucleotide encoding this polypeptide.
  • An "immunogenic epitope,” as used herein, is defined as a portion of a protein that elicits an antibody response in an animal, as determined by any method known in the art, for example, by the methods for generating antibodies described infra. (See, for example, Geysen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • antigenic epitope is defined as a portion of a protein to which an antibody can immunospecifically bind its antigen as determined by any method well known in the art, for example, by the immunoassays described herein. Immunospecific binding excludes non-specific binding but does not necessarily exclude cross- reactivity with other antigens. Antigenic epitopes need not necessarily be immunogenic.
  • Fragments which function as epitopes may be produced by any conventional means. (See, e.g., Houghten, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 82:5131-5135 (1985), further described in U.S. Patent No. 4,631,211).
  • antigenic epitopes preferably contain a sequence of at least 4, at least 5, at least 6, at least 7, more preferably at least 8, at least 9, at least 10, at least 11, at least 12, at least 13, at least 14, at least 15, at least 20, at least 25, at least 30, at least 40, at least 50, and, most preferably, between about 15 to about 30 amino acids.
  • Preferred polypeptides comprising immunogenic or antigenic epitopes are at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100 amino acid residues in length.
  • Additional non-exclusive preferred antigenic epitopes include the antigenic epitopes disclosed herein, as well as portions thereof.
  • Antigenic epitopes are useful, for example, to raise antibodies, including monoclonal antibodies, that specifically bind the epitope.
  • Preferred antigenic epitopes include the antigenic epitopes disclosed herein, as well as any combination of two, three, four, five or more of these antigenic epitopes.
  • Antigenic epitopes can be used as the target molecules in immunoassays. (See, for instance, Wilson et al., Cell 37:767-778 (1984); Sutcliffe et al., Science 219:660-666 (1983)).
  • immunogenic epitopes can be used, for example, to induce antibodies according to methods well known in the art.
  • immunogenic epitopes include the immunogenic epitopes disclosed herein, as well as any combination of two, three, four, five or more of these immunogenic epitopes.
  • the polypeptides comprising one or more immunogenic epitopes may be presented for eliciting an antibody response together with a carrier protein, such as an albumin, to an animal system (such as rabbit or mouse), or, if the polypeptide is of sufficient length (at least about 25 amino acids), the polypeptide may be presented without a carrier.
  • a carrier protein such as an albumin
  • immunogenic epitopes comprising as few as 8 to 10 amino acids have been shown to be sufficient to raise antibodies capable of binding to, at the very least, linear epitopes in a denatured polypeptide (e.g., in Western blotting).
  • Epitope-bearing polypeptides of the present invention may be used to induce antibodies according to methods well known in the art including, but not limited to, in vivo immunization, in vitro immunization, and phage display methods. See, e.g., Sutcliffe et al., supra; Wilson et al., supra, and Bittle et al., J. Gen. Virol., 66:2347- 2354 (1985).
  • animals may be immunized with free peptide; however, anti-peptide antibody titer may be boosted by coupling the peptide to a macromolecular carrier, such as keyhole limpet hemacyanin (KLH) or tetanus toxoid.
  • KLH keyhole limpet hemacyanin
  • peptides containing cysteine residues may be coupled to a carrier using a linker such as maleimidobenzoyl- N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (MBS), while other peptides may be coupled to carriers using a more general linking agent such as glutaraldehyde.
  • Animals such as rabbits, rats and mice are immunized with either free or carrier- coupled peptides, for instance, by intraperitoneal and/or intradermal injection of emulsions containing about 100 ⁇ g of peptide or carrier protein and Freund's adjuvant or any other adjuvant known for stimulating an immune response.
  • booster injections may be needed, for instance, at intervals of about two weeks, to provide a useful titer of anti-peptide antibody which can be detected, for example, by ELISA assay using free peptide adsorbed to a solid surface.
  • the titer of anti-peptide antibodies in serum from an immunized animal may be increased by selection of anti-peptide antibodies, for instance, by adso ⁇ tion to the peptide on a solid support and elution of the selected antibodies according to methods well known in the art.
  • polypeptides of the present invention comprising an immunogenic or antigenic epitope can be fused to other polypeptide sequences.
  • the polypeptides of the present invention may be fused with the constant domain of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM), or portions thereof (CHI, CH2, CH3, or any combination thereof and portions thereof), or albumin (including but not limited to recombinant albumin (see, e.g., U.S. Patent No. 5,876,969, issued March 2, 1999, EP Patent 0 413 622, and U.S. Patent No.
  • antigens e.g., insulin
  • FcRn binding partner such as IgG or Fc fragments
  • IgG Fusion proteins that have a disulfide-linked dimeric structure due to the IgG portion desulfide bonds have also been found to be more efficient in binding and neutralizing other molecules than monomeric polypeptides or fragments thereof alone. See, e.g., Fountoulakis et al., J. Biochem., 270:3958-3964 (1995).
  • Nucleic acids encoding the above epitopes can also be recombined with a gene of interest as an epitope tag (e.g., the hemagglutinin ("HA") tag or flag tag) to aid in detection and purification of the expressed polypeptide.
  • an epitope tag e.g., the hemagglutinin ("HA") tag or flag tag
  • HA hemagglutinin
  • a system described by Janknecht et al. allows for the ready purification of non-denatured fusion proteins expressed in human cell lines (Janknecht et al., 1991, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:8972- 897).
  • the gene of interest is subcloned into a vaccinia recombination plasmid such that the open reading frame of the gene is translationally fused to an amino-terminal tag consisting of six histidine residues.
  • the tag serves as a matrix binding domain for the fusion protein. Extracts from cells infected with the recombinant vaccinia virus are loaded onto Ni2+ nitriloacetic acid-agarose column and histidine-tagged proteins can be selectively eluted with imidazole-containing buffers.
  • DNA shuffling may be employed to modulate the activities of polypeptides of the invention, such methods can be used to generate polypeptides with altered activity, as well as agonists and antagonists of the polypeptides. See, generally, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,605,793; 5,811,238; 5,830,721; 5,834,252; and 5,837,458, and Patten et al., Curr. Opinion Biotechnol.
  • alteration of polynucleotides corresponding to SEQ ID NO:X and the polypeptides encoded by these polynucleotides may be achieved by DNA shuffling.
  • DNA shuffling involves the assembly of two or more DNA segments by homologous or site-specific recombination to generate variation in the polynucleotide sequence.
  • polynucleotides of the invention may be altered by being subjected to random mutagenesis by error-prone PCR, random nucleotide insertion or other methods prior to recombination.
  • one or more components, motifs, sections, parts, domains, fragments, etc., of a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of the invention may be recombined with one or more components, motifs, sections, parts, domains, fragments, etc. of one or more heterologous molecules.
  • polypeptides of the invention relate to antibodies and T-cell antigen receptors (TCR) which immunospecifically bind a polypeptide, polypeptide fragment, or variant of SEQ ED NO:Y, and/or an epitope, of the present invention (as determined by immunoassays well known in the art for assaying specific antibody- antigen binding).
  • TCR T-cell antigen receptors
  • Antibodies of the invention include, but are not limited to, polyclonal, monoclonal, multispecific, human, humanized or chimeric antibodies, single chain antibodies, Fab fragments, F(ab') fragments, fragments produced by a Fab expression library, anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibodies (including, e.g., anti-Id antibodies to antibodies of the invention), and epitope-binding fragments of any of the above.
  • antibody refers to immunoglobulin molecules and immunologically active portions of immunoglobulin molecules, i.e., molecules that contain an antigen binding site that immunospecifically binds an antigen.
  • the immunoglobulin molecules of the invention can be of any type (e.g., IgG, IgE, IgM, IgD, IgA and IgY), class (e.g., IgGl, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgAl and IgA2) or subclass of immunoglobulin molecule.
  • the immunoglobulin molecules of the invention are IgGl.
  • the immunoglobulin molecules of the invention are IgG4.
  • the antibodies are human antigen-binding antibody fragments of the present invention and include, but are not limited to, Fab, Fab' and F(ab')2, Fd, single-chain Fvs (scFv), single-chain antibodies, disulfide-linked Fvs (sdFv) and fragments comprising either a VL or VH domain.
  • Antigen-binding antibody fragments, including single-chain antibodies may comprise the variable region(s) alone or in combination with the entirety or a portion of the following: hinge region, CHI, CH2, and CH3 domains. Also included in the invention are antigen-binding fragments also comprising any combination of variable region(s) with a hinge region, CHI, CH2, and CH3 domains.
  • the antibodies of the invention may be from any animal origin including birds and mammals.
  • the antibodies are human, murine (e.g., mouse and rat), donkey, ship rabbit, goat, guinea pig, camel, horse, or chicken.
  • "human” antibodies include antibodies having the amino acid sequence of a human immunoglobulin and include antibodies isolated from human immunoglobulin libraries or from animals transgenic for one or more human immunoglobulin and that do not express endogenous immunoglobulins, as described infra and, for example in, U.S. Patent No. 5,939,598 by Kucherlapati et al.
  • the antibodies of the present invention may be monospecific, bispecific, trispecific or of greater multispecificity. Multispecific antibodies may be specific for different epitopes of a polypeptide of the present invention or may be specific for both a polypeptide of the present invention as well as for a heterologous epitope, such as a heterologous polypeptide or solid support material. See, e.g., PCT publications WO 93/17715; WO 92/08802; WO 91/00360; WO 92/05793; Tutt, et al., J. Immunol. 147:60-69 (1991); U.S. Patent Nos. 4,474,893; 4,714,681; 4,925,648; 5,573,920; 5,601,819; Kostelny et al., J. Immunol. 148:1547-1553 (1992).
  • Antibodies of the present invention may be described or specified in terms of the epitope(s) or portion(s) of a polypeptide of the present invention which they recognize or specifically bind.
  • the epitope(s) or polypeptide portion(s) may be specified as described herein, e.g., by N-terminal and C-terminal positions, by size in contiguous amino acid residues, or listed in the Tables and Figures.
  • Antibodies which specifically bind any epitope or polypeptide of the present invention may also be excluded. Therefore, the present invention includes antibodies that specifically bind polypeptides of the present invention, and allows for the exclusion of the same.
  • Antibodies of the present invention may also be described or specified in terms of their cross-reactivity. Antibodies that do not bind any other analog, ortholog, or homolog of a polypeptide of the present invention are included.
  • Antibodies that bind polypeptides with at least 95%, at least 90%, at least 85%, at least 80%, at least 75%, at least 70%, at least 65%, at least 60%, at least 55%, and at least 50% identity (as calculated using methods known in the art and described herein) to a polypeptide of the present invention are also included in the present invention.
  • antibodies of the present invention cross-react with murine, rat and/or rabbit homologs of human proteins and the corresponding epitopes thereof.
  • Antibodies that do not bind polypeptides with less than 95%, less than 90%, less than 85%, less than 80%, less than 75%, less than 70%, less than 65%, less than 60%, less than 55%, and less than 50% identity (as calculated using methods known in the art and described herein) to a polypeptide of the present invention are also included in the present invention.
  • the above-described cross-reactivity is with respect to any single specific antigenic or immunogenic polypeptide, or combination(s) of 2, 3, 4, 5, or more of the specific antigenic and/or immunogenic polypeptides disclosed herein.
  • antibodies which bind polypeptides encoded by polynucleotides which hybridize to a polynucleotide of the present invention under stringent hybridization conditions are also included in the present invention.
  • Preferred binding affinities include those with a dissociation constant or Kd less than 5 X 10 "2 M, 10 "2 M, 5 X 10 "3 M, 10 “3 M, 5 X 10 "4 M, 10 “4 M, 5 X 10 "5 M, 10 “5 M, 5 X 10 "6 M, 10 “6 M, 5 X 10 "7 M, 10 7 M, 5 X 10 "8 M, 10 “8 M, 5 X 10 "9 M, 10 “9 M, 5 X 10 "10 M, 10 “10 M, 5 X 10 " “ M, 10 “1 1 M, 5 X 10 "12 M, 10"12 M, 5 X 10 "13 M, 10 "13 M, 5 X 10 "14 M, 10 “14 M, 5 X 10 "15 M, or 10 "15 M.
  • the invention also provides antibodies that competitively inhibit binding of an antibody to an epitope of the invention as determined by any method known in the art for determining competitive binding, for example, the immunoassays described herein.
  • the antibody competitively inhibits binding to the epitope by at least 95%, at least 90%, at least 85 %, at least 80%, at least 75%, at least 70%, at least 60%, or at least 50%.
  • Antibodies of the present invention may act as agonists or antagonists of the polypeptides of the present invention.
  • the present invention includes antibodies which disrupt the receptor/ligand interactions with the polypeptides of the invention either partially or fully.
  • antibodies of the present invention bind an antigenic epitope disclosed herein, or a portion thereof.
  • the invention features both receptor-specific antibodies and ligand-specific antibodies.
  • the invention also features receptor-specific antibodies which do not prevent ligand binding but prevent receptor activation. Receptor activation (i.e., signaling) may be determined by techniques described herein or otherwise known in the art.
  • receptor activation can be determined by detecting the phosphorylation (e.g., tyrosine or serine/threonine) of the receptor or its substrate by immunoprecipitation followed by western blot analysis (for example, as described supra).
  • phosphorylation e.g., tyrosine or serine/threonine
  • antibodies are provided that inhibit ligand activity or receptor activity by at least 95%, at least 90%, at least 85%, at least 80%, at least 75%, at least 70% ⁇ , at least 60%, or at least 50% of the activity in absence of the antibody.
  • the invention also features receptor-specific antibodies which both prevent ligand binding and receptor activation as well as antibodies that recognize the receptor-ligand complex, and, preferably, do not specifically recognize the unbound receptor or the unbound ligand.
  • receptor-specific antibodies which both prevent ligand binding and receptor activation as well as antibodies that recognize the receptor-ligand complex, and, preferably, do not specifically recognize the unbound receptor or the unbound ligand.
  • neutralizing antibodies which bind the ligand and prevent binding of the ligand to the receptor, as well as antibodies which bind the ligand, thereby preventing receptor activation, but do not prevent the ligand from binding the receptor.
  • antibodies which activate the receptor are also act as receptor agonists, i.e., potentiate or activate either all or a subset of the biological activities of the ligand-mediated receptor activation, for example, by inducing dimerization of the receptor.
  • the antibodies may be specified as agonists, antagonists or inverse agonists for biological activities comprising the specific biological activities of the peptides of the invention disclosed herein.
  • the above antibody agonists can be made using methods known in the art. See, e.g., PCT publication WO 96/40281; U.S. Patent No. 5,811,097; Deng et al., Blood 92(6):1981-1988 (1998); Chen et al., Cancer Res. 58(16):3668-3678 (1998); Harrop et al., J. Immunol. 161(4):1786-1794 (1998); Zhu et al., Cancer Res. 58(15):3209-3214 (1998); Yoon et al., J.
  • Antibodies of the present invention may be used, for example, but not limited to, to purify, detect, and target the polypeptides of the present invention, including both in vitro and in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic methods.
  • the antibodies have use in immunoassays for qualitatively and quantitatively measuring levels of the polypeptides of the present invention in biological samples. See, e.g., Harlow et al., Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2nd ed. 1988) (inco ⁇ orated by reference herein in its entirety).
  • the antibodies of the present invention may be used either alone or in combination with other compositions.
  • the antibodies may further be recombinantly fused to a heterologous polypeptide at the N- or C-terminus or chemically conjugated (including covalently and non-covalently conjugations) to polypeptides or other compositions.
  • antibodies of the present invention may be recombinantly fused or conjugated to molecules useful as labels in detection assays and effector molecules such as heterologous polypeptides, drugs, radionuclides, or toxins. See, e.g., PCT publications WO 92/08495; WO 91/14438; WO 89/12624; U.S. Patent No. 5,314,995; and EP 396,387.
  • the antibodies of the invention include derivatives that are modified, i.e, by the covalent attachment of any type of molecule to the antibody such that covalent attachment does not prevent the antibody from generating an anti-idiotypic response.
  • the antibody derivatives include antibodies that have been modified, e.g., by glycosylation, acetylation, pegylation, phosphylation, amidation, derivatization by known protecting/blocking groups, proteolytic cleavage, linkage to a cellular ligand or other protein, etc. Any of numerous chemical modifications may be carried out by known techniques, including, but not limited to specific chemical cleavage, acetylation, formylation, metabolic synthesis of tunicamycin, etc.
  • the derivative may contain one or more non-classical amino acids.
  • the antibodies of the present invention may be generated by any suitable method known in the art. Polyclonal antibodies to an antigen-of- interest can be produced by various procedures well known in the art. For example, a polypeptide of the invention can be administered to various host animals including, but not limited to, rabbits, mice, rats, etc. to induce the production of sera containing polyclonal antibodies specific for the antigen.
  • adjuvants may be used to increase the immunological response, depending on the host species, and include but are not limited to, Freund's (complete and incomplete), mineral gels such as aluminum hydroxide, surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, keyhole limpet hemocyanins, dinitrophenol, and potentially useful human adjuvants such as BCG (bacille Calmette-Guerin) and corynebacterium parvum. Such adjuvants are also well known in the art.
  • Monoclonal antibodies can be prepared using a wide variety of techniques known in the art including the use of hybridoma, recombinant, and phage display technologies, or a combination thereof.
  • monoclonal antibodies can be produced using hybridoma techniques including those known in the art and taught, for example, in Harlow et al., Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2nd ed. 1988); Hammerling, et al., in: Monoclonal Antibodies and T-Cell Hybridomas 563-681 (Elsevier, N.Y., 1981) (said references inco ⁇ orated by reference in their entireties).
  • the term "monoclonal antibody” as used herein is not limited to antibodies produced through hybridoma technology.
  • the term “monoclonal antibody” as used herein is not limited to antibodies produced through hybridoma technology.
  • the term “monoclonal antibody” as used herein is not limited to antibodies produced through hybridoma technology
  • “monoclonal antibody” refers to an antibody that is derived from a single clone, including any eukaryotic, prokaryotic, or phage clone, and not the method by which it is produced.
  • mice can be immunized with a polypeptide of the invention or a cell expressing such peptide.
  • an immune response e.g., antibodies specific for the antigen are detected in the mouse serum
  • the mouse spleen is harvested and splenocytes isolated.
  • the splenocytes are then fused by well known techniques to any suitable myeloma cells, for example cells from cell line SP20 available from the ATCC. Hybridomas are selected and cloned by limited dilution.
  • hybridoma clones are then assayed by methods known in the art for cells that secrete antibodies capable of binding a polypeptide of the invention.
  • Ascites fluid which generally contains high levels of antibodies, can be generated by immunizing mice with positive hybridoma clones.
  • the present invention provides methods of generating monoclonal antibodies as well as antibodies produced by the method comprising culturing a hybridoma cell secreting an antibody of the invention wherein, preferably, the hybridoma is generated by fusing splenocytes isolated from a mouse immunized with an antigen of the invention with myeloma cells and then screening the hybridomas resulting from the fusion for hybridoma clones that secrete an antibody able to bind a polypeptide of the invention.
  • Antibody fragments which recognize specific epitopes may be generated by known techniques.
  • Fab and F(ab')2 fragments of the invention may be produced by proteolytic cleavage of immunoglobulin molecules, using enzymes such as papain (to produce Fab fragments) or pepsin (to produce F(ab')2 fragments).
  • F(ab')2 fragments contain the variable region, the light chain constant region and the CHI domain of the heavy chain.
  • the antibodies of the present invention can also be generated using various phage display methods known in the art.
  • phage display methods functional antibody domains are displayed on the surface of phage particles which carry the polynucleotide sequences encoding them.
  • phage can be utilized to display antigen binding domains expressed from a repertoire or combinatorial antibody library (e.g., human or murine).
  • Phage expressing an antigen binding domain that binds the antigen of interest can be selected or identified with antigen, e.g., using labeled antigen or antigen bound or captured to a solid surface or bead.
  • Phage used in these methods are typically filamentous phage including fd and M13 binding domains expressed from phage with Fab, Fv or disulfide stabilized Fv antibody domains recombinantly fused to either the phage gene III or gene VIII protein.
  • Examples of phage display methods that can be used to make the antibodies of the present invention include those disclosed in Brinkman et al., J. Immunol. Methods 182:41-50 (1995); Ames et al., J. Immunol. Methods 184:177-186 (1995); Kettleborough et al., Eur. J. Immunol.
  • the antibody coding regions from the phage can be isolated and used to generate whole antibodies, including human antibodies, or any other desired antigen binding fragment, and expressed in any desired host, including mammalian cells, insect cells, plant cells, yeast, and bacteria, e.g., as described in detail below.
  • a chimeric antibody is a molecule in which different portions of the antibody are derived from different animal species, such as antibodies having a variable region derived from a murine monoclonal antibody and a human immunoglobulin constant region.
  • Methods for producing chimeric antibodies are known in the art. See e.g., Morrison, Science 229:1202 (1985); Oi et al., BioTechniques 4:214 (1986); Gillies et al., (1989) J. Immunol. Methods 125: 191-202; U.S. Patent Nos. 5,807,715; 4,816,567; and 4,816397, which are inco ⁇ orated herein by reference in their entirety.
  • Humanized antibodies are antibody molecules from non-human species antibody that binds the desired antigen having one or more complementarity determining regions (CDRs) from the non- human species and a framework regions from a human immunoglobulin molecule.
  • CDRs complementarity determining regions
  • framework residues in the human framework regions will be substituted with the corresponding residue from the CDR donor antibody to alter, preferably improve, antigen binding.
  • These framework substitutions are identified by methods well known in the art, e.g., by modeling of the interactions of the CDR and framework residues to identify framework residues important for antigen binding and sequence comparison to identify unusual framework residues at particular positions. (See, e.g., Queen et al., U.S. Patent No.
  • Antibodies can be humanized using a variety of techniques known in the art including, for example, CDR-grafting (EP 239,400; PCT publication WO 91/09967; U.S. Patent Nos. 5,225,539; 5,530,101; and 5,585,089), veneering or resurfacing (EP 592,106; EP 519,596; Padlan, Molecular Immunology 28(4/5):489-498 (1991); Studnicka et al., Protein Engineering 7(6):805-814 (1994); Roguska.
  • Human antibodies can be made by a variety of methods known in the art including phage display methods described above using antibody libraries derived from human immunoglobulin sequences. See also, U.S. Patent Nos. 4,444,887 and 4,716,111; and PCT publications WO 98/46645, WO 98/50433, WO 98/24893, WO 98/16654, WO 96/34096, WO 96/33735, and WO 91/10741; each of which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference in its entirety.
  • Human antibodies can also be produced using transgenic mice which are incapable of expressing functional endogenous immunoglobulins, but which can express human immunoglobulin genes.
  • the human heavy and light chain immunoglobulin gene complexes may be introduced randomly or by homologous recombination into mouse embryonic stem cells.
  • the human variable region, constant region, and diversity region may be introduced into mouse embryonic stem cells in addition to the human heavy and light chain genes.
  • the mouse heavy and light chain immunoglobulin genes may be rendered nonfunctional separately or simultaneously with the introduction of human immunoglobulin loci by homologous recombination. In particular, homozygous deletion of the JH region prevents endogenous antibody production.
  • the modified embryonic stem cells are expanded and microinjected into blastocysts to produce chimeric mice.
  • the chimeric mice are then bred to produce homozygous offspring which express human antibodies.
  • the transgenic mice are immunized in the normal fashion with a selected antigen, e.g., all or a portion of a polypeptide of the invention.
  • Monoclonal antibodies directed against the antigen can be obtained from the immunized, transgenic mice using conventional hybridoma technology.
  • the human immunoglobulin transgenes harbored by the transgenic mice rearrange during B cell differentiation, and subsequently undergo class switching and somatic mutation.
  • Completely human antibodies which recognize a selected epitope can be generated using a technique referred to as "guided selection.”
  • a selected non-human monoclonal antibody e.g., a mouse antibody
  • antibodies to the polypeptides of the invention can, in turn, be utilized to generate anti-idiotype antibodies that "mimic" polypeptides of the invention using techniques well known to those skilled in the art. (See, e.g., Greenspan & Bona, FASEB J. 7(5):437-444; (1989) and Nissinoff, J. Immunol. 147(8):2429-2438 (1991)).
  • antibodies which bind to and competitively inhibit polypeptide multimerization and/or binding of a polypeptide of the invention to a ligand can be used to generate anti-idiotypes that "mimic" the polypeptide multimerization and/or binding domain and, as a consequence, bind to and neutralize polypeptide and/or its ligand.
  • anti-idiotypes or Fab fragments of such anti-idiotypes can be used in therapeutic regimens to neutralize polypeptide ligand.
  • anti-idiotypic antibodies can be used to bind a polypeptide of the invention and/or to bind its ligands/receptors, and thereby block its biological activity.
  • the invention further provides polynucleotides comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an antibody of the invention and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also encompasses polynucleotides that hybridize under stringent or lower stringency hybridization conditions, e.g., as defined supra, to polynucleotides that encode an antibody, preferably, that specifically binds to a polypeptide of the invention, preferably, an antibody that binds to a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y.
  • the polynucleotides may be obtained, and the nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotides determined, by any method known in the art.
  • a polynucleotide encoding the antibody may be assembled from chemically synthesized oligonucleotides (e.g., as described in Kutmeier et al., BioTechniques 17:242 (1994)), which, briefly, involves the synthesis of overlapping oligonucleotides containing portions of the sequence encoding the antibody, annealing and ligating of those oligonucleotides, and then amplification of the ligated oligonucleotides by PCR.
  • chemically synthesized oligonucleotides e.g., as described in Kutmeier et al., BioTechniques 17:242 (1994)
  • a polynucleotide encoding an antibody may be generated from nucleic acid from a suitable source. If a clone containing a nucleic acid encoding a particular antibody is not available, but the sequence of the antibody molecule is known, a nucleic acid encoding the immunoglobulin may be chemically synthesized or obtained from a suitable source (e.g., an antibody cDNA library, or a cDNA library generated from, or nucleic acid, preferably poly A+ RNA, isolated from, any tissue or cells expressing the antibody, such as hybridoma cells selected to express an antibody of the invention) by PCR amplification using synthetic primers hybridizable to the 3' and 5' ends of the sequence or by cloning using an oligonucleotide probe specific for the particular gene sequence to identify, e.g., a cDNA clone from a cDNA library that encodes the antibody. Amplified nucleic acids generated by PCR may then be
  • nucleotide sequence and corresponding amino acid sequence of the antibody may be manipulated using methods well known in the art for the manipulation of nucleotide sequences, e.g., recombinant DNA techniques, site directed mutagenesis, PCR, etc.
  • the amino acid sequence of the heavy and/or light chain variable domains may be inspected to identify the sequences of the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) by methods that are well know in the art, e.g., by comparison to known amino acid sequences of other heavy and light chain variable regions to determine the regions of sequence hypervariability.
  • CDRs complementarity determining regions
  • one or more of the CDRs may be inserted within framework regions, e.g., into human framework regions to humanize a non- human antibody, as described supra.
  • the framework regions may be naturally occurring or consensus framework regions, and preferably human framework regions (see, e.g., Chothia et al., J. Mol. Biol.
  • the polynucleotide generated by the combination of the framework regions and CDRs encodes an antibody that specifically binds a polypeptide of the invention.
  • one or more amino acid substitutions may be made within the framework regions, and, preferably, the amino acid substitutions improve binding of the antibody to its antigen. Additionally, such methods may be used to make amino acid substitutions or deletions of one or more variable region cysteine residues participating in an intrachain disulfide bond to generate antibody molecules lacking one or more intrachain disulfide bonds.
  • Other alterations to the polynucleotide are encompassed by the present invention and within the skill of the art.
  • a chimeric antibody is a molecule in which different portions are derived from different animal species, such as those having a variable region derived from a murine mAb and a human immunoglobulin constant region, e.g., humanized antibodies.
  • Single chain antibodies are formed by linking the heavy and light chain fragments of the Fv region via an amino acid bridge, resulting in a single chain polypeptide.
  • Techniques for the assembly of functional Fv fragments in E. coli may also be used (Skerra et al., Science 242:1038- 1041 (1988)).
  • the antibodies of the invention can be produced by any method known in the art for the synthesis of antibodies, in particular, by chemical synthesis or preferably, by recombinant expression techniques.
  • an antibody of the invention or fragment, derivative or analog thereof, (e.g., a heavy or light chain of an antibody of the invention or a single chain antibody of the invention), requires construction of an expression vector containing a polynucleotide that encodes the antibody.
  • a polynucleotide encoding an antibody molecule or a heavy or light chain of an antibody, or portion thereof (preferably containing the heavy or light chain variable domain), of the invention has been obtained, the vector for the production of the antibody molecule may be produced by recombinant DNA technology using techniques well known in the art.
  • methods for preparing a protein by expressing a polynucleotide containing an antibody encoding nucleotide sequence are described herein.
  • the invention provides replicable vectors comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an antibody molecule of the invention, or a heavy or light chain thereof, or a heavy or light chain variable domain, operably linked to a promoter.
  • Such vectors may include the nucleotide sequence encoding the constant region of the antibody molecule (see, e.g., PCT Publication WO 86/05807; PCT
  • variable domain of the antibody may be cloned into such a vector for expression of the entire heavy or light chain.
  • the expression vector is transferred to a host cell by conventional techniques and the transfected cells are then cultured by conventional techniques to produce an antibody of the invention.
  • the invention includes host cells containing a polynucleotide encoding an antibody of the invention, or a heavy or light chain thereof, or a single chain antibody of the invention, operably linked to a heterologous promoter.
  • vectors encoding both the heavy and light chains may be co-expressed in the host cell for expression of the entire immunoglobulin molecule, as detailed below.
  • host-expression vector systems may be utilized to express the antibody molecules of the invention.
  • Such host-expression systems represent vehicles by which the coding sequences of interest may be produced and subsequently purified, but also represent cells which may, when transformed or transfected with the appropriate nucleotide coding sequences, express an antibody molecule of the invention in situ.
  • These include but are not limited to microorganisms such as bacteria (e.g., E. coli, B.
  • subtilis transformed with recombinant bacteriophage DNA, plasmid DNA or cosmid DNA expression vectors containing antibody coding sequences; yeast (e.g., Saccharomyces, Pichia) transformed with recombinant yeast expression vectors containing antibody coding sequences; insect cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors (e.g., baculovirus) containing antibody coding sequences; plant cell systems infected with recombinant virus expression vectors (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus, CaMV; tobacco mosaic virus, TMV) or transformed with recombinant plasmid expression vectors (e.g., Ti plasmid) containing antibody coding sequences; or mammalian cell systems (e.g., COS, CHO, BHK, 293, 3T3 cells) harboring recombinant expression constructs containing promoters derived from the genome of mammalian cells (e.g., metallothionein promoter) or from mamm
  • bacterial cells such as Escherichia coli, and more preferably, eukaryotic cells, especially for the expression of whole recombinant antibody molecule, are used for the expression of a recombinant antibody molecule.
  • mammalian cells such as Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO), in conjunction with a vector such as the major intermediate early gene promoter element from human cytomegalovirus is an effective expression system for antibodies (Foecking et al., Gene 45:101 (1986); Cockett et al., Bio/Technology 8:2 (1990)).
  • a number of expression vectors may be advantageously selected depending upon the use intended for the antibody molecule being expressed.
  • vectors which direct the expression of high levels of fusion protein products that are readily purified may be desirable.
  • Such vectors include, but are not limited, to the E. coli expression vector pUR278 (Ruther et al., EMBO J. 2:1791 (1983)), in which the antibody coding sequence may be ligated individually into the vector in frame with the lac Z coding region so that a fusion protein is produced; pIN vectors (Inouye & Inouye, Nucleic Acids Res.
  • pGEX vectors may also be used to express foreign polypeptides as fusion proteins with glutathione S-transferase (GST).
  • GST glutathione S-transferase
  • fusion proteins are soluble and can easily be purified from lysed cells by adso ⁇ tion and binding to matrix glutathione-agarose beads followed by elution in the presence of free glutathione.
  • the pGEX vectors are designed to include thrombin or factor Xa protease cleavage sites so that the cloned target gene product can be released from the GST moiety.
  • Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) is used as a vector to express foreign genes.
  • the virus grows in Spodoptera frugiperda cells.
  • the antibody coding sequence may be cloned individually into non-essential regions (for example the polyhedrin gene) of the virus and placed under control of an AcNPV promoter (for example the polyhedrin promoter).
  • Specific initiation signals may also be required for efficient translation of inserted antibody coding sequences. These signals include the ATG initiation codon and adjacent sequences. Furthermore, the initiation codon must be in phase with the reading frame of the desired coding sequence to ensure translation of the entire insert. These exogenous translational control signals and initiation codons can be of a variety of origins, both natural and synthetic. The efficiency of expression may be enhanced by the inclusion of appropriate transcription enhancer elements, transcription terminators, etc. (see Bittner et al., Methods in Enzymol. 153:51-544 (1987)).
  • a host cell strain may be chosen which modulates the expression of the inserted sequences, or modifies and processes the gene product in the specific fashion desired. Such modifications (e.g., glycosylation) and processing (e.g., cleavage) of protein products may be important for the function of the protein.
  • Different host cells have characteristic and specific mechanisms for the posttranslational processing and modification of proteins and gene products. Appropriate cell lines or host systems can be chosen to ensure the correct modification and processing of the foreign protein expressed.
  • eukaryotic host cells which possess the cellular machinery for proper processing of the primary transcript, glycosylation, and phosphorylation of the gene product may be used.
  • Such mammalian host cells include but are not limited to CHO, VERY, BHK, Hela, COS, MDCK, 293, 3T3, WI38, and in particular, breast cancer cell lines such as, for example, BT483, Hs578T, HTB2, BT20 and T47D, and normal mammary gland cell line such as, for example, CRL7030 and Hs578Bst.
  • cell lines which stably express the antibody molecule may be engineered.
  • host cells can be transformed with DNA controlled by appropriate expression control elements (e.g., promoter, enhancer, sequences, transcription terminators, polyadenylation sites, etc.), and a selectable marker.
  • appropriate expression control elements e.g., promoter, enhancer, sequences, transcription terminators, polyadenylation sites, etc.
  • engineered cells may be allowed to grow for 1-2 days in an enriched media, and then are switched to a selective media.
  • the selectable marker in the recombinant plasmid confers resistance to the selection and allows cells to stably integrate the plasmid into their chromosomes and grow to form foci which in turn can be cloned and expanded into cell lines.
  • This method may advantageously be used to engineer cell lines which express the antibody molecule.
  • Such engineered cell lines may be particularly useful in screening and evaluation of compounds that interact directly or indirectly with the antibody molecule.
  • a number of selection systems may be used, including but not limited to the he ⁇ es simplex virus thymidine kinase (Wigler et al., Cell 11 :223 (1977)), hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (Szybalska & Szybalski, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 48:202 (1992)), and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (Lowy et al., Cell 22:817 (1980)) genes can be employed in tk-, hgprt- or aprt- cells, respectively.
  • antimetabolite resistance can be used as the basis of selection for the following genes: dhfr, which confers resistance to methotrexate (Wigler et al., Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:357 (1980); O ⁇ are et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:1527 (1981)); gpt, which confers resistance to mycophenolic acid (Mulligan & Berg, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • the expression levels of an antibody molecule can be increased by vector amplification (for a review, see Bebbington and Hentschel, The use of vectors based on gene amplification for the expression of cloned genes in mammalian cells in DNA cloning, Vol.3. (Academic Press, New York, 1987)).
  • vector amplification for a review, see Bebbington and Hentschel, The use of vectors based on gene amplification for the expression of cloned genes in mammalian cells in DNA cloning, Vol.3. (Academic Press, New York, 1987)).
  • a marker in the vector system expressing antibody is amplifiable
  • increase in the level of inhibitor present in culture of host cell will increase the number of copies of the marker gene. Since the amplified region is associated with the antibody gene, production of the antibody will also increase (Crouse et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 3:257 (1983)).
  • the host cell may be co-transfected with two expression vectors of the invention, the first vector encoding a heavy chain derived polypeptide and the second vector encoding a light chain derived polypeptide.
  • the two vectors may contain identical selectable markers which enable equal expression of heavy and light chain polypeptides.
  • a single vector may be used which encodes, and is capable of expressing, both heavy and light chain polypeptides. In such situations, the light chain should be placed before the heavy chain to avoid an excess of toxic free heavy chain (Proudfoot, Nature 322:52 (1986); Kohler, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 77:2197 (1980)).
  • the coding sequences for the heavy and light chains may comprise cDNA or genomic DNA.
  • an antibody molecule of the invention may be purified by any method known in the art for purification of an immunoglobulin molecule, for example, by chromatography (e.g., ion exchange, affinity, particularly by affinity for the specific antigen after Protein A, and sizing column chromatography), centrifugation, differential solubility, or by any other standard technique for the purification of proteins.
  • chromatography e.g., ion exchange, affinity, particularly by affinity for the specific antigen after Protein A, and sizing column chromatography
  • centrifugation e.g., ion exchange, affinity, particularly by affinity for the specific antigen after Protein A, and sizing column chromatography
  • differential solubility e.g., differential solubility, or by any other standard technique for the purification of proteins.
  • the antibodies of the present invention or fragments thereof can be fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences described herein or otherwise known in the art, to facilitate purification.
  • the present invention encompasses antibodies recombinantly fused or chemically conjugated (including both covalently and non-covalently conjugations) to a polypeptide (or portion thereof, preferably at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 amino acids of the polypeptide) of the present invention to generate fusion proteins.
  • the fusion does not necessarily need to be direct, but may occur through linker sequences.
  • the antibodies may be specific for antigens other than polypeptides (or portion thereof, preferably at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 amino acids of the polypeptide) of the present invention.
  • antibodies may be used to target the polypeptides of the present invention to particular cell types, either in vitro or in vivo, by fusing or conjugating the polypeptides of the present invention to antibodies specific for particular cell surface receptors.
  • Antibodies fused or conjugated to the polypeptides of the present invention may also be used in in vitro immunoassays and purification methods using methods known in the art. See e.g., Harbor et al., supra, and PCT publication WO 93/21232; EP 439,095; Naramura et al., Immunol. Lett. 39:91-99 (1994); U.S.
  • the present invention further includes compositions comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused or conjugated to antibody domains other than the variable regions.
  • the polypeptides of the present invention may be fused or conjugated to an antibody Fc region, or portion thereof.
  • the antibody portion fused to a polypeptide of the present invention may comprise the constant region, hinge region, CHI domain, CH2 domain, and CH3 domain or any combination of whole domains or portions thereof.
  • the polypeptides may also be fused or conjugated to the above antibody portions to form multimers.
  • Fc portions fused to the polypeptides of the present invention can form dimers through disulfide bonding between the Fc portions.
  • polypeptides corresponding to a polypeptide, polypeptide fragment, or a variant of SEQ ID NO:Y may be fused or conjugated to the above antibody portions to increase the in vivo half life of the polypeptides or for use in immunoassays using methods known in the art. Further, the polypeptides corresponding to SEQ ID NO:Y may be fused or conjugated to the above antibody portions to facilitate purification.
  • One reported example describes chimeric proteins consisting of the first two domains of the human CD4-polypeptide and various domains of the constant regions of the heavy or light chains of mammalian immunoglobulins. (EP 394,827; Traunecker et al., Nature 331 :84-86 (1988).
  • polypeptides of the present invention fused or conjugated to an antibody having disulfide- linked dimeric structures may also be more efficient in binding and neutralizing other molecules, than the monomeric secreted protein or protein fragment alone.
  • the Fc part in a fusion protein is beneficial in therapy and diagnosis, and thus can result in, for example, improved pharmacokinetic properties.
  • EP A 232,262 Alternatively, deleting the Fc part after the fusion protein has been expressed, detected, and purified, would be desired.
