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WO2000020590A2 - Proteines de recepteurs couples a des proteines g - Google Patents

Proteines de recepteurs couples a des proteines g Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000020590A2
WO2000020590A2 PCT/US1999/023317 US9923317W WO0020590A2 WO 2000020590 A2 WO2000020590 A2 WO 2000020590A2 US 9923317 W US9923317 W US 9923317W WO 0020590 A2 WO0020590 A2 WO 0020590A2
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gcrp
polynucleotide
seq
sequence
sequences
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1999/023317
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English (en)
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WO2000020590A3 (fr
Inventor
Y. Tom Tang
Henry Yue
Preeti Lal
Olga Bandman
Janice Au-Young
Roopa Reddy
Neil C. Corley
Karl J. Guegler
Gina A. Gorgone
Mariah R. Baughn
Yalda Azimzai
Original Assignee
Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. filed Critical Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Priority to CA002345045A priority Critical patent/CA2345045A1/fr
Priority to EP99951820A priority patent/EP1119621A2/fr
Priority to JP2000574685A priority patent/JP2003521870A/ja
Priority to AU64179/99A priority patent/AU6417999A/en
Publication of WO2000020590A2 publication Critical patent/WO2000020590A2/fr
Publication of WO2000020590A3 publication Critical patent/WO2000020590A3/fr

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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
    • C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
    • C07K14/72—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants for hormones
    • 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
    • A61P29/00—Non-central analgesic, antipyretic or antiinflammatory agents, e.g. antirheumatic agents; Non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs [NSAID]
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61P—SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS
    • 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
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07K—PEPTIDES
    • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
    • C07K14/705—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants
    • C07K14/70571—Receptors; Cell surface antigens; Cell surface determinants for neuromediators, e.g. serotonin receptor, dopamine receptor
    • 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 nucleic acid and amino acid sequences of G-protein coupled receptor proteins and to the use of these sequences in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders of the nervous system, autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, and cell proliferative disorders including cancer.
  • GPCRs G-protein coupled receptors
  • the amino-terminus of a GPCR is extracellular, is of variable length, and is often glycosylated.
  • the carboxy-terminus is cytoplasmic and generally phosphorylated.
  • Extracellular loops of GPCRs alternate with intracellular loops and link the transmembrane domains. Cysteine disulf ⁇ de bridges linking the second and third extracellular loops may interact with agonists and antagonists.
  • the most conserved domains of GPCRs are the transmembrane domains and the first two cytoplasmic loops.
  • the transmembrane domains account for structural and functional features of the receptor. In most cases, the bundle of ⁇ helices forms a ligand-binding pocket.
  • the extracellular N-terminal segment, or one or more of the three extracellular loops, may also participate in ligand binding.
  • Ligand binding activates the receptor by inducing a conformational change in intracellular portions of the receptor.
  • the large, third intracellular loop of the activated receptor interacts with an intracellular heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding (G) protein complex which mediates further intracellular signaling activities, including the activation of second messengers such as cyclic AMP (cAMP), phospholipase C, inositol triphosphate, or ion channel proteins.
  • G heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding
  • cAMP cyclic AMP
  • phospholipase C phospholipase C
  • inositol triphosphate or ion channel proteins.
  • GPCRs include receptors for sensory signal mediators (e.g., light and olfactory stimulatory molecules); adenosine, bombesin, bradykinin, endothelin, ⁇ -aminobutyric acid (GABA), hepatocyte growth factor, melanocortins, neuropeptide Y, opioid peptides, opsins, somatostatin, tachykinins, vasoactive intestinal polypeptide family, and vasopressin; biogenic amines (e.g., dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, histamine, glutamate (metabotropic effect), acetylcholine (muscarinic effect), and serotonin); chemokines; lipid mediators of inflammation (e.g., prostaglandins and prostanoids, platelet activating factor, and leukotrienes); and peptide hormones (e.g., calcin, lipid mediators
  • GPCRs which act as receptors for stimuli that have yet to be identified are known as orphan receptors. GPCRs are implicated in inflammation and the immune response, and include the EGF module- containing, mucin-like hormone receptor (Emrl) and CD97 ⁇ receptor proteins. These receptors contain between three and seven potential calcium-binding EGF-like motifs (Baud, V. et al. (1995) Genomics 26:334-344; Gray, J.X. et al. (1996) J. Immunol. 157:5438-5447). These GPCRs are members of the recently characterized EGF-TM7 receptors family.
  • post-translational modification of aspartic acid or asparagine to form erythro- ⁇ -hydroxyaspartic acid or erythro- ⁇ -hydroxyasparagine has been identified in a number of proteins with domains homologous to EGF. The consensus pattern is located in the N-terminus of the EGF-like domain. Examples of such proteins are blood coagulation factors VII, IX, and X; proteins C, S, and Z; the LDL receptor; and thrombomodulin.