  • the Fc portion may hinder therapy and diagnosis if the fusion protein is used as an antigen for immunizations.
  • human proteins such as hIL-5
  • Fc portions for the pu ⁇ ose of high-throughput screening assays to identify antagonists of hIL-5.
  • the antibodies or fragments thereof of the present invention can be fused to marker sequences, such as a peptide to facilitate purification.
  • the marker amino acid sequence is a hexa-histidine peptide, such as the tag provided in a pQE vector (QIAGEN, Inc., 9259 Eton Avenue, Chatsworth, CA, 91311), among others, many of which are commercially available.
  • a pQE vector QIAGEN, Inc., 9259 Eton Avenue, Chatsworth, CA, 91311
  • hexa- histidine provides for convenient purification of the fusion protein.
  • peptide tags useful for purification include, but are not limited to, the "HA” tag, which corresponds to an epitope derived from the influenza hemagglutinin protein (Wilson et al., Cell 37:767 (1984)) and the "flag" tag.
  • the present invention further encompasses antibodies or fragments thereof conjugated to a diagnostic or therapeutic agent.
  • the antibodies can be used diagnostically to, for example, monitor the development or progression of a tumor as part of a clinical testing procedure to, e.g., determine the efficacy of a given treatment regimen. Detection can be facilitated by coupling the antibody to a detectable substance. Examples of detectable substances include various enzymes, prosthetic groups, fluorescent materials, luminescent materials, bioluminescent materials, radioactive materials, positron emitting metals using various positron emission tomographies, and nonradioactive paramagnetic metal ions.
  • the detectable substance may be coupled or conjugated either directly to the antibody (or fragment thereof) or indirectly, through an intermediate (such as, for example, a linker known in the art) using techniques known in the art. See, for example, U.S. Patent No. 4,741,900 for metal ions which can be conjugated to antibodies for use as diagnostics according to the present invention.
  • suitable enzymes include horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, beta-galactosidase, or acetylcholinesterase;
  • suitable prosthetic group complexes include streptavidin/biotin and avidin/biotin;
  • suitable fluorescent materials include umbelliferone, fluorescein, fluorescein isothiocyanate, rhodamine, dichlorotriazinyl amine fluorescein, dansyl chloride or phycoerythrin;
  • an example of a luminescent material includes luminol;
  • examples of bioluminescent materials include luciferase, luciferin, and aequorin;
  • suitable radioactive material include 1251, 1311, l l lln or 99Tc.
  • an antibody or fragment thereof may be conjugated to a therapeutic moiety such as a cytotoxin, e.g., a cytostatic or cytocidal agent, a therapeutic agent or a radioactive metal ion, e.g., alpha-emitters such as, for example, 213Bi.
  • a cytotoxin or cytotoxic agent includes any agent that is detrimental to cells.
  • Examples include paclitaxol, cytochalasin B, gramicidin D, ethidium bromide, emetine, mitomycin, etoposide, tenoposide, vincristine, vinblastine, colchicin, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, dihydroxy anthracin dione, mitoxantrone, mithramycin, actinomycin D, 1- dehydrotestosterone, glucocorticoids, procaine, tetracaine, lidocaine, propranolol, and puromycin and analogs or homologs thereof.
  • Therapeutic agents include, but are not limited to, antimetabolites (e.g., methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine, 5-fluorouracil decarbazine), alkylating agents (e.g., mechlorethamine, thioepa chlorambucil, melphalan, carmustine (BSNU) and lomustine (CCNU), cyclothosphamide, busulfan, dibromomannitol, streptozotocin, mitomycin C, and cis- dichlorodiamine platinum (II) (DDP) cisplatin), anthracyclines (e.g., daunorubicin (formerly daunomycin) and doxorubicin), antibiotics (e.g., dactinomycin (formerly actinomycin), bleomycin, mithramycin, and anthramycin (AMC)), and anti-mitotic agents (e.g.,
  • the conjugates of the invention can be used for modifying a given biological response, the therapeutic agent or drug moiety is not to be construed as limited to classical chemical therapeutic agents.
  • the drug moiety may be a protein or polypeptide possessing a desired biological activity.
  • proteins may include, for example, a toxin such as abrin, ricin A, pseudomonas exotoxin, or diphtheria toxin; a protein such as tumor necrosis factor, a-interferon, ⁇ -interferon, nerve growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, tissue plasminogen activator, an apoptotic agent, e.g., TNF-alpha, TNF-beta, AIM I (See, International Publication No.
  • a thrombotic agent or an anti- angiogenic agent e.g., angiostatin or endostatin
  • biological response modifiers such as, for example, lymphokines, interleukin-1 ("IL-1 "), interleukin-2 (“IL-2”), interleukin-6 (“IL-6”), granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (“GM-CSF”), granulocyte colony stimulating factor (“G-CSF”), or other growth factors.
  • Antibodies may also be attached to solid supports, which are particularly useful for immunoassays or purification of the target antigen.
  • solid supports include, but are not limited to, glass, cellulose, polyacrylamide, nylon, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride or polypropylene.
  • an antibody can be conjugated to a second antibody to form an antibody heteroconjugate as described by Segal in U.S. Patent No. 4,676,980, which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference in its entirety.
  • An antibody, with or without a therapeutic moiety conjugated to it, administered alone or in combination with cytotoxic factor(s) and/or cytokine(s) can be used as a therapeutic.
  • the antibodies of the invention may be utilized for immunophenotyping of cell lines and biological samples.
  • the translation product of the gene of the present invention may be useful as a cell specific marker, or more specifically as a cellular marker that is differentially expressed at various stages of differentiation and/or maturation of particular cell types.
  • Monoclonal antibodies directed against a specific epitope, or combination of epitopes will allow for the screening of cellular populations expressing the marker.
  • Various techniques can be utilized using monoclonal antibodies to screen for cellular populations expressing the marker(s), and include magnetic separation using antibody-coated magnetic beads, "panning" with antibody attached to a solid matrix (i.e., plate), and flow cytometry (See, e.g., U.S. Patent 5,985,660; and Morrison et al, Cell, 96:737-49 (1999)).
  • hematological malignancies i.e. minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute leukemic patients
  • GVHD Graft-versus-Host Disease
  • these techniques allow for the screening of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells capable of undergoing proliferation and/or differentiation, as might be found in human umbilical cord blood.
  • the antibodies of the invention may be assayed for immunospecific binding by any method known in the art.
  • the immunoassays which can be used include but are not limited to competitive and non-competitive assay systems using techniques such as western blots, radioimmunoassays, ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay), "sandwich” immunoassays, immunoprecipitation assays, precipitin reactions, gel diffusion precipitin reactions, immunodiffusion assays, agglutination assays, complement-fixation assays, immunoradiometric assays, fluorescent immunoassays, protein A immunoassays, to name but a few.
  • Immunoprecipitation protocols generally comprise lysing a population of cells in a lysis buffer such as RIP A buffer (1% NP-40 or Triton X- 100, 1% sodium deoxycholate, 0.1% SDS, 0.15 M NaCl, 0.01 M sodium phosphate at pH 7.2, 1% Trasylol) supplemented with protein phosphatase and/or protease inhibitors (e.g.,
  • EDTA EDTA, PMSF, aprotinin, sodium vanadate
  • adding the antibody of interest to the cell lysate incubating for a period of time (e.g., 1-4 hours) at 4° C
  • adding protein A and or protein G sepharose beads to the cell lysate, incubating for about an hour or more at 4° C, washing the beads in lysis buffer and resuspending the beads in SDS/sample buffer.
  • the ability of the antibody of interest to immunoprecipitate a particular antigen can be assessed by, e.g., western blot analysis.
  • Western blot analysis generally comprises preparing protein samples, electrophoresis of the protein samples in a polyacrylamide gel (e.g., 8%- 20% SDS- PAGE depending on the molecular weight of the antigen), transferring the protein sample from the polyacrylamide gel to a membrane such as nitrocellulose, PVDF or nylon, blocking the membrane in blocking solution (e.g., PBS with 3% BSA or non- fat milk), washing the membrane in washing buffer (e.g., PBS-Tween 20), blocking the membrane with primary antibody (the antibody of interest) diluted in blocking buffer, washing the membrane in washing buffer, blocking the membrane with a secondary antibody (which recognizes the primary antibody, e.g., an anti-human antibody) conjugated to an enzymatic substrate (e.g., horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase) or radioactive molecule (e.g., 32P or 1251) diluted in blocking buffer, washing the membrane in wash buffer, and detecting the presence of the antigen.
  • ELISAs comprise preparing antigen, coating the well of a 96 well microtiter plate with the antigen, adding the antibody of interest conjugated to a detectable compound such as an enzymatic substrate (e.g., horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase) to the well and incubating for a period of time, and detecting the presence of the antigen.
  • a detectable compound such as an enzymatic substrate (e.g., horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase)
  • a detectable compound such as an enzymatic substrate (e.g., horseradish peroxidase or alkaline phosphatase)
  • a second antibody conjugated to a detectable compound may be added following the addition of the antigen of interest to the coated well.
  • ELISAs e.g., Ausubel et al, eds, 1994, Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Vol. 1, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York at 11.2.1.
  • the binding affinity of an antibody to an antigen and the off-rate of an antibody- antigen interaction can be determined by competitive binding assays.
  • a competitive binding assay is a radioimmunoassay comprising the incubation of labeled antigen (e.g., 3H or 1251) with the antibody of interest in the presence of increasing amounts of unlabeled antigen, and the detection of the antibody bound to the labeled antigen.
  • labeled antigen e.g., 3H or 1251
  • the affinity of the antibody of interest for a particular antigen and the binding off-rates can be determined from the data by scatchard plot analysis.
  • Competition with a second antibody can also be determined using radioimmunoassays.
  • the antigen is incubated with antibody of interest conjugated to a labeled compound (e.g., 3H or 1251) in the presence of increasing amounts of an unlabeled second antibody.
  • the present invention is further directed to antibody-based therapies which involve administering antibodies of the invention to an animal, preferably a mammal, and most preferably a human, patient for treating one or more of the disclosed diseases, disorders, or conditions.
  • Therapeutic compounds of the invention include, but are not limited to, antibodies of the invention (including fragments, analogs and derivatives thereof as described herein) and nucleic acids encoding antibodies of the invention (including fragments, analogs and derivatives thereof and anti-idiotypic antibodies as described herein).
  • the antibodies of the invention can be used to treat, inhibit or prevent diseases, disorders or conditions associated with aberrant expression and/or activity of a polypeptide of the invention, including, but not limited to, any one or more of the diseases, disorders, or conditions described herein.
  • the treatment and/or prevention of diseases, disorders, or conditions associated with aberrant expression and/or activity of a polypeptide of the invention includes, but is not limited to, alleviating symptoms associated with those diseases, disorders or conditions.
  • Antibodies of the invention may be provided in pharmaceutically acceptable compositions as known in the art or as described herein.
  • a summary of the ways in which the antibodies of the present invention may be used therapeutically includes binding polynucleotides or polypeptides of the present invention locally or systemically in the body or by direct cytotoxicity of the antibody, e.g. as mediated by complement (CDC) or by effector cells (ADCC). Some of these approaches are described in more detail below.
  • the antibodies of this invention may be advantageously utilized in combination with other monoclonal or chimeric antibodies, or with lymphokines or hematopoietic growth factors (such as, e.g., IL-2, IL-3 and IL-7), for example, which serve to increase the number or activity of effector cells which interact with the antibodies.
  • the antibodies of the invention may be administered alone or in combination with other types of treatments (e.g., radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy and anti-tumor agents). Generally, administration of products of a species origin or species reactivity (in the case of antibodies) that is the same species as that of the patient is preferred.
  • human antibodies, fragments derivatives, analogs, or nucleic acids are administered to a human patient for therapy or prophylaxis.
  • polypeptides or polynucleotides of the present invention It is preferred to use high affinity and/or potent in vivo inhibiting and/or neutralizing antibodies against polypeptides or polynucleotides of the present invention, fragments or regions thereof, for both immunoassays directed to and therapy of disorders related to polynucleotides or polypeptides, including fragments thereof, of the present invention.
  • Such antibodies, fragments, or regions will preferably have an affinity for polynucleotides or polypeptides of the invention, including fragments thereof.
  • Preferred binding affinities include those with a dissociation constant or Kd less than 5 X 10 "2 M, 10 "2 M, 5 X 10 "3 M, 10 “3 M, 5 X 10 “ 4 M, 10 “4 M, 5 X 10 "5 M, 10 “5 M, 5 X 10 "6 M, 10 “6 M, 5 X 10 "7 M, 10 “7 M, 5 X 10 “8 M, 10 “8 M, 5 X 10 "9 M, 10 “9 M, 5 X 10 "10 M, 10 “10 M, 5 X 10 “1 1 M, 10 " ⁇ M, 5 X 10 "12 M, 10 “12 M, 5 X 10 "13 M, 10 " 13 M, 5 X 10 "14 M, 10 “14 M, 5 X 10 "15 M, and 10 "15 M.
  • nucleic acids comprising sequences encoding antibodies or functional derivatives thereof, are administered to treat, inhibit or prevent a disease or disorder associated with aberrant expression and/or activity of a polypeptide of the invention, by way of gene therapy.
  • Gene therapy refers to therapy performed by the administration to a subject of an expressed or expressible nucleic acid.
  • the nucleic acids produce their encoded protein that mediates a therapeutic effect. Any of the methods for gene therapy available in the art can be used according to the present invention. Exemplary methods are described below.
  • the compound comprises nucleic acid sequences encoding an antibody, said nucleic acid sequences being part of expression vectors that express the antibody or fragments or chimeric proteins or heavy or light chains thereof in a suitable host.
  • nucleic acid sequences have promoters operably linked to the antibody coding region, said promoter being inducible or constitutive, and, optionally, tissue- specific.
  • nucleic acid molecules are used in which the antibody coding sequences and any other desired sequences are flanked by regions that promote homologous recombination at a desired site in the genome, thus providing for intrachromosomal expression of the antibody encoding nucleic acids (Koller and Smithies, Proc. Natl. Acad.
  • the expressed antibody molecule is a single chain antibody; alternatively, the nucleic acid sequences include sequences encoding both the heavy and light chains, or fragments thereof, of the antibody.
  • Delivery of the nucleic acids into a patient may be either direct, in which case the patient is directly exposed to the nucleic acid or nucleic acid- carrying vectors, or indirect, in which case, cells are first transformed with the nucleic acids in vitro, then transplanted into the patient. These two approaches are known, respectively, as in vivo or ex vivo gene therapy.
  • the nucleic acid sequences are directly administered in vivo, where it is expressed to produce the encoded product.
  • This can be accomplished by any of numerous methods known in the art, e.g., by constructing them as part of an appropriate nucleic acid expression vector and administering it so that they become intracellular, e.g., by infection using defective or attenuated retrovirals or other viral vectors (see U.S. Patent No.
  • microparticle bombardment e.g., a gene gun; Biolistic, Dupont
  • coating lipids or cell-surface receptors or transfecting agents, encapsulation in liposomes, microparticles, or microcapsules, or by administering them in linkage to a peptide which is known to enter the nucleus, by administering it in linkage to a ligand subject to receptor-mediated endocytosis (see, e.g., Wu and Wu, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432 (1987)) (which can be used to target cell types specifically expressing the receptors), etc.
  • nucleic acid-ligand complexes can be formed in which the ligand comprises a fusogenic viral peptide to disrupt endosomes, allowing the nucleic acid to avoid lysosomal degradation.
  • the nucleic acid can be targeted in vivo for cell specific uptake and expression, by targeting a specific receptor (see, e.g., PCT Publications WO 92/06180; WO 92/22635; WO92/20316; WO93/14188, WO 93/20221).
  • the nucleic acid can be introduced intracellularly and inco ⁇ orated within host cell DNA for expression, by homologous recombination (Roller and Smithies, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8932-8935 (1989); Zijlstra et al., Nature 342:435-438 (1989)).
  • viral vectors that contains nucleic acid sequences encoding an antibody of the invention are used.
  • a retroviral vector can be used (see Miller et al, Meth. Enzymol. 217:581-599 (1993)). These retroviral vectors contain the components necessary for the correct packaging of the viral genome and integration into the host cell DNA.
  • the nucleic acid sequences encoding the antibody to be used in gene therapy are cloned into one or more vectors, which facilitates delivery of the gene into a patient.
  • retroviral vectors More detail about retroviral vectors can be found in Boesen et al., Biotherapy 6:291-302 (1994), which describes the use of a retroviral vector to deliver the mdrl gene to hematopoietic stem cells in order to make the stem cells more resistant to chemotherapy.
  • Other references illustrating the use of retroviral vectors in gene therapy are: Clowes et al., J. Clin. Invest. 93:644- 651 (1994); Kiem et al., Blood 83:1467-1473 (1994); Salmons and Gunzberg, Human Gene Therapy 4:129-141 (1993); and Grossman and Wilson, Curr. Opin. in Genetics and Devel. 3:110-114 (1993).
  • Adenoviruses are other viral vectors that can be used in gene therapy. Adenoviruses are especially attractive vehicles for delivering genes to respiratory epithelia. Adenoviruses naturally infect respiratory epithelia where they cause a mild disease. Other targets for adenovirus-based delivery systems are liver, the central nervous system, endothelial cells, and muscle. Adenoviruses have the advantage of being capable of infecting non-dividing cells. Kozarsky and Wilson, Current Opinion in Genetics and Development 3:499-503 (1993) present a review of adenovirus-based gene therapy.
  • adenovirus vectors are used.
  • Adeno-associated virus has also been proposed for use in gene therapy (Walsh et al, Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med. 204:289-300 (1993); U.S. Patent No. 5,436,146).
  • Another approach to gene therapy involves transferring a gene to cells in tissue culture by such methods as electroporation, lipofection, calcium phosphate mediated transfection, or viral infection.
  • the method of transfer includes the transfer of a selectable marker to the cells.
  • the cells are then placed under selection to isolate those cells that have taken up and are expressing the transferred gene. Those cells are then delivered to a patient.
  • the nucleic acid is introduced into a cell prior to administration in vivo of the resulting recombinant cell.
  • Such introduction can be carried out by any method known in the art, including but not limited to transfection, electroporation, microinjection, infection with a viral or bacteriophage vector containing the nucleic acid sequences, cell fusion, chromosome-mediated gene transfer, microcell-mediated gene transfer, spheroplast fusion, etc.
  • Numerous techniques are known in the art for the introduction of foreign genes into cells (see, e.g., Loeffler and Behr, Meth. Enzymol. 217:599-618 (1993); Cohen et al, Meth. Enzymol. 217:618-644 (1993); Cline, Pharmac. Ther. 29:69-92m (1985) and may be used in accordance with the present invention, provided that the necessary developmental and physiological functions of the recipient cells are not disrupted.
  • the technique should provide for the stable transfer of the nucleic acid to the cell, so that the nucleic acid is expressible by the cell and preferably heritable and expressible by its cell progeny.
  • Recombinant blood cells e.g., hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells
  • Recombinant blood cells are preferably administered intravenously.
  • the amount of cells envisioned for use depends on the desired effect, patient state, etc., and can be determined by one skilled in the art.
  • Cells into which a nucleic acid can be introduced for pu ⁇ oses of gene therapy encompass any desired, available cell type, and include but are not limited to epithelial cells, endothelial cells, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, muscle cells, hepatocytes; blood cells such as Tlymphocytes, Blymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, eosinophils, megakaryocytes, granulocytes; various stem or progenitor cells, in particular hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells, e.g., as obtained from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, peripheral blood, fetal liver, etc.
  • the cell used for gene therapy is autologous to the patient.
  • nucleic acid sequences encoding an antibody are introduced into the cells such that they are expressible by the cells or their progeny, and the recombinant cells are then administered in vivo for therapeutic effect.
  • stem or progenitor cells are used. Any stem and/or progenitor cells which can be isolated and maintained in vitro can potentially be used in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention (see e.g. PCT Publication WO 94/08598; Stemple and Anderson, Cell 71 :973-985 (1992); Rheinwald, Meth. Cell Bio. 21A:229 (1980); and Pittelkow and Scott, Mayo Clinic Proc.
  • the nucleic acid to be introduced for pu ⁇ oses of gene therapy comprises an inducible promoter operably linked to the coding region, such that expression of the nucleic acid is controllable by controlling the presence or absence of the appropriate inducer of transcription.
  • the compounds or pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are preferably tested in vitro, and then in vivo for the desired therapeutic or prophylactic activity, prior to use in humans.
  • in vitro assays to demonstrate the therapeutic or prophylactic utility of a compound or pharmaceutical composition include, the effect of a compound on a cell line or a patient tissue sample.
  • the effect of the compound or composition on the cell line and/or tissue sample can be determined utilizing techniques known to those of skill in the art including, but not limited to, rosette formation assays and cell lysis assays.
  • in vitro assays which can be used to determine whether administration of a specific compound is indicated, include in vitro cell culture assays in which a patient tissue sample is grown in culture, and exposed to or otherwise administered a compound, and the effect of such compound upon the tissue sample is observed.
  • the invention provides methods of treatment, inhibition and prophylaxis by administration to a subject of an effective amount of a compound or pharmaceutical composition of the invention, preferably an antibody of the invention.
  • the compound is substantially purified (e.g., substantially free from substances that limit its effect or produce undesired side-effects).
  • the subject is preferably an animal, including but not limited to animals such as cows, pigs, horses, chickens, cats, dogs, etc., and is preferably a mammal, and most preferably human.
  • Formulations and methods of administration that can be employed when the compound comprises a nucleic acid or an immunoglobulin are described above; additional appropriate formulations and routes of administration can be selected from among those described herein below.
  • a compound of the invention e.g., encapsulation in liposomes, microparticles, microcapsules, recombinant cells capable of expressing the compound, receptor- mediated endocytosis (see, e.g., Wu and Wu, J. Biol. Chem. 262:4429-4432 (1987)), construction of a nucleic acid as part of a retroviral or other vector, etc.
  • Methods of introduction include but are not limited to intradermal, intramuscular, intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous, intranasal, epidural, and oral routes.
  • the compounds or compositions may be administered by any convenient route, for example by infusion or bolus injection, by abso ⁇ tion through epithelial or mucocutaneous linings (e.g., oral mucosa, rectal and intestinal mucosa, etc.) and may be administered together with other biologically active agents. Administration can be systemic or local.
  • Pulmonary administration can also be employed, e.g., by use of an inhaler or nebulizer, and formulation with an aerosolizing agent.
  • a protein, including an antibody, of the invention care must be taken to use materials to which the protein does not absorb.
  • the compound or composition can be delivered in a vesicle, in particular a liposome (see Langer, Science 249:1527-1533 (1990); Treat et al., in Liposomes in the Therapy of Infectious Disease and Cancer, Lopez-Berestein and Fidler (eds.), Liss, New York, pp. 353- 365 (1989); Lopez-Berestein, ibid., pp. 317-327; see generally ibid.)
  • the compound or composition can be delivered in a controlled release system.
  • a pump may be used (see Langer, supra; Sefton, CRC Crit. Ref. Biomed. Eng. 14:201 (1987); Buchwald et al., Surgery 88:507 (1980); Saudek et al., N. Engl. J. Med. 321:574 (1989)).
  • polymeric materials can be used (see Medical Applications of Controlled Release, Langer and Wise (eds.), CRC Pres., Boca Raton, Florida (1974); Controlled Drug Bioavailability, Drug Product Design and Performance, Smolen and Ball (eds.), Wiley, New York (1984); Ranger and Peppas, J., Macromol. Sci. Rev. Macromol. Chem. 23:61 (1983); see also Levy et al., Science 228:190 (1985); During et al., Ann. Neurol. 25:351 (1989); Howard et al, J.Neurosurg. 71 :105 (1989)).
  • a controlled release system can be placed in proximity of the therapeutic target, i.e., the brain, thus requiring only a fraction of the systemic dose (see, e.g., Goodson, in Medical Applications of Controlled Release, supra, vol. 2, pp. 115-138 (1984)).
  • the nucleic acid can be administered in vivo to promote expression of its encoded protein, by constructing it as part of an appropriate nucleic acid expression vector and administering it so that it becomes intracellular, e.g., by use of a retroviral vector (see U.S. Patent No.
  • compositions comprise a therapeutically effective amount of a compound, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
  • a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for example
  • “pharmaceutically acceptable” means approved by a regulatory agency of the Federal or a state government or listed in the U.S. Pharmacopeia or other generally recognized pharmacopeia for use in animals, and more particularly in humans.
  • carrier refers to a diluent, adjuvant, excipient, or vehicle with which the therapeutic is administered.
  • Such pharmaceutical carriers can be sterile liquids, such as water and oils, including those of petroleum, animal, vegetable or synthetic origin, such as peanut oil, soybean oil, mineral oil, sesame oil and the like. Water is a preferred carrier when the pharmaceutical composition is administered intravenously. Saline solutions and aqueous dextrose and glycerol solutions can also be employed as liquid . carriers, particularly for injectable solutions.
  • Suitable pharmaceutical excipients include starch, glucose, lactose, sucrose, gelatin, malt, rice, flour, chalk, silica gel, sodium stearate, glycerol monostearate, talc, sodium chloride, dried skim milk, glycerol, propylene, glycol, water, ethanol and the like.
  • the composition if desired, can also contain minor amounts of wetting or emulsifying agents, or pH buffering agents. These compositions can take the form of solutions, suspensions, emulsion, tablets, pills, capsules, powders, sustained-release formulations and the like.
  • the composition can be formulated as a suppository, with traditional binders and carriers such as triglycerides.
  • Oral formulation can include standard carriers such as pharmaceutical grades of mannitol, lactose, starch, magnesium stearate, sodium saccharine, cellulose, magnesium carbonate, etc. Examples of suitable pharmaceutical carriers are described in "Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences” by E.W. Martin. Such compositions will contain a therapeutically effective amount of the compound, preferably in purified form, together with a suitable amount of carrier so as to provide the form for proper administration to the patient. The formulation should suit the mode of administration.
  • the composition is formulated in accordance with routine procedures as a pharmaceutical composition adapted for intravenous administration to human beings.
  • compositions for intravenous administration are solutions in sterile isotonic aqueous buffer.
  • the composition may also include a solubilizing agent and a local anesthetic such as lignocaine to ease pain at the site of the injection.
  • the ingredients are supplied either separately or mixed together in unit dosage form, for example, as a dry lyophilized powder or water free concentrate in a hermetically sealed container such as an ampoule or sachette indicating the quantity of active agent.
  • composition is to be administered by infusion, it can be dispensed with an infusion bottle containing sterile pharmaceutical grade water or saline.
  • an ampoule of sterile water for injection or saline can be provided so that the ingredients may be mixed prior to administration.
  • the compounds of the invention can be formulated as neutral or salt forms.
  • Pharmaceutically acceptable salts include those formed with anions such as those derived from hydrochloric, phosphoric, acetic, oxalic, tartaric acids, etc., and those formed with cations such as those derived from sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, ferric hydroxides, isopropylamine, triethylamine, 2-ethylamino ethanol, histidine, procaine, etc.
  • the amount of the compound of the invention which will be effective in the treatment, inhibition and prevention of a disease or disorder associated with aberrant expression and/or activity of a polypeptide of the invention can be determined by standard clinical techniques.
  • in vitro assays may optionally be employed to help identify optimal dosage ranges.
  • the precise dose to be employed in the formulation will also depend on the route of administration, and the seriousness of the disease or disorder, and should be decided according to the judgment of the practitioner and each patient's circumstances. Effective doses may be extrapolated from dose-response curves derived from in vitro or animal model test systems.
  • the dosage administered to a patient is typically 0.1 mg/kg to 100 mg/kg of the patient's body weight.
  • the invention also provides a pharmaceutical pack or kit comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention.
  • a pharmaceutical pack or kit comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the pharmaceutical compositions of the invention.
  • Optionally associated with such container(s) can be a notice in the form prescribed by a governmental agency regulating the manufacture, use or sale of pharmaceuticals or biological products, which notice reflects approval by the agency of manufacture, use or sale for human administration.
  • the invention provides a diagnostic assay for diagnosing a disorder, comprising (a) assaying the expression of the polypeptide of interest in cells or body fluid of an individual using one or more antibodies specific to the polypeptide interest and (b) comparing the level of gene expression with a standard gene expression level, whereby an increase or decrease in the assayed polypeptide gene expression level compared to the standard expression level is indicative of a particular disorder.
  • a diagnostic assay for diagnosing a disorder comprising (a) assaying the expression of the polypeptide of interest in cells or body fluid of an individual using one or more antibodies specific to the polypeptide interest and (b) comparing the level of gene expression with a standard gene expression level, whereby an increase or decrease in the assayed polypeptide gene expression level compared to the standard expression level is indicative of a particular disorder.
  • the presence of a relatively high amount of transcript in biopsied tissue from an individual may indicate a predisposition for the development of the disease, or may provide a means for detecting the disease prior
  • Antibodies of the invention can be used to assay protein levels in a biological sample using classical immunohistological methods known to those of skill in the art (e.g., see Jalkanen, et al., J. Cell. Biol. 101 :976-985 (1985); Jalkanen, et al., J. Cell . Biol. 105:3087-3096 (1987)).
  • Other antibody-based methods useful for detecting protein gene expression include immunoassays, such as the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the radioimmunoassay (RIA).
  • ELISA enzyme linked immunosorbent assay
  • RIA radioimmunoassay
  • Suitable antibody assay labels include enzyme labels, such as, glucose oxidase; radioisotopes, such as iodine (1251, 1211), carbon (14C), sulfur (35S), tritium (3H), indium (112In), and technetium (99Tc); luminescent labels, such as luminol; and fluorescent labels, such as fluorescein and rhodamine, and biotin.
  • enzyme labels such as, glucose oxidase
  • radioisotopes such as iodine (1251, 1211), carbon (14C), sulfur (35S), tritium (3H), indium (112In), and technetium (99Tc)
  • luminescent labels such as luminol
  • fluorescent labels such as fluorescein and rhodamine, and biotin.
  • diagnosis comprises: a) administering (for example, parenterally, subcutaneously, or intraperitoneally) to a subject an effective amount of a labeled molecule which specifically binds to the polypeptide of interest; b) waiting for a time interval following the administering for permitting the labeled molecule to preferentially concentrate at sites in the subject where the polypeptide is expressed (and for unbound labeled molecule to be cleared to background level); c) determining background level; and d) detecting the labeled molecule in the subject, such that detection of labeled molecule above the background level indicates that the subject has a particular disease or disorder associated with aberrant expression of the polypeptide of interest.
  • Background level can be determined by various methods including, comparing the amount of labeled molecule detected to a standard value previously determined for a particular system
  • the size of the subject and the imaging system used will determine the quantity of imaging moiety needed to produce diagnostic images.
  • the quantity of radioactivity injected will normally range from about 5 to 20 millicuries of
  • the time interval following the administration for permitting the labeled molecule to preferentially concentrate at sites in the subject and for unbound labeled molecule to be cleared to background level is 6 to 48 hours or 6 to 24 hours or
  • time interval following administration is 5 to 20 days or 5 to 10 days.
  • monitoring of the disease or disorder is carried out by repeating the method for diagnosing the disease or disease, for example, one month after initial diagnosis, six months after initial diagnosis, one year after initial diagnosis, etc.
  • Presence of the labeled molecule can be detected in the patient using methods known in the art for in vivo scanning. These methods depend upon the type of label used. Skilled artisans will be able to determine the appropriate method for detecting a particular label. Methods and devices that may be used in the diagnostic methods of the invention include, but are not limited to, computed tomography (CT), whole body scan such as position emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging
  • the molecule is labeled with a radioisotope and is detected in the patient using a radiation responsive surgical instrument (Thurston et al., U.S. Patent No. 5,441,050).
  • the molecule is labeled with a fluorescent compound and is detected in the patient using a fluorescence responsive scanning instrument.
  • the molecule is labeled with a positron emitting metal and is detected in the patent using positron emission-tomography.
  • the molecule is labeled with a paramagnetic label and is detected in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  • MRI magnetic resonance imaging
  • kits that can be used in the above methods.
  • a kit comprises an antibody of the invention, preferably a purified antibody, in one or more containers.
  • the kits of the present invention contain a substantially isolated polypeptide comprising an epitope which is specifically immunoreactive with an antibody included in the kit.
  • the kits of the present invention further comprise a control antibody which does not react with the polypeptide of interest.
  • kits of the present invention contain a means for detecting the binding of an antibody to a polypeptide of interest (e.g., the antibody may be conjugated to a detectable substrate such as a fluorescent compound, an enzymatic substrate, a radioactive compound or a luminescent compound, or a second antibody which recognizes the first antibody may be conjugated to a detectable substrate).
  • the kit is a diagnostic kit for use in screening serum containing antibodies specific against proliferative and/or cancerous polynucleotides and polypeptides. Such a kit may include a control antibody that does not react with the polypeptide of interest.
  • Such a kit may include a substantially isolated polypeptide antigen comprising an epitope which is specifically immunoreactive with at least one anti-polypeptide antigen antibody. Further, such a kit includes means for detecting the binding of said antibody to the antigen (e.g., the antibody may be conjugated to a fluorescent compound such as fluorescein or rhodamine which can be detected by flow cytometry). In specific embodiments, the kit may include a recombinantly produced or chemically synthesized polypeptide antigen. The polypeptide antigen of the kit may also be attached to a solid support.
  • the detecting means of the above-described kit includes a solid support to which said polypeptide antigen is attached.
  • a kit may also include a non-attached reporter-labeled anti-human antibody.
  • binding of the antibody to the polypeptide antigen can be detected by binding of the said reporter-labeled antibody.
  • the invention includes a diagnostic kit for use in screening serum containing antigens of the polypeptide of the invention.
  • the diagnostic kit includes a substantially isolated antibody specifically immunoreactive with polypeptide or polynucleotide antigens, and means for detecting the binding of the polynucleotide or polypeptide antigen to the antibody.
  • the antibody is attached to a solid support.
  • the antibody may be a monoclonal antibody.
  • the detecting means of the kit may include a second, labeled monoclonal antibody. Alternatively, or in addition, the detecting means may include a labeled, competing antigen.
  • test serum is reacted with a solid phase reagent having a surface-bound antigen obtained by the methods of the present invention.
  • the reagent After binding with specific antigen antibody to the reagent and removing unbound serum components by washing, the reagent is reacted with reporter-labeled anti-human antibody to bind reporter to the reagent in proportion to the amount of bound anti-antigen antibody on the solid support.
  • the reagent is again washed to remove unbound labeled antibody, and the amount of reporter associated with the reagent is determined.
  • the reporter is an enzyme which is detected by incubating the solid phase in the presence of a suitable fluorometric, luminescent or colorimetric substrate (Sigma, St. Louis, MO).
  • the solid surface reagent in the above assay is prepared by known techniques for attaching protein material to solid support material, such as polymeric beads, dip sticks, 96-well plate or filter material. These attachment methods generally include non-specific adso ⁇ tion of the protein to the support or covalent attachment of the protein, typically through a free amine group, to a chemically reactive group on the solid support, such as an activated carboxyl, hydroxyl, or aldehyde group. Alternatively, streptavidin coated plates can be used in conjunction with biotinylated antigen(s).
  • the invention provides an assay system or kit for ca ⁇ ying out this diagnostic method.
  • the kit generally includes a support with surface- bound recombinant antigens, and a reporter-labeled anti-human antibody for detecting surface-bound anti-antigen antibody.
  • any polypeptide of the present invention can be used to generate fusion proteins.
  • the polypeptide of the present invention when fused to a second protein, can be used as an antigenic tag.
  • Antibodies raised against the polypeptide of the present invention can be used to indirectly detect the second protein by binding to the polypeptide.
  • secreted proteins target cellular locations based on trafficking signals, the polypeptides of the present invention can be used as targeting molecules once fused to other proteins.
  • domains that can be fused to polypeptides of the present invention include not only heterologous signal sequences, but also other heterologous functional regions.
  • the fusion does not necessarily need to be direct, but may occur through linker sequences.
  • fusion proteins may also be engineered to improve characteristics of the polypeptide of the present invention. For instance, a region of additional amino acids, particularly charged amino acids, may be added to the N-terminus of the polypeptide to improve stability and persistence during purification from the host cell or subsequent handling and storage. Also, peptide moieties may be added to the polypeptide to facilitate purification. Such regions may be removed prior to final preparation of the polypeptide. The addition of peptide moieties to facilitate handling of polypeptides are familiar and routine techniques in the art.
  • polypeptides of the present invention can be combined with parts of the constant domain of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM) or portions thereof (CHI, CH2, CH3, and any combination thereof, including both entire domains and portions thereof), resulting in chimeric polypeptides.
  • immunoglobulins IgA, IgE, IgG, IgM
  • Fusion proteins having disulfide-linked dimeric structures can also be more efficient in binding and neutralizing other molecules, than the monomeric secreted protein or protein fragment alone.
  • Fusion proteins having disulfide-linked dimeric structures due to the IgG
  • Polynucleotides comprising or alternatively consisting of nucleic acids which encode these fusion proteins are also encompassed by the invention.
  • EP-A-O 464 533 (Canadian counte ⁇ art 2045869) discloses fusion proteins comprising various portions of constant region of immunoglobulin molecules together with another human protein or part thereof.
  • the Fc part in a fusion protein is beneficial in therapy and diagnosis, and thus can result in, for example, improved pharmacokinetic properties.
  • EP-A 0232 262. Alternatively, deleting the Fc part after the fusion protein has been expressed, detected, and purified, would be desired. For example, the Fc portion may hinder therapy and diagnosis if the fusion protein is used as an antigen for immunizations.
  • human proteins such as hIL-5
  • Fc portions for the pu ⁇ ose of high-throughput screening assays to identify antagonists of hIL-5.
  • the polypeptides of the present invention can be fused to marker sequences, such as a peptide which facilitates purification of the fused polypeptide.
  • the marker amino acid sequence is a hexa-histidine peptide, such as the tag provided in a pQE vector (QIAGEN, Inc., 9259 Eton Avenue, Chatsworth, CA, 91311), among others, many of which are commercially available.
  • hexa-histidine provides for convenient purification of the fusion protein.
  • Another peptide tag useful for purification, the "HA" tag co ⁇ esponds to an epitope derived from the influenza hemagglutinin protein. (Wilson et al., Cell 37:767 (1984).)
  • any of these above fusions can be engineered using the polynucleotides or the polypeptides of the present invention.
  • the present invention also relates to vectors containing the polynucleotide of the present invention, host cells, and the production of polypeptides by recombinant techniques.
  • the vector may be, for example, a phage, plasmid, viral, or retroviral vector.
  • Retroviral vectors may be replication competent or replication defective. In the latter case, viral propagation generally will occur only in complementing host cells.
  • the polynucleotides may be joined to a vector containing a selectable marker for propagation in a host.
  • a plasmid vector is introduced in a precipitate, such as a calcium phosphate precipitate, or in a complex with a charged lipid. If the vector is a virus, it may be packaged in vitro using an appropriate packaging cell line and then transduced into host cells.
  • the polynucleotide insert should be operatively linked to an appropriate promoter, such as the phage lambda PL promoter, the E. coli lac, tip, phoA and tac promoters, the SV40 early and late promoters and promoters of retroviral LTRs, to name a few. Other suitable promoters will be known to the skilled artisan.
  • the expression constructs will further contain sites for transcription initiation, termination, and, in the transcribed region, a ribosome binding site for translation.
  • the coding portion of the transcripts expressed by the constructs will preferably include a translation initiating codon at the beginning and a termination codon (UAA, UGA or UAG) appropriately positioned at the end of the polypeptide to be translated.
  • the expression vectors will preferably include at least one selectable marker.
  • markers include dihydrofolate reductase, G418 or neomycin resistance for eukaryotic cell culture and tetracycline, kanamycin or ampicillin resistance genes for culturing in E. coli and other bacteria.
  • Representative examples of appropriate hosts include, but are not limited to, bacterial cells, such as E. coli, Streptomyces and Salmonella typhimurium cells; fungal cells, such as yeast cells (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Pichia pastoris (ATCC Accession No.
  • insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9 cells