  • olfactory receptors One large subfamily of GPCRs are the olfactory receptors. These receptors share the seven hydrophobic transmembrane domains of other GPCRs and function by registering G protein-mediated transduction of odorant signals. Numerous distinct olfactory receptors are required to distinguish different odors. Each olfactory sensory neuron expresses only one type of olfactory receptor, and distinct spatial zones of neurons expressing distinct receptors are found in nasal pasages.
  • One olfactory receptor, the RAlc receptor which was isolated from a rat brain library, has been shown to be limited in expression to very distinct regions of the brain and a defined zone of the olfactory epithelium (Raming, K. et al.
  • mas oncogene-related proteins are the mas oncogene-related proteins. Like the mas oncogenes themselves, some of these mas-like receptors are implicated in intracellular angiotensin II actions. Angiotensin II, an octapeptide hormone, mediates vasoconstriction and aldosterone secretion through angiotensin II receptor molecules found on smooth vascular muscle and the adrenal glands, respectively.
  • a cloned human mas-related gene (mrg) mRNA when injected into Xenopus oocytes, produces an increase in the response to angiotensin peptides.
  • Mrg has been shown to directly affect signaling pathways associated with the angiotensin II receptor, and, accordingly, affects the processes of vasoconstriction and aldosterone secretion (Monnot, C. et al. (1991) Mol. Endocrinol. 5:1477-1487).
  • GPCR mutations which may cause loss of function or constitutive activation, have been associated with numerous human diseases (Coughlin. supra). For instance, retinitis pigmentosa may arise from mutations in the rhodopsin gene. Rhodopsin is the retinal photoreceptor which is located within the discs of the eye rod cell. Parma, J. et al. (1993, Nature 365:649-651) reported that somatic activating mutations in the thyrotropin receptor cause hyperfunctioning thyroid adenomas and suggested that certain GPCRs susceptible to constitutive activation may behave as protooncogenes.
  • the invention features substantially purified polypeptides, G-protein coupled receptor proteins, referred to collectively as “GCRP” and individually as “GCRP-1,” “GCRP-2,” “GCRP-3,” “GCRP-4,” “GCRP-5,” “GCRP-6,” “GCRP-7,” and “GCRP-8.”
  • GCRP G-protein coupled receptor proteins
  • the invention provides a substantially purified polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention further provides a substantially purified variant having at least 90% amino acid identity to at least one of the amino acid sequences selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also includes an isolated and purified polynucleotide variant having at least 70% polynucleotide sequence identity to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide which hybridizes under stringent conditions to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide having a sequence which is complementary to the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also provides a method for detecting a polynucleotide in a sample containing nucleic acids, the method comprising the steps of: (a) hybridizing the complement of the polynucleotide sequence to at least one of the polynucleotides of the sample, thereby forming a hybridization complex; and (b) detecting the hybridization complex, wherein the presence of the hybridization complex correlates with the presence of a polynucleotide in the sample.
  • the method further comprises amplifying the polynucleotide prior to hybridization.
  • the invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:9-16, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention further provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide variant having at least 70% polynucleotide sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:9-16, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also provides an isolated and purified polynucleotide having a sequence which is complementary to the polynucleotide comprising a polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:9- 16, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention further provides an expression vector containing at least a fragment of the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the expression vector is contained within a host cell.
  • the invention also provides a method for producing a polypeptide, the method comprising the steps of: (a) culturing the host cell containing an expression vector containing at least a fragment of a polynucleotide under conditions suitable for the expression of the polypeptide; and (b) recovering the polypeptide from the host cell culture.
  • the invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition
  • a pharmaceutical composition comprising a substantially purified polypeptide having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof, in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
  • the invention further includes a purified antibody which binds to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • the invention also provides a purified agonist and a purified antagonist to the polypeptide.
  • the invention also provides a method for treating or preventing a disorder associated with decreased expression or activity of GCRP, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a substantially purified polypeptide having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof, in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier.
  • the invention also provides a method for treating or preventing a disorder associated with increased expression or activity of GCRP, the method comprising administering to a subject in need of such treatment an effective amount of an antagonist of a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1-8, and fragments thereof.
  • FIGURES AND TABLES Figures 1 A, IB, 1C, ID, and IE show the amino acid sequence alignment between GCRP-2 (2763296; SEQ ID NO:2), GCRP-1 (1595762; SEQ ID NO: l), and human epididymis-specific seven transmembrane receptor HE6 (GI 2117161; SEQ ID NO: 17), produced using the multisequence alignment program of LASERGENE software (DNASTAR, Madison WI).
  • Figures 2A and 2B show the amino acid sequence alignment between GCRP-3 (3367641; SEQ ID NO:3) and human CD97 (GI 3342740; SEQ ID NO: 18), produced using the multisequence alignment program of LASERGENE software.
  • Table 1 shows polypeptide and nucleotide sequence identification numbers (SEQ ID NOs), clone identification numbers (clone IDs), cDNA libraries, and cDNA fragments used to assemble full-length sequences encoding GCRP.
  • Table 2 shows features of each polypeptide sequence, including potential motifs, homologous sequences, and methods and algorithms used for identification of GCRP.
  • Table 3 shows useful fragments of each nucleic acid sequence; the tissue-specific expression patterns of each nucleic acid sequence as determined by northern analysis; diseases, disorders, or conditions associated with these tissues; and the vector into which each cDNA was cloned.
  • Table 4 describes the tissues used to construct the cDNA libraries from which cDNA clones encoding GCRP were isolated.
  • Table 5 shows the tools, programs, and algorithms used to analyze GCRP, along with applicable descriptions, references, and threshold parameters.
  • GCRP refers to the amino acid sequences of substantially purified GCRP obtained from any species, particularly a mammalian species, including bovine, ovine, porcine, murine, equine, and preferably the human species, from any source, whether natural, synthetic, semi-synthetic, or recombinant.
  • agonist refers to a molecule which, when bound to GCRP, increases or prolongs the duration of the effect of GCRP.
  • Agonists may include proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, or any other molecules which bind to and modulate the effect of GCRP.
  • allelic variant is an alternative form of the gene encoding GCRP. Allelic variants may result from at least one mutation in the nucleic acid sequence and may result in altered mRNAs or in polypeptides whose structure or function may or may not be altered. Any given natural or recombinant gene may have none, one, or many allelic forms. Common mutational changes which give rise to allelic variants are generally ascribed to natural deletions, additions, or substitutions of nucleotides. Each of these types of changes may occur alone, or in combination with the others, one or more times in a given sequence.
  • altered nucleic acid sequences encoding GCRP include those sequences with deletions, insertions, or substitutions of different nucleotides, resulting in a polynucleotide the same as GCRP or a polypeptide with at least one functional characteristic of GCRP. Included within this definition are polymorphisms which may or may not be readily detectable using a particular oligonucleotide probe of the polynucleotide encoding GCRP, and improper or unexpected hybridization to allelic variants, with a locus other than the normal chromosomal locus for the polynucleotide sequence encoding GCRP.
  • the encoded protein may also be "altered,” and may contain deletions, insertions, or substitutions of amino acid residues which produce a silent change and result in a functionally equivalent GCRP. Deliberate amino acid substitutions may be made on the basis of similarity in polarity, charge, solubility, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, and/or the amphipathic nature of the residues, as long as the biological or immunological activity of GCRP is retained.
  • negatively charged amino acids may include aspartic acid and glutamic acid
  • positively charged amino acids may include lysine and arginine
  • amino acids with uncharged polar head groups having similar hydrophilicity values may include leucine, isoleucine, and valine; glycine and alanine; asparagine and glutamine; serine and threonine; and phenylalanine and tyrosine.
  • amino acid and amino acid sequence refer to an oligopeptide, peptide, polypeptide, or protein sequence, or a fragment of any of these, and to naturally occurring or synthetic molecules.
  • fragments refer to fragments of GCRP which are preferably at least 5 to about 15 amino acids in length, most preferably at least 14 amino acids, and which retain some biological activity or immunological activity of GCRP.
  • amino acid sequence is recited to refer to an amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring protein molecule
  • amino acid sequence and like terms are not meant to limit the amino acid sequence to the complete native amino acid sequence associated with the recited protein molecule.
  • Amplification relates to the production of additional copies of a nucleic acid sequence. Amplification is generally carried out using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technologies well known in the art.
  • PCR polymerase chain reaction
  • Antagonist refers to a molecule which, when bound to GCRP, decreases the amount or the duration of the effect of the biological or immunological activity of GCRP.
  • Antagonists may include proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, antibodies, or any other molecules which decrease the effect of GCRP.
  • antibody refers to intact molecules as well as to fragments thereof, such as Fab, F(ab') 2 , and Fv fragments, which are capable of binding the epitopic determinant.
  • Antibodies that bind GCRP polypeptides can be prepared using intact polypeptides or using fragments containing small peptides of interest as the immunizing antigen.
  • the polypeptide or oligopeptide used to immunize an animal e.g., a mouse, a rat, or a rabbit
  • an animal e.g., a mouse, a rat, or a rabbit
  • Commonly used carriers that are chemically coupled to peptides include bovine serum albumin, thyroglobulin, and keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The coupled peptide is then used to immunize the animal.
  • antigenic determinant refers to that fragment of a molecule (i.e., an epitope) that makes contact with a particular antibody.
  • an antigenic determinant may compete with the intact antigen (i.e., the immunogen used to elicit the immune response) for binding to an antibody.
  • antisense refers to any composition containing a nucleic acid sequence which is complementary to the "sense” strand of a specific nucleic acid sequence. Antisense molecules may be produced by any method including synthesis or transcription. Once introduced into a cell, the complementary nucleotides combine with natural sequences produced by the cell to form duplexes and to block either transcription or translation. The designation “negative” can refer to the antisense strand, and the designation “positive” can refer to the sense strand.
  • biologically active refers to a protein having structural, regulatory, or biochemical functions of a naturally occurring molecule.
  • immunologically active refers to the capability of the natural, recombinant, or synthetic GCRP, or of any oligopeptide thereof, to induce a specific immune response in appropriate animals or cells and to bind with specific antibodies.