  • animal cells such as CHO, COS, 293, and Bowes melanoma cells
  • plant cells Appropriate culture mediums and conditions for the above-described host cells are known in the art.
  • vectors prefe ⁇ ed for use in bacteria include pQE70, pQE60 and pQE- 9, available from QIAGEN, Inc.; pBluescript vectors, Phagescript vectors, pNH8A, pNHl ⁇ a, pNH18A, pNH46A, available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, Inc.; and ptrc99a, ⁇ KK223-3, ⁇ KK233-3, pDR540, pRIT5 available from Pharmacia Biotech, Inc.
  • prefe ⁇ ed eukaryotic vectors are pWLNEO, pSV2CAT, pOG44, pXTl and pSG available from Stratagene; and ⁇ SVK3, pBPV, pMSG and pSVL available from Pharmacia.
  • Prefe ⁇ ed expression vectors for use in yeast systems include, but are not limited to pYES2, pYDl, pTEFl/Zeo, pYES2/GS, pPICZ.pGAPZ, pGAPZalph, pPIC9, pPIC3.5, pHIL-D2, pHIL-Sl, pPIC3.5K, pPIC9K, and PAO815 (all available from Invitrogen, Carlbad, CA).
  • Other suitable vectors will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan.
  • Introduction of the construct into the host cell can be effected by calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection, electroporation, transduction, infection, or other methods. Such methods are described in many standard laboratory manuals, such as Davis et al., Basic Methods In Molecular Biology (1986). It is specifically contemplated that the polypeptides of the present invention may in fact be expressed by a host cell lacking a recombinant vector.
  • a polypeptide of this invention can be recovered and purified from recombinant cell cultures by well-known methods including ammonium sulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cation exchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatite chromatography and lectin chromatography. Most preferably, high performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”) is employed for purification.
  • HPLC high performance liquid chromatography
  • Polypeptides of the present invention can also be recovered from: products purified from natural sources, including bodily fluids, tissues and cells, whether directly isolated or cultured; products of chemical synthetic procedures; and products produced by recombinant techniques from a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host, including, for example, bacterial, yeast, higher plant, insect, and mammalian cells.
  • a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host including, for example, bacterial, yeast, higher plant, insect, and mammalian cells.
  • the polypeptides of the present invention may be glycosylated or may be non- glycosylated.
  • polypeptides of the invention may also include an initial modified methionine residue, in some cases as a result of host- mediated processes.
  • N-terminal methionine encoded by the translation initiation codon generally is removed with high efficiency from any protein after translation in all eukaryotic cells. While the N-terminal methionine on most proteins also is efficiently removed in most prokaryotes, for some proteins, this prokaryotic removal process is inefficient, depending on the nature of the amino acid to which the N-terminal methionine is covalently linked.
  • the yeast Pichia pastoris is used to express the polypeptide of the present invention in a eukaryotic system.
  • Pichia pastoris is a methylotrophic yeast which can metabolize methanol as its sole carbon source.
  • a main step in the methanol metabolization pathway is the oxidation of methanol to formaldehyde using O 2 . This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme alcohol oxidase.
  • Pichia pastoris In order to metabolize methanol as its sole carbon source, Pichia pastoris must generate high levels of alcohol oxidase due, in part, to the relatively low affinity of alcohol oxidase for O 2 .
  • alcohol oxidase produced from the AOX1 gene comprises up to approximately 30% of the total soluble protein in Pichia pastoris. See, Ellis, S.B., et al, Mol Cell. Biol. 5:1111-21 (1985); Koutz, P.J, et al, Yeast 5:167-77 (1989); Tschopp, J.F., et al, Nucl Acids Res. 15:3859-76 (1987).
  • a heterologous coding sequence such as, for example, a polynucleotide of the present invention, under the transcriptional regulation of all or part of the AOX1 regulatory sequence is expressed at exceptionally high levels in Pichia yeast grown in the presence of methanol.
  • the plasmid vector pPIC9K is used to express DNA encoding a polypeptide of the invention, as set forth herein, in a Pichea yeast system essentially as described in "Pichia Protocols: Methods in Molecular Biology," D.R. Higgins and J. Cregg, eds. The Humana Press, Totowa, NJ, 1998.
  • This expression vector allows expression and secretion of a protein of the invention by virtue of the strong AOX1 promoter linked to the Pichia pastoris alkaline phosphatase (PHO) secretory signal peptide (i.e., leader) located upstream of a multiple cloning site.
  • PHO alkaline phosphatase
  • yeast vectors could be used in place of pPIC9K, such as, pYES2, pYDl, pTEFl/Zeo, pYES2/GS, pPICZ, pGAPZ, pGAPZalpha, pPIC9, pPIC3.5, pHIL-D2, pHIL-Sl, pPIC3.5K, and PAO815, as one skilled in the art would readily appreciate, as long as the proposed expression construct provides appropriately located signals for transcription, translation, secretion (if desired), and the like, including an in-frame AUG as required.
  • high-level expression of a heterologous coding sequence such as, for example, a polynucleotide of the present invention
  • a heterologous coding sequence such as, for example, a polynucleotide of the present invention
  • an expression vector such as, for example, pGAPZ or pGAPZalpha
  • the invention also encompasses primary, secondary, and immortalized host cells of vertebrate origin, particularly mammalian origin, that have been engineered to delete or replace endogenous genetic material (e.g., coding sequence), and/or to include genetic material (e.g., heterologous polynucleotide sequences) that is operably associated with the polynucleotides of the invention, and which activates, alters, and/or amplifies endogenous polynucleotides.
  • endogenous genetic material e.g., coding sequence
  • genetic material e.g., heterologous polynucleotide sequences
  • heterologous control regions e.g., promoter and/or enhancer
  • endogenous polynucleotide sequences via homologous recombination, resulting in the formation of a new transcription unit
  • heterologous control regions e.g., promoter and/or enhancer
  • endogenous polynucleotide sequences via homologous recombination, resulting in the formation of a new transcription unit
  • polypeptides of the invention can be chemically synthesized using techniques known in the art (e.g., see Creighton, 1983, Proteins: Structures and Molecular Principles, W.H. Freeman & Co., N.Y., and HunkapiUer et al., Nature, 310:105-111 (1984)).
  • a polypeptide co ⁇ esponding to a fragment of a polypeptide sequence of the invention can be synthesized by use of a peptide synthesizer.
  • nonclassical amino acids or chemical amino acid analogs can be introduced as a substitution or addition into the polypeptide sequence.
  • Non-classical amino acids include, but are not limited to, to the D-isomers of the common amino acids, 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, a-amino isobutyric acid, 4- aminobutyric acid, Abu, 2-amino butyric acid, g-Abu, e-Ahx, 6-amino hexanoic acid, Aib, 2-amino isobutyric acid, 3-amino propionic acid, ornithine, norleucine, norvaline, hydroxyproline, sarcosine, citrulline, homocitrulline, cysteic acid, t- butylglycine, t-butylalanine, phenylglycine, cyclohexylalanine, b-alanine, fluoro- amino acids, designer amino acids such as b-methyl amino acids, Ca-methyl amino acids, Na-methyl amino acids, and amino acid analogs in general. Furthermore, the amino acid can be D (
  • the invention encompasses polypeptides which are differentially modified during or after translation, e.g., by glycosylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, amidation, derivatization by known protecting/blocking groups, proteolytic cleavage, linkage to an antibody molecule or other cellular ligand, etc. Any of numerous chemical modifications may be carried out by known techniques, including but not limited, to specific chemical cleavage by cyanogen bromide, trypsin, chymotrypsin, papain, V8 protease, NaBH ; acetylation, formylation, oxidation, reduction; metabolic synthesis in the presence of tunicamycin; etc.
  • Additional post-translational modifications encompassed by the invention include, for example, e.g., N-linked or O-linked carbohydrate chains, processing of N-terminal or C-terminal ends), attachment of chemical moieties to the amino acid backbone, chemical modifications of N-linked or O-linked carbohydrate chains, and addition or deletion of an N-terminal methionine residue as a result of procaryotic host cell expression.
  • the polypeptides may also be modified with a detectable label, such as an enzymatic, fluorescent, isotopic or affinity label to allow for detection and isolation of the protein.
  • the chemical moieties for derivitization may be selected from water soluble polymers such as polyethylene glycol, ethylene glycol/propylene glycol copolymers, carboxymethylcellulose, dextran, polyvinyl alcohol and the like.
  • the polypeptides may be modified at random positions within the molecule, or at predetermined positions within the molecule and may include one, two, three or more attached chemical moieties.
  • the polymer may be of any molecular weight, and may be branched or unbranched.
  • the prefe ⁇ ed molecular weight is between about 1 kDa and about 100 kDa (the term "about” indicating that in preparations of polyethylene glycol, some molecules will weigh more, some less, than the stated molecular weight) for ease in handling and manufacturing.
  • Other sizes may be used, depending on the desired therapeutic profile (e.g., the duration of sustained release desired, the effects, if any on biological activity, the ease in handling, the degree or lack of antigenicity and other known effects of the polyethylene glycol to a therapeutic protein or analog).
  • the polyethylene glycol may have an average molecular weight of about 200, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 3500, 4000, 4500, 5000, 5500, 6000, 6500, 7000, 7500, 8000, 8500, 9000, 9500, 10,000, 10,500, 11 ,000, 11,500, 12,000, 12,500, 13,000, 13,500, 14,000, 14,500, 15,000, 15,500, 16,000, 16,500, 17,000, 17,500, 18,000, 18,500, 19,000, 19,500, 20,000, 25,000, 30,000, 35,000, 40,000, 50,000, 55,000, 60,000, 65,000, 70,000, 75,000, 80,000, 85,000, 90,000, 95,000, or 100,000 kDa.
  • the polyethylene glycol may have a branched structure.
  • Branched polyethylene glycols are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,643,575; Mo ⁇ urgo et al, Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 56:59-72 (1996); Vorobjev et al, Nucleosides Nucleotides 75:2745-2750 (1999); and Caliceti et al, Bioconjug. Chem. 70:638-646 (1999), the disclosures of each of which are inco ⁇ orated herein by reference.
  • polyethylene glycol molecules should be attached to the protein with consideration of effects on functional or antigenic domains of the protein.
  • attachment methods available to those skilled in the art, e.g., EP 0 401 384, herein inco ⁇ orated by reference (coupling PEG to G-CSF), see also Malik et al., Exp. Hematol. 20:1028-1035 (1992) (reporting pegylation of GM-CSF using tresyl chloride).
  • polyethylene glycol may be covalently bound through amino acid residues via a reactive group, such as, a free amino or carboxyl group. Reactive groups are those to which an activated polyethylene glycol molecule may be bound.
  • the amino acid residues having a free amino group may include lysine residues and the N-terminal amino acid residues; those having a free carboxyl group may include aspartic acid residues glutamic acid residues and the C-terminal amino acid residue.
  • Sulfhydryl groups may also be used as a reactive group for attaching the polyethylene glycol molecules. Prefe ⁇ ed for therapeutic pu ⁇ oses is attachment at an amino group, such as attachment at the N-terminus or lysine group.
  • polyethylene glycol may be attached to proteins via linkage to any of a number of amino acid residues.
  • polyethylene glycol can be linked to a proteins via covalent bonds to lysine, histidine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, or cysteine residues.
  • One or more reaction chemistries may be employed to attach polyethylene glycol to specific amino acid residues (e.g., lysine, histidine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, or cysteine) of the protein or to more than one type of amino acid residue (e.g., lysine, histidine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, cysteine and combinations thereof) of the protein.
  • polyethylene glycol as an illustration of the present composition, one may select from a variety of polyethylene glycol molecules (by molecular weight, branching, etc.), the proportion of polyethylene glycol molecules to protein (polypeptide) molecules in the reaction mix, the type of pegylation reaction to be performed, and the method of obtaining the selected N-terminally pegylated protein.
  • the method of obtaining the N-terminally pegylated preparation i.e., separating this moiety from other monopegylated moieties if necessary
  • Selective proteins chemically modified at the N-terminus modification may be accomplished by reductive alkylation which exploits differential reactivity of different types of primary amino groups (lysine versus the N-terminal) available for derivatization in a particular protein. Under the appropriate reaction conditions, substantially selective derivatization of the protein at the N-terminus with a carbonyl group containing polymer is achieved.
  • pegylation of the proteins of the invention may be accomplished by any number of means.
  • polyethylene glycol may be attached to the protein either directly or by an intervening linker. Linkerless systems for attaching polyethylene glycol to proteins are described in Delgado et al, Crit. Rev. Thera. Drug Carrier Sys. 9:249-304 (1992); Francis et al, Intern. J. of Hematol.
  • One system for attaching polyethylene glycol directly to amino acid residues of proteins without an intervening linker employs tresylated MPEG, which is produced by the modification of monmethoxy polyethylene glycol (MPEG) using tresylchloride (ClSO 2 CH 2 CF 3 ).
  • MPEG monmethoxy polyethylene glycol
  • ClSO 2 CH 2 CF 3 tresylchloride
  • polyethylene glycol is directly attached to amine groups of the protein.
  • the invention includes protein-polyethylene glycol conjugates produced by reacting proteins of the invention with a polyethylene glycol molecule having a 2,2,2-trifluoreothane sulphonyl group.
  • polyethylene glycol derivatives and reaction chemistries for attaching polyethylene glycol to proteins are described in WO 98/32466, the entire disclosure of which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference.
  • Pegylated protein products produced using the reaction chemistries set out herein are included within the scope of the invention.
  • the number of polyethylene glycol moieties attached to each protein of the invention i.e., the degree of substitution
  • the pegylated proteins of the invention may be linked, on average, to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, or more polyethylene glycol molecules.
  • the average degree of substitution within ranges such as 1-3, 2-4, 3-5, 4-6, 5-7, 6-8, 7-9, 8-10, 9-11, 10-12, 11-13, 12-14, 13-15, 14-16, 15-17, 16-18, 17-19, or 18-20 polyethylene glycol moieties per protein molecule.
  • Methods for determining the degree of substitution are discussed, for example, in Delgado et al, Crit. Rev. Thera. Drug Carrier Sys. 9:249- 304 (1992).
  • the polypeptides of the invention may be in monomers or multimers (i.e., dimers, trimers, tetramers and higher multimers). Accordingly, the present invention relates to monomers and multimers of the polypeptides of the invention, their preparation, and compositions (preferably, Therapeutics) containing them.
  • the polypeptides of the invention are monomers, dimers, trimers or tetramers.
  • the multimers of the invention are at least dimers, at least trimers, or at least tetramers.
  • Multimers encompassed by the invention may be homomers or heteromers.
  • the term homomer refers to a multimer containing only polypeptides co ⁇ esponding to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: Y or encoded by the cDNA contained in a deposited clone (including fragments, variants, splice variants, and fusion proteins, co ⁇ esponding to these polypeptides as described herein). These homomers may contain polypeptides having identical or different amino acid sequences.
  • a homomer of the invention is a multimer containing only polypeptides having an identical amino acid sequence.
  • a homomer of the invention is a multimer containing polypeptides having different amino acid sequences.
  • the multimer of the invention is a homodimer (e.g., containing polypeptides having identical or different amino acid sequences) or a homotrimer (e.g., containing polypeptides having identical and/or different amino acid sequences).
  • the homomeric multimer of the invention is at least a homodimer, at least a homotrimer, or at least a homotetramer.
  • Multimers of the invention may be the result of hydrophobic, hydrophilic, ionic and/or covalent associations and/or may be indirectly linked, by for example, liposome formation.
  • multimers of the invention such as, for example, homodimers or homotrimers, are formed when polypeptides of the invention contact one another in solution.
  • heteromultimers of the invention such as, for example, heterotrimers or heterotetramers, are formed when polypeptides of the invention contact antibodies to the polypeptides of the invention (including antibodies to the heterologous polypeptide sequence in a fusion protein of the invention) in solution.
  • multimers of the invention are formed by covalent associations with and/or between the polypeptides of the invention.
  • covalent associations may involve one or more amino acid residues contained in the polypeptide sequence (e.g., that recited in the sequence listing, or contained in the polypeptide encoded by a deposited clone).
  • the covalent associations are cross-linking between cysteine residues located within the polypeptide sequences which interact in the native (i.e., naturally occurring) polypeptide.
  • the covalent associations are the consequence of chemical or recombinant manipulation.
  • such covalent associations may involve one or more amino acid residues contained in the heterologous polypeptide sequence in a fusion protein of the invention.
  • covalent associations are between the heterologous sequence contained in a fusion protein of the invention (see, e.g., US Patent Number 5,478,925).
  • the covalent associations are between the heterologous sequence contained in an Fc fusion protein of the invention (as described herein).
  • covalent associations of fusion proteins of the invention are between heterologous polypeptide sequence from another protein that is capable of forming covalently associated multimers, such as for example, oseteoprotegerin (see, e.g., International Publication NO: WO 98/49305, the contents of which are herein inco ⁇ orated by reference in its entirety).
  • two or more polypeptides of the invention are joined through peptide linkers.
  • peptide linkers include those peptide linkers described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,073,627 (hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference). Proteins comprising multiple polypeptides of the invention separated by peptide linkers may be produced using conventional recombinant DNA technology.
  • Leucine zipper and isoleucine zipper domains are polypeptides that promote multimerization of the proteins in which they are found.
  • Leucine zippers were originally identified in several DNA-binding proteins (Landschulz et al., Science 240:1759, (1988)), and have since been found in a variety of different proteins.
  • Leucine zippers are naturally occurring peptides and derivatives thereof that dimerize or trimerize.
  • leucine zipper domains suitable for producing soluble multimeric proteins of the invention are those described in PCT application WO 94/10308, hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference.
  • Recombinant fusion proteins comprising a polypeptide of the invention fused to a polypeptide sequence that dimerizes or trimerizes in solution are expressed in suitable host cells, and the resulting soluble multimeric fusion protein is recovered from the culture supernatant using techniques known in the art.
  • Trimeric polypeptides of the invention may offer the advantage of enhanced biological activity.
  • Prefe ⁇ ed leucine zipper moieties and isoleucine moieties are those that preferentially form trimers.
  • One example is a leucine zipper derived from lung surfactant protein D (SPD), as described in Hoppe et al. (FEBS Letters 344:191, (1994)) and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/446,922, hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference.
  • Other peptides derived from naturally occurring trimeric proteins may be employed in preparing trimeric polypeptides of the invention.
  • proteins of the invention are associated by interactions between Flag® polypeptide sequence contained in fusion proteins of the invention . containing Flag® polypeptide seuqence.
  • associations proteins of the invention are associated by interactions between heterologous polypeptide sequence contained in Flag® fusion proteins of the invention and anti- Flag® antibody.
  • the multimers of the invention may be generated using chemical techniques known in the art.
  • polypeptides desired to be contained in the multimers of the invention may be chemically cross-linked using linker molecules and linker molecule length optimization techniques known in the art (see, e.g., US Patent Number 5,478,925, which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference in its entirety).
  • multimers of the invention may be generated using techniques known in the art to form one or more inter-molecule cross-links between the cysteine residues located within the sequence of the polypeptides desired to be contained in the multimer (see, e.g., US Patent Number 5,478,925, which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference in its entirety).
  • multimers of the invention may be generated using genetic engineering techniques known in the art.
  • polypeptides contained in multimers of the invention are produced recombinantly using fusion protein technology described herein or otherwise known in the art (see, e.g., US Patent Number 5,478,925, which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference in its entirety).
  • recombinant techniques described herein or otherwise known in the art are applied to generate recombinant polypeptides of the invention which contain a transmembrane domain (or hyrophobic or signal peptide) and which can be inco ⁇ orated by membrane reconstitution techniques into liposomes (see, e.g., US Patent Number 5,478,925, which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference in its entirety).
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention are useful for chromosome identification. There exists an ongoing need to identify new chromosome markers, since few chromosome marking reagents, based on actual sequence data (repeat polymo ⁇ hisms), are presently available. Each polynucleotide of the present invention can be used as a chromosome marker.
  • sequences can be mapped to chromosomes by preparing PCR primers (preferably 15-25 bp) from the sequences shown in SEQ ED NO:X. Primers can be selected using computer analysis so that primers do not span more than one predicted exon in the genomic DNA. These primers are then used for PCR screening of somatic cell hybrids containing individual human chromosomes. Only those hybrids containing the human gene co ⁇ esponding to the SEQ ID NO:X will yield an amplified fragment. Similarly, somatic hybrids provide a rapid method of PCR mapping the polynucleotides to particular chromosomes. Three or more clones can be assigned per day using a single thermal cycler.
  • sublocalization of the polynucleotides can be achieved with panels of specific chromosome fragments.
  • Other gene mapping strategies that can be used include in situ hybridization, prescreening with labeled flow-sorted chromosomes, preselection by hybridization to construct chromosome specific-cDNA libraries and computer mapping techniques (See, e.g., Shuler, Trends Biotechnol 16:456-459 (1998) which is hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference in its entirety).
  • FISH fluorescence in situ hybridization
  • the polynucleotides can be used individually (to mark a single chromosome or a single site on that chromosome) or in panels (for marking multiple sites and/or multiple chromosomes).
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention would likewise be useful for radiation hybrid mapping, HAPPY mapping, and long range restriction mapping.
  • HAPPY mapping high range restriction mapping
  • Linkage analysis establishes coinheritance between a chromosomal location and presentation of a particular disease.
  • Disease mapping data are found, for example, in V. McKusick, Mendelian Inheritance in Man (available on line through Johns Hopkins University Welch Medical Library) .
  • a cDNA precisely localized to a chromosomal region associated with the disease could be one of 50-500 potential causative genes.
  • the invention also provides a diagnostic method useful during diagnosis of a disorder, involving measuring the expression level of polynucleotides of the present invention in cells or body fluid from an individual and comparing the measured gene expression level with a standard level of polynucleotide expression level, whereby an increase or decrease in the gene expression level compared to the standard is indicative of a disorder.
  • the invention includes a kit for analyzing samples for the presence of proliferative and/or cancerous polynucleotides derived from a test subject.
  • the kit includes at least one polynucleotide probe containing a nucleotide sequence that will specifically hybridize with a polynucleotide of the present invention and a suitable container.
  • the kit includes two polynucleotide probes defining an internal region of the polynucleotide of the present invention, where each probe has one strand containing a 31 'mer-end internal to the region.
  • the probes may be useful as primers for polymerase chain reaction amplification.
  • the present invention is useful as a prognostic indicator, whereby patients exhibiting enhanced or depressed polynucleotide of the present invention expression will experience a worse clinical outcome relative to patients expressing the gene at a level nearer the standard level.
  • measuring the expression level of polynucleotide of the present invention is intended qualitatively or quantitatively measuring or estimating the level of the polypeptide of the present invention or the level of the mRNA encoding the polypeptide in a first biological sample either directly (e.g., by determining or estimating absolute protein level or mRNA level) or relatively (e.g., by comparing to the polypeptide level or mRNA level in a second biological sample).
  • the polypeptide level or mRNA level in the first biological sample is measured or estimated and compared to a standard polypeptide level or mRNA level, the standard being taken from a second biological sample obtained from an individual not having the disorder or being determined by averaging levels from a population of individuals not having a disorder.
  • a standard polypeptide level or mRNA level is known, it can be used repeatedly as a standard for comparison.
  • biological sample any biological sample obtained from an individual, body fluid, cell line, tissue culture, or other source which contains the polypeptide of the present invention or mRNA.
  • biological samples include body fluids (such as semen, lymph, sera, plasma, urine, synovial fluid and spinal fluid) which contain the polypeptide of the present invention, and other tissue sources found to express the polypeptide of the present invention. Methods for obtaining tissue biopsies and body fluids from mammals are well known in the art. Where the biological sample is to include mRNA, a tissue biopsy is the prefe ⁇ ed source.
  • the method(s) provided above may prefe ⁇ ably be applied in a diagnostic method and/or kits in which polynucleotides and/or polypeptides are attached to a solid support.
  • the support may be a "gene chip” or a "biological chip” as described in US Patents 5,837,832, 5,874,219, and 5,856,174.
  • a gene chip with polynucleotides of the present invention attached may be used to identify polymo ⁇ hisms between the polynucleotide sequences, with polynucleotides isolated from a test subject. The knowledge of such polymo ⁇ hisms (i.e.
  • the present invention encompasses polynucleotides of the present invention that are chemically synthesized, or reproduced as peptide nucleic acids (PNA), or according to other methods known in the art.
  • PNA peptide nucleic acids
  • the use of PNAs would serve as the prefe ⁇ ed form if the polynucleotides are inco ⁇ orated onto a solid support, or gene chip.
  • a peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a polyamide type of DNA analog and the monomeric units for adenine, guanine, thymine and cytosine are available commercially (Perceptive Biosystems).
  • PNAs phosphorus, phosphorus oxides, or deoxyribose derivatives
  • PNAs bind specifically and tightly to complementary DNA strands and are not degraded by nucleases. In fact, PNA binds more strongly to DNA than DNA itself does.
  • PNA/DNA duplexes bind under a wider range of stringency conditions than DNA/DNA duplexes, making it easier to perform multiplex hybridization. Smaller probes can be used than with DNA due to the strong binding.
  • single base mismatches can be determined with PNA/DNA hybridization because a single mismatch in a PNA/DNA 15-mer lowers the melting point (T.sub.m) by 8°-20° C, vs. 4°-16° C for the DNA DNA 15- mer duplex.
  • T.sub.m melting point
  • the absence of charge groups in PNA means that hybridization can be done at low ionic strengths and reduce possible interference by salt during the analysis.
  • the present invention is useful for detecting cancer in mammals.
  • the invention is useful during diagnosis of pathological cell proliferative neoplasias which include, but are not limited to: acute myelogenous leukemias including acute monocytic leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute myelomonocytic leukemia, acute erythroleukemia, acute megakaryocytic leukemia, and acute undifferentiated leukemia, etc.; and chronic myelogenous leukemias including chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, chronic granulocytic leukemia, etc.
  • Preferred mammals include monkeys, apes, cats, dogs, cows, pigs, horses, rabbits and humans. Particularly prefe ⁇ ed are humans.
  • Neoplasias are now believed to result from the qualitative alteration of a normal cellular gene product, or from the quantitative modification of gene expression by insertion into the chromosome of a viral sequence, by chromosomal translocation of a gene to a more actively transcribed region, or by some other mechanism.
  • a polynucleotide can be used to control gene expression through triple helix formation or antisense DNA or RNA.
  • Antisense techniques are discussed, for example, in Okano, J. Neurochem. 56: 560 (1991); "Oligodeoxynucleotides as Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression,CRCPress, Boca Raton, FL (1988). Triple helix formation is discussed in, for instance Lee et al., Nucleic Acids Research 6: 3073 (1979); Cooney et al., Science 241: 456 (1988); and Dervan et al., Science 251 : 1360 (1991).
  • prefe ⁇ ed polynucleotides are usually oligonucleotides 20 to 40 bases in length and complementary to either the region of the gene involved in transcription (triple helix - see Lee et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 3:173 (1979); Cooney et al., Science 241 :456 (1988); and Dervan et al., Science 251 :1360 (1991) ) or to the mRNA itself (antisense - Okano, J. Neurochem.
  • Polynucleotides of the present invention are also useful in gene therapy.
  • One goal of gene therapy is to insert a normal gene into an organism having a defective gene, in an effort to co ⁇ ect the genetic defect.
  • the polynucleotides disclosed in the present invention offer a means of targeting such genetic defects in a highly accurate manner.
  • Another goal is to insert a new gene that was not present in the host genome, thereby producing a new trait in the host cell.
  • the polynucleotides are also useful for identifying individuals from minute biological samples. The United States military, for example, is considering the use of restriction fragment length polymo ⁇ hism (RFLP) for identification of its personnel.
  • RFLP restriction fragment length polymo ⁇ hism
  • an individual's genomic DNA is digested with one or more restriction enzymes, and probed on a Southern blot to yield unique bands for identifying personnel.
  • This method does not suffer from the cu ⁇ ent limitations of "Dog Tags" which can be lost, switched, or stolen, making positive identification difficult.
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention can be used as additional DNA markers for RFLP.
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention can also be used as an alternative to RFLP, by determining the actual base-by-base DNA sequence of selected portions of an individual's genome. These sequences can be used to prepare PCR primers for amplifying and isolating such selected DNA, which can then be sequenced. Using this technique, individuals can be identified because each individual will have a unique set of DNA sequences. Once an unique ID database is established for an individual, positive identification of that individual, living or dead, can be made from extremely small tissue samples. Forensic biology also benefits from using DNA-based identification techniques as disclosed herein.
  • DNA sequences taken from very small biological samples such as tissues, e.g., hair or skin, or body fluids, e.g., blood, saliva, semen, synovial fluid, amniotic fluid, breast milk, lymph, pulmonary sputum or surfactant,urine,fecal matter, etc.
  • body fluids e.g., blood, saliva, semen, synovial fluid, amniotic fluid, breast milk, lymph, pulmonary sputum or surfactant,urine,fecal matter, etc.
  • gene sequences amplified from polymo ⁇ hic loci such as DQa class II HLA gene, are used in forensic biology to identify individuals. (Erlich, H., PCR Technology, Freeman and Co.
  • polynucleotides of the present invention can be used as polymo ⁇ hic markers for forensic pu ⁇ oses.
  • reagents capable of identifying the source of a particular tissue. Such need arises, for example, in forensics when presented with tissue of unknown origin.
  • Appropriate reagents can comprise, for example, DNA probes or primers specific to particular tissue prepared from the sequences of the present invention. Panels of such reagents can identify tissue by species and/or by organ type. In a similar fashion, these reagents can be used to screen tissue cultures for contamination.
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention can be used as molecular weight markers on Southern gels, as diagnostic probes for the presence of a specific mRNA in a particular cell type, as a probe to "subtract-out" known sequences in the process of discovering novel polynucleotides, for selecting and making oligomers for attachment to a "gene chip” or other support, to raise anti-DNA antibodies using DNA immunization techniques, and as an antigen to elicit an immune response.
  • a polypeptide of the present invention can be used to assay protein levels in a biological sample using antibody-based techniques.
  • protein expression in tissues can be studied with classical immunohistological methods.
  • Other antibody-based methods useful for detecting protein gene expression include immunoassays, such as the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the radioimmunoassay (RIA).
  • ELISA enzyme linked immunosorbent assay
  • RIA radioimmunoassay
  • Suitable antibody assay labels are known in the art and include enzyme labels, such as, glucose oxidase, and radioisotopes, such as iodine (1251, 1211), carbon (14C), sulfur (35S), tritium (3H), indium (112In), and technetium (99mTc), and fluorescent labels, such as fluorescein and rhodamine, and biotin.
  • enzyme labels such as, glucose oxidase, and radioisotopes, such as iodine (1251, 1211), carbon (14C), sulfur (35S), tritium (3H), indium (112In), and technetium (99mTc)
  • fluorescent labels such as fluorescein and rhodamine, and biotin.
  • proteins can also be detected in vivo by imaging.
  • Antibody labels or markers for in vivo imaging of protein include those detectable by X-radiography, NMR or ESR.
  • a protein-specific antibody or antibody fragment which has been labeled with an appropriate detectable imaging moiety such as a radioisotope (for example, 1311, 112In, 99mTc), a radio-opaque substance, or a material detectable by nuclear magnetic resonance, is introduced (for example, parenterally, subcutaneously, or intraperitoneally) into the mammal.
  • a radioisotope for example, 1311, 112In, 99mTc
  • a radio-opaque substance for example, parenterally, subcutaneously, or intraperitoneally
  • the quantity of radioactivity injected will normally range from about 5 to 20 millicuries of 99mTc.
  • the labeled antibody or antibody fragment will then preferentially accumulate at the location of cells which contain the specific protein.
  • In vivo tumor imaging is described in S.W. Burchiel et al., "Immunopharmacokmetics of Radiolabeled Antibodies and Their Fragments.” (Chapter 13 in Tumor Imaging: The Radiochemical Detection of Cancer, S.W. Burchiel and B. A. Rhodes, eds., Masson Publishing Inc.
  • the invention provides a diagnostic method of a disorder, which involves (a) assaying the expression of a polypeptide of the present invention in cells or body fluid of an individual; (b) comparing the level of gene expression with a standard gene expression level, whereby an increase or decrease in the assayed polypeptide gene expression level compared to the standard expression level is indicative of a disorder.
  • a diagnostic method of a disorder which involves (a) assaying the expression of a polypeptide of the present invention in cells or body fluid of an individual; (b) comparing the level of gene expression with a standard gene expression level, whereby an increase or decrease in the assayed polypeptide gene expression level compared to the standard expression level is indicative of a disorder.
  • the presence of a relatively high amount of transcript in biopsied tissue from an individual may indicate a predisposition for the development of the disease, or may provide a means for detecting the disease prior to the appearance of actual clinical symptoms.
  • a more definitive diagnosis of this type may allow health professionals to employ preventative measures
  • antibodies directed to a polypeptide of the present invention can also be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose disease.
  • administration of an antibody directed to a polypeptide of the present invention can bind and reduce ove ⁇ roduction of the polypeptide.
  • administration of an antibody can activate the polypeptide, such as by binding to a polypeptide bound to a membrane (receptor).
  • the polypeptides of the present invention can be used as molecular weight markers on SDS-PAGE gels or on molecular sieve gel filtration columns using methods well known to those of skill in the art.
  • Polypeptides can also be used to raise antibodies, which in turn are used to measure protein expression from a recombinant cell, as a way of assessing transformation of the host cell. Moreover, the polypeptides of the present invention can be used to test the following biological activities.
  • Another aspect of the present invention is to gene therapy methods for treatingor preventing disorders, diseases and conditions.
  • the gene therapy methods relate to the introduction of nucleic acid (DNA, RNA and antisense DNA or RNA) sequences into an animal to achieve expression of a polypeptide of the present invention.
  • This method requires a polynucleotide which codes for a polypeptide of the invention that operatively linked to a promoter and any other genetic elements necessary for the expression of the polypeptide by the target tissue.
  • Such gene therapy and delivery techniques are known in the art, see, for example, WO90/11092, which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference.
  • cells from a patient may be engineered with a polynucleotide (DNA or RNA) comprising a promoter operably linked to a polynucleotide of the invention ex vivo, with the engineered cells then being provided to a patient to be treated with the polypeptide.
  • a polynucleotide DNA or RNA
  • Such methods are well-known in the art. For example, see Belldegrun et al., J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 85:207-216 (1993); Fe ⁇ antini et al., Cancer Research, 53:107-1112 (1993); Fe ⁇ antini et al., J. Immunology 153: 4604-4615 (1994); Kaido, T., et al., Int. J.
  • the cells which are engineered are arterial cells.
  • the arterial cells may be reintroduced into the patient through direct injection to the artery, the tissues su ⁇ ounding the artery, or through catheter injection.
  • the polynucleotide of the invention is delivered as a naked polynucleotide.
  • naked polynucleotide, DNA or RNA refers to sequences that are free from any delivery vehicle that acts to assist, promote or facilitate entry into the cell, including viral sequences, viral particles, liposome formulations, lipofectin or precipitating agents and the like.
  • the polynucleotides of the invention can also be delivered in liposome formulations and lipofectin formulations and the like can be prepared by methods well known to those skilled in the art. Such methods are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,593,972, 5,589,466, and 5,580,859, which are herein inco ⁇ orated by reference.
  • polynucleotide vector constructs of the invention used in the gene therapy method are preferably constructs that will not integrate into the host genome nor will they contain sequences that allow for replication.
  • Appropriate vectors include pWLNEO, pSV2CAT, pOG44, pXTl and pSG available from Stratagene; pSVK3, pBPV, pMSG and pSVL available from Pharmacia; and pEFl/V5, pcDNA3.1, and pRc/CMV2 available from Invitrogen.
  • Other suitable vectors will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan.
  • Suitable promoters include adenoviral promoters, such as the adenoviral major late promoter; or heterologous promoters, such as the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter; the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) promoter; inducible promoters, such as the MMT promoter, the metallothionein promoter; heat shock promoters; the albumin promoter; the ApoAI promoter; human globin promoters; viral thymidine kinase promoters, such as the He ⁇ es Simplex thymidine kinase promoter; retroviral LTRs; the b-actin promoter; and human growth hormone promoters.
  • the promoter also may be the native promoter for the polynucleotides of the invention.
  • one major advantage of introducing naked nucleic acid sequences into target cells is the transitory nature of the polynucleotide synthesis in the cells. Studies have shown that non-replicating DNA sequences can be introduced into cells to provide production of the desired polypeptide for periods of up to six months.
  • the polynucleotide construct of the invention can be delivered to the interstitial space of tissues within the an animal, including of muscle, skin, brain, lung, liver, spleen, bone ma ⁇ ow, thymus, heart, lymph, blood, bone, cartilage, pancreas, kidney, gall bladder, stomach, intestine, testis, ovary, uterus, rectum, nervous system, eye, gland, and connective tissue.
  • Interstitial space of the tissues comprises the intercellular, fluid, mucopolysaccharide matrix among the reticular fibers of organ tissues, elastic fibers in the walls of vessels or chambers, collagen fibers of fibrous tissues, or that same matrix within connective tissue ensheathing muscle cells or in the lacunae of bone.
  • muscle tissue Delivery to the interstitial space of muscle tissue is prefe ⁇ ed for the reasons discussed below. They may be conveniently delivered by injection into the tissues comprising these cells. They are preferably delivered to and expressed in persistent, non-dividing cells which are differentiated, although delivery and expression may be achieved in non-differentiated or less completely differentiated cells, such as, for example, stem cells of blood or skin fibroblasts. In vivo muscle cells are particularly competent in their ability to take up and express polynucleotides.
  • the prefe ⁇ ed route of administration is by the parenteral route of injection into the interstitial space of tissues.
  • parenteral routes may also be used, such as, inhalation of an aerosol formulation particularly for delivery to lungs or bronchial tissues, throat or mucous membranes of the nose.
  • naked DNA constructs can be delivered to arteries during angioplasty by the catheter used in the procedure.
  • the naked polynucleotides are delivered by any method known in the art, including, but not limited to, direct needle injection at the delivery site, intravenous injection, topical administration, catheter infusion, and so-called "gene guns". These delivery methods are known in the art.
  • the constructs may also be delivered with delivery vehicles such as viral sequences, viral particles, liposome formulations, lipofectin, precipitating agents, etc. Such methods of delivery are known in the art.
  • the polynucleotide constructs of the invention are complexed in a liposome preparation.
  • Liposomal preparations for use in the instant invention include cationic (positively charged), anionic (negatively charged) and neutral preparations.
  • cationic liposomes are particularly prefe ⁇ ed because a tight charge complex can be formed between the cationic liposome and the polyanionic nucleic acid.
  • Cationic liposomes have been shown to mediate intracellular delivery of plasmid DNA (Feigner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • N[l-2,3-dioleyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-triethylammonium (DOTMA) liposomes are particularly useful and are available under the trademark Lipofectin, from GIBCO BRL, Grand Island, N.Y. (See, also, Feigner et al., Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA , 84:7413-7416 (1987), which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference).
  • Other commercially available liposomes include transfectace (DDAB/DOPE) and DOTAP/DOPE (Boehringer).
  • cationic liposomes can be prepared from readily available materials using techniques well known in the art. See, e.g. PCT Publication NO: WO 90/11092 (which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference) for a description of the synthesis of DOTAP (l,2-bis(oleoyloxy)-3-(trimethylammonio)propane) liposomes. Preparation of DOTMA liposomes is explained in the literature, see, e.g., Feigner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 84:7413-7417, which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference. Similar methods can be used to prepare liposomes from other cationic lipid materials.
  • anionic and neutral liposomes are readily available, such as from Avanti Polar Lipids (Birmingham, Ala.), or can be easily prepared using readily available materials.