  • complementarity refers to the natural binding of polynucleotides by base pairing. For example, the sequence “5' A-G-T 3'” bonds to the complementary sequence "3' T-C-A 5'.”
  • Complementarity between two single-stranded molecules may be "partial,” such that only some of the nucleic acids bind, or it may be "complete,” such that total complementarity exists between the single stranded molecules.
  • the degree of complementarity between nucleic acid strands has significant effects on the efficiency and strength of the hybridization between the nucleic acid strands.
  • composition comprising a given polynucleotide sequence and a “composition comprising a given amino acid sequence” refer broadly to any composition containing the given polynucleotide or amino acid sequence.
  • the composition may comprise a dry formulation or an aqueous solution.
  • Compositions comprising polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP or fragments of GCRP may be employed as hybridization probes. The probes may be stored in freeze-dried form and may be associated with a stabilizing agent such as a carbohydrate.
  • the probe may be deployed in an aqueous solution containing salts (e.g., NaCl), detergents (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate; SDS), and other components (e.g., Denhardt's solution, dry milk, salmon sperm DNA, etc.).
  • salts e.g., NaCl
  • detergents e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate; SDS
  • other components e.g., Denhardt's solution, dry milk, salmon sperm DNA, etc.
  • Consensus sequence refers to a nucleic acid sequence which has been resequenced to resolve uncalled bases, extended using the XL-PCR kit (Perkin-Elmer, Norwalk CT) in the 5' and/or the 3' direction, and resequenced, or which has been assembled from the overlapping sequences of more than one Incyte clone using a computer program for fragment assembly, such as the GEL VIEW fragment assembly system (GCG, Madison WI). Some sequences have been both extended and assembled to produce the consensus sequence.
  • correlates with expression of a polynucleotide indicates that the detection of the presence of nucleic acids, the same or related to a nucleic acid sequence encoding GCRP, by northern analysis is indicative of the presence of nucleic acids encoding GCRP in a sample, and thereby correlates with expression of the transcript from the polynucleotide encoding GCRP.
  • a “deletion” refers to a change in the amino acid or nucleotide sequence that results in the absence of one or more amino acid residues or nucleotides.
  • the term “derivative” refers to the chemical modification of a polypeptide sequence, or a polynucleotide sequence. Chemical modifications of a polynucleotide sequence can include, for example, replacement of hydrogen by an alkyl, acyl, or amino group.
  • a derivative polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide which retains at least one biological or immunological function of the natural molecule.
  • a derivative polypeptide is one modified by glycosylation, pegylation, or any similar process that retains at least one biological or immunological function of the polypeptide from which it was derived.
  • similarity refers to a degree of complementarity. There may be partial similarity or complete similarity. The word “identity” may substitute for the word “similarity.”
  • a partially complementary sequence that at least partially inhibits an identical sequence from hybridizing to a target nucleic acid is referred to as “substantially similar.”
  • the inhibition of hybridization of the completely complementary sequence to the target sequence may be examined using a hybridization assay (Southern or northern blot, solution hybridization, and the like) under conditions of reduced stringency.
  • a substantially similar sequence or hybridization probe will compete for and inhibit the binding of a completely similar (identical) sequence to the target sequence under conditions of reduced stringency.
  • Percent identity can be determined electronically, e.g., by using the MEGALIGN program (DNASTAR, Madison WI) which creates alignments between two or more sequences according to methods selected by the user, e.g., the clustal method.
  • MEGALIGN program DNASTAR, Madison WI
  • Parameters for each method may be the default parameters provided by MEGALIGN or may be specified by the user.
  • the clustal algorithm groups sequences into clusters by examining the distances between all pairs. The clusters are aligned pairwise and then in groups.
  • the percentage similarity between two amino acid sequences is calculated by dividing the length of sequence A, minus the number of gap residues in sequence A, minus the number of gap residues in sequence B, into the sum of the residue matches between sequence A and sequence B, times one hundred. Gaps of low or of no similarity between the two amino acid sequences are not included in determining percentage similarity. Percent identity between nucleic acid sequences can also be counted or calculated by other methods known in the art, e.g., the Jotun Hein method. (See, e.g., Hein, J. (1990) Methods Enzymol. 183:626- 645.) Identity between sequences can also be determined by other methods known in the art, e.g., by varying hybridization conditions.
  • HACs Human artificial chromosomes
  • HACs are linear microchromosomes which may contain DNA sequences of about 6 kb to 10 Mb in size, and which contain all of the elements required for stable mitotic chromosome segregation and maintenance.
  • humanized antibody refers to antibody molecules in which the amino acid sequence in the non-antigen binding regions has been altered so that the antibody more closely resembles a human antibody, and still retains its original binding ability.
  • Hybridization refers to any process by which a strand of nucleic acid binds with a complementary strand through base pairing.
  • hybridization complex refers to a complex formed between two nucleic acid sequences by virtue of the formation of hydrogen bonds between complementary bases.
  • a hybridization complex may be formed in solution (e.g., C 0 t or Rot analysis) or formed between one nucleic acid sequence present in solution and another nucleic acid sequence immobilized on a solid support (e.g., paper, membranes, filters, chips, pins or glass slides, or any other appropriate substrate to which cells or their nucleic acids have been fixed).
  • insertion and “addition” refer to changes in an amino acid or nucleotide sequence resulting in the addition of one or more amino acid residues or nucleotides, respectively, to the sequence found in the naturally occurring molecule.
  • Immuno response can refer to conditions associated with inflammation, trauma, immune disorders, or infectious or genetic disease, etc. These conditions can be characterized by expression of various factors, e.g., cytokines, chemokines, and other signaling molecules, which may affect cellular and systemic defense systems.
  • factors e.g., cytokines, chemokines, and other signaling molecules, which may affect cellular and systemic defense systems.
  • microarray refers to an arrangement of distinct polynucleotides on a substrate.
  • element and “array element” in a microarray context, refer to hybridizable polynucleotides arranged on the surface of a substrate.
  • modulate refers to a change in the activity of GCRP. For example, modulation may cause an increase or a decrease in protein activity, binding characteristics, or any other biological, functional, or immunological properties of GCRP.
  • nucleic acid refers to a nucleotide, oligonucleotide, polynucleotide, or any fragment thereof. These phrases also refer to DNA or RNA of genomic or synthetic origin which may be single-stranded or double-stranded and may represent the sense or the antisense strand, to peptide nucleic acid (PNA), or to any DNA-like or RNA-like material.
  • fragment refers to those nucleic acid sequences which comprise a region of unique polynucleotide sequence that specifically identifies SEQ ID NO:9-16, for example, as distinct from any other sequence in the same genome.
  • a fragment of SEQ ID NO:9-16 is useful in hybridization and amplification technologies and in analogous methods that distinguish SEQ ID NO:9-16 from related polynucleotide sequences.
  • a fragment of SEQ ID NO:9-16 is at least about 15-20 nucleotides in length.
  • the precise length of the fragment of SEQ ID NO:9-16 and the region of SEQ ID NO:9-16 to which the fragment corresponds are routinely determinable by one of ordinary skill in the art based on the intended purpose for the fragment.
  • a fragment when translated, would produce polypeptides retaining some functional characteristic, e.g., antigenicity, or structural domain characteristic, e.g., ATP-binding site, of the full-length polypeptide.
  • operably associated and operably linked refer to functionally related nucleic acid sequences.
  • a promoter is operably associated or operably linked with a coding sequence if the promoter controls the translation of the encoded polypeptide. While operably associated or operably linked nucleic acid sequences can be contiguous and in the same reading frame, certain genetic elements, e.g., repressor genes, are not contiguously linked to the sequence encoding the polypeptide but still bind to operator sequences that control expression of the polypeptide.
  • oligonucleotide refers to a nucleic acid sequence of at least about 6 nucleotides to 60 nucleotides, preferably about 15 to 30 nucleotides, and most preferably about 20 to 25 nucleotides, which can be used in PCR amplification or in a hybridization assay or microarray.
  • Oligonucleotide is substantially equivalent to the terms “amplimer,” “primer,” “oligomer,” and “probe,” as these terms are commonly defined in the art.
  • PNA protein nucleic acid
  • PNA refers to an antisense molecule or anti-gene agent which comprises an oligonucleotide of at least about 5 nucleotides in length linked to a peptide backbone of amino acid residues ending in lysine. The terminal lysine confers solubility to the composition. PNAs preferentially bind complementary single stranded DNA or RNA and stop transcript elongation, and may be pegylated to extend their lifespan in the cell.
  • sample is used in its broadest sense.
  • a sample suspected of containing nucleic acids encoding GCRP, or fragments thereof, or GCRP itself, may comprise a bodily fluid; an extract from a cell, chromosome, organelle, or membrane isolated from a cell; a cell; genomic DNA, RNA, or cDNA, in solution or bound to a substrate; a tissue; a tissue print; etc.
  • binding and “specifically binding” refer to that interaction between a protein or peptide and an agonist, an antibody, or an antagonist. The interaction is dependent upon the presence of a particular structure of the protein, e.g., the antigenic determinant or epitope, recognized by the binding molecule. For example, if an antibody is specific for epitope "A,” the presence of a polypeptide containing the epitope A, or the presence of free unlabeled A, in a reaction containing free labeled A and the antibody will reduce the amount of labeled A that binds to the antibody.
  • stringent conditions refers to conditions which permit hybridization between polynucleotides and the claimed polynucleotides.
  • Stringent conditions can be defined by salt concentration, the concentration of organic solvent, e.g., formamide, temperature, and other conditions well known in the art.
  • stringency can be increased by reducing the concentration of salt, increasing the concentration of formamide, or raising the hybridization temperature.
  • substantially purified refers to nucleic acid or amino acid sequences that are removed from their natural environment and are isolated or separated, and are at least about 60% free, preferably about 75% free, and most preferably about 90% free from other components with which they are naturally associated.