  • Such materials include phosphatidyl, choline, cholesterol, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, dioleoylphosphatidyl choline (DOPC), dioleoylphosphatidyl glycerol (DOPG), dioleoylphoshatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE), among others.
  • DOPC dioleoylphosphatidyl choline
  • DOPG dioleoylphosphatidyl glycerol
  • DOPE dioleoylphoshatidyl ethanolamine
  • DOPC dioleoylphosphatidyl choline
  • DOPG dioleoylphosphatidyl glycerol
  • DOPE dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine
  • DOPG/DOPC vesicles can be prepared by drying 50 mg each of DOPG and DOPC under a stream of nitrogen gas into a sonication vial. The sample is placed under a vacuum pump overnight and is hydrated the following day with deionized water.
  • the sample is then sonicated for 2 hours in a capped vial, using a Heat Systems model 350 sonicator equipped with an inverted cup (bath type) probe at the maximum setting while the bath is circulated at 15EC.
  • negatively charged vesicles can be prepared without sonication to produce multilamellar vesicles or by extrusion through nucleopore membranes to produce unilamellar vesicles of discrete size.
  • Other methods are known and available to those of skill in the art.
  • the liposomes can comprise multilamellar vesicles (MLVs), small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs), or large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), with SUVs being prefe ⁇ ed.
  • MLVs multilamellar vesicles
  • SUVs small unilamellar vesicles
  • LUVs large unilamellar vesicles
  • MLVs containing nucleic acid can be prepared by depositing a thin film of phospholipid on the walls of a glass tube and subsequently hydrating with a solution of the material to be encapsulated.
  • SUVs are prepared by extended sonication of MLVs to produce a homogeneous population of unilamellar liposomes. The material to be entrapped is added to a suspension of preformed MLVs and then sonicated.
  • the dried lipid film is resuspended in an appropriate solution such as sterile water or an isotonic buffer solution such as 10 mM Tris/NaCl, sonicated, and then the preformed liposomes are mixed directly with the DNA.
  • an appropriate solution such as sterile water or an isotonic buffer solution such as 10 mM Tris/NaCl, sonicated, and then the preformed liposomes are mixed directly with the DNA.
  • the liposome and DNA form a very stable complex due to binding of the positively charged liposomes to the cationic DNA.
  • SUVs find use with small nucleic acid fragments.
  • LUVs are prepared by a number of methods, well known in the art. Commonly used methods include Ca 2+ -EDTA chelation (Papahadjopoulos et al., Biochim. Biophys.
  • the ratio of DNA to liposomes will be from about 10:1 to about 1 :10.
  • the ration will be from about 5:1 to about 1:5. More preferably, the ration will be about 3:1 to about 1 :3. Still more preferably, the ratio will be about 1:1.
  • U.S. Patent NO: 5,676,954 (which is herein inco ⁇ orated by reference) reports on the injection of genetic material, complexed with cationic liposomes carriers, into mice.
  • WO 94/9469 (which are herein inco ⁇ orated by reference) provide cationic lipids for use in transfecting DNA into cells and mammals.
  • U.S. Patent Nos. 5,589,466, 5,693,622, 5,580,859, 5,703,055, and international publication NO: WO 94/9469 (which are herein inco ⁇ orated by reference) provide methods for delivering DNA-cationic lipid complexes to mammals.
  • cells are engineered, ex vivo or in vivo, using a retroviral particle containing RNA which comprises a sequence encoding polypeptides of the invention.
  • Retroviruses from which the retroviral plasmid vectors may be derived include, but are not limited to, Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus, spleen necrosis virus, Rous sarcoma Virus, Harvey Sarcoma Virus, avian leukosis virus, gibbon ape leukemia virus, human immunodeficiency virus, Myeloproliferative Sarcoma Virus, and mammary tumor virus.
  • the retroviral plasmid vector is employed to transduce packaging cell lines to form producer cell lines.
  • packaging cells which may be transfected include, but are not limited to, the PE501, PA317, R-2, R-AM, PA12, T19-14X, VT- 19-17-H2, RCRE, RCREP, GP+E-86, GP+envAml2, and DAN cell lines as described in Miller, Human Gene Therapy , 1:5-14 (1990), which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference in its entirety.
  • the vector may transduce the packaging cells through any means known in the art. Such means include, but are not limited to, electroporation, the use of liposomes, and CaPO precipitation.
  • the retroviral plasmid vector may be encapsulated into a liposome, or coupled to a lipid, and then administered to a host.
  • the producer cell line generates infectious retroviral vector particles which include polynucleotide encoding polypeptides of the invention. Such retroviral vector particles then may be employed, to transduce eukaryotic cells, either in vitro or in vivo.
  • the transduced eukaryotic cells will express polypeptides of the invention.
  • cells are engineered, ex vivo or in vivo, with polynucleotides of the invention contained in an adenovirus vector.
  • Adenovirus can be manipulated such that it encodes and expresses polypeptides of the invention, and at the same time is inactivated in terms of its ability to replicate in a normal lytic viral life cycle.
  • Adenovirus expression is achieved without integration of the viral DNA into the host cell chromosome, thereby alleviating concerns about insertional mutagenesis.
  • adenoviruses have been used as live enteric vaccines for many years with an excellent safety profile (Schwartzet al., Am. Rev. Respir. Dis., 109:233-238 (1974)).
  • adenovirus mediated gene transfer has been demonstrated in a number of instances including transfer of alpha- 1-antitrypsin and CFTR to the lungs of cotton rats (Rosenfeld et al.,Science , 252:431-434 (1991); Rosenfeld et al., Cell, 68:143-155 (1992)).
  • extensive studies to attempt to establish adenovirus as a causative agent in human cancer were uniformly negative (Green et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 76:6606 (1979)).
  • Suitable adenoviral vectors useful in the present invention are described, for example, in Kozarsky and Wilson, Cu ⁇ . Opin. Genet. Devel., 3:499-503 (1993); Rosenfeld et al., Cell , 68:143-155 (1992); Engelhardt et al., Human Genet. Ther., 4:759-769 (1993); Yang et al., Nature Genet., 7:362-369 (1994); Wilson et al., Nature , 365:691-692 (1993); and U.S. Patent NO: 5,652,224, which are herein inco ⁇ orated by reference.
  • the adenovirus vector Ad2 is useful and can be grown in human 293 cells.
  • adenoviruses used in the present invention are replication deficient.
  • Replication deficient adenoviruses require the aid of a helper virus and/or packaging cell line to form infectious particles.
  • the resulting virus is capable of infecting cells and can express a polynucleotide of interest which is operably linked to a promoter, but cannot replicate in most cells.
  • Replication deficient adenoviruses may be deleted in one or more of all or a portion of the following genes: Ela, Elb, E3, E4, E2a, or LI through L5.
  • an appropriate AAV vector for use in the present invention will include all the sequences necessary for DNA replication, encapsidation, and host-cell integration.
  • the polynucleotide construct containing polynucleotides of the invention is inserted into the AAV vector using standard cloning methods, such as those found in Sambrook et al., Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, Cold Spring Harbor Press (1989).
  • the recombinant AAV vector is then transfected into packaging cells which are infected with a helper virus, using any standard technique, including lipofection, electroporation, calcium phosphate precipitation, etc.
  • helper viruses include adenoviruses, cytomegaloviruses, vaccinia viruses, or he ⁇ es viruses.
  • packaging cells Once the packaging cells are transfected and infected, they will produce infectious AAV viral particles which contain the polynucleotide construct of the invention. These viral particles are then used to transduce eukaryotic cells, either ex vivo or in vivo. The transduced cells will contain the polynucleotide construct integrated into its genome, and will express the desired gene product.
  • Another method of gene therapy involves operably associating heterologous control regions and endogenous polynucleotide sequences (e.g. encoding the polypeptide sequence of interest) via homologous recombination (see, e.g., U.S. Patent NO: 5,641,670, issued June 24, 1997; International Publication NO: WO 96/29411, published September 26, 1996; international Publication NO: WO 94/12650, published August 4, 1994; Roller et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 86:8932-8935 (1989); and Zijlstra et al., Nature, 342:435-438 (1989).
  • This method involves the activation of a gene which is present in the target cells, but which is not normally expressed in the cells, or is expressed at a lower level than desired.
  • Polynucleotide constructs are made, using standard techniques known in the art, which contain the promoter with targeting sequences flanking the promoter. Suitable promoters are described herein.
  • the targeting sequence is sufficiently complementary to an endogenous sequence to permit homologous recombination of the promoter-targeting sequence with the endogenous sequence.
  • the targeting sequence will be sufficiently near the 5' end of the desired endogenous polynucleotide sequence so the promoter will be operably linked to the endogenous sequence upon homologous recombination.
  • the promoter and the targeting sequences can be amplified using PCR.
  • the amplified promoter contains distinct restriction enzyme sites on the 5 ' and 3' ends.
  • the 3 ' end of the first targeting sequence contains the same restriction enzyme site as the 5 ' end of the amplified promoter and the 5 ' end of the second targeting sequence contains the same restriction site as the 3' end of the amplified promoter.
  • the amplified promoter and targeting sequences are digested and ligated together.
  • the promoter-targeting sequence construct is delivered to the cells, either as naked polynucleotide, or in conjunction with transfection-facilitating agents, such as liposomes, viral sequences, viral particles, whole viruses, lipofection, precipitating agents, etc., described in more detail above.
  • the P promoter- targeting sequence can be delivered by any method, included direct needle injection, intravenous injection, topical administration, catheter infusion, particle accelerators, etc. The methods are described in more detail below.
  • the promoter-targeting sequence construct is taken up by cells. Homologous recombination between the construct and the endogenous sequence takes place, such that an endogenous sequence is placed under the control of the promoter. The promoter then drives the expression of the endogenous sequence.
  • polypeptides of the present invention may be administered along with other polynucleotides encoding other angiongenic proteins.
  • Angiogenic proteins include, but are not limited to, acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors, VEGF- 1 , VEGF-2 (VEGF-C), VEGF-3 (VEGF-B), epidermal growth factor alpha and beta, platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, tumor necrosis factor alpha, hepatocyte growth factor, insulin like growth factor, colony stimulating factor, macrophage colony stimulating factor, granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor, and nitric oxide synthase.
  • the polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of the invention contains a secretory signal sequence that facilitates secretion of the protein.
  • the signal sequence is positioned in the coding region of the polynucleotide to be expressed towards or at the 5' end of the coding region.
  • the signal sequence may be homologous or heterologous to the polynucleotide of interest and may be homologous or heterologous to the cells to be transfected. Additionally, the signal sequence may be chemically synthesized using methods known in the art.
  • any mode of administration of any of the above-described polynucleotides constructs can be used so long as the mode results in the expression of one or more molecules in an amount sufficient to provide a therapeutic effect.
  • This includes direct needle injection, systemic injection, catheter infusion, biolistic injectors, particle accelerators (i.e., "gene guns"), gelfoam sponge depots, other commercially available depot materials, osmotic pumps (e.g., Alza minipumps), oral or suppositorial solid (tablet or pill) pharmaceutical formulations, and decanting or topical applications during surgery.
  • a prefe ⁇ ed method of local administration is by direct injection.
  • a recombinant molecule of the present invention complexed with a delivery vehicle is administered by direct injection into or locally within the area of arteries.
  • Administration of a composition locally within the area of arteries refers to injecting the composition centimeters and preferably, millimeters within arteries.
  • Another method of local administration is to contact a polynucleotide construct of the present invention in or around a surgical wound.
  • a patient can undergo surgery and the polynucleotide construct can be coated on the surface of tissue inside the wound or the construct can be injected into areas of tissue inside the wound.
  • compositions useful in systemic administration include recombinant molecules of the present invention complexed to a targeted delivery vehicle of the present invention.
  • Suitable delivery vehicles for use with systemic administration comprise liposomes comprising ligands for targeting the vehicle to a particular site.
  • Intravenous injections can be performed using methods standard in the art. Aerosol delivery can also be performed using methods standard in the art (see, for example, Stribling et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA , 189:11277-11281 (1992), which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference).
  • Oral delivery can be performed by complexing a polynucleotide construct of the present invention to a carrier capable of withstanding degradation by digestive enzymes in the gut of an animal. Examples of such carriers, include plastic capsules or tablets, such as those known in the art.
  • Topical delivery can be performed by mixing a polynucleotide construct of the present invention with a lipophilic reagent (e.g., DMSO) that is capable of passing into the skin.
  • a lipophilic reagent e.g., DMSO
  • Determining an effective amount of substance to be delivered can depend upon a number of factors including, for example, the chemical structure and biological activity of the substance, the age and weight of the animal, the precise condition requiring treatment and its severity, and the route of administration. The frequency of treatments depends upon a number of factors, such as the amount of polynucleotide constructs administered per dose, as well as the health and history of the subject. The precise amount, number of doses, and timing of doses will be determined by the attending physician or veterinarian.
  • Therapeutic compositions of the present invention can be administered to any animal, preferably to mammals and birds. Prefe ⁇ ed mammals include humans, dogs, cats, mice, rats, rabbits sheep, cattle, horses and pigs, with humans being particularly
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the present invention can be used in assays to test for one or more biological activities. If these polynucleotides and polypeptides do exhibit activity in a particular assay, it is likely that these molecules may be involved in the diseases associated with the biological activity. Thus, the polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists could be used to treat the associated disease.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may be useful in treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing diseases, disorders, and/or conditions of the immune system, by, for example, activating or inhibiting the proliferation, differentiation, or mobilization (chemotaxis) of immune cells.
  • Immune cells develop through a process called hematopoiesis, producing myeloid (platelets, red blood cells, neutrophils, and macrophages) and lymphoid (B and T lymphocytes) cells from pluripotent stem cells.
  • immune diseases, disorders, and/or conditions may be genetic, somatic, such as cancer and some autoimmune diseases, acquired (e.g., by chemotherapy or toxins), or infectious.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention can be used as a marker or detector of a particular immune system disease or disorder.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may be useful in treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing diseases, disorders, and/or conditions of hematopoietic cells.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention could be used to increase differentiation and proliferation of hematopoietic cells, including the pluripotent stem cells, in an effort to treat or prevent those diseases, disorders, and/or conditions associated with a decrease in certain (or many) types hematopoietic cells.
  • immunologic deficiency syndromes include, but are not limited to: blood protein diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (e.g., agammaglobulinemia, dysgammaglobulinemia), ataxia telangiectasia, common variable immunodeficiency, Digeorge Syndrome, HIV infection, HTLV-BLV infection, leukocyte adhesion deficiency syndrome, lymphopenia, phagocyte bactericidal dysfunction, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCIDs), Wiskott-Aldrich Disorder, anemia, thrombocytopenia, or hemoglobinuria.
  • blood protein diseases, disorders, and/or conditions e.g., agammaglobulinemia, dysgammaglobulinemia), ataxia telangiectasia, common variable immunodeficiency, Digeorge Syndrome, HIV infection, HTLV-BLV infection, leukocyte adhesion deficiency syndrome, lymphopenia, phagocyte bactericidal dysfunction, severe combined
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention could also be used to modulate hemostatic (the stopping of bleeding) or thrombolytic activity (clot formation).
  • hemostatic the stopping of bleeding
  • thrombolytic activity clot formation
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention could be used to treat or prevent blood coagulation diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (e.g., afibrinogenemia, factor deficiencies), blood platelet diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (e.g., thrombocytopenia), or wounds resulting from trauma, surgery, or other causes.
  • blood coagulation diseases, disorders, and/or conditions e.g., afibrinogenemia, factor deficiencies
  • blood platelet diseases, disorders, and/or conditions e.g., thrombocytopenia
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention that can decrease hemostatic or thrombolytic activity could be used to inhibit or dissolve clotting. These molecules could be important in the treatment or prevention of heart attacks (infarction), strokes, or scarring.
  • the polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may be useful in treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing autoimmune disorders. Many autoimmune disorders result from inappropriate recognition of self as foreign material by immune cells. This inappropriate recognition results in an immune response leading to the destruction of the host tissue. Therefore, the administration of polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention that can inhibit an immune response, particularly the proliferation, differentiation, or chemotaxis of T-cells, may be an effective therapy in preventing autoimmune disorders.
  • Autoimmune diseases or disorders that may be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed by polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune neonatal thrombocytopenia, idiopathic thrombocytopenia pu ⁇ ura, autoimmunocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, antiphospholipid syndrome, dermatitis, allergic encephalomyelitis, myocarditis, relapsing polychondritis, rheumatic heart disease, glomerulonephritis (e.g, IgA nephropathy), Multiple Sclerosis, Neuritis, Uveitis Ophthalmia, Polyendocrinopathies, Pu ⁇ ura (e.g., Henloch-Scoenlein pu ⁇ ura), Reiter's Disease, Stiff-Man Syndrome, Autoimmune Pulmonary Inflammation, Autism, Guillain
  • autoimmune disorders that are probable
  • rheumatoid arthritis often characterized, e.g., by immune complexes in joints
  • scleroderma with anti-collagen antibodies often characterized, e.g., by nucleolar and other nuclear antibodies
  • mixed connective tissue disease often characterized, e.g., by antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens (e.g., ribonucleoprotein)
  • polymyositis often characterized, e.g., by nonhistone ANA
  • pernicious anemia often characterized, e.g., by antiparietal cell, microsomes, and intrinsic factor antibodies
  • idiopathic Addison's disease often characterized, e.g., by humoral and cell-mediated adrenal cytotoxicity, infertility (often characterized, e.g., by antispermatozoal antibodies)
  • Additional autoimmune disorders that are possible) that may be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed with the compositions of the invention include, but are not limited to, chronic active hepatitis (often characterized, e.g., by smooth muscle antibodies), primary biliary ci ⁇ hosis (often characterized, e.g., by mitchondrial antibodies), other endocrine gland failure (often characterized, e.g., by specific tissue antibodies in some cases), vitiligo (often characterized, e.g., by melanocyte antibodies), vasculitis (often characterized, e.g., by Ig and complement in vessel walls and/or low serum complement), post-MI (often characterized, e.g., by myocardial antibodies), cardiotomy syndrome (often characterized, e.g., by myocardial antibodies), urticaria (often characterized, e.g., by IgG and IgM antibodies to IgE), atopic dermatitis (often
  • the autoimmune diseases and disorders and/or conditions associated with the diseases and disorders recited above are treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using for example, antagonists or agonists, polypeptides or polynucleotides, or antibodies of the present invention.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention could be used as an agent to boost immunoresponsiveness among B cell and/or T cell immunodeficient individuals.
  • B cell immunodeficiencies that may be ameliorated or treated by administering the polypeptides or polynucleotides of the invention, and/or agonists thereof include, but are not limited to, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-X linked, SCED-autosomal, adenosine deaminase deficiency (ADA deficiency), X- linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), Bruton's disease, congenital agammaglobulinemia, X-linked infantile agammaglobulinemia, acquired agammaglobulinemia, adult onset agammaglobulinemia, late-onset agammaglobulinemia, dysgammaglobulinemia, hypogammaglobulinemia,
  • Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome WAS
  • X-linked immunodeficiency with hyper IgM non X-linked immunodeficiency with hyper IgM
  • selective IgA deficiency IgG subclass deficiency (with or without IgA deficiency)
  • antibody deficiency with normal or elevated Igs immunodeficiency with thymoma
  • Ig heavy chain deletions Ig heavy chain deletions
  • kappa chain deficiency B cell lymphoproliferative disorder (BLPD)
  • selective IgM immunodeficiency recessive agammaglobulinemia (Swiss type)
  • reticular dysgenesis neonatal neutropenia, severe congenital leukopenia, thymic alymophoplasia-aplasia or dysplasia with immunodeficiency, ataxia-telangiectasia, short limbed dwarfism
  • XLP X-linked lymphopro
  • T cell deficiencies that may be ameliorated or treated by administering the polypeptides or polynucleotides of the invention, and/or agonists thereof include, but are not limited to, for example, DiGeorge anomaly, thymic hypoplasia, third and fourth pharyngeal pouch syndrome, 22ql l.2 deletion, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, natural killer cell deficiency (NK), idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia, immunodeficiency with predominant T cell defect (unspecified), and unspecified immunodeficiency of cell mediated immunity.
  • DiGeorge anomaly or conditions associated with DiGeorge anomaly are ameliorated or treated by, for example, administering the polypeptides or polynucleotides of the invention, or antagonists or agonists thereof.
  • immunodeficiencies that may be ameliorated or treated by administering polypeptides or polynucleotides of the invention, and/or agonists thereof, include, but are not limited to, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID; e.g., X-linked SCID, autosomal SCID, and adenosine deaminase deficiency), ataxia-telangiectasia, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, short- limber dwarfism, X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome (XLP), Nezelof syndrome (e.g., purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency), MHC Class II deficiency.
  • SCID severe combined immunodeficiency
  • XLP X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome
  • Nezelof syndrome e.g., purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency
  • MHC Class II deficiency MHC Class II deficiency.
  • rheumatoid arthritis is treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention.
  • systemic lupus erythemosus is treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention.
  • idiopathic thrombocytopenia pu ⁇ ura is treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention.
  • inflammatory conditions may also be treated, diagnosed, and/or prevented with polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention.
  • inflammatory conditions include, but are not limited to, for example, respiratory disorders (such as, e.g., asthma and allergy); gastrointestinal disorders (such as, e.g., inflammatory bowel disease); cancers (such as, e.g., gastric, ovarian, lung, bladder, liver, and breast); CNS disorders (such as, e.g., multiple sclerosis, blood-brain barrier permeability, ischemic brain injury and/or stroke, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative disorders (such as, e.g., Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease), AIDS-related dementia, and prion disease); cardiovascular disorders (such as, e.g., atherosclerosis, myocarditis, cardiovascular disease, and cardiopulmonary bypass complications); as well as many additional diseases, conditions, and disorders that are characterized by inflammation (such as
  • polypeptides, antibodies, or polynucleotides of the invention, and/or agonists or antagonists thereof are useful to treat, diagnose, and or prevent transplantation rejections, graft-versus-host disease, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (e.g., immune complex-induced vasculitis, glomerulonephritis, hemolytic anemia, myasthenia gravis, type II collagen-induced arthritis, experimental allergic and hyperacute xenograft rejection, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  • Organ rejection occurs by host immune cell destruction of the transplanted tissue through an immune response.
  • an immune response is also involved in GVHD, but, in this case, the foreign transplanted immune cells destroy the host tissues.
  • Polypeptides, antibodies, or polynucleotides of the invention, and/or agonists or antagonists thereof, that inhibit an immune response, particularly the activation, proliferation, differentiation, or chemotaxis of T-cells, may be an effective therapy in preventing organ rejection or GVHD.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may also be used to modulate and/or diagnose inflammation.
  • polypeptides, antibodies, or polynucleotides of the invention, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may inhibit the activation, proliferation and/or differentiation of cells involved in an inflammatory response
  • these molecules can be used to treat, diagnose, or prognose, inflammatory conditions, both chronic and acute conditions, including, but not limited to, inflammation associated with infection (e.g., septic shock, sepsis, or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)), ischemia-reperfusion injury, endotoxin lethality, arthritis, complement-mediated hyperacute rejection, nephritis, cytokine or chemokine induced lung injury, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and resulting from over production of cytokines (e.g., TNF or IL-1.).
  • cytokines e.g., TNF or IL-1.
  • Polypeptides, antibodies, polynucleotides and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention can be used to treat, detect, and/or prevent infectious agents. For example, by increasing the immune response, particularly increasing the proliferation activation and/or differentiation of B and or T cells, infectious diseases may be treated, detected, and/or prevented.
  • the immune response may be increased by either enhancing an existing immune response, or by initiating a new immune response.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may also directly inhibit the infectious agent (refer to section of application listing infectious agents, etc), without necessarily eliciting an immune response.
  • Additional prefe ⁇ ed embodiments of the invention include, but are not limited to, the use of polypeptides, antibodies, polynucleotides and/or agonists or antagonists in the following applications:
  • an animal including, but not limited to, those listed above, and also including transgenic animals
  • an animal incapable of producing functional endogenous antibody molecules or having an otherwise compromised endogenous immune system, but which is capable of producing human immunoglobulin molecules by means of a reconstituted or partially reconstituted immune system from another animal (see, e.g., published PCT Application Nos. WO98/24893, WO/9634096, WO/9633735, and WO/9110741.
  • compositions of the invention are used as an adjuvant to enhance an immune response to a virus, disease, or symptom selected from the group consisting of: AIDS, meningitis, Dengue, EBV, and hepatitis (e.g., hepatitis B).
  • compositions of the invention are used as an adjuvant to enhance an immune response to a virus, disease, or symptom selected from the group consisting of: HIV/ AIDS, Respiratory syncytial virus, Dengue, Rotavirus, Japanese B encephalitis, Influenza A and B, Parainfluenza, Measles, Cytomegalovirus, Rabies, Junin, Chikungunya, Rift Valley fever, He ⁇ es simplex, and yellow fever.
  • a virus, disease, or symptom selected from the group consisting of: HIV/ AIDS, Respiratory syncytial virus, Dengue, Rotavirus, Japanese B encephalitis, Influenza A and B, Parainfluenza, Measles, Cytomegalovirus, Rabies, Junin, Chikungunya, Rift Valley fever, He ⁇ es simplex, and yellow fever.
  • compositions of the invention include bacteria or fungus and bacteria or fungus associated diseases or symptoms described herein or otherwise known in the art.
  • the compositions of the invention are used as an adjuvant to enhance an immune response to a bacteria or fungus, disease, or symptom selected from the group consisting of: tetanus, Diphtheria, botulism, and meningitis type B.
  • compositions of the invention are used as an adjuvant to enhance an immune response to a bacteria or fungus, disease, or symptom selected from the group consisting of: Vibrio cholerae, Mycobacterium leprae, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Meisseria meningitidis , Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group B streptococcus, Shigella spp., Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Enterohemo ⁇ hagic E. coli, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Plasmodium (malaria).
  • compositions of the invention include parasite and parasite associated diseases or symptoms described herein or otherwise known in the art.
  • the compositions of the invention are used as an adjuvant to enhance an immune response to a parasite.
  • the compositions of the invention are used as an adjuvant to enhance an immune response to Plasmodium (malaria).
  • compositions of the invention may be administered prior to, concomitant with, and/or after transplantation.
  • compositions of the invention are administered after transplantation, prior to the beginning of recovery of T-cell populations.
  • compositions of the invention are first administered after transplantation after the beginning of recovery of T cell populations, but prior to full recovery of B cell populations.
  • Conditions resulting in an acquired loss of B cell function that may be ameliorated or treated by administering the polypeptides, antibodies, polynucleotides and/or agonists or antagonists thereof, include, but are not limited to, HIV Infection, AIDS, bone ma ⁇ ow transplant, and B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).
  • HIV Infection HIV Infection
  • AIDS bone ma ⁇ ow transplant
  • CLL B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  • Conditions resulting in a temporary immune deficiency that may be ameliorated or treated by administering the polypeptides, antibodies, polynucleotides and/or agonists or antagonists thereof, include, but are not limited to, recovery from viral infections (e.g., influenza), conditions associated with malnutrition, recovery from infectious mononucleosis, or conditions associated with stress, recovery from measles, recovery from blood transfusion, recovery from surgery.
  • viral infections e.g., influenza
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention enhance antigen presentation or antagonizes antigen presentation in vitro or in vivo.
  • said enhancement or antagonization of antigen presentation may be useful as an anti-tumor treatment or to modulate the immune system.
  • TH2 humoral response
  • multiple myeloma is a slowly dividing disease and is thus refractory to virtually all anti-neoplastic regimens. If these cells were forced to proliferate more rapidly their susceptibility profile would likely change.
  • T cells As a means of activating T cells. As a means of activating monocytes/macrophages to defend against parasitic diseases that effect monocytes such as Leshmania.
  • polypeptides or polynucleotides of the invention may be used to treat or prevent IgE-mediated allergic reactions.
  • allergic reactions include, but are not limited to, asthma, rhinitis, and eczema. All of the above described applications as they may apply to veterinary medicine.
  • Antagonists of the invention include, for example, binding and or inhibitory antibodies, antisense nucleic acids, or ribozymes. These would be expected to reverse many of the activities of the ligand described above as well as find clinical or practical application as:
  • autoimmune disorders such as lupus, and arthritis
  • immunoresponsiveness to skin allergies, inflammation, bowel disease, injury and pathogens.
  • a therapy for preventing the B cell proliferation and Ig secretion associated with autoimmune diseases such as idiopathic thrombocytopenic pu ⁇ ura, systemic lupus erythramatosus and MS.
  • An inhibitor of B and/or T cell migration in endothelial cells disrupts tissue architecture or cognate responses and is useful, for example in disrupting immune responses, and blocking sepsis.
  • a therapy for B cell and or T cell malignancies such as ALL, Hodgkins disease, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Chronic lymphocyte leukemia, plasmacytomas, multiple myeloma, Burkitt's lymphoma, and EBV-transformed diseases.
  • a therapy for chronic hypergammaglobulinemeia evident in such diseases as monoclonalgammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), Waldenstrom's disease, related idiopathic monoclonalgammopathies, and plasmacytomas.
  • MGUS monoclonalgammopathy of undetermined significance
  • Waldenstrom's disease Waldenstrom's disease
  • related idiopathic monoclonalgammopathies and plasmacytomas.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may be used to modulate IgE concentrations in vitro or in vivo.
  • administration of polypeptides, antibodies, polynucleotides and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may be used to treat or prevent IgE-mediated allergic reactions including, but not limited to, asthma, rhinitis, and eczema.
  • the agonists or antagonists may be employed for instance to inhibit polypeptide chemotaxis and activation of macrophages and their precursors, and of neutrophils, basophils, B lymphocytes and some T-cell subsets, e.g., activated and
  • CD8 cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells in certain auto-immune and chronic inflammatory and infective diseases.
  • autoimmune diseases are described herein and include multiple sclerosis, and insulin-dependent diabetes.
  • the antagonists or agonists may also be employed to treat infectious diseases including silicosis, sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by, for example, preventing the recruitment and activation of mononuclear phagocytes. They may also be employed to treat idiopathic hyper-eosinophilic syndrome by, for example, preventing eosinophil production and migration.
  • the antagonists or agonists or may also be employed for treating atherosclerosis, for example, by preventing monocyte infiltration in the artery wall.
  • Antibodies against polypeptides of the invention may be employed to treat ARDS.
  • Agonists and/or antagonists of the invention also have uses in stimulating wound and tissue repair, stimulating angiogenesis, stimulating the repair of vascular or lymphatic diseases or disorders. Additionally, agonists and antagonists of the invention may be used to stimulate the regeneration of mucosal surfaces.
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists thereof are used to treat or prevent a disorder characterized by primary or acquired immunodeficiency, deficient serum immunoglobulin production, recu ⁇ ent infections, and/or immune system dysfunction.
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists thereof may be used to treat or prevent infections of the joints, bones, skin, and/or parotid glands, blood-borne infections (e.g., sepsis, meningitis, septic arthritis, and/or osteomyelitis), autoimmune diseases (e.g., those disclosed herein), inflammatory disorders, and malignancies, and/or any disease or disorder or condition associated with these infections, diseases, disorders and/or malignancies) including, but not limited to, CVID, other primary immune deficiencies, HIV disease, CLL, recu ⁇ ent bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis media, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, hepatitis, meningitis, he ⁇ es zoster (e.g., severe he ⁇ es zoster), and/or pneumocystis carnii.
  • blood-borne infections e.g., sepsis, meningitis, septic
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention are used to treat, and/or diagnose an individual having common variable immunodeficiency disease ("CVID"; also known as “acquired agammaglobulinemia” and “acquired hypogammaglobulinemia”) or a subset of this disease.
  • CVID common variable immunodeficiency disease
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may be used to treat, diagnose, and/or prevent (1) cancers or neoplasms and (2) autoimmune cell or tissue-related cancers or neoplasms.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention conjugated to a toxin or a radioactive isotope, as described herein may be used to treat, diagnose, and/or prevent acute myelogeneous leukemia.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antibodies, and/or agonists or antagonists of the present invention conjugated to a toxin or a radioactive isotope, as described herein may be used to treat, diagnose, and/or prevent, chronic myelogeneous leukemia, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and/or Hodgkins disease.
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may be used to treat, diagnose, prognose, and or prevent selective IgA deficiency, myeloperoxidase deficiency, C2 deficiency, ataxia-telangiectasia, DiGeorge anomaly, common variable immunodeficiency (CVI), X-linked agammaglobulinemia, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.
  • CVI common variable immunodeficiency
  • SCID severe combined immunodeficiency
  • CCD chronic granulomatous disease
  • Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.
  • autoimmune disorders that can be treated or detected are described above and also include, but are not limited to: Addison's Disease, hemolytic anemia, antiphospholipid syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatitis, allergic encephalomyelitis, glomerulonephritis, Goodpasture's Syndrome, Graves' Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Neuritis, Ophthalmia, Bullous Pemphigoid, Pemphigus, Polyendocrinopathies, Pu ⁇ ura, Reiter's Disease, Stiff-Man Syndrome, Autoimmune Thyroiditis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Autoimmune Pulmonary Inflammation, Guillain-Ba ⁇ e Syndrome, insulin dependent diabetes mellitis, and autoimmune inflammatory eye disease.
  • B cell immunodeficient individuals such as, for example, an individual who has undergone a partial or complete splenectomy.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, and/or antagonists of the invention may affect apoptosis, and therefore, would be useful in treating a number of diseases associated with increased cell survival or the inhibition of apoptosis.
  • diseases associated with increased cell survival or the inhibition of apoptosis that could be treated or detected by polynucleotides, polypeptides, and/or antagonists of the invention, include cancers (such as follicular lymphomas, carcinomas with p53 mutations, and hormone-dependent tumors, including, but not limited to colon cancer, cardiac tumors, pancreatic cancer, melanoma, retinoblastoma, glioblastoma, lung cancer, intestinal cancer, testicular cancer, stomach cancer, neuroblastoma, myxoma, myoma, lymphoma, endothelioma, osteoblastoma, osteoclastoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, adenom
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, and/or antagonists of the invention are used to inhibit growth, progression, and/or metastisis of cancers, in particular those listed above.
  • Additional diseases or conditions associated with increased cell survival include, but are not limited to, progression, and/or metastases of malignancies and related disorders such as leukemia (including acute leukemias (e.g., acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia (including myeloblastic, promyelocytic, myelomonocytic, monocytic, and erythroleukemia)) and chronic leukemias (e.g., chronic myelocytic (granulocytic) leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia)), polycythemia vera, lymphomas (e.g., Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's disease), multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, heavy chain disease, and solid tumors including, but not limited to, sarcomas and carcinomas
  • leukemia including acute leukemias (e.g., acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute
  • AIDS dementia
  • neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Retinitis pigmentosa, Cerebellar degeneration and brain tumor or prior associated disease
  • autoimmune disorders such as, multiple sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, biliary ci ⁇ hosis, Behcet's disease, Crohn's disease, polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus and immune- related glomerulonephritis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • myelodysplastic syndromes such as aplastic anemia
  • ischemic injury such as that caused by myocardial infarction, stroke and reperfusion injury
  • liver injury e.g., hepatitis related liver injury, ischemia/reperfusion injury, cholestosis (bile duct injury) and liver cancer
  • toxin-induced liver disease such as that caused by alcohol
  • septic shock cachexia and anorexia.
  • hype ⁇ roliferative disorders can also be treated or detected by polynucleotides, polypeptides, and/or antagonists of the invention.
  • hype ⁇ roliferative disorders include, but are not limited to: hypergammaglobulinemia, lymphoproliferative disorders, paraproteinemias, pu ⁇ ura, sarcoidosis, Sezary Syndrome, Waldenstron's Macroglobulinemia, Gaucher's Disease, histiocytosis, and any other hype ⁇ roliferative disease, besides neoplasia, located in an organ system listed above.
  • a polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention can be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, including neoplasms.
  • a polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may inhibit the proliferation of the disorder through direct or indirect interactions.
  • a polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the present invention may proliferate other cells which can inhibit the hype ⁇ roliferative disorder.
  • hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed.
  • This immune response may be increased by either enhancing an existing immune response, or by initiating a new immune response.
  • decreasing an immune response may also be a method of treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, such as a chemo therapeutic agent.
  • Examples of hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions that can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed by polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the present invention include, but are not limited to neoplasms located in the: colon, abdomen, bone, breast, digestive system, liver, pancreas, peritoneum, endocrine glands (adrenal, parathyroid, pituitary, testicles, ovary, thymus, thyroid), eye, head and neck, nervous (central and peripheral), lymphatic system, pelvic, skin, soft tissue, spleen, thoracic, and urogenital.
  • neoplasms located in the: colon, abdomen, bone, breast, digestive system, liver, pancreas, peritoneum, endocrine glands (adrenal, parathyroid, pituitary, testicles, ovary, thymus, thyroid), eye, head and neck, nervous (central and peripheral), lymphatic system
  • hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions can also be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed by a polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the present invention.
  • hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions include, but are not limited to: hypergammaglobulinemia, lymphoproliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, paraproteinemias, pu ⁇ ura, sarcoidosis, Sezary Syndrome, Waldenstron's Macroglobulinemia, Gaucher's Disease, histiocytosis, and any other hype ⁇ roliferative disease, besides neoplasia, located in an organ system listed above.
  • One prefe ⁇ ed embodiment utilizes polynucleotides of the present invention to inhibit abe ⁇ ant cellular division, by gene therapy using the present invention, and/or protein fusions or fragments thereof.
  • the present invention provides a method for treating or preventing cell proliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions by inserting into an abnormally proliferating cell a polynucleotide of the present invention, wherein said polynucleotide represses said expression.
  • polynucleotides of the present invention is a DNA construct comprising a recombinant expression vector effective in expressing a DNA sequence encoding said polynucleotides.
  • the DNA construct encoding the poynucleotides of the present invention is inserted into cells to be treated utilizing a retrovirus, or more prefe ⁇ ably an adenoviral vector (See G J. Nabel, et.
  • the viral vector is defective and will not transform non-proliferating cells, only proliferating cells.
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention inserted into proliferating cells either alone, or in combination with or fused to other polynucleotides can then be modulated via an external stimulus (i.e. magnetic, specific small molecule, chemical, or drug administration, etc.), which acts upon the promoter upstream of said polynucleotides to induce expression of the encoded protein product.