  • substitution refers to the replacement of one or more amino acids or nucleotides by different amino acids or nucleotides, respectively.
  • Substrate refers to any suitable rigid or semi-rigid support including membranes, filters, chips, slides, wafers, fibers, magnetic or nonmagnetic beads, gels, tubing, plates, polymers, microparticles and capillaries.
  • the substrate can have a variety of surface forms, such as wells, trenches, pins, channels and pores, to which polynucleotides or polypeptides are bound.
  • Transformation describes a process by which exogenous DNA enters and changes a recipient cell. Transformation may occur under natural or artificial conditions according to various methods well known in the art, and may rely on any known method for the insertion of foreign nucleic acid sequences into a prokaryotic or eukaryotic host cell.
  • the method for transformation is selected based on the type of host cell being transformed and may include, but is not limited to, viral infection, electroporation, heat shock, lipofection, and particle bombardment.
  • the term "transformed” cells includes stably transformed cells in which the inserted DNA is capable of replication either as an autonomously replicating plasmid or as part of the host chromosome, as well as transiently transformed cells which express the inserted DNA or RNA for limited periods of time.
  • a “variant" of GCRP polypeptides refers to an amino acid sequence that is altered by one or more amino acid residues.
  • the variant may have "conservative” changes, wherein a substituted amino acid has similar structural or chemical properties (e.g., replacement of leucine with isoleucine). More rarely, a variant may have "nonconservative” changes (e.g., replacement of glycine with tryptophan).
  • variants when used in the context of a polynucleotide sequence, may encompass a polynucleotide sequence related to GCRP. This definition may also include, for example, "allelic” (as defined above), “splice,” “species,” or “polymorphic” variants.
  • a splice variant may have significant identity to a reference molecule, but will generally have a greater or lesser number of polynucleotides due to alternate splicing of exons during mRNA processing.
  • the corresponding polypeptide may possess additional functional domains or an absence of domains.
  • Species variants are polynucleotide sequences that vary from one species to another. The resulting polypeptides generally will have significant amino acid identity relative to each other.
  • a polymorphic variant is a variation in the polynucleotide sequence of a particular gene between individuals of a given species.
  • Polymorphic variants also may encompass "single nucleotide polymorphisms" (SNPs) in which the polynucleotide sequence varies by one base. The presence of SNPs may be indicative of, for example, a certain population, a disease state, or a propensity for a disease state.
  • the invention is based on the discovery of new human G-protein coupled receptor proteins (GCRP), the polynucleotides encoding GCRP, and the use of these compositions for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disorders of the nervous system, autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, and cell proliferative disorders including cancer.
  • GCRP G-protein coupled receptor proteins
  • Table 1 lists the Incyte clones used to assemble full length nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP. Columns 1 and 2 show the sequence identification numbers (SEQ ID NOs) of the polypeptide and nucleotide sequences, respectively. Column 3 shows the clone IDs of the Incyte clones in which nucleic acids encoding each GCRP were identified, and column 4 shows the cDNA libraries from which these clones were isolated. Column 5 shows Incyte clones and their corresponding cDNA libraries. Clones for which cDNA libraries are not indicated were derived from pooled cDNA libraries.
  • column 5 The clones in column 5 were used to assemble the consensus nucleotide sequence of each GCRP and are useful as fragments in hybridization technologies.
  • the columns of Table 2 show various properties of each of the polypeptides of the invention: column 1 references the SEQ ID NO; column 2 shows the number of amino acid residues in each polypeptide; column 3 shows potential phosphorylation sites; column 4 shows potential glycosylation sites; column 5 shows the amino acid residues comprising signature sequences and motifs, as well as GenBank homologs identified by BLAST analysis; column 6 shows the identity of each polypeptide; and column 7 shows analytical methods used to characterize each polypeptide through sequence homology and protein motifs.
  • GCRP-1 has chemical and structural similarity with human epididymis-specific seven transmembrane receptor HE6 (GI 2117161; SEQ ID NO: 17).
  • GCRP-1 and human HE6 share 19% identity, four potential N-glycosylation sites, and one potential protein kinase C phosphorylation site.
  • GCRP-1 and GCRP-2 have chemical and structural homology and are considered to be splice variants. Therefore, GCRP-2 also has chemical and structural similarity with human epididymis-specific seven transmembrane receptor HE6 (GI 2117161; SEQ ID NO: 17).
  • GCRP-3 has chemical and structural similarity with human CD97 (GI 3342740; SEQ ID NO: 18).
  • GCRP-3 and human CD97 share 44% identity, one potential N-glycosylation site, one potential protein kinase C phosphorylation site, and one potential aspartic acid/asparagine hydroxylation site.
  • the columns of Table 3 show the tissue-specificity and diseases, disorders, or conditions associated with nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP.
  • the first column of Table 3 lists the nucleotide SEQ ID NOs.
  • Column 2 lists fragments of the nucleotide sequences of column 1. These fragments are useful, for example, in hybridization or amplification technologies to identify SEQ ID NO:9-16, and to distinguish between SEQ ID NO:9-16 and related polynucleotide sequences.