  • an external stimulus i.e. magnetic, specific small molecule, chemical, or drug administration, etc.
  • the beneficial therapeutic affect of the present invention may be expressly modulated (i.e. to increase, decrease, or inhibit expression of the present invention) based upon said external stimulus.
  • Polynucleotides of the present invention may be useful in repressing expression of oncogenic genes or antigens.
  • repressing expression of the oncogenic genes is intended the suppression of the transcription of the gene, the degradation of the gene transcript (pre-message RNA), the inhibition of splicing, the destruction of the messenger RNA, the prevention of the post-translational modifications of the protein, the destruction of the protein, or the inhibition of the normal function of the protein.
  • vaccinia virus system Chokrabarty et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 5:3403 (1985) or other efficient DNA delivery systems (Yates et al., Nature 313:812 (1985)) known to those skilled in the art.
  • vaccinia virus system Chokrabarty et al., Mol. Cell Biol. 5:3403 (1985) or other efficient DNA delivery systems (Yates et al., Nature 313:812 (1985)) known to those skilled in the art.
  • retrovirus or adenoviral (as described in the art and elsewhere herein) delivery system known to those of skill in the art. Since host DNA replication is required for retroviral DNA to integrate and the retrovirus will be unable to self replicate due to the lack of the retrovirus genes needed for its life cycle. Utilizing such a retroviral delivery system for polynucleotides of the present invention will target said gene and constructs to abnormally proliferating cells and will spare the non-dividing normal cells.
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention may be delivered directly to cell proliferative disorder/disease sites in internal organs, body cavities and the like by use of imaging devices used to guide an injecting needle directly to the disease site.
  • the polynucleotides of the present invention may also be administered to disease sites at the time of surgical intervention.
  • cell proliferative disease any human or animal disease or disorder, affecting any one or any combination of organs, cavities, or body parts, which is characterized by single or multiple local abnormal proliferations of cells, groups of cells, or tissues, whether benign or malignant.
  • the present invention is further directed to antibody-based therapies which involve administering of anti-polypeptides and anti-polynucleotide antibodies to a mammalian, preferably human, patient for treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing one or more of the described diseases, disorders, and/or conditions.
  • Methods for producing anti-polypeptides and anti-polynucleotide antibodies polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies are described in detail elsewhere herein. Such antibodies may be provided in pharmaceutically acceptable compositions as known in the art or as described herein.
  • a summary of the ways in which the antibodies of the present invention may be used therapeutically includes binding polynucleotides or polypeptides of the present invention locally or systemically in the body or by direct cytotoxicity of the antibody, e.g. as mediated by complement (CDC) or by effector cells (ADCC). Some of these approaches are described in more detail below.
  • the antibodies, fragments and derivatives of the present invention are useful for treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing a subject having or developing cell proliferative and/or differentiation diseases, disorders, and/or conditions as described herein.
  • Such treatment comprises administering a single or multiple doses of the antibody, or a fragment, derivative, or a conjugate thereof.
  • the antibodies of this invention may be advantageously utilized in combination with other monoclonal or chimeric antibodies, or with lymphokines or hematopoietic growth factors, for example, which serve to increase the number or activity of effector cells which interact with the antibodies.
  • Preferred binding affinities include those with a dissociation constant or Kd less than 5X10 "6 M, 10 "6 M, 5X10 “7 M, 10 “7 M, 5X10 “ 8 M, 10 “8 M, 5X10 “9 M, 10 "9 M, 5X10 "10 M, 10 "10 M, 5X10 " ⁇ M, 10 " ⁇ M, 5X10 "12 M, 10 " 12 M, 5X10 "13 M, 10 "l3 M, 5X10 "14 M, 10 "14 M, 5X10 ",5 M, and 10 "15 M.
  • polypeptides of the present invention are useful in inhibiting the angiogenesis of proliferative cells or tissues, either alone, as a protein fusion, or in combination with other polypeptides directly or indirectly, as described elsewhere herein.
  • said anti-angiogenesis effect may be achieved indirectly, for example, through the inhibition of hematopoietic, tumor- specific cells, such as tumor-associated macrophages (See Joseph IB, et al. J Natl Cancer Inst, 90(21): 1648-53 (1998), which is hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference).
  • Antibodies directed to polypeptides or polynucleotides of the present invention may also result in inhibition of angiogenesis directly, or indirectly (See Witte L, et al., Cancer Metastasis Rev. 17(2): 155-61 (1998), which is hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference)).
  • Polypeptides, including protein fusions, of the present invention, or fragments thereof may be useful in inhibiting proliferative cells or tissues through the induction of apoptosis.
  • Said polypeptides may act either directly, or indirectly to induce apoptosis of proliferative cells and tissues, for example in the activation of a death- domain receptor, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor- 1, CD95 (Fas/APO-1), TNF-receptor-related apoptosis-mediated protein (TRAMP) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptor-1 and -2 (See Schulze-Osthoff K, et.al., Eur J Biochem 254(3):439-59 (1998), which is hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference).
  • TNF tumor necrosis factor
  • TRAMP TNF-receptor-related apoptosis-mediated protein
  • TRAIL TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand
  • said polypeptides may induce apoptosis through other mechanisms, such as in the activation of other proteins which will activate apoptosis, or through stimulating the expression of said proteins, either alone or in combination with small molecule drugs or adjuviants, such as apoptonin, galectins, thioredoxins, antiinflammatory proteins (See for example, Mutat Res 400(l-2):447-55 (1998), Med Hypotheses.50(5):423-33 (1998), Chem Biol Interact.
  • Polypeptides, including protein fusions to, or fragments thereof, of the present invention are useful in inhibiting the metastasis of proliferative cells or tissues.
  • Inhibition may occur as a direct result of administering polypeptides, or antibodies directed to said polypeptides as described elsewere herein, or indirectly, such as activating the expression of proteins known to inhibit metastasis, for example alpha 4 integrins, (See, e.g., Cu ⁇ Top Microbiol Immunol 1998;231 :125-41, which is hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference).
  • Such thereapeutic affects of the present invention may be achieved either alone, or in combination with small molecule drugs or adjuvants.
  • the invention provides a method of delivering compositions containing the polypeptides of the invention (e.g., compositions containing polypeptides or polypeptide antibodes associated with heterologous polypeptides, heterologous nucleic acids, toxins, or prodrugs) to targeted cells expressing the polypeptide of the present invention.
  • compositions containing the polypeptides of the invention e.g., compositions containing polypeptides or polypeptide antibodes associated with heterologous polypeptides, heterologous nucleic acids, toxins, or prodrugs
  • Polypeptides or polypeptide antibodes of the invention may be associated with with heterologous polypeptides, heterologous nucleic acids, toxins, or prodrugs via hydrophobic, hydrophilic, ionic and/or covalent interactions.
  • Polypeptides, protein fusions to, or fragments thereof, of the present invention are useful in enhancing the immunogenicity and/or antigenicity of proliferating cells or tissues, either directly, such as would occur if the polypeptides of the present invention 'vaccinated' the immune response to respond to proliferative antigens and immunogens, or indirectly, such as in activating the expression of proteins known to enhance the immune response (e.g. chemokines), to said antigens and immunogens.
  • proteins known to enhance the immune response e.g. chemokines
  • Cardiovascular Disorders Polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention may be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose cardiovascular diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, including peripheral artery disease, such as limb ischemia.
  • Cardiovascular diseases, disorders, and/or conditions include cardiovascular abnormalities, such as arterio-arterial fistula, arteriovenous fistula, cerebral arteriovenous malformations, congenital heart defects, pulmonary atresia, and Scimitar Syndrome.
  • cardiovascular abnormalities such as arterio-arterial fistula, arteriovenous fistula, cerebral arteriovenous malformations, congenital heart defects, pulmonary atresia, and Scimitar Syndrome.
  • Cardiovascular diseases, disorders, and/or conditions also include heart disease, such as a ⁇ hythmias, carcinoid heart disease, high cardiac output, low cardiac output, cardiac tamponade, endocarditis (including bacterial), heart aneurysm, cardiac a ⁇ est, congestive heart failure, congestive cardiomyopathy, paroxysmal dyspnea, cardiac edema, heart hypertrophy, congestive cardiomyopathy, left ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular hypertrophy, post-infarction heart rupture, ventricular septal rupture, heart valve diseases, myocardial diseases, myocardial ischemia, pericardial effusion, pericarditis (including constrictive and tuberculous), pneumopericardium, postpericardiotomy syndrome, pulmonary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, ventricular dysfunction, hyperemia, cardiovascular pregnancy complications, Scimitar Syndrome, cardiovascular syphilis, and cardiovascular tuberculosis.
  • heart disease such as a ⁇ h
  • a ⁇ hythmias include sinus a ⁇ hythmia, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, bradycardia, extrasystole, Adams-Stokes Syndrome, bundle-branch block, sinoatrial block, long QT syndrome, parasystole, Lown-Ganong-Levine Syndrome, Mahaim- type pre-excitation syndrome, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, sick sinus syndrome, tachycardias, and ventricular fibrillation.
  • Tachycardias include paroxysmal tachycardia, supraventricular tachycardia, accelerated idioventricular rhythm, atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia, ectopic atrial tachycardia, ectopic junctional tachycardia, sinoatrial nodal reentry tachycardia, sinus tachycardia, Torsades de Pointes, and ventricular tachycardia.
  • Heart valve disease include aortic valve insufficiency, aortic valve stenosis, hear murmurs, aortic valve prolapse, mitral valve prolapse, tricuspid valve prolapse, mitral valve insufficiency, mitral valve stenosis, pulmonary atresia, pulmonary valve insufficiency, pulmonary valve stenosis, tricuspid atresia, tricuspid valve insufficiency, and tricuspid valve stenosis.
  • Myocardial diseases include alcoholic cardiomyopathy, congestive cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, aortic subvalvular stenosis, pulmonary subvalvular stenosis, restrictive cardiomyopathy, Chagas cardiomyopathy, endocardial fibroelastosis, endomyocardial fibrosis, Kearns Syndrome, myocardial reperfusion injury, and myocarditis.
  • Myocardial ischemias include coronary disease, such as angina pectoris, coronary aneurysm, coronary arteriosclerosis, coronary thrombosis, coronary vasospasm, myocardial infarction and myocardial stunning.
  • coronary disease such as angina pectoris, coronary aneurysm, coronary arteriosclerosis, coronary thrombosis, coronary vasospasm, myocardial infarction and myocardial stunning.
  • Cardiovascular diseases also include vascular diseases such as aneurysms, angiodysplasia, angiomatosis, bacillary angiomatosis, Hippel-Lindau Disease, Klippel-Trenaunay- Weber Syndrome, Sturge- Weber Syndrome, angioneurotic edema, aortic diseases, Takayasu's Arteritis, aortitis, Leriche's Syndrome, arterial occlusive diseases, arteritis, enarteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, cerebrovascular diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, diabetic angiopathies, diabetic retinopathy, embolisms, thrombosis, erythromelalgia, hemo ⁇ hoids, hepatic veno-occlusive disease, hypertension, hypotension, ischemia, peripheral vascular diseases, phlebitis, pulmonary veno- occlusive disease, Raynaud's disease,
  • Aneurysms include dissecting aneurysms, false aneurysms, infected aneurysms, ruptured aneurysms, aortic aneurysms, cerebral aneurysms, coronary aneurysms, heart aneurysms, and iliac aneurysms.
  • Arterial occlusive diseases include arteriosclerosis, intermittent claudication, carotid stenosis, fibromuscular dysplasias, mesenteric vascular occlusion, Moyamoya disease, renal artery obstruction, retinal artery occlusion, and thromboangiitis obliterans.
  • Cerebrovascular diseases, disorders, and/or conditions include carotid artery diseases, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebral aneurysm, cerebral anoxia, cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral arteriovenous malformation, cerebral artery diseases, cerebral embolism and thrombosis, carotid artery thrombosis, sinus thrombosis,
  • Wallenberg's syndrome cerebral hemo ⁇ hage, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, subaraxhnoid hemo ⁇ hage, cerebral infarction, cerebral ischemia (including transient), subclavian steal syndrome, periventricular leukomalacia, vascular headache, cluster headache, migraine, and vertebrobasilar insufficiency.
  • Embolisms include air embolisms, amniotic fluid embolisms, cholesterol embolisms, blue toe syndrome, fat embolisms, pulmonary embolisms, and thromoboembolisms.
  • Thrombosis include coronary thrombosis, hepatic vein thrombosis, retinal vein occlusion, carotid artery thrombosis, sinus thrombosis,
  • Ischemia includes cerebral ischemia, ischemic colitis, compartment syndromes, anterior compartment syndrome, myocardial ischemia, reperfusion injuries, and peripheral limb ischemia.
  • Vasculitis includes aortitis, arteritis, Behcet's Syndrome, Churg-Strauss Syndrome, mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, thromboangiitis obliterans, hypersensitivity vasculitis, Schoenlein-Henoch pu ⁇ ura, allergic cutaneous vasculitis, and Wegener's granulomatosis.
  • Polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are especially effective for the treatment of critical limb ischemia and coronary disease.
  • Polypeptides may be administered using any method known in the art, including, but not limited to, direct needle injection at the delivery site, intravenous injection, topical administration, catheter infusion, biolistic injectors, particle accelerators, gelfoam sponge depots, other commercially available depot materials, osmotic pumps, oral or suppositorial solid pharmaceutical formulations, decanting or topical applications during surgery, aerosol delivery. Such methods are known in the art.
  • Polypeptides of the invention may be administered as part of a Therapeutic, described in more detail below. Methods of delivering polynucleotides of the invention are described in more detail herein.
  • angiogenesis is stringently regulated and spatially and temporally delimited. Under conditions of pathological angiogenesis such as that characterizing solid tumor growth, these regulatory controls fail. Unregulated angiogenesis becomes pathologic and sustains progression of many neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases. A number of serious diseases are dominated by abnormal neovascularization including solid tumor growth and metastases, arthritis, some types of eye diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, and psoriasis.
  • the present invention provides for treatment of diseases, disorders, and/or conditions associated with neovascularization by administration of the polynucleotides and/or polypeptides of the invention, as well as agonists or antagonists of the present invention.
  • Malignant and metastatic conditions which can be treated with the polynucleotides and polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention include, but are not limited to, malignancies, solid tumors, and cancers described herein and otherwise known in the art (for a review of such disorders, see Fishman et al, Medicine, 2d Ed., J. B.
  • the present invention provides a method of treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing an angiogenesis-related disease and/or disorder, comprising administering to an individual in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonist and/or agonist of the invention.
  • a polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonists and/or agonist of the invention may be utilized in a variety of additional methods in order to therapeutically treator prevent a cancer or tumor.
  • Cancers which may be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed with polynucleotides, polypeptides, antagonists and/or agonists include, but are not limited to solid tumors, including prostate, lung, breast, ovarian, stomach, pancreas, larynx, esophagus, testes, liver, parotid, biliary tract, colon, rectum, cervix, uterus, endometrium, kidney, bladder, thyroid cancer; primary tumors and metastases; melanomas; glioblastoma; Kaposi's sarcoma; leiomyosarcoma; non- small cell lung cancer; colorectal cancer; advanced malignancies; and blood born tumors such as leukemias.
  • solid tumors including prostate, lung, breast, ovarian, stomach, pancreas, larynx, esophagus, testes, liver, parotid, biliary tract, colon, rectum, cervix
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antagonists and/or agonists may be delivered topically, in order to treat or prevent cancers such as skin cancer, head and neck tumors, breast tumors, and Kaposi's sarcoma.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antagonists and/or agonists may be utilized to treat superficial forms of bladder cancer by, for example, intravesical administration.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, antagonists and/or agonists may be delivered directly into the tumor, or near the tumor site, via injection or a catheter.
  • the appropriate mode of administration will vary according to the cancer to be treated. Other modes of delivery are discussed herein.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, antagonists and/or agonists may be useful in treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing other diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, besides cancers, which involve angiogenesis.
  • diseases, disorders, and/or conditions include, but are not limited to: benign tumors, for example hemangiomas, acoustic neuromas, neurofibromas, trachomas, and pyogenic granulomas; artheroscleric plaques; ocular angiogenic diseases, for example, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, macular degeneration, corneal graft rejection, neovascular glaucoma, retrolental fibroplasia, rubeosis, retinoblastoma, uvietis and Pterygia (abnormal blood vessel growth) of the eye; rheumatoid arthritis; psoriasis; delayed wound healing; endometriosis; vascul
  • methods for treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing hypertrophic scars and keloids, comprising the step of administering a polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonist and/or agonist of the invention to a hypertrophic scar or keloid.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, antagonists and/or agonists are directly injected into a hypertrophic scar or keloid, in order to prevent the progression of these lesions.
  • This therapy is of particular value in the prophylactic treatment of conditions which are known to result in the development of hypertrophic scars and keloids (e.g., burns), and is preferably initiated after the proliferative phase has had time to progress (approximately 14 days after the initial injury), but before hypertrophic scar or keloid development.
  • the present invention also provides methods for treating, preventing, and/or diagnosing neovascular diseases of the eye, including for example, corneal neovascularization, neovascular glaucoma, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retrolental fibroplasia and macular degeneration.
  • neovascular diseases of the eye including for example, corneal neovascularization, neovascular glaucoma, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retrolental fibroplasia and macular degeneration.
  • Ocular diseases, disorders, and/or conditions associated with neovascularization which can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed with the polynucleotides and polypeptides of the present invention (including agonists and/or antagonists) include, but are not limited to: neovascular glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinoblastoma, retrolental fibroplasia, uveitis, retinopathy of prematurity macular degeneration, corneal graft neovascularization, as well as other eye inflammatory diseases, ocular tumors and diseases associated with choroidal or iris neovascularization. See, e.g., reviews by Waltman et al, Am. J. Ophthal 55:704-710 (1978) and Gartner et al, Surv. Ophthal 22:291-312 (1978).
  • neovascular diseases of the eye such as corneal neovascularization (including corneal graft neovascularization)
  • corneal neovascularization including corneal graft neovascularization
  • a compound as described above
  • the cornea is a tissue which normally lacks blood vessels.
  • capillaries may extend into the cornea from the pericorneal vascular plexus of the limbus.
  • the cornea becomes vascularized, it also becomes clouded, resulting in a decline in the patient's visual acuity. Visual loss may become complete if the cornea completely opacitates.
  • corneal infections e.g., trachoma, he ⁇ es simplex keratitis, leishmaniasis and onchocerciasis
  • immunological processes e.g., graft rejection and Stevens-Johnson's syndrome
  • alkali burns trauma, inflammation (of any cause), toxic and nutritional deficiency states, and as a complication of wearing contact lenses.
  • prefe ⁇ ed embodiments of the invention may be prepared for topical administration in saline (combined with any of the preservatives and antimicrobial agents commonly used in ocular preparations), and administered in eyedrop form.
  • the solution or suspension may be prepared in its pure form and administered several times daily.
  • anti-angiogenic compositions prepared as described above, may also be administered directly to the cornea.
  • the anti-angiogenic composition is prepared with a muco- adhesive polymer which binds to cornea.
  • the anti- angiogenic factors or anti-angiogenic compositions may be utilized as an adjunct to conventional steroid therapy.
  • Topical therapy may also be useful prophylactically in corneal lesions which are known to have a high probability of inducing an angiogenic response (such as chemical burns). In these instances the treatment, likely in combination with steroids, may be instituted immediately to help prevent subsequent complications.
  • the compounds described above may be injected directly into the corneal stroma by an ophthalmologist under microscopic guidance.
  • the prefe ⁇ ed site of injection may vary with the mo ⁇ hology of the individual lesion, but the goal of the administration would be to place the composition at the advancing front of the vasculature (i.e., interspersed between the blood vessels and the normal cornea). In most cases this would involve perilimbic corneal injection to "protect" the cornea from the advancing blood vessels.
  • This method may also be utilized shortly after a corneal insult in order to prophylactically prevent corneal neovascularization.
  • the material could be injected in the perilimbic cornea interspersed between the corneal lesion and its undesired potential limbic blood supply.
  • Such methods may also be utilized in a similar fashion to prevent capillary invasion of transplanted corneas.
  • injections might only be required 2- 3 times per year.
  • a steroid could also be added to the injection solution to reduce inflammation resulting from the injection itself.
  • methods for treating or preventing neovascular glaucoma, comprising the step of administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of a polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonist and/or agonist to the eye, such that the formation of blood vessels is inhibited.
  • the compound may be administered topically to the eye in order to treat or prevent early forms of neovascular glaucoma.
  • the compound may be implanted by injection into the region of the anterior chamber angle.
  • the compound may also be placed in any location such that the compound is continuously released into the aqueous humor.
  • methods for treating or preventing proliferative diabetic retinopathy, comprising the step of administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of a polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonist and/or agonist to the eyes, such that the formation of blood vessels is inhibited.
  • proliferative diabetic retinopathy may be treated by injection into the aqueous humor or the vitreous, in order to increase the local concentration of the polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonist and/or agonist in the retina.
  • this treatment should be initiated prior to the acquisition of severe disease requiring photocoagulation.
  • methods for treating or preventing retrolental fibroplasia, comprising the step of administering to a patient a therapeutically effective amount of a polynucleotide, polypeptide, antagonist and/or agonist to the eye, such that the formation of blood vessels is inhibited.
  • the compound may be administered topically, via intravitreous injection and/or via intraocular implants.
  • diseases, disorders, and/or conditions which can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed with the polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists include, but are not limited to, hemangioma, arthritis, psoriasis, angiofibroma, atherosclerotic plaques; delayed wound healing, granulations, hemophilic joints, hypertrophic scars, nonunion fractures, Osier- Weber syndrome, pyogenic granuloma, scleroderma, trachoma, and vascular adhesions.
  • diseases, disorders, and/or conditions and/or states which can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed with the the polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists include, but are not limited to, solid tumors, blood born tumors such as leukemias, tumor metastasis, Kaposi's sarcoma, benign tumors, for example hemangiomas, acoustic neuromas, neurofibromas, trachomas, and pyogenic granulomas, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, ocular angiogenic diseases, for example, diabetic retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity, macular degeneration, corneal graft rejection, neovascular glaucoma, retrolental fibroplasia, rubeosis, retinoblastoma, and uvietis, delayed wound healing, endometriosis, vascluogenesis, granulations, hyper
  • an amount of the compound sufficient to block embryo implantation is administered before or after intercourse and fertilization have occu ⁇ ed, thus providing an effective method of birth control, possibly a "morning after” method.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists may also be used in controlling menstruation or administered as either a peritoneal lavage fluid or for peritoneal implantation in the treatment of endometriosis.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists of the present invention may be inco ⁇ orated into surgical sutures in order to prevent stitch granulomas.
  • Polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists may be utilized in a wide variety of surgical procedures.
  • a compositions in the form of, for example, a spray or film
  • compositions may be delivered via endoscopic procedures in order to coat tumors, or inhibit angiogenesis in a desired locale.
  • surgical meshes which have been coated with anti- angiogenic compositions of the present invention may be utilized in any procedure wherein a surgical mesh might be utilized.
  • a surgical mesh laden with an anti-angiogenic composition may be utilized during abdominal cancer resection surgery (e.g., subsequent to colon resection) in order to provide support to the structure, and to release an amount of the anti- angiogenic factor.
  • methods for treating tumor excision sites, comprising administering a polynucleotide, polypeptide, agonist and/or agonist to the resection margins of a tumor subsequent to excision, such that the local recu ⁇ ence of cancer and the formation of new blood vessels at the site is inhibited.
  • the anti-angiogenic compound is administered directly to the tumor excision site (e.g., applied by swabbing, brushing or otherwise coating the resection margins of the tumor with the anti-angiogenic compound).
  • the anti-angiogenic compounds may be inco ⁇ orated into known surgical pastes prior to administration.
  • the anti-angiogenic compounds are applied after hepatic resections for malignancy, and after neurosurgical operations.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists may be administered to the resection margin of a wide variety of tumors, including for example, breast, colon, brain and hepatic tumors.
  • anti-angiogenic compounds may be administered to the site of a neurological tumor subsequent to excision, such that the formation of new blood vessels at the site are inhibited.
  • the polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or agonists of the present invention may also be administered along with other anti-angiogenic factors.
  • anti-angiogenic factors include: Anti-Invasive Factor, retinoic acid and derivatives thereof, paclitaxel, Suramin, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1, Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor- 1, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-2, and various forms of the lighter “d group” transition metals.
  • Lighter "d group” transition metals include, for example, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, niobium, and tantalum species. Such transition metal species may form transition metal complexes. Suitable complexes of the above-mentioned transition metal species include oxo transition metal complexes.
  • vanadium complexes include oxo vanadium complexes such as vanadate and vanadyl complexes.
  • Suitable vanadate complexes include metavanadate and orthovanadate complexes such as, for example, ammonium metavanadate, sodium metavanadate, and sodium orthovanadate.
  • Suitable vanadyl complexes include, for example, vanadyl acetylacetonate and vanadyl sulfate including vanadyl sulfate hydrates such as vanadyl sulfate mono- and trihydrates.
  • Representative examples of tungsten and molybdenum complexes also include oxo complexes.
  • Suitable oxo tungsten complexes include tungstate and tungsten oxide complexes.
  • Suitable tungstate complexes include ammonium tungstate, calcium tungstate, sodium tungstate dihydrate, and tungstic acid.
  • Suitable tungsten oxides include tungsten (IV) oxide and tungsten (VI) oxide.
  • Suitable oxo molybdenum complexes include molybdate, molybdenum oxide, and molybdenyl complexes.
  • Suitable molybdate complexes include ammonium molybdate and its hydrates, sodium molybdate and its hydrates, and potassium molybdate and its hydrates.
  • Suitable molybdenum oxides include molybdenum (VI) oxide, molybdenum (VI) oxide, and molybdic acid.
  • Suitable molybdenyl complexes include, for example, molybdenyl acetylacetonate.
  • Other suitable tungsten and molybdenum complexes include hydroxo derivatives derived from, for example, glycerol, tartaric acid, and sugars.
  • anti-angiogenic factors include platelet factor 4; protamine sulphate; sulphated chitin derivatives (prepared from queen crab shells), (Murata et al., Cancer Res.
  • SP- PG Sulphated Polysaccharide Peptidoglycan Complex
  • the function of this compound may be enhanced by the presence of steroids such as estrogen, and tamoxifen citrate
  • Staurosporine modulators of matrix metabolism, including for example, proline analogs, cishydroxyproline, d,L- 3,4-dehydroproline, Thiaproline, alpha,alpha-dipyridyl, aminopropionitrile fumarate; 4-propyl-5-(4-pyridinyl)-2(3H)-oxazolone; Methotrexate; Mitoxantrone; Heparin; Interferons; 2 Macroglobulin-serum; ChEVIP-3 (Pavloff et al., J.
  • cancers such as follicular lymphomas, carcinomas with p53 mutations, and hormone-dependent tumors, including, but not limited to colon cancer, cardiac tumors, pancreatic cancer, melanoma, retinoblastoma, glioblastoma, lung cancer, intestinal cancer, testicular cancer, stomach cancer, neuroblastoma, myxoma, myoma, lymphoma, endothelioma, osteoblastoma, osteoclastoma, osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, adenoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma and ovarian cancer); autoimmune diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (such as, multiple sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to inhibit growth, progression, and/or metasis of cancers, in particular those listed above.
  • Additional diseases or conditions associated with increased cell survival include, but are not limited to, progression, and/or metastases of malignancies and related disorders such as leukemia (including acute leukemias (e.g., acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelocytic leukemia (including myeloblastic, promyelocytic, myelomonocytic, monocytic, and erythroleukemia)) and chronic leukemias (e.g., chronic myelocytic (granulocytic) leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia)), polycythemia vera, lymphomas (e.g., Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's disease), multiple myeloma, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, heavy chain disease, and solid tumors including, but not limited to, sarcom
  • leukemia including acute leukemias (e.g., acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute myelocytic
  • Diseases associated with increased apoptosis that could be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed by the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention, include AIDS; neurodegenerative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Retinitis pigmentosa, Cerebellar degeneration and brain tumor or prior associated disease); autoimmune diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (such as, multiple sclerosis, Sjogren's syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, biliary ci ⁇ hosis, Behcet's disease, Crohn's disease, polymyositis, systemic lupus erythematosus and immune-related glomerulonephritis and rheumatoid arthritis) myelodysplastic syndromes (such as aplastic anemia), graft v.
  • neurodegenerative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions such as Alzheimer'
  • ischemic injury such as that caused by myocardial infarction, stroke and reperfusion injury
  • liver injury e.g., hepatitis related liver injury, ischemia/reperfusion injury, cholestosis (bile duct injury) and liver cancer
  • toxin-induced liver disease such as that caused by alcohol
  • septic shock cachexia and anorexia.
  • Polynucleotides or polypeptides, as well as agonists or antagonists of the invention, may be clinically useful in stimulating wound healing including surgical wounds, excisional wounds, deep wounds involving damage of the dermis and epidermis, eye tissue wounds, dental tissue wounds, oral cavity wounds, diabetic ulcers, dermal ulcers, cubitus ulcers, arterial ulcers, venous stasis ulcers, burns resulting from heat exposure or chemicals, and other abnormal wound healing conditions such as uremia, malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies and complications associted with systemic treatment with steroids, radiation therapy and antineoplastic drugs and antimetabolites.
  • Polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to promote dermal reestablishment subsequent to dermal loss
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to increase the adherence of skin grafts to a wound bed and to stimulate re-epithelialization from the wound bed.
  • the following are a non- exhaustive list of grafts that polynucleotides or polypeptides, agonists or antagonists of the invention, could be used to increase adherence to a wound bed: autografts, artificial skin, allografts, autodermic graft, autoepdermic grafts, avacular grafts, Blair- Brown grafts, bone graft, brephoplastic grafts, cutis graft, delayed graft, dermic graft, epidermic graft, fascia graft, full thickness graft, heterologous graft, xenograft, homologous graft, hype ⁇ lastic graft, lamellar graft, mesh graft, muco
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention will also produce changes in hepatocyte proliferation, and epithelial cell proliferation in the lung, breast, pancreas, stomach, small infesting, and large intestine.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could promote proliferation of epithelial cells such as sebocytes, hair follicles, hepatocytes, type II pneumocytes, mucin-producing goblet cells, and other epithelial cells and their progenitors contained within the skin, lung, liver, and gastrointestinal tract.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may promote proliferation of endothelial cells, keratinocytes, and basal keratinocytes.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could also be used to reduce the side effects of gut toxicity that result from radiation, chemotherapy treatments or viral infections.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may have a cytoprotective effect on the small intestine mucosa.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may also stimulate healing of mucositis (mouth ulcers) that result from chemotherapy and viral infections.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could further be used in full regeneration of skin in full and partial thickness skin defects, including burns, (i.e., repopulation of hair follicles, sweat glands, and sebaceous glands), treatment of other skin defects such as psoriasis.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to treat epidermolysis bullosa, a defect in adherence of the epidermis to the underlying dermis which results in frequent, open and painful blisters by accelerating reepithelialization of these lesions.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could also be used to treat gastric and doudenal ulcers and help heal by scar formation of the mucosal lining and regeneration of glandular mucosa and duodenal mucosal lining more rapidly.
  • Inflamamatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are diseases which result in destruction of the mucosal surface of the small or large intestine, respectively.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to promote the resurfacing of the mucosal surface to aid more rapid healing and to prevent progression of inflammatory bowel disease.
  • Treatment with the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention is expected to have a significant effect on the production of mucus throughout the gastrointestinal tract and could be used to protect the intestinal mucosa from injurious substances that are ingested or following surgery.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to treat diseases associate with the under expression of the polynucleotides of the invention.
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to prevent and heal damage to the lungs due to various pathological states.
  • a growth factor such as the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention, which could stimulate proliferation and differentiation and promote the repair of alveoli and brochiolar epithelium to prevent or treat acute or chronic lung damage.
  • emphysema which results in the progressive loss of aveoli, and inhalation injuries, i.e., resulting from smoke inhalation and burns, that cause necrosis of the bronchiolar epithelium and alveoli could be effectively treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to stimulate the proliferation of and differentiation of type II pneumocytes, which may help treat or prevent disease such as hyaline membrane diseases, such as infant respiratory distress syndrome and bronchopulmonary displasia, in premature infants.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of hepatocytes and, thus, could be used to alleviate or treat liver diseases and pathologies such as fulminant liver failure caused by ci ⁇ hosis, liver damage caused by viral hepatitis and toxic substances (i.e., acetaminophen, carbon tetraholoride and other hepatotoxins known in the art).
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used treat or prevent the onset of diabetes mellitus.
  • the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention could be used to maintain the islet function so as to alleviate, delay or prevent permanent manifestation of the disease. Also, the polynucleotides or polypeptides, and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention, could be used as an auxiliary in islet cell transplantation to improve or promote islet cell function.
  • Nervous system diseases, disorders, and/or conditions which can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed with the compositions of the invention (e.g., polypeptides, polynucleotides, and/or agonists or antagonists), include, but are not limited to, nervous system injuries, and diseases, disorders, and/or conditions which result in either a disconnection of axons, a diminution or degeneration of neurons, or demyelination.
  • Nervous system lesions which may be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed in a patient (including human and non-human mammalian patients) according to the invention, include but are not limited to, the following lesions of either the central (including spinal cord, brain) or peripheral nervous systems: (1) ischemic lesions, in which a lack of oxygen in a portion of the nervous system results in neuronal injury or death, including cerebral infarction or ischemia, or spinal cord infarction or ischemia; (2) traumatic lesions, including lesions caused by physical injury or associated with surgery, for example, lesions which sever a portion of the nervous system, or compression injuries; (3) malignant lesions, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured by malignant tissue which is either a nervous system associated malignancy or a malignancy derived from non-nervous system tissue; (4) infectious lesions, in which a portion of the nervous system is destroyed or injured as a result of infection, for example, by an abscess or associated with infection by human immunodeficiency virus,
  • the polypeptides, polynucleotides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to protect neural cells from the damaging effects of cerebral hypoxia.
  • the compositions of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose neural cell injury associated with cerebral hypoxia.
  • the polypeptides, polynucleotides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose neural cell injury associated with cerebral ischemia.
  • the polypeptides, polynucleotides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose neural cell injury associated with cerebral infarction.
  • polypeptides, polynucleotides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose or prevent neural cell injury associated with a stroke.
  • polypeptides, polynucleotides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose neural cell injury associated with a heart attack.
  • compositions of the invention which are useful for treating or preventing a nervous system disorder may be selected by testing for biological activity in promoting the survival or differentiation of neurons.
  • compositions of the invention which elicit any of the following effects may be useful according to the invention: (1) increased survival time of neurons in culture; (2) increased sprouting of neurons in culture or in vivo; (3) increased production of a neuron-associated molecule in culture or in vivo, e.g., choline acetyltransferase or acetylcholinesterase with respect to motor neurons; or (4) decreased symptoms of neuron dysfunction in vivo.
  • Such effects may be measured by any method known in the art.
  • increased survival of neurons may routinely be measured using a method set forth herein or otherwise known in the art, such as, for example, the method set forth in Arakawa et al. (J. Neurosci. 10:3507-3515 (1990)); increased sprouting of neurons may be detected by methods known in the art, such as, for example, the methods set forth in Pestronk et al. (Exp. Neurol. 70:65-82 (1980)) or Brown et al. (Ann. Rev. Neurosci.
  • neuron-associated molecules may be measured by bioassay, enzymatic assay, antibody binding, Northern blot assay, etc., using techniques known in the art and depending on the molecule to be measured; and motor neuron dysfunction may be measured by assessing the physical manifestation of motor neuron disorder, e.g., weakness, motor neuron conduction velocity, or functional disability.
  • motor neuron diseases, disorders, and/or conditions that may be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed according to the invention include, but are not limited to, diseases, disorders, and/or conditions such as infarction, infection, exposure to toxin, trauma, surgical damage, degenerative disease or malignancy that may affect motor neurons as well as other components of the nervous system, as well as diseases, disorders, and/or conditions that selectively affect neurons such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and including, but not limited to, progressive spinal muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis, infantile and juvenile muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar paralysis of childhood (Fazio- Londe syndrome), poliomyelitis and the post polio syndrome, and Hereditary Motorsensory Neuropathy (Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease).
  • diseases, disorders, and/or conditions such as infarction, infection, exposure to toxin, trauma, surgical damage, degenerative disease or malignancy that may affect motor neurons as well as other components of the nervous system, as well as diseases
  • compositions of the invention may be used to diagnose and/or treat or prevent diseases or disorders associated with these roles, including, but not limited to, learning and/or cognition disorders.
  • the compositions of the invention may also be useful in the treatment or prevention of neurodegenerative disease states and or behavioural disorders.
  • Such neurodegenerative disease states and/or behavioral disorders include, but are not limited to, Alzheimers Disease, Parkinsons Disease, Huntingtons Disease, Tourette Syndrome, schizophrenia, mania, dementia, paranoia, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, learning disabilities, ALS, psychoses, autism, and altered behaviors, including disorders in feeding, sleep patterns, balance, and perception.
  • compositions of the invention may also play a role in the treatment, prevention and/or detection of developmental disorders associated with the developing embryo, or sexually-linked disorders.
  • polypeptides, polynucleotides and/or agonists or antagonists of the invention may be useful in protecting neural cells from diseases, damage,. disorders, or injury, associated with cerebrovascular disorders including, but not limited to, carotid artery diseases (e.g., carotid artery thrombosis, carotid stenosis, or Moyamoya Disease), cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebral aneurysm, cerebral anoxia, cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral arteriovenous malformations, cerebral artery diseases, cerebral embolism and thrombosis (e.g., carotid artery thrombosis, sinus thrombosis, or Wallenberg's Syndrome), cerebral hemo ⁇ hage (e.g., epidural or subdural hematoma, or subarachnoid hemo ⁇ hage), cerebral infarction, cerebral ischemia (e.g., transient cerebral ischemia, Subclavian Steal Syndrome, or vertebrobasilar