  • the polypeptides encoded by these fragments are useful, for example, as immunogenic peptides.
  • Column 3 lists tissue categories which express GCRP as a fraction of total tissues expressing GCRP.
  • Example 4 lists diseases, disorders, or conditions associated with those tissues expressing GCRP as a fraction of total tissues expressing GCRP.
  • Column 5 lists the vectors used to subclone each cDNA library.
  • Northern analysis shows the expression of SEQ ID NO:9 in various libraries, at least 55% of which are associated with cancer and cell proliferation, and at least 30% of which are associated with the immune response.
  • Northern analysis shows the expression of SEQ ID NO: 1 1 in various libraries, at least 50% of which are associated with cancer and at least 50% of which are associated with the immune response.
  • SEQ ID NO:9 in brain, thyroid, epididymis, prostate, breast, uterus, kidney, lung, gut, and bladder
  • SEQ ID NO: 10 in brain, kidney, epididymis, prostate, breast, and bladder
  • SEQ ID NO:l 1 in tumor, immunological, and inflammatory tissues
  • SEQ ID NO:12, SEQ ID NO:13, SEQ ID NO:14, SEQ ID NO:15, and SEQ ID NO:16 in cancerous and proliferating tissues
  • the expression of SEQ ID NO: 12 in brain tumor the expression of SEQ ID NO: 13 in kidney tumor and prostate tumor
  • SEQ ID NO: 14 in tongue tumor and prostate.
  • the columns of Table 4 show descriptions of the tissues used to construct the cDNA libraries from which cDNA clones encoding GCRP were isolated.
  • Column 1 references the nucleotide SEQ ID NOs
  • column 2 shows the cDNA libraries from which these clones were isolated
  • column 3 shows the tissue origins and other descriptive information relevant to the cDNA libraries in column 2.
  • the invention also encompasses GCRP variants.
  • a preferred GCRP variant is one which has at least about 80%, more preferably at least about 90%, and most preferably at least about 95% amino acid sequence identity to the GCRP amino acid sequence, and which contains at least one functional or structural characteristic of GCRP.
  • the invention also encompasses polynucleotides which encode GCRP.
  • the invention encompasses a polynucleotide sequence comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:9-16, which encodes GCRP.
  • the invention also encompasses a variant of a polynucleotide sequence encoding GCRP.
  • a variant polynucleotide sequence will have at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 85%, and most preferably at least about 95% polynucleotide sequence identity to the polynucleotide sequence encoding GCRP.
  • a particular aspect of the invention encompasses a variant of a polynucleotide sequence comprising a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:9- 16 which has at least about 70%, more preferably at least about 85%, and most preferably at least about 95% polynucleotide sequence identity to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:9-16.
  • Any one of the polynucleotide variants described above can encode an amino acid sequence which contains at least one functional or structural characteristic of GCRP.
  • nucleotide sequences which encode GCRP and its variants are preferably capable of hybridizing to the nucleotide sequence of the naturally occurring GCRP under appropriately selected conditions of stringency, it may be advantageous to produce nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP or its derivatives possessing a substantially different codon usage, e.g., inclusion of non-natural ly occurring codons. Codons may be selected to increase the rate at which expression of the peptide occurs in a particular prokaryotic or eukaryotic host in accordance with the frequency with which particular codons are utilized by the host.
  • RNA transcripts having more desirable properties such as a greater half-life, than transcripts produced from the naturally occurring sequence.
  • the invention also encompasses production of DNA sequences which encode GCRP and GCRP derivatives, or fragments thereof, entirely by synthetic chemistry.
  • the synthetic sequence may be inserted into any of the many available expression vectors and cell systems using reagents well known in the art.
  • synthetic chemistry may be used to introduce mutations into a sequence encoding GCRP or any fragment thereof.
  • polynucleotide sequences that are capable of hybridizing to the claimed polynucleotide sequences, and, in particular, to those shown in SEQ ID NO:9-16, and fragments, thereof under various conditions of stringency.
  • stringency See, e.g., Wahl, G.M. and S.L. Berger (1987) Methods Enzymol. 152:399-407; Kimmel, A.R. (1987) Methods Enzymol.
  • stringent salt concentration will ordinarily be less than about 750 mM NaCl and 75 mM trisodium citrate, preferably less than about 500 mM NaCl and 50 mM trisodium citrate, and most preferably less than about 250 mM NaCl and 25 mM trisodium citrate.
  • Low stringency hybridization can be obtained in the absence of organic solvent, e.g., formamide, while high stringency hybridization can be obtained in the presence of at least about 35% formamide, and most preferably at least about 50% formamide.
  • Stringent temperature conditions will ordinarily include temperatures of at least about 30°C, more preferably of at least about 37°C, and most preferably of at least about 42°C.
  • Varying additional parameters, such as hybridization time, the concentration of detergent, e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and the inclusion or exclusion of carrier DNA, are well known to those skilled in the art.