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides as well as agonists or antagonists of the present invention, for therapeutic pu ⁇ oses, for example, to stimulate neurological cell proliferation and/or differentiation. Therefore, polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists and/or antagonists of the invention may be used to treat and/or detect neurologic diseases. Moreover, polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention, can be used as a marker or detector of a particular nervous system disease or disorder.
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include cerebrovascular disorders (such as carotid artery diseases which include carotid artery thrombosis, carotid stenosis and Moyamoya Disease), cerebral amyloid angiopathy, cerebral aneurysm, cerebral anoxia, cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral arteriovenous malformations, cerebral artery diseases, cerebral embolism and thrombosis such as carotid artery thrombosis, sinus thrombosis and Wallenberg's Syndrome, cerebral hemo ⁇ hage such as epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma and subarachnoid hemo ⁇ hage, cerebral infarction, cerebral ischemia such as transient cerebral ischemia, Subclavian Steal Syndrome and vertebrobasilar insufficiency, vascular dementia such as multi-infarct dementia, periventricular leukomalacia
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include dementia such as AIDS Dementia Complex, presenile dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome, senile dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, vascular dementia such as multi-infarct dementia, encephalitis which include encephalitis periaxialis, viral encephalitis such as epidemic encephalitis, Japanese Encephalitis, St.
  • dementia such as AIDS Dementia Complex
  • presenile dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome
  • senile dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease and progressive supranuclear palsy
  • vascular dementia such as multi-infarct dementia
  • encephalitis which include encephalitis periaxialis
  • viral encephalitis such as epidemic encephalitis, Japanese Encephalitis, St.
  • epilepsy such as generalized epilepsy which includes infantile spasms, absence epilepsy, myoclonic epilepsy which includes MERRF Syndrome, tonic-clonic epilepsy, partial epilepsy such as complex partial epilepsy, frontal lobe epilepsy and temporal lobe epilepsy, post-traumatic epilepsy, status epilepticus such as Epilepsia Partialis Continua, and Hallervorden- Spatz Syndrome.
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with, polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include hydrocephalus such as Dandy-Walker Syndrome and normal pressure hydrocephalus, hypothalamic diseases such as hypothalamic neoplasms, cerebral malaria, narcolepsy which includes cataplexy, bulbar poliomyelitis, cerebri pseudotumor, Rett Syndrome, Reye's Syndrome, thalamic diseases, cerebral toxoplasmosis, intracranial tuberculoma and Zellweger Syndrome, central nervous system infections such as AIDS Dementia Complex, Brain Abscess, subdural empyema, encephalomyelitis such as Equine Encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan Equine Encephalomyelitis, Necrotizing Hemo ⁇ hagic Encephalomyelitis, Visna, and cerebral malaria.
  • hydrocephalus such as Dandy-Walker Syndrome and
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include meningitis such as arachnoiditis, aseptic meningtitis such as viral meningtitis which includes lymphocytic choriomeningitis, Bacterial meningtitis which includes Haemophilus Meningtitis, Listeria Meningtitis, Meningococcal Meningtitis such as Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome, Pneumococcal Meningtitis and meningeal tuberculosis, fungal meningitis such as Cryptococcal Meningtitis, subdural effusion, meningoencephalitis such as uvemeningoencephalitic syndrome, myelitis such as transverse myelitis, neurosyphilis such as tabes dorsalis, poliomyelitis which includes bulbar poliomyelitis and postpoliomyelitis syndrome, prion diseases (
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include central nervous system neoplasms such as brain neoplasms that include cerebellar neoplasms such as infratentorial neoplasms, cerebral ventricle neoplasms such as choroid plexus neoplasms, hypothalamic neoplasms and supratentorial neoplasms, meningeal neoplasms, spinal cord neoplasms which include epidural neoplasms, demyelinating diseases such as Canavan Diseases, diffuse cerebral sceloris which includes adrenoleukodysfrophy, encephalitis periaxialis, globoid cell leukodystrophy, diffuse cerebral sclerosis such as metachromatic leukodystrophy, allergic encephalomyelitis, necrotizing hemo ⁇ hagic encephalomy
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies which include Charcot-Marie Disease, Hereditary optic atrophy, Refsum's Disease, hereditary spastic paraplegia, Werdnig-Hoffmann Disease, Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies such as Congenital Analgesia and Familial Dysautonomia, Neurologic manifestations (such as agnosia that include Gerstmann's Syndrome, Amnesia such as retrograde amnesia, apraxia, neurogenic bladder, cataplexy, communicative disorders such as hearing disorders that includes deafness, partial hearing loss, loudness recruitment and tinnitus, language disorders such as aphasia which include agraphia, anomia, broca aphasia, and Wernicke Aphasia, Dyslexia such as Acquired Dyslexia, language
  • Additional neurologic diseases which can be treated or detected with polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists, and/or antagonists of the present invention include nerve compression syndromes such as ca ⁇ al tunnel syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome such as cervical rib syndrome, ulnar nerve compression syndrome, neuralgia such as causalgia, cervico-brachial neuralgia, facial neuralgia and trigeminal neuralgia, neuritis such as experimental allergic neuritis, optic neuritis, polyneuritis, polyradiculoneuritis and radiculities such as polyradiculitis, hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies such as Charcot-Marie Disease, Hereditary Optic Atrophy, Refsum's Disease, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia and Werdnig-Hoffmann Disease, Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies which include Congenital Analgesia and Familial Dysautonomia, POEMS Syndrome, Sciatica, Gustatory Swe
  • a polypeptide or polynucleotide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention can be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose infectious agents. For example, by increasing the immune response, particularly increasing the proliferation and differentiation of B and/or T cells, infectious diseases may be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed.
  • the immune response may be increased by either enhancing an existing immune response, or by initiating a new immune response.
  • polypeptide or polynucleotide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention may also directly inhibit the infectious agent, without necessarily eliciting an immune response.
  • Viruses are one example of an infectious agent that can cause disease or symptoms that can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed by a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention.
  • viruses include, but are not limited to Examples of viruses, include, but are not limited to the following DNA and RNA viruses and viral families: Arbovirus,
  • Viruses falling within these families can cause a variety of diseases or symptoms, including, but not limited to: arthritis, bronchiollitis, respiratory syncytial virus, encephalitis, eye infections (e.g., conjunctivitis, keratitis), chronic fatigue syndrome, hepatitis (A, B, C, E, Chronic Active, Delta), Japanese B encephalitis, Junin, Chikungunya, Rift Valley fever, yellow fever, meningitis, opportunistic infections (e.g., AIDS), pneumonia, Burkitt's Lymphoma, chickenpox, hemo ⁇ hagic fever, Measles, Mumps, Parainfluenza, Rabies, the common cold, Polio, leukemia, Rubella, sexually transmitted diseases, skin diseases (e.g., Kaposi's, warts), and viremia.
  • arthritis bronchiollitis
  • respiratory syncytial virus e.g., respiratory syncytial virus
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention can be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose any of these symptoms or diseases.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose: meningitis, Dengue, EBV, and/or hepatitis (e.g., hepatitis B).
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat patients nonresponsive to one or more other commercially available hepatitis vaccines.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose AIDS.
  • Actinomycetales e.g., Corynebacterium,
  • Enterobacteriaceae Klebsiella, Salmonella (e.g., Salmonella typhi, and Salmonella paratyphi), Se ⁇ atia, Yersinia), Erysipelothrix, Helicobacter, Legionellosis, Leptospirosis, Listeria, Mycoplasmatales,
  • Mycobacterium leprae Vibrio cholerae, Neisseriaceae (e.g., Acinetobacter, Gono ⁇ hea, Menigococcal), Meisseria meningitidis, Pasteurellacea Infections (e.g., Actinobacillus, Heamophilus (e.g., Heamophilus influenza type B), Pasteurella), Pseudomonas, Rickettsiaceae, Chlamydiaceae, Syphilis, Shigella spp., Staphylococcal, Meningiococcal, Pneumococcal and Streptococcal (e.g.,
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae and Group B Streptococcus can cause the following diseases or symptoms, including, but not limited to: bacteremia, endocarditis, eye infections (conjunctivitis, tuberculosis, uveitis), gingivitis, opportunistic infections (e.g., AIDS related infections), paronychia, prosthesis-related infections, Reiter's Disease, respiratory tract infections, such as Whooping Cough or Empyema, sepsis, Lyme Disease, Cat-Scratch Disease, Dysentery, Paratyphoid Fever, food poisoning, Typhoid, pneumonia, Gono ⁇ hea, meningitis (e.g., mengitis types A and B), Chlamydia, Syphilis, Diphtheria, Leprosy, Paratuberculosis, Tuberculosis, Lupus, Botulism, gangrene, tetanus, imp
  • Polynucleotides or polypeptides, agonists or antagonists of the invention can be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose any of these symptoms or diseases.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose: tetanus, Diptheria, botulism, and/or meningitis type B.
  • parasitic agents causing disease or symptoms that can be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed by a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention include, but not limited to, the following families or class: Amebiasis, Babesiosis, Coccidiosis, Cryptosporidiosis, Dientamoebiasis, Dourine, Ectoparasitic, Giardiasis, Helminthiasis, Leishmaniasis, Theileriasis, Toxoplasmosis, Trypanosomiasis, and Trichomonas and Sporozoans (e.g.,
  • Plasmodium virax, Plasmodium falciparium, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale can cause a variety of diseases or symptoms, including, but not limited to: Scabies, Trombiculiasis, eye infections, intestinal disease (e.g., dysentery, giardiasis), liver disease, lung disease, opportunistic infections (e.g., AIDS related), malaria, pregnancy complications, and toxoplasmosis.
  • polynucleotides or polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention can be used totreat, prevent, and/or diagnose any of these symptoms or diseases.
  • polynucleotides, polypeptides, or agonists or antagonists of the invention are used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose malaria.
  • treatment or prevention using a polypeptide or polynucleotide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention could either be by administering an effective amount of a polypeptide to the patient, or by removing cells from the patient, supplying the cells with a polynucleotide of the present invention, and returning the engineered cells to the patient (ex vivo therapy).
  • the polypeptide or polynucleotide of the present invention can be used as an antigen in a vaccine to raise an immune response against infectious disease. Regeneration
  • a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention can be used to differentiate, proliferate, and attract cells, leading to the regeneration of tissues.
  • the regeneration of tissues could be used to repair, replace, or protect tissue damaged by congenital defects, trauma (wounds, bums, incisions, or ulcers), age, disease (e.g. osteoporosis, osteocarthritis, periodontal disease, liver failure), surgery, including cosmetic plastic surgery, fibrosis, reperfusion injury, or systemic cytokine damage.
  • Tissues that could be regenerated using the present invention include organs (e.g., pancreas, liver, intestine, kidney, skin, endothelium), muscle (smooth, skeletal or cardiac), vasculature (including vascular and lymphatics), nervous, hematopoietic, and skeletal (bone, cartilage, tendon, and ligament) tissue.
  • organs e.g., pancreas, liver, intestine, kidney, skin, endothelium
  • muscle smooth, skeletal or cardiac
  • vasculature including vascular and lymphatics
  • nervous hematopoietic
  • skeletal bone, cartilage, tendon, and ligament
  • a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention could also be used prophylactically in an effort to avoid damage.
  • Specific diseases that could be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed include of tendinitis, ca ⁇ al tunnel syndrome, and other tendon or ligament defects.
  • a further example of tissue regeneration of non-healing wounds includes pressure ulcers, ulcers associated with vascular insufficiency, surgical, and traumatic wounds.
  • nerve and brain tissue could also be regenerated by using a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention to proliferate and differentiate nerve cells.
  • Diseases that could be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using this method include central and peripheral nervous system diseases, neuropathies, or mechanical and traumatic diseases, disorders, and/or conditions (e.g., spinal cord disorders, head trauma, cerebrovascular disease, and stoke).
  • diseases associated with peripheral nerve injuries e.g., resulting from chemotherapy or other medical therapies
  • peripheral neuropathy e.g., resulting from chemotherapy or other medical therapies
  • localized neuropathies e.g., central nervous system diseases
  • central nervous system diseases e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Shy- Drager syndrome
  • Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Shy- Drager syndrome could all be treated, prevented, and/or diagnosed using the polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention.
  • Chemotaxis A polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention may have chemotaxis activity.
  • a chemotaxic molecule attracts or mobilizes cells (e.g., monocytes, fibroblasts, neutrophils, T-cells, mast cells, eosinophils, epithelial and/or endothelial cells) to a particular site in the body, such as inflammation, infection, or site of hype ⁇ roliferation.
  • the mobilized cells can then fight off and/or heal the particular trauma or abnormality.
  • a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention may increase chemotaxic activity of particular cells.
  • These chemotactic molecules can then be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose inflammation, infection, hype ⁇ roliferative diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, or any immune system disorder by increasing the number of cells targeted to a particular location in the body.
  • chemotaxic molecules can be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose wounds and other trauma to tissues by attracting immune cells to the injured location.
  • Chemotactic molecules of the present invention can also attract fibroblasts, which can be used to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose wounds.
  • a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention may inhibit chemotactic activity. These molecules could also be used totreat, prevent, and/or diagnose diseases, disorders, and/or conditions. Thus, a polynucleotide or polypeptide and/or agonist or antagonist of the present invention could be used as an inhibitor of chemotaxis.
  • a polypeptide of the present invention may be used to screen for molecules that bind to the polypeptide or for molecules to which the polypeptide binds.
  • the binding of the polypeptide and the molecule may activate (agonist), increase, inhibit (antagonist), or decrease activity of the polypeptide or the molecule bound.
  • Examples of such molecules include antibodies, oligonucleotides, proteins (e.g., receptors),or small molecules.
  • the molecule is closely related to the natural ligand of the polypeptide, e.g., a fragment of the ligand, or a natural substrate, a ligand, a structural or functional mimetic.
  • the molecule can be closely related to the natural receptor to which the polypeptide binds, or at least, a fragment of the receptor capable of being bound by the polypeptide (e.g., active site). In either case, the molecule can be rationally designed using known techniques.
  • the screening for these molecules involves producing appropriate cells which express the polypeptide, either as a secreted protein or on the cell membrane.
  • Prefe ⁇ ed cells include cells from mammals, yeast, Drosophila, or E. coli.
  • Cells expressing the polypeptide (or cell membrane containing the expressed polypeptide) are then preferably contacted with a test compound potentially containing the molecule to observe binding, stimulation, or inhibition of activity of either the polypeptide or the molecule.
  • the assay may simply test binding of a candidate compound to the polypeptide, wherein binding is detected by a label, or in an assay involving competition with a labeled competitor. Further, the assay may test whether the candidate compound results in a signal generated by binding to the polypeptide.
  • the assay can be carried out using cell-free preparations, polypeptide/molecule affixed to a solid support, chemical libraries, or natural product mixtures.
  • the assay may also simply comprise the steps of mixing a candidate compound with a solution containing a polypeptide, measuring polypeptide/molecule activity or binding, and comparing the polypeptide/molecule activity or binding to a standard.
  • an ⁇ LISA assay can measure polypeptide level or activity in a sample (e.g., biological sample) using a monoclonal or polyclonal antibody.
  • the antibody can measure polypeptide level or activity by either binding, directly or indirectly, to the polypeptide or by competing with the polypeptide for a substrate.
  • the receptor to which a polypeptide of the invention binds can be identified by numerous methods known to those of skill in the art, for example, ligand panning and FACS sorting (Coligan, et al., Cu ⁇ ent Protocols in Immun., 1(2), Chapter 5, (1991)).
  • expression cloning is employed wherein polyadenylated RNA is prepared from a cell responsive to the polypeptides, for example, NIH3T3 cells which are known to contain multiple receptors for the FGF family proteins, and SC-3 cells, and a cDNA library created from this RNA is divided into pools and used to transfect COS cells or other cells that are not responsive to the polypeptides.
  • Transfected cells which are grown on glass slides are exposed to the polypeptide of the present invention, after they have been labelled.
  • the polypeptides can be labeled by a variety of means including iodination or inclusion of a recognition site for a site-specific protein kinase.
  • DNA shuffling may be employed to modulate the activities of polypeptides of the invention thereby effectively generating agonists and antagonists of polypeptides of the invention. See generally, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,605,793, 5,811,238, 5,830,721, 5,834,252, and 5,837,458, and Patten, P. A., et al., Cu ⁇ . Opinion Biotechnol. 8:724-33 (1997); Harayama, S. Trends Biotechnol. 16(2):76-82 (1998); Hansson, L.
  • alteration of polynucleotides and co ⁇ esponding polypeptides of the invention may be achieved by DNA shuffling.
  • DNA shuffling involves the assembly of two or more DNA segments into a desired polynucleotide sequence of the invention molecule by homologous, or site-specific, recombination.
  • polynucleotides and co ⁇ esponding polypeptides of the invention may be alte ⁇ ed by being subjected to random mutagenesis by e ⁇ or-prone PCR, random nucleotide insertion or other methods prior to recombination.
  • one or more components, motifs, sections, parts, domains, fragments, etc., of the polypeptides of the invention may be recombined with one or more components, motifs, sections, parts, domains, fragments, etc. of one or more heterologous molecules.
  • the heterologous molecules are family members.
  • the heterologous molecule is a growth factor such as, for example, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), transforming growth factor (TGF)-alpha, epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), TGF-beta, bone mo ⁇ hogenetic protein (BMP)-2, BMP-4, BMP-5, BMP-6, BMP-7, activins A and B, decapentaplegic(dpp), 60A, OP-2, dorsalin, growth differentiation factors (GDFs), nodal, MIS, inhibin-alpha, TGF-betal, TGF-beta2, TGF-beta3, TGF-beta5, and glial- derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).
  • PDGF platelet-derived growth factor
  • IGF-I insulin-like growth factor
  • TGF transforming growth factor
  • EGF epidermal growth factor
  • FGF fibroblast growth factor
  • TGF-beta
  • Biologically active fragments are those exhibiting activity similar, but not necessarily identical, to an activity of the polypeptide.
  • the biological activity of the fragments may include an improved desired activity, or a decreased undesirable activity.
  • this invention provides a method of screening compounds to identify those which modulate the action of the polypeptide of the present invention.
  • An example of such an assay comprises combining a mammalian fibroblast cell, a the polypeptide of the present invention, the compound to be screened and 3[H] thymidine under cell culture conditions where the fibroblast cell would normally proliferate.
  • a control assay may be performed in the absence of the compound to be screened and compared to the amount of fibroblast proliferation in the presence of the compound to determine if the compound stimulates proliferation by determining the uptake of 3[H] thymidine in each case.
  • the amount of fibroblast cell proliferation is measured by liquid scintillation chromatography which measures the inco ⁇ oration of 3[H] thymidine. Both agonist and antagonist compounds may be identified by this procedure.
  • a mammalian cell or membrane preparation expressing a receptor for a polypeptide of the present invention is incubated with a labeled polypeptide of the present invention in the presence of the compound.
  • the ability of the compound to enhance or block this interaction could then be measured.
  • the response of a known second messenger system following interaction of a compound to be screened and the receptor is measured and the ability of the compound to bind to the receptor and elicit a second messenger response is measured to determine if the compound is a potential agonist or antagonist.
  • second messenger systems include but are not limited to, cAMP guanylate cyclase, ion channels or phosphoinositide hydrolysis.
  • the invention includes a method of identifying compounds which bind to the polypeptides of the invention comprising the steps of: (a) incubating a candidate binding compound with the polypeptide; and (b) determining if binding has occu ⁇ ed.
  • the invention includes a method of identifying agonists/antagonists comprising the steps of: (a) incubating a candidate compound with the polypeptide, (b) assaying a biological activity , and (b) determining if a biological activity of the polypeptide has been altered.
  • polypeptide sequence of the invention can be identified by using the beta-pleated sheet regions contained in the polypeptide sequence of the protein. Accordingly, specific embodiments of the invention are directed to polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which comprise, or alternatively consist of, the amino acid sequence of each beta pleated sheet regions in a disclosed polypeptide sequence. Additional embodiments of the invention are directed to polynucleotides encoding polypeptides which comprise, or alternatively consist of, any combination or all of contained in the polypeptide sequences of the invention.
  • the invention provides a method of delivering compositions to targeted cells expressing a receptor for a polypeptide of the invention, or cells expressing a cell bound form of a polypeptide of the invention.
  • polypeptides or antibodies of the invention may be associated with heterologous polypeptides, heterologous nucleic acids, toxins, or prodrugs via hydrophobic, hydrophilic, ionic and/or covalent interactions.
  • the invention provides a method for the specific delivery of compositions of the invention to cells by administering polypeptides of the invention (including antibodies) that are associated with heterologous polypeptides or nucleic acids.
  • the invention provides a method for delivering a therapeutic protein into the targeted cell.
  • the invention provides a method for delivering a single stranded nucleic acid (e.g., antisense or ribozymes) or double stranded nucleic acid (e.g., DNA that can integrate into the cell's genome or replicate episomally and that can be transcribed) into the targeted cell.
  • a single stranded nucleic acid e.g., antisense or ribozymes
  • double stranded nucleic acid e.g., DNA that can integrate into the cell's genome or replicate episomally and that can be transcribed
  • the invention provides a method for the specific destruction of cells (e.g., the destruction of tumor cells) by administering polypeptides of the invention (e.g., polypeptides of the invention or antibodies of the invention) in association with toxins or cytotoxic prodrugs.
  • polypeptides of the invention e.g., polypeptides of the invention or antibodies of the invention
  • toxin compounds that bind and activate endogenous cytotoxic effector systems, radioisotopes, holotoxins, modified toxins, catalytic subunits of toxins, or any molecules or enzymes not normally present in or on the surface of a cell that under defined conditions cause the cell's death.
  • cytotoxic prodrug is meant a non-toxic compound that is converted by an enzyme, normally present in the cell, into a cytotoxic compound.
  • Cytotoxic prodrugs that may be used according to the methods of the invention include, but are not limited to, glutamyl derivatives of benzoic acid mustard alkylating agent, phosphate derivatives of etoposide or mitomycin C, cytosine arabinoside, daunorubisin, and phenoxyacetamide derivatives of doxorubicin.
  • polypeptides of the present invention or the polynucleotides encoding these polypeptides, to screen for molecules which modify the activities of the polypeptides of the present invention.
  • a method would include contacting the polypeptide of the present invention with a selected compound(s) suspected of having antagonist or agonist activity, and assaying the activity of these polypeptides following binding.
  • This invention is particularly useful for screening therapeutic compounds by using the polypeptides of the present invention, or binding fragments thereof, in any of a variety of drug screening techniques.
  • the polypeptide or fragment employed in such a test may be affixed to a solid support, expressed on a cell surface, free in solution, or located intracellularly.
  • One method of drug screening utilizes eukaryotic or prokaryotic host cells which are stably transformed with recombinant nucleic acids expressing the polypeptide or fragment. Drugs are screened against such transformed cells in competitive binding assays. One may measure, for example, the formulation of complexes between the agent being tested and a polypeptide of the present invention.
  • the present invention provides methods of screening for drugs or any other agents which affect activities mediated by the polypeptides of the present invention. These methods comprise contacting such an agent with a polypeptide of the present invention or a fragment thereof and assaying for the presence of a complex between the agent and the polypeptide or a fragment thereof, by methods well known in the art.
  • the agents to screen are typically labeled. Following incubation, free agent is separated from that present in bound form, and the amount of free or uncomplexed label is a measure of the ability of a particular agent to bind to the polypeptides of the present invention.
  • Another technique for drug screening provides high throughput screening for compounds having suitable binding affinity to the polypeptides of the present invention, and is described in great detail in European Patent Application 84/03564, published on September 13, 1984, which is inco ⁇ orated herein by reference herein.
  • large numbers of different small peptide test compounds are synthesized on a solid substrate, such as plastic pins or some other surface.
  • the peptide test compounds are reacted with polypeptides of the present invention and washed. Bound polypeptides are then detected by methods well known in the art. Purified polypeptides are coated directly onto plates for use in the aforementioned drug screening techniques.
  • non-neutralizing antibodies may be used to capture the peptide and immobilize it on the solid support.
  • This invention also contemplates the use of competitive drug screening assays in which neutralizing antibodies capable of binding polypeptides of the present invention specifically compete with a test compound for binding to the polypeptides or fragments thereof. In this manner, the antibodies are used to detect the presence of any peptide which shares one or more antigenic epitopes with a polypeptide of the invention.
  • the invention also encompasses screening methods for identifying polypeptides and nonpolypep tides that bind polypeptides of the invention, and the polypeptide of the invention binding molecules identified thereby. These binding molecules are useful, for example, as agonists and antagonists of the polypeptides of the invention. Such agonists and antagonists can be used, in accordance with the invention, in the therapeutic embodiments described in detail, below.
  • This method comprises the steps of: a. contacting a polypeptide of the invention with a plurality of molecules; and b. identifying a molecule that binds the polypeptide of the invention.
  • the step of contacting the polypeptide of the invention with the plurality of molecules may be effected in a number of ways. For example, one may contemplate immobilizing the polypeptide of the invention on a solid support and bringing a solution of the plurality of molecules in contact with the immobilized polypeptide of the invention. Such a procedure would be akin to an affinity chromatographic process, with the affinity matrix being comprised of the immobilized polypeptide of the invention.
  • the molecules having a selective affinity for the polypeptide of the invention can then be purified by affinity selection.
  • the nature of the solid support, process for attachment of the polypeptide of the invention to the solid support, solvent, and conditions of the affinity isolation or selection are largely conventional and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
  • the individual polypeptides can also be produced by a transformed host cell in such a way as to be expressed on or about its outer surface (e.g., a recombinant phage). Individual isolates can then be "probed" by the polypeptide of the invention, optionally in the presence of an inducer should one be required for expression, to determine if any selective affinity interaction takes place between the polypeptide of the invention and the individual clone.
  • the polypeptides Prior to contacting the polypeptide of the invention with each fraction comprising individual polypeptides, the polypeptides could first be transfe ⁇ ed to a solid support for additional convenience.
  • a solid support may simply be a piece of filter membrane, such as one made of nitrocellulose or nylon.
  • positive clones could be identified from a collection of transformed host cells of an expression library, which harbor a DNA construct encoding a polypeptide having a selective affinity for a polypeptide of the invention.
  • the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide having a selective affinity for the polypeptide of the invention can be determined directly by conventional means or the coding sequence of the DNA encoding the polypeptide can frequently be determined more conveniently.
  • the primary sequence can then be deduced from the co ⁇ esponding DNA sequence.
  • the amino acid sequence is to be determined from the polypeptide itself, one may use microsequencing techniques.
  • the sequencing technique may include mass spectroscopy.
  • Such a wash step may be particularly desirable when the polypeptide of the invention or the plurality of polypeptides is bound to a solid support.
  • the plurality of molecules provided according to this method may be provided by way of diversity libraries, such as random or combinatorial peptide or nonpeptide libraries which can be screened for molecules that specifically bind to a polypeptide of the invention.
  • diversity libraries such as random or combinatorial peptide or nonpeptide libraries which can be screened for molecules that specifically bind to a polypeptide of the invention.
  • Many libraries are known in the art that can be used, e.g., chemically synthesized libraries, recombinant (e.g., phage display libraries), and in vitro translation-based libraries.
  • a benzodiazepine library (see e.g., Bunin et al., 1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91 :4708-4712) can be adapted for use.
  • Peptoid libraries (Simon et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:9367-9371) can also be used.
  • Another example of a library that can be used, in which the amide functionalities in peptides have been permethylated to generate a chemically transformed combinatorial library, is described by Ostresh et al. (1994, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91:11138-11142).
  • Non-peptide libraries can be classified broadly into two types: decorated monomers and oligomers.
  • Decorated monomer libraries employ a relatively simple scaffold structure upon which a variety functional groups is added. Often the scaffold will be a molecule with a known useful pharmacological activity. For example, the scaffold might be the benzodiazepine structure.
  • Non-peptide oligomer libraries utilize a large number of monomers that are assembled together in ways that create new shapes that depend on the order of the monomers.
  • monomer units that have been used are carbamates, py ⁇ olinones, and mo ⁇ holinos.
  • the first non-peptide oligomer libraries utilized a single type of monomer and thus contained a repeating backbone. Recent libraries have utilized more than one monomer, giving the libraries added flexibility.
  • Screening the libraries can be accomplished by any of a variety of commonly known methods. See, e.g., the following references, which disclose screening of peptide libraries: Parmley and Smith, 1989, Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 251 :215-218; Scott and Smith, 1990, Science 249:386-390; Fowlkes et al., 1992; BioTechniques 13:422- 427; Oldenburg et al., 1992, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
  • screening to identify a molecule that binds a polypeptide of the invention can be ca ⁇ ied out by contacting the library members with a polypeptide of the invention immobilized on a solid phase and harvesting those library members that bind to the polypeptide of the invention.
  • panning techniques are described by way of example in Parmley and Smith, 1988, Gene 73:305-318; Fowlkes et al., 1992, BioTechniques 13:422-427; PCT Publication No. WO 94/18318; and in references cited herein.
  • the two-hybrid system for selecting interacting proteins in yeast can be used to identify molecules that specifically bind to a polypeptide of the invention.
  • the polypeptide of the invention binding molecule is a polypeptide
  • the polypeptide can be conveniently selected from any peptide library, including random peptide libraries, combinatorial peptide libraries, or biased peptide libraries.
  • bias is used herein to mean that the method of generating the library is manipulated so as to restrict one or more parameters that govern the diversity of the resulting collection of molecules, in this case peptides.
  • a truly random peptide library would generate a collection of peptides in which the probability of finding a particular amino acid at a given position of the peptide is the same for all 20 amino acids.
  • a bias can be introduced into the library, however, by specifying, for example, that a lysine occur every fifth amino acid or that positions 4, 8, and 9 of a decapeptide library be fixed to include only arginine.
  • biases can be contemplated, and the present invention is not restricted to any particular bias.
  • the present invention contemplates specific types of peptide libraries, such as phage displayed peptide libraries and those that utilize a DNA construct comprising a lambda phage vector with a DNA insert.
  • polypeptide of the invention binding molecule that is a polypeptide
  • the polypeptide may have about 6 to less than about 60 amino acid residues, preferably about 6 to about 10 amino acid residues, and most preferably, about 6 to about 22 amino acids.
  • a polypeptide of the invention binding polypeptide has in the range of 15-100 amino acids, or 20-50 amino acids.
  • the selected polypeptide of the invention binding polypeptide can be obtained by chemical synthesis or recombinant expression.
  • antagonists according to the present invention are nucleic acids co ⁇ esponding to the sequences contained in SEQ ID NO:X, or the complementary strand thereof, and/or to nucleotide sequences contained a deposited clone.
  • antisense sequence is generated internally by the organism, in another embodiment, the antisense sequence is separately administered (see, for example, O'Connor, Neurochem., 56:560 (1991). Ohgodeoxynucleotides as Anitsense Inhibitors of Gene Expression, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (1988).
  • Antisense technology can be used to control gene expression through antisense DNA or RNA, or through triple-helix formation.
  • Antisense techniques are discussed for example, in Okano, Neurochem., 56:560 (1991); Ohgodeoxynucleotides as Antisense Inhibitors of Gene Expression, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (1988). Triple helix formation is discussed in, for instance, Lee et al., Nucleic Acids Research, 6:3073 (1979); Cooney et al., Science, 241 :456 (1988); and Dervan et al., Science, 251 :1300 (1991). The methods are based on binding of a polynucleotide to a complementary DNA or RNA.
  • c-myc and c-myb antisense RNA constructs to inhibit the growth of the non-lymphocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 and other cell lines was previously described. (Wickstrom et al. (1988); Anfossi et al. (1989)). These experiments were performed in vitro by incubating cells with the oligoribonucleotide. A similar procedure for in vivo use is described in WO 91/15580.
  • a pair of oligonucleotides for a given antisense RNA is produced as follows: A sequence complimentary to the first 15 bases of the open reading frame is flanked by an EcoRl site on the 5 end and a Hindlll site on the 3 end. Next, the pair of oligonucleotides is heated at 90°C for one minute and then annealed in 2X ligation buffer (20mM TRIS HCl pH 7.5, lOmM MgC12, 10MM dithiothreitol (DTT) and 0.2 mM ATP) and then ligated to the EcoRl/Hind III site of the retroviral vector PMV7 (WO 91/15580).
  • 2X ligation buffer 20mM TRIS HCl pH 7.5, lOmM MgC12, 10MM dithiothreitol (DTT) and 0.2 mM ATP
  • the 5' coding portion of a polynucleotide that encodes the mature polypeptide of the present invention may be used to design an antisense RNA oligonucleotide of from about 10 to 40 base pairs in length.
  • a DNA oligonucleotide is designed to be complementary to a region of the gene involved in transcription thereby preventing transcription and the production of the receptor.
  • the antisense RNA oligonucleotide hybridizes to the mRNA in vivo and blocks translation of the mRNA molecule into receptor polypeptide.
  • the antisense nucleic acid of the invention is produced intracellularly by transcription from an exogenous sequence.
  • a vector or a portion thereof is transcribed, producing an antisense nucleic acid (RNA) of the invention.
  • RNA antisense nucleic acid
  • Such a vector would contain a sequence encoding the antisense nucleic acid of the invention.
  • Such a vector can remain episomal or become chromosomally integrated, as long as it can be transcribed to produce the desired antisense RNA.
  • Such vectors can be constructed by recombinant DNA technology methods standard in the art. Vectors can be plasmid, viral, or others known in the art, used for replication and expression in vertebrate cells.
  • Expression of the sequence encoding a polypeptide of the invention, or fragments thereof, can be by any promoter known in the art to act in vertebrate, preferably human cells.
  • promoters can be inducible or constitutive.
  • Such promoters include, but are not limited to, the SV40 early promoter region (Bernoist and Chambon, Nature, 29:304-310 (1981), the promoter contained in the 3' long terminal repeat of Rous sarcoma virus (Yamamoto et al., Cell, 22:787-797 (1980), the he ⁇ es thymidine promoter (Wagner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 78:1441-1445 (1981), the regulatory sequences of the metallothionein gene (Brinster et al., Nature, 296:39-42 (1982)), etc.
  • the antisense nucleic acids of the invention comprise a sequence complementary to at least a portion of an RNA transcript of a gene of interest.
  • absolute complementarity although prefe ⁇ ed, is not required.
  • the ability to hybridize will depend on both the degree of complementarity and the length of the antisense nucleic acid Generally, the larger the hybridizing nucleic acid, the more base mismatches with a RNA sequence of the invention it may contain and still form a stable duplex (or triplex as the case may be).
  • One skilled in the art can ascertain a tolerable degree of mismatch by use of standard procedures to determine the melting point of the hybridized complex.
  • Oligonucleotides that are complementary to the 5' end of the message should work most efficiently at inhibiting translation.
  • sequences complementary to the 3' untranslated sequences of mRNAs have been shown to be effective at inhibiting translation of mRNAs as well. See generally, Wagner, R., Nature, 372:333-335 (1994).
  • oligonucleotides complementary to either the 5' - or 3' - non- translated, non-coding regions of a polynucleotide sequence of the invention could be used in an antisense approach to inhibit translation of endogenous mRNA.
  • Oligonucleotides complementary to the 5' untranslated region of the mRNA should include the complement of the AUG start codon.
  • Antisense oligonucleotides complementary to mRNA coding regions are less efficient inhibitors of translation but could be used in accordance with the invention. Whether designed to hybridize to the 5' -, 3 ' - or coding region of mRNA, antisense nucleic acids should be at least six nucleotides in length, and are preferably oligonucleotides ranging from 6 to about 50 nucleotides in length.
  • the oligonucleotide is at least 10 nucleotides, at least 17 nucleotides, at least 25 nucleotides or at least 50 nucleotides.
  • the polynucleotides of the invention can be DNA or RNA or chimeric mixtures or derivatives or modified versions thereof, single-stranded or double- stranded.
  • the oligonucleotide can be modified at the base moiety, sugar moiety, or phosphate backbone, for example, to improve stability of the molecule, hybridization, etc.
  • the oligonucleotide may include other appended groups such as peptides (e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo), or agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane (see, e.g., Letsinger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86:6553-6556 (1989); Lemaitre et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 84:648-652 (1987); PCT Publication NO: WO88/09810, published December 15, 1988) or the blood-brain barrier (see, e.g., PCT Publication NO: WO89/10134, published April 25, 1988), hybridization- triggered cleavage agents.
  • peptides e.g., for targeting host cell receptors in vivo
  • agents facilitating transport across the cell membrane see, e.g., Letsinger et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.
  • the oligonucleotide may be conjugated to another molecule, e.g., a peptide, hybridization triggered cross-linking agent, transport agent, hybridization-triggered cleavage agent, etc.
  • the antisense oligonucleotide may comprise at least one modified base moiety which is selected from the group including, but not limited to, 5-fluorouracil, 5-bromouracil, 5-chlorouracil, 5-iodouracil, hypoxanthine, xantine, 4-acetylcytosine, 5-(carboxyhydroxylmethyl) uracil, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyl-2-thiouridine, 5-carboxymethylaminomethyluracil, dihydrouracil, beta-D-galactosylqueosine, inosine, N6-isopentenyladenine, 1 -methyl guanine, 1-methylinosine, 2,2-dimethylguanine, 2-methyladenine, 2-methylguanine, 3-methylcytosine, 5-methylcytosine, N6-adenine, 7-methylguanine, 5-methylaminomethyluracil, 5-methoxyaminomethyl-2-thiouracil, beta-D-mannos
  • the antisense oligonucleotide may also comprise at least one modified sugar moiety selected from the group including, but not limited to, arabinose, 2-fluoroarabinose, xylulose, and hexose.
  • the antisense oligonucleotide comprises at least one modified phosphate backbone selected from the group including, but not limited to, a phosphorothioate, a phosphorodithioate, a phosphoramidothioate, a phosphoramidate, a phosphordiamidate, a methylphosphonate, an alkyl phosphotriester, and a formacetal or analog thereof.
  • the antisense oligonucleotide is an a-anomeric oligonucleotide.
  • An a-anomeric oligonucleotide forms specific double-stranded hybrids with complementary RNA in which, contrary to the usual b-units, the strands run parallel to each other (Gautier et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 15:6625-6641 (1987)).
  • the oligonucleotide is a 2-0-methylribonucleotide (Inoue et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 15:6131-6148 (1987)), or a chimeric RNA-DNA analogue (Inoue et al., FEBS Lett. 215:327-330 (1987)).
  • Polynucleotides of the invention may be synthesized by standard methods known in the art, e.g. by use of an automated DNA synthesizer (such as are commercially available from Biosearch, Applied Biosystems, etc.).
  • an automated DNA synthesizer such as are commercially available from Biosearch, Applied Biosystems, etc.
  • phosphorothioate oligonucleotides may be synthesized by the method of Stein et al. (Nucl. Acids Res., 16:3209 (1988))
  • methylphosphonate oligonucleotides can be prepared by use of controlled pore glass polymer supports (Sarin et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 85:7448-7451 (1988)), etc.
  • antisense nucleotides complementary to the coding region sequence of the invention could be used, those complementary to the transcribed untranslated region are most prefe ⁇ ed.
  • Potential antagonists according to the invention also include catalytic RNA, or a ribozyme (See, e.g., PCT International Publication WO 90/11364, published October 4, 1990; Sarver et al, Science, 247:1222-1225 (1990). While ribozymes that cleave mRNA at site specific recognition sequences can be used to destroy mRNAs co ⁇ esponding to the polynucleotides of the invention, the use of hammerhead ribozymes is prefe ⁇ ed. Hammerhead ribozymes cleave mRNAs at locations dictated by flanking regions that form complementary base pairs with the target mRNA.
  • target mRNA have the following sequence of two bases: 5' -UG-3' .
  • the construction and production of hammerhead ribozymes is well known in the art and is described more fully in Haseloff and Gerlach, Nature,
  • the ribozyme is engineered so that the cleavage recognition site is located near the 5 ' end of the mRNA co ⁇ esponding to the polynucleotides of the invention; i.e., to increase efficiency and minimize the intracellular accumulation of non-functional mRNA transcripts.
  • the ribozymes of the invention can be composed of modified oligonucleotides (e.g. for improved stability, targeting, etc.) and should be delivered to cells which express the polynucleotides of the invention in vivo.
  • DNA constructs encoding the ribozyme may be introduced into the cell in the same manner as described above for the introduction of antisense encoding DNA.
  • a prefe ⁇ ed method of delivery involves using a DNA construct "encoding" the ribozyme under the control of a strong constitutive promoter, such as, for example, pol III or pol II promoter, so that transfected cells will produce sufficient quantities of the ribozyme to destroy endogenous messages and inhibit translation. Since ribozymes unlike antisense molecules, are catalytic, a lower intracellular concentration is required for efficiency.
  • Antagonist/agonist compounds may be employed to inhibit the cell growth and proliferation effects of the polypeptides of the present invention on neoplastic cells and tissues, i.e. stimulation of angiogenesis of tumors, and, therefore, retard or prevent abnormal cellular growth and proliferation, for example, in tumor formation or growth.
  • the antagonist/agonist may also be employed to prevent the growth of scar tissue during wound healing.
  • the antagonist/agonist may also be employed to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose the diseases described herein.
  • the invention provides a method of treating or preventing diseases, disorders, and/or conditions, including but not limited to the diseases, disorders, and/or conditions listed throughout this application, associated with overexpression of a polynucleotide of the present invention by administering to a patient (a) an antisense molecule directed to the polynucleotide of the present invention, and/or (b) a ribozyme directed to the polynucleotide of the present invention. invention, and or (b) a ribozyme directed to the polynucleotide of the present invention
  • polypeptide of the present invention may be employed in treatment for stimulating re- vascularization of ischemic tissues due to various disease conditions such as thrombosis, arteriosclerosis, and other cardiovascular conditions. These polypeptide may also be employed to stimulate angiogenesis and limb regeneration, as discussed above.
  • the polypeptide may also be employed for treating wounds due to injuries, bums, post-operative tissue repair, and ulcers since they are mitogenic to various cells of different origins, such as fibroblast cells and skeletal muscle cells, and therefore, facilitate the repair or replacement of damaged or diseased tissue.
  • the polypeptide of the present invention may also be employed stimulate neuronal growth and to treat, prevent, and/or diagnose neuronal damage which occurs in certain neuronal disorders or neuro-degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and AIDS-related complex.
  • the polypeptide of the invention may have the ability to stimulate chondrocyte growth, therefore, they may be employed to enhance bone and periodontal regeneration and aid in tissue transplants or bone grafts.
  • the polypeptide of the present invention may be also be employed to prevent skin aging due to sunburn by stimulating keratinocyte growth.
  • the polypeptide of the invention may also be employed for preventing hair loss, since FGF family members activate hair-forming cells and promotes melanocyte growth.
  • the polypeptides of the present invention may be employed to stimulate growth and differentiation of hematopoietic cells and bone ma ⁇ ow cells when used in combination with other cytokines.
  • the polypeptide of the invention may also be employed to maintain organs before transplantation or for supporting cell culture of primary tissues.
  • the polypeptide of the present invention may also be employed for inducing tissue of mesodermal origin to differentiate in early embryos.
  • the polypeptide or polynucleotides and/or agonist or antagonists of the present invention may also increase or decrease the differentiation or proliferation of embryonic stem cells, besides, as discussed above, hematopoietic lineage.
  • the polypeptide or polynucleotides and/or agonist or antagonists of the present invention may also be used to modulate mammalian characteristics, such as body height, weight, hair color, eye color, skin, percentage of adipose tissue, pigmentation, size, and shape (e.g., cosmetic surgery).
  • polypeptides or polynucleotides and/or agonist or antagonists of the present invention may be used to modulate mammalian metabolism affecting catabolism, anabolism, processing, utilization, and storage of energy.
  • Polypeptide or polynucleotides and/or agonist or antagonists of the present invention may be used to change a mammal's mental state or physical state by influencing biorhythms, caricadic rhythms, depression (including depressive diseases, disorders, and/or conditions), tendency for violence, tolerance for pain, reproductive capabilities (preferably by Activin or Inhibin-like activity), hormonal or endocrine levels, appetite, libido, memory, stress, or other cognitive qualities.
  • Polypeptide or polynucleotides and/or agonist or antagonists of the present invention may also be used as a food additive or preservative, such as to increase or decrease storage capabilities, fat content, lipid, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, cofactors or other nutritional components.
  • nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 50 contiguous nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X wherein X is any integer as defined in Table 1.
  • nucleic acid molecule wherein said sequence of contiguous nucleotides is included in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X in the range of positions beginning with the nucleotide at about the position of the 5' Nucleotide of the Clone Sequence and ending with the nucleotide at about the position of the 3' Nucleotide of the Clone Sequence as defined for SEQ ID NO:X in Table 1.
  • nucleic acid molecule wherein said sequence of contiguous nucleotides is included in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X in the range of positions beginning with the nucleotide at about the position of the 5 ' Nucleotide of the Start Codon and ending with the nucleotide at about the position of the 3' Nucleotide of the Clone Sequence as defined for SEQ ID NO:X in Table 1.
  • nucleic acid molecule wherein said sequence of contiguous nucleotides is included in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X in the range of positions beginning with the nucleotide at about the position of the 5 ' Nucleotide of the First Amino Acid of the Signal Peptide and ending with the nucleotide at about the position of the 3' Nucleotide of the Clone Sequence as defined for SEQ ID NO:X in Table 1.
  • nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 150 contiguous nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X.
  • nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 500 contiguous nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X.
  • a further prefe ⁇ ed embodiment is a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ED NO:X beginning with the nucleotide at about the position of the 5' Nucleotide of the First Amino Acid of the Signal Peptide and ending with the nucleotide at about the position of the 3' Nucleotide of the Clone Sequence as defined for SEQ ID NO:X in Table 1.
  • a further prefe ⁇ ed embodiment is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to the complete nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X.
  • nucleic acid molecule which hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule, wherein said nucleic acid molecule which hybridizes does not hybridize under stringent hybridization conditions to a nucleic acid molecule having a nucleotide sequence consisting of only A residues or of only T residues.
  • composition of matter comprising a DNA molecule which comprises a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1, which DNA molecule is contained in the material deposited with the American Type Culture Collection and given the ATCC Deposit Number shown in Table 1 for said cDNA Clone Identifier.
  • nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence of a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 , which DNA molecule is contained in the deposit given the ATCC Deposit Number shown in Table 1.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is an isolated nucleic acid molecule, wherein said sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides is included in the nucleotide sequence of the complete open reading frame sequence encoded by said human cDNA clone.
  • nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to sequence of at least 150 contiguous nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence encoded by said human cDNA clone.
  • a further prefe ⁇ ed embodiment is an isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95 % identical to sequence of at least 500 contiguous nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence encoded by said human cDNA clone.
  • a further prefe ⁇ ed embodiment is a method for detecting in a biological sample a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X wherein X is any integer as defined in Table 1 ; and a nucleotide sequence encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1; which method comprises a step of comparing a nucleotide sequence of at least one nucleic acid molecule in said sample with a sequence selected from said group and determining whether the sequence of said nucleic acid molecule in said sample is at least 95% identical to said selected sequence.
  • step of comparing sequences comprises determining the extent of nucleic acid hybridization between nucleic acid molecules in said sample and a nucleic acid molecule comprising said sequence selected from said group.
  • step of comparing sequences is performed by comparing the nucleotide sequence determined from a nucleic acid molecule in said sample with said sequence selected from said group.
  • the nucleic acid molecules can comprise DNA molecules or RNA molecules.
  • a further prefe ⁇ ed embodiment is a method for identifying the species, tissue or cell type of a biological sample which method comprises a step of detecting nucleic acid molecules in said sample, if any, comprising a nucleotide sequence that is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X wherein X is any integer as defined in Table 1 ; and a nucleotide sequence encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • the method for identifying the species, tissue or cell type of a biological sample can comprise a step of detecting nucleic acid molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence in a panel of at least two nucleotide sequences, wherein at least one sequence in said panel is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence selected from said group.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is a method for diagnosing in a subject a pathological condition associated with abnormal structure or expression of a gene encoding a secreted protein identified in Table 1, which method comprises a step of detecting in a biological sample obtained from said subject nucleic acid molecules, if any, comprising a nucleotide sequence that is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X wherein X is any integer as defined in Table 1; and a nucleotide sequence encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • the method for diagnosing a pathological condition can comprise a step of detecting nucleic acid molecules comprising a nucleotide sequence in a panel of at least two nucleotide sequences, wherein at least one sequence in said panel is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence selected from said group.
  • composition of matter comprising isolated nucleic acid molecules wherein the nucleotide sequences of said nucleic acid molecules comprise a panel of at least two nucleotide sequences, wherein at least one sequence in said panel is at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least 50 contiguous nucleotides in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: a nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:X wherein X is any integer as defined in Table 1; and a nucleotide sequence encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • the nucleic acid molecules can comprise DNA molecules or RNA molecules. Also prefe ⁇ ed is an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least about 10 contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1.
  • polypeptide wherein said sequence of contiguous amino acids is included in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y in the range of positions beginning with the residue at about the position of the First Amino Acid of the Secreted Portion and ending with the residue at about the Last Amino Acid of the Open Reading Frame as set forth for SEQ ID NO:Y in Table 1.
  • an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 30 contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: Y. Further prefe ⁇ ed is an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 100 contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 30 contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence of the secreted portion of the protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to a sequence of at least about 100 contiguous amino acids in the amino acid sequence of the secreted portion of the protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is an isolated polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 95% identical to the amino acid sequence of the secreted portion of the protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • an isolated antibody which binds specifically to a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1 ; and a complete amino acid sequence of a protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • a method for detecting in a biological sample a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence which is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1; and a complete amino acid sequence of a protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1 ; which method comprises a step of comparing an amino acid sequence of at least one polypeptide molecule in said sample with a sequence selected from said group and determining whether the sequence of said polypeptide molecule in said sample is at least 90% identical to said sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids.
  • step of comparing an amino acid sequence of at least one polypeptide molecule in said sample with a sequence selected from said group comprises determining the extent of specific binding of polypeptides in said sample to an antibody which binds specifically to a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1 ; and a complete amino acid sequence of a protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is the above method wherein said step of comparing sequences is performed by comparing the amino acid sequence determined from a polypeptide molecule in said sample with said sequence selected from said group.
  • a method for identifying the species, tissue or cell type of a biological sample which method comprises a step of detecting polypeptide molecules in said sample, if any, comprising an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1 ; and a complete amino acid sequence of a secreted protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is the above method for identifying the species, tissue or cell type of a biological sample, which method comprises a step of detecting polypeptide molecules comprising an amino acid sequence in a panel of at least two amino acid sequences, wherein at least one sequence in said panel is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the above group.
  • Also prefe ⁇ ed is a method for diagnosing in a subject a pathological condition associated with abnormal structure or expression of a gene encoding a secreted protein identified in Table 1, which method comprises a step of detecting in a biological sample obtained from said subject polypeptide molecules comprising an amino acid sequence in a panel of at least two amino acid sequences, wherein at least one sequence in said panel is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1; and a complete amino acid sequence of a secreted protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • the step of detecting said polypeptide molecules includes using an antibody.
  • nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence which is at least 95% identical to a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that is at least 90% identical to a sequence of at least 10 contiguous amino acids in a sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1 ; and a complete amino acid sequence of a secreted protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • nucleic acid molecule wherein said nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide has been optimized for expression of said polypeptide in a prokaryotic host.
  • polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is any integer as defined in Table 1; and a complete amino acid sequence of a secreted protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • a method of making a recombinant vector comprising inserting any of the above isolated nucleic acid molecule into a vector. Also prefe ⁇ ed is the recombinant vector produced by this method.
  • prefe ⁇ ed is a method of making a recombinant host cell comprising introducing the vector into a host cell, as well as the recombinant host cell produced by this method. Also prefe ⁇ ed is a method of making an isolated polypeptide comprising culturing this recombinant host cell under conditions such that said polypeptide is expressed and recovering said polypeptide.
  • an isolated polypeptide wherein said recombinant host cell is a eukaryotic cell and said polypeptide is a secreted portion of a human secreted protein comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of: an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:Y beginning with the residue at the position of the First Amino Acid of the Secreted Portion of SEQ ID NO:Y wherein Y is an integer set forth in Table 1 and said position of the First Amino Acid of the Secreted Portion of SEQ ID NO:Y is defined in Table 1 ; and an amino acid sequence of a secreted portion of a protein encoded by a human cDNA clone identified by a cDNA Clone Identifier in Table 1 and contained in the deposit with the ATCC Deposit Number shown for said cDNA clone in Table 1.
  • the isolated polypeptide produced by this method is also prefe ⁇ ed.
  • a method of treatment of an individual in need of an increased level of a secreted protein activity comprises administering to such an individual a pharmaceutical composition comprising an amount of an isolated polypeptide, polynucleotide, or antibody of the claimed invention effective to increase the level of said protein activity in said individual.
  • hosts include, but are not limited to, human, murine, rabbit, goat, guinea pig, camel, horse, mouse, rat, hamster, pig, micro-pig, chicken, goat, cow, sheep, dog, cat, non- human primate, and human.
  • the host is a mouse, rabbit, goat, guinea pig, chicken, rat, hamster, pig, sheep, dog or cat.
  • the host is a mammal. In most prefe ⁇ ed embodiments, the host is a human.
  • each "Contig ID" listed in the fourth column of Table 5 preferably excluded are one or more polynucleotides comprising, or alternatively consisting of, a nucleotide sequence referenced in the fifth column of Table 5 and described by the general formula of a-b, whereas a and b are uniquely determined for the corresponding SEQ ID NO:X refe ⁇ ed to in column 3 of Table 5.
  • Further specific embodiments are directed to polynucleotide sequences excluding one, two, three, four, or more of the specific polynucleotide sequences refe ⁇ ed to in the fifth column of Table 5. In no way is this listing meant to encompass all of the sequences which may be excluded by the general formula, it is just a representative example. All references available through these accessions are hereby inco ⁇ orated by reference in their entirety.
  • HBINK72 18 898097 AW084511, AI921127, AW081362, AI826371, AA633240, AA573892, AW438692, AA670097, AA746062, AA773277, AA527939, AA101930, AA132986, AA551538, AA101929, AI827670, AI566178, AI279935, AI991843, AI624645, AA132631, AI911191, AA135196, AA972356, AI288048, AI566277, AA133085, AA936755, AI803847, AA987392, AI925474, AA336198, AW167866, AA135276, A1884517, AI432597, AW351818, AI690524, AI866644, AI561306, AI591335, AA570337, AW242240, AW351801, AA366320, AI9146
  • HUCNP80 13 1007837 AI377767, AW372837, AW386734, AW368457, AW369337, AW361995, AW363805, AI742993, AW020517, AI827923, AW363793, AI808743, AA419252, AI460370, AA506719, N27776, AA313930, W28172, AW025997, AI015844, AI475576, AI281467, AI697272, AI924368, AI566864, AI366329, AI499743, AI623887, AA809785, AI127945, AI089643, AW361198, AA126613, AA621770, AI222043, AW369366, AI623140, AA102303, AA554620, AA522792, N57446, AW104418, AA126487, AA938410, N34315, AW007440, AI610810,
  • HSLHI86 14 1041351 R48810, R48922, H25591, H42836, H44015, R85638, R87337, AA013101, AA019644, AA039439, AA054153, AA235445, AA568704, AA665070, AA876071, AA970329, AA975609, AA643764, AA626851, AA707455, AA960781, AA970468, AI017634, AI028329, AI038642, AI092875, AI347844, AI380215, AI206160, AI569236, AI571106, AI571600, AI571671 , AI583712, AI139873, AI655675, AI222264, AI765518, AI825023, AI858955, AI924903, AI925128, AW000983, AW008813, AW075746, and AW236812.
  • HSLHI86 23 897101 AI924903, AW008813, AI655267, AA876071, AA643764, AI583712, AA046471, AI571600, AA568704, AA707455, AA054153, AI569236, AA019644, AI347844, AI380215, AI858955, AI571671, AA477623, AW075746, AI925128, AI949021 , AI091729, AI038642, AI206160, R87337, AA478078, AA013101, R85638, AI571106, H42836, H44015, and D50924.
  • Example 1 Isolation of a Selected cDNA Clone From the Deposited Sample
  • Each cDNA clone in a cited ATCC deposit is contained in a plasmid vector.
  • Table 1 identifies the vectors used to constmct the cDNA library from which each clone was isolated.
  • the vector used to constmct the library is a phage vector from which a plasmid has been excised.
  • the table immediately below co ⁇ elates the related plasmid for each phage vector used in constructing the cDNA library. For example, where a particular clone is identified in Table 1 as being isolated in the vector "Lambda Zap," the co ⁇ esponding deposited clone is in "pBluescript.”
  • pBS contains an ampicillin resistance gene and pBK contains a neomycin resistance gene. Both can be transformed into E. coli strain XL-1 Blue, also available from Stratagene.
  • pBS comes in 4 forms SK+, SK-, KS+ and KS.
  • the S and K refers to the orientation of the polylinker to the T7 and T3 primer sequences which flank the polylinker region ("S" is for Sad and “K” is for Kpnl which are the first sites on each respective end of the linker). "+” or “-” refer to the orientation of the fl origin of replication ("ori"), such that in one orientation, single stranded rescue initiated from the fl ori generates sense strand DNA and in the other, antisense.
  • ori orientation of the fl origin of replication
  • Vectors pSportl, pCMVSport 2.0 and pCMVSport 3.0 were obtained from Life Technologies, Inc., P. O. Box 6009, Gaithersburg, MD 20897. All Sport vectors contain an ampicillin resistance gene and may be transformed into E. coli strain DH10B, also available from Life Technologies. (See, for instance, Gruber, C. E., et al., Focus 15:59 (1993).) Vector lafrnid BA (Bento Soares, Columbia University, NY) contains an ampicillin resistance gene and can be transformed into E. coli strain XL-1 Blue.
  • Vector pCR ® 2.1 which is available from Invitrogen, 1600 Faraday Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008, contains an ampicillin resistance gene and may be transformed into E. coli strain DH10B, available from Life Technologies. (See, for instance, Clark, J. M., Nuc. Acids Res. 16:9677-9686 (1988) and Mead, D. et al., Bio/Technology 9: (1991).)
  • a polynucleotide of the present invention does not comprise the phage vector sequences identified for the particular clone in Table 1, as well as the co ⁇ esponding plasmid vector sequences designated above.
  • each ATCC deposit sample cited in Table 1 comprises a mixture of approximately equal amounts (by weight) of about 50 plasmid DNAs, each containing a different cDNA clone; but such a deposit sample may include plasmids for more or less than 50 cDNA clones, up to about 500 cDNA clones.
  • Two approaches can be used to isolate a particular clone from the deposited sample of plasmid DNAs cited for that clone in Table 1.
  • a plasmid is directly isolated by screening the clones using a polynucleotide probe co ⁇ esponding to SEQ ED NO:X.
  • a specific polynucleotide with 30-40 nucleotides is synthesized using an Applied Biosystems DNA synthesizer according to the sequence reported.
  • the oligonucleotide is labeled, for instance, with 32 P- ⁇ -ATP using T4 polynucleotide kinase and purified according to routine methods.
  • the plasmid mixture is transformed into a suitable host, as indicated above (such as XL-1 Blue (Stratagene)) using techniques known to those of skill in the art, such as those provided by the vector supplier or in related publications or patents cited above.
  • the transformants are plated on 1.5% agar plates (containing the appropriate selection agent, e.g., ampicillin) to a density of about 150 transformants (colonies) per plate.
  • two primers of 17-20 nucleotides derived from both ends of the SEQ ID NO:X are synthesized and used to amplify the desired cDNA using the deposited cDNA plasmid as a template.
  • the polymerase chain reaction is ca ⁇ ied out under routine conditions, for instance, in 25 ul of reaction mixture with 0.5 ug of the above cDNA template.
  • a convenient reaction mixture is 1.5-5 mM MgCl 2 , 0.01% (w/v) gelatin, 20 uM each of dATP, dCTP, dGTP, dTTP, 25 pmol of each primer and 0.25 Unit of Taq polymerase.
  • Thirty five cycles of PCR (denaturation at 94 degree C for 1 min; annealing at 55 degree C for 1 min; elongation at 72 degree C for 1 min) are performed with a Perkin-Elmer Cetus automated thermal cycler.
  • the amplified product is analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and the DNA band with expected molecular weight is excised and purified.
  • the PCR product is verified to be the selected sequence by subcloning and sequencing the DNA product.
  • RNA oligonucleotide is ligated to the 5 ' ends of a population of RNA presumably containing full-length gene RNA transcripts.
  • a primer set containing a primer specific to the ligated RNA oligonucleotide and a primer specific to a known sequence of the gene of interest is used to PCR amplify the 5 ' portion of the desired full-length gene. This amplified product may then be sequenced and used to generate the full length gene.
  • RNA isolation can then be treated with phosphatase if necessary to eliminate 5' phosphate groups on degraded or damaged RNA which may interfere with the later RNA ligase step.
  • the phosphatase should then be inactivated and the RNA treated with tobacco acid pyrophosphatase in order to remove the cap structure present at the 5 ' ends of messenger RNAs. This reaction leaves a 5 ' phosphate group at the 5 ' end of the cap cleaved RNA which can then be ligated to an RNA oligonucleotide using T4 RNA ligase.
  • This modified RNA preparation is used as a template for first strand cDNA synthesis using a gene specific oligonucleotide.
  • the first strand synthesis reaction is used as a template for PCR amplification of the desired 5 ' end using a primer specific to the ligated RNA oligonucleotide and a primer specific to the known sequence of the gene of interest.
  • the resultant product is then sequenced and analyzed to confirm that the 5 ' end sequence belongs to the desired gene.
  • Example 2 Isolation of Genomic Clones Corresponding to a Polynucleotide
  • a human genomic PI library (Genomic Systems, Inc.) is screened by PCR using primers selected for the cDNA sequence co ⁇ esponding to SEQ ID NO:X., according to the method described in Example 1. (See also, Sambrook.)
  • Example 3 Tissue Distribution of Polypeptide
  • Tissue distribution of mRNA expression of polynucleotides of the present invention is determined using protocols for Northern blot analysis, described by, among others, Sambrook et al.
  • a cDNA probe produced by the method described in Example 1 is labeled with P 32 using the rediprimeTM DNA labeling system (Amersham Life Science), according to manufacturer's instmctions.
  • the probe is purified using CHROMA SPIN- 100TM column (Clontech Laboratories, Inc.), according to manufacturer's protocol number PT1200-1. The purified labeled probe is then used to examine various human tissues for mRNA expression.
  • Example 5 Bacterial Expression of a Polypeptide
  • a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide of the present invention is amplified using PCR oligonucleotide primers co ⁇ esponding to the 5' and 3' ends of the DNA sequence, as outlined in Example 1, to synthesize insertion fragments.
  • the primers used to amplify the cDNA insert should preferably contain restriction sites, such as BamHl and Xbal, at the 5' end of the primers in order to clone the amplified product into the expression vector.
  • restriction sites such as BamHl and Xbal
  • This plasmid vector encodes antibiotic resistance (Amp 1 ), a bacterial origin of replication (ori), an IPTG-regulatable promoter/operator (P/O), a ribosome binding site (RBS), a 6-histidine tag (6-His), and restriction enzyme cloning sites.
  • the pQE-9 vector is digested with BamHl and Xbal and the amplified fragment is ligated into the pQE-9 vector maintaining the reading frame initiated at the bacterial RBS.
  • the ligation mixture is then used to transform the E. coli strain M15/rep4 (Qiagen, Inc.) which contains multiple copies of the plasmid pREP4, which expresses the lad repressor and also confers kanamycin resistance (Kan 1 ). Transformants are identified by their ability to grow on LB plates and ampicillin/kanamycin resistant colonies are selected. Plasmid DNA is isolated and confirmed by restriction analysis.
  • Clones containing the desired constructs are grown overnight (O/N) in liquid culture in LB media supplemented with both Amp (100 ug/ml) and Kan (25 ug/ml).
  • the O/N culture is used to inoculate a large culture at a ratio of 1 : 100 to 1 :250.
  • the cells are grown to an optical density 600 (O.D. 600 ) of between 0.4 and 0.6.
  • IPTG Isopropyl-B-D-thiogalacto pyranoside
  • IPTG induces by inactivating the lad repressor, clearing the P/O leading to increased gene expression.
  • Ni-NTA nickel-nitrilo-tri-acetic acid
  • the supernatant is loaded onto the column in 6 M guanidine-HCl, pH 8, the column is first washed with 10 volumes of 6 M guanidine-HCl, pH 8, then washed with 10 volumes of 6 M guanidine-HCl pH 6, and finally the polypeptide is eluted with 6 M guanidine-HCl, pH 5.
  • the present invention further includes an expression vector comprising phage operator and promoter elements operatively linked to a polynucleotide of the present invention, called pHE4a.
  • This vector contains: 1) a neomycinphosphotransferase gene as a selection marker, 2) an E. coli origin of replication, 3) a T5 phage promoter sequence, 4) two lac operator sequences, 5) a Shine-Delgarno sequence, and 6) the lactose operon repressor gene (laclq).
  • the origin of replication (oriC) is derived from pUC19 (LTI, Gaithersburg, MD). The promoter sequence and operator sequences are made synthetically.
  • DNA can be inserted into the pHEa by restricting the vector with Ndel and Xbal, BamHl, Xhol, or Asp718, running the restricted product on a gel, and isolating the larger fragment (the stuffer fragment should be about 310 base pairs).
  • the DNA insert is generated according to the PCR protocol described in Example 1, using PCR primers having restriction sites for Ndel (5' primer) and Xbal, BamHl, Xhol, or Asp718 (3' primer).
  • the PCR insert is gel purified and restricted with compatible enzymes.
  • the insert and vector are ligated according to standard protocols.
  • the engineered vector could easily be substituted in the above protocol to express protein in a bacterial system.
  • the cell culture Upon completion of the production phase of the E. coli fermentation, the cell culture is cooled to 4-10 degree C and the cells harvested by continuous centrifugation at 15,000 ⁇ m (Heraeus Sepatech). On the basis of the expected yield of protein per unit weight of cell paste and the amount of purified protein required, an appropriate amount of cell paste, by weight, is suspended in a buffer solution containing 100 mM Tris, 50 mM EDTA, pH 7.4. The cells are dispersed to a homogeneous suspension using a high shear mixer. The cells are then lysed by passing the solution through a micro fluidizer
  • the GuHCl solubilized protein is refolded by quickly mixing the GuHCl extract with 20 volumes of buffer containing 50 mM sodium, pH 4.5, 150 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA by vigorous stirring.
  • the refolded diluted protein solution is kept at 4 degree C without mixing for 12 hours prior to further purification steps.
  • a previously prepared tangential filtration unit equipped with 0.16 um membrane filter with appropriate surface area e.g., Filtron
  • 40 mM sodium acetate, pH 6.0 is employed.
  • the filtered sample is loaded onto a cation exchange resin (e.g., Poros HS-50, Perseptive Biosystems).
  • the column is washed with 40 mM sodium acetate, pH 6.0 and eluted with 250 mM, 500 mM, 1000 mM, and 1500 mM NaCl in the same buffer, in a stepwise manner.
  • the absorbance at 280 nm of the effluent is continuously monitored.
  • Fractions are collected and further analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Fractions containing the polypeptide are then pooled and mixed with 4 volumes of water. The diluted sample is then loaded onto a previously prepared set of tandem columns of strong anion (Poros HQ-50, Perseptive Biosystems) and weak anion (Poros CM-20, Perseptive Biosystems) exchange resins. The columns are equilibrated with 40 mM sodium acetate, pH 6.0. Both columns are washed with 40 mM sodium acetate, pH 6.0, 200 mM NaCl.
  • the CM-20 column is then eluted using a 10 column volume linear gradient ranging from 0.2 M NaCl, 50 mM sodium acetate, pH 6.0 to 1.0 M NaCl, 50 mM sodium acetate, pH 6.5. Fractions are collected under constant A 280 monitoring of the effluent. Fractions containing the polypeptide (determined, for instance, by 16% SDS-PAGE) are then pooled. The resultant polypeptide should exhibit greater than 95% purity after the above refolding and purification steps. No major contaminant bands should be observed from Commassie blue stained 16% SDS-PAGE gel when 5 ug of purified protein is loaded. The purified protein can also be tested for endotoxin/LPS contamination, and typically the LPS content is less than 0.1 ng/ml according to LAL assays.
  • Example 7 Cloning and Expression of a Polypeptide in a Baculovirus Expression System
  • the plasmid shuttle vector pA2 is used to insert a polynucleotide into a baculovirus to express a polypeptide.
  • This expression vector contains the strong polyhedrin promoter of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis vims (AcMNPV) followed by convenient restriction sites such as BamHl, Xba I and Asp718.
  • the polyadenylation site of the simian vims 40 (“SV40") is used for efficient polyadenylation.
  • the plasmid contains the beta-galactosidase gene from E.
  • coli under control of a weak Drosophila promoter in the same orientation, followed by the polyadenylation signal of the polyhedrin gene.
  • the inserted genes are flanked on both sides by viral sequences for cell-mediated homologous recombination with wild-type viral DNA to generate a viable vims that express the cloned polynucleotide.
  • baculovirus vectors can be used in place of the vector above, such as pAc373, pVL941, and pAcIMl, as one skilled in the art would readily appreciate, as long as the constmct provides appropriately located signals for transcription, translation, secretion and the like, including a signal peptide and an in-frame AUG as required.
  • Such vectors are described, for instance, in Luckow et al., Virology 170:31- 39 (1989).
  • the amplified fragment is isolated from a 1% agarose gel using a commercially available kit ("Geneclean,” BIO 101 Inc., La Jolla, Ca.). The fragment then is digested with appropriate restriction enzymes and again purified on a 1% agarose gel.
  • the plasmid is digested with the co ⁇ esponding restriction enzymes and optionally, can be dephosphorylated using calf intestinal phosphatase, using routine procedures known in the art.
  • the DNA is then isolated from a 1% agarose gel using a commercially available kit ("Geneclean" BIO 101 Inc., La Jolla, Ca.).
  • the fragment and the dephosphorylated plasmid are ligated together with T4 DNA ligase.
  • E. coli HB101 or other suitable E. coli hosts such as XL-1 Blue (Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, CA) cells are transformed with the ligation mixture and spread on culture plates.
  • Bacteria containing the plasmid are identified by digesting DNA from individual colonies and analyzing the digestion product by gel electrophoresis. The sequence of the cloned fragment is confirmed by DNA sequencing.
  • a plasmid containing the polynucleotide Five ug of a plasmid containing the polynucleotide is co-transfected with 1.0 ug of a commercially available linearized baculovirus DNA ("BaculoGoldTM baculovirus DNA", Pharmingen, San Diego, CA), using the lipofection method described by Feigner et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84:7413-7417 (1987).
  • BaculoGoldTM vims DNA and 5 ug of the plasmid are mixed in a sterile well of a microtiter plate containing 50 ul of serum-free Grace's medium (Life Technologies Inc., Gaithersburg, MD).
  • plaque assay After four days the supernatant is collected and a plaque assay is performed, as described by Summers and Smith, supra.
  • An agarose gel with "Blue Gal” (Life Technologies Inc., Gaithersburg) is used to allow easy identification and isolation of gal-expressing clones, which produce blue-stained plaques.
  • a detailed description of a "plaque assay” of this type can also be found in the user's guide for insect cell culture and baculo virology distributed by Life Technologies Inc., Gaithersburg, page 9-10.
  • blue stained plaques are picked with the tip of a micropipettor (e.g., Eppendorf).
  • the agar containing the recombinant vi ses is then resuspended in a microcentrifuge tube containing 200 ul of Grace's medium and the suspension containing the recombinant baculovims is used to infect Sf9 cells seeded in 35 mm dishes. Four days later the supernatants of these culture dishes are harvested and then they are stored at 4 degree C.
  • Sf9 cells are grown in Grace's medium supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated FBS.
  • the cells are infected with the recombinant baculovirus containing the polynucleotide at a multiplicity of infection ("MOI") of about 2.
  • MOI multiplicity of infection
  • the medium is removed and is replaced with SF900 II medium minus methionine and cysteine (available from Life Technologies Inc., Rockville, MD). After 42 hours, 5 uCi of S-methionine and 5 uCi S-cysteine (available from Amersham) are added.
  • the cells are further incubated for 16 hours and then are harvested by centrifugation.
  • the proteins in the supernatant as well as the intracellular proteins are analyzed by SDS-PAGE followed by autoradiography (if radiolabeled).
  • Microsequencing of the amino acid sequence of the amino terminus of purified protein may be used to determine the amino terminal sequence of the produced protein.
  • Example 8 Expression of a Polypeptide in Mammalian Cells
  • the polypeptide of the present invention can be expressed in a mammalian cell.
  • a typical mammalian expression vector contains a promoter element, which mediates the initiation of transcription of mRNA, a protein coding sequence, and signals required for the termination of transcription and polyadenylation of the transcript. Additional elements include enhancers, Kozak sequences and intervening sequences flanked by donor and acceptor sites for RNA splicing. Highly efficient transcription is achieved with the early and late promoters from SV40, the long terminal repeats (LTRs) from Retrovimses, e.g., RSV, HTLVI, HIVI and the early promoter of the cytomegalovirus (CMV). However, cellular elements can also be used (e.g., the human actin promoter).
  • Suitable expression vectors for use in practicing the present invention include, for example, vectors such as pSVL and pMSG (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden), pRSVcat (ATCC 37152), pSV2dhfr (ATCC 37146), pBC12MI (ATCC 67109), pCMVSport 2.0, and pCMVSport 3.0.
  • Mammalian host cells that could be used include, human Hela, 293, H9 and Jurkat cells, mouse NIH3T3 and C127 cells, Cos 1, Cos 7 and CV1, quail QC1-3 cells, mouse L cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.
  • the polypeptide can be expressed in stable cell lines containing the polynucleotide integrated into a chromosome.
  • a selectable marker such as dhfr, gpt, neomycin, hygromycin allows the identification and isolation of the transfected cells.
  • Another useful selection marker is the enzyme glutamine synthase (GS) (Mu ⁇ hy et al., Biochem J. 227:277-279 (1991); Bebbington et al., Bio/Technology 10:169-175 (1992).
  • GS glutamine synthase
  • the mammalian cells are grown in selective medium and the cells with the highest resistance are selected. These cell lines contain the amplified gene(s) integrated into a chromosome. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and NSO cells are often used for the production of proteins.
  • Derivatives of the plasmid pSV2-dhfr ATCC Accession No. 37146
  • the expression vectors pC4 ATCC Accession No.
  • LTR strong promoter
  • CMV-enhancer a fragment of the CMV-enhancer
  • Multiple cloning sites e.g., with the restriction enzyme cleavage sites BamHl, Xbal and Asp718, facilitate the cloning of the gene of interest.
  • the vectors also contain the 3' intron, the polyadenylation and termination signal of the rat preproinsulin gene, and the mouse DHFR gene under control of the SV40 early promoter.
  • the plasmid pC6, for example, is digested with appropriate restriction enzymes and then dephosphorylated using calf intestinal phosphates by procedures known in the art.
  • the vector is then isolated from a 1% agarose gel.
  • a polynucleotide of the present invention is amplified according to the protocol outlined in Example 1. If the naturally occurring signal sequence is used to produce the secreted protein, the vector does not need a second signal peptide. Alternatively, if the naturally occurring signal sequence is not used, the vector can be modified to include a heterologous signal sequence. (See, e.g., WO 96/34891.)
  • the amplified fragment is isolated from a 1% agarose gel using a commercially available kit ("Geneclean,” BIO 101 Inc., La Jolla, Ca.). The fragment then is digested with appropriate restriction enzymes and again purified on a 1% agarose gel.
  • the amplified fragment is then digested with the same restriction enzyme and purified on a 1% agarose gel.
  • the isolated fragment and the dephosphorylated vector are then ligated with T4 DNA ligase.
  • E. coli HB101 or XL-1 Blue cells are then transformed and bacteria are identified that contain the fragment inserted into plasmid pC6 using, for instance, restriction enzyme analysis.
  • Chinese hamster ovary cells lacking an active DHFR gene is used for transfection.
  • Five ⁇ g of the expression plasmid pC6 a pC4 is cotransfected with 0.5 ug of the plasmid pSVneo using lipofectin (Feigner et al., supra).
  • the plasmid pSV2- neo contains a dominant selectable marker, the neo gene from Tn5 encoding an enzyme that confers resistance to a group of antibiotics including G418.
  • the cells are seeded in alpha minus MEM supplemented with 1 mg/ml G418.
  • the cells are trypsinized and seeded in hybridoma cloning plates (Greiner, Germany) in alpha minus MEM supplemented with 10, 25, or 50 ng/ml of metothrexate plus 1 mg/ml G418. After about 10-14 days single clones are trypsinized and then seeded in 6-well petri dishes or 10 ml flasks using different concentrations of methotrexate (50 nM, 100 nM, 200 nM, 400 nM, 800 nM).
  • methotrexate 50 nM, 100 nM, 200 nM, 400 nM, 800 nM.
  • Clones growing at the highest concentrations of methotrexate are then transfe ⁇ ed to new 6-well plates containing even higher concentrations of methotrexate (1 uM, 2 uM, 5 uM, 10 mM, 20 mM). The same procedure is repeated until clones are obtained which grow at a concentration of 100 - 200 uM. Expression of the desired gene product is analyzed, for instance, by SDS-PAGE and Western blot or by reversed phase HPLC analysis.
  • polypeptides of the present invention are preferably fused to other proteins. These fusion proteins can be used for a variety of applications. For example, fusion of the present polypeptides to His-tag, HA-tag, protein A, IgG domains, and maltose binding protein facilitates purification. (See Example 5; see also EP A 394,827; Traunecker, et al., Nature 331:84-86 (1988).) Similarly, fusion to IgG-1, IgG-3, and albumin increases the halflife time in vivo.
  • Nuclear localization signals fused to the polypeptides of the present invention can target the protein to a specific subcellular localization, while covalent heterodimer or homodimers can increase or decrease the activity of a fusion protein. Fusion proteins can also create chimeric molecules having more than one function. Finally, fusion proteins can increase solubility and/or stability of the fused protein compared to the non- fused protein. All of the types of fusion proteins described above can be made by modifying the following protocol, which outlines the fusion of a polypeptide to an IgG molecule, or the protocol described in Example 5.
  • the human Fc portion of the IgG molecule can be PCR amplified, using primers that span the 5' and 3' ends of the sequence described below. These primers also should have convenient restriction enzyme sites that will facilitate cloning into an expression vector, preferably a mammalian expression vector.
  • the human Fc portion can be ligated into the BamHl cloning site. Note that the 3 ' BamHl site should be destroyed. Next, the vector containing the human Fc portion is re-restricted with
  • BamHl linearizing the vector, and a polynucleotide of the present invention, isolated by the PCR protocol described in Example 1, is ligated into this BamHl site.
  • the polynucleotide is cloned without a stop codon, otherwise a fusion protein will not be produced.
  • pC4 does not need a second signal peptide.
  • the vector can be modified to include a heterologous signal sequence. (See, e.g., WO 96/34891.)

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Abstract

L'invention concerne de nouvelles protéines humaines sécrétées et des acides nucléiques isolés contenant les régions de codage des gènes codant pour lesdites protéines. L'invention concerne également des vecteurs, des cellules hôtes, des anticorps, et des techniques de recombinaison permettant de produire les protéines humaines sécrétées. L'invention concerne enfin des techniques diagnostiques et thérapeutiques utiles pour diagnostiquer et pour traiter des maladies, des troubles et/ou des états associés à ces nouvelles protéines humaines sécrétées.
PCT/US2000/030657 1997-03-07 2000-11-08 6 proteines humaines secretees WO2001034799A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002388912A CA2388912A1 (fr) 1999-11-12 2000-11-08 6 proteines humaines secretees
AU14738/01A AU1473801A (en) 1999-11-12 2000-11-08 6 human secreted proteins
JP2001537495A JP2003513668A (ja) 1999-11-12 2000-11-08 ６個のヒト分泌タンパク質
EP00977046A EP1235907A4 (fr) 1999-11-12 2000-11-08 6 proteines humaines secretees
US12/198,817 US7968689B2 (en) 1997-03-07 2008-08-26 Antibodies to HSDEK49 polypeptides

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US16473199P 1999-11-12 1999-11-12
US60/164,731 1999-11-12
US21513200P 2000-06-30 2000-06-30
US60/215,132 2000-06-30

Related Parent Applications (1)

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PCT/US2001/001396 Continuation-In-Part WO2002016576A1 (fr) 1997-03-07 2001-01-17 11 proteines humaines secretees

Related Child Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2000/031282 Continuation-In-Part WO2001036440A1 (fr) 1997-03-07 2000-11-15 23 proteines humaines secretees
US10/100,683 Continuation-In-Part US7368531B2 (en) 1997-03-07 2002-03-19 Human secreted proteins

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WO2001034799A1 true WO2001034799A1 (fr) 2001-05-17

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JP (1) JP2003513668A (fr)
AU (1) AU1473801A (fr)
CA (1) CA2388912A1 (fr)
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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008010980A2 (fr) * 2006-07-14 2008-01-24 Thallion Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Tat-049 et procédés d'évaluation et de traitement du cancer

Citations (1)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999006548A2 (fr) * 1997-08-01 1999-02-11 Genset Est 5' pour proteines secretees sans specificite tissulaire

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US5580753A (en) * 1989-05-23 1996-12-03 Ludwig Institute For Cancer Research DNA encoding the human cytokine, interleukin-9
ATE296348T1 (de) * 1994-12-06 2005-06-15 Immunex Corp Cytokin lerk-7
US5707829A (en) * 1995-08-11 1998-01-13 Genetics Institute, Inc. DNA sequences and secreted proteins encoded thereby
EP1177296A2 (fr) * 1999-05-11 2002-02-06 Incyte Genomics, Inc. Proteines de matrice extracellulaire associees a l'adhesion
ES2332916T3 (es) * 1999-06-09 2010-02-15 Genentech Inc Composiciones y metodo para el tratamiento de tumores.
AU6101200A (en) * 1999-07-16 2001-02-05 Gene Logic, Inc. Novel cdnas associated with renal disease

Patent Citations (1)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1999006548A2 (fr) * 1997-08-01 1999-02-11 Genset Est 5' pour proteines secretees sans specificite tissulaire

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
See also references of EP1235907A4 *

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2008010980A2 (fr) * 2006-07-14 2008-01-24 Thallion Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Tat-049 et procédés d'évaluation et de traitement du cancer
WO2008010980A3 (fr) * 2006-07-14 2008-08-28 Thallion Pharmaceuticals Inc Tat-049 et procédés d'évaluation et de traitement du cancer

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CA2388912A1 (fr) 2001-05-17
EP1235907A1 (fr) 2002-09-04
EP1235907A4 (fr) 2003-07-30
JP2003513668A (ja) 2003-04-15
AU1473801A (en) 2001-06-06

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