  • concentration of detergent e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)
  • SDS sodium dodecyl sulfate
  • Various levels of stringency are accomplished by combining these various conditions as needed.
  • hybridization will occur at 30°C in 750 mM NaCl, 75 mM trisodium citrate, and 1% SDS.
  • hybridization will occur at 37°C in 500 mM NaCl, 50 mM trisodium citrate, 1% SDS, 35% formamide, and 100 ⁇ g/ml denatured salmon sperm DNA (ssDNA).
  • hybridization will occur at 42°C in 250 mM NaCl, 25 mM trisodium citrate, 1% SDS, 50 % formamide, and 200 ⁇ g/ml ssDNA. Useful variations on these conditions will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
  • wash stringency conditions can be defined by salt concentration and by temperature. As above, wash stringency can be increased by decreasing salt concentration or by increasing temperature.
  • stringent salt concentration for the wash steps will preferably be less than about 30 mM NaCl and 3 mM trisodium citrate, and most preferably less than about 15 mM NaCl and 1.5 mM trisodium citrate.
  • Stringent temperature conditions for the wash steps will ordinarily include temperature of at least about 25°C, more preferably of at least about 42°C, and most preferably of at least about 68°C.
  • wash steps will occur at 25°C in 30 mM NaCl, 3 mM trisodium citrate, and 0.1% SDS. In a more preferred embodiment, wash steps will occur at 42°C in 15 mM NaCl, 1.5 mM trisodium citrate, and 0.1% SDS. In a most preferred embodiment, wash steps will occur at 68°C in 15 mM NaCl, 1.5 mM trisodium citrate, and 0.1 % SDS. Additional variations on these conditions will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Methods for DNA sequencing are well known in the art and may be used to practice any of the embodiments of the invention.
  • the methods may employ such enzymes as the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I, SEQUENASE (US Biochemical, Cleveland OH), Taq polymerase (Perkin-Elmer), thermostable T7 polymerase (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Piscataway NJ), or combinations of polymerases and proofreading exonucleases such as those found in the ELONGASE amplification system (Life Technologies, Gaithersburg MD).
  • sequence preparation is automated with machines such as the MICROLAB 2200 liquid transfer system (Hamilton, Reno NV), PTC200 thermal cycler (MJ Research, Watertown MA), and ABI CATALYST 800 thermal cycler (Perkin-Elmer).
  • Sequencing is then carried out using the ABI 373 or 377 DNA sequencing systems (Perkin-Elmer), the MEGABACE 1000 DNA sequencing system (Molecular Dynamics, Sunnyvale CA), or other systems known in the art.
  • the resulting sequences are analyzed using a variety of algorithms which are well known in the art. (See, e.g., Ausubel, F.M. (1997) Short Protocols in Molecular Biology. John Wiley & Sons, New York NY, unit 7.7; Meyers, R.A. (1995) Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. Wiley VCH, New York NY, pp. 856-853.)
  • the nucleic acid sequences encoding GCRP may be extended utilizing a partial nucleotide sequence and employing various PCR-based methods known in the art to detect upstream sequences, such as promoters and regulatory elements.
  • PCR-based methods known in the art to detect upstream sequences, such as promoters and regulatory elements.
  • restriction-site PCR uses universal and nested primers to amplify unknown sequence from genomic DNA within a cloning vector. (See, e.g., Sarkar, G. (1993) PCR Methods Applic. 2:318-322.)
  • Another method, inverse PCR uses primers that extend in divergent directions to amplify unknown sequence from a circularized template.
  • the template is derived from restriction fragments comprising a known genomic locus and surrounding sequences.
  • a third method, capture PCR involves PCR amplification of DNA fragments adjacent to known sequences in human and yeast artificial chromosome DNA.
  • capture PCR involves PCR amplification of DNA fragments adjacent to known sequences in human and yeast artificial chromosome DNA.
  • multiple restriction enzyme digestions and ligations may be used to insert an engineered double-stranded sequence into a region of unknown sequence before performing PCR.
  • Other methods which may be used to retrieve unknown sequences are known in the art. (See, e.g., Parker, J.D. et al.
  • primers may be designed using commercially available software, such as OLIGO 4.06 primer analysis software (National Biosciences, Plymouth MN) or another appropriate program, to be about 22 to 30 nucleotides in length, to have a GC content of about 50% or more, and to anneal to the template at temperatures of about 68°C to 72°C.
  • Genomic libraries may be useful for extension of sequence into 5' non-transcribed regulatory regions.
  • Capillary electrophoresis systems which are commercially available may be used to analyze the size or confirm the nucleotide sequence of sequencing or PCR products.
  • capillary sequencing may employ flowable polymers for electrophoretic separation, four different nucleotide- specific, laser-stimulated fluorescent dyes, and a charge coupled device camera for detection of the emitted wavelengths.
  • Output/light intensity may be converted to electrical signal using appropriate software (e.g., GENOTYPER and SEQUENCE NAVIGATOR, Perkin-Elmer), and the entire process from loading of samples to computer analysis and electronic data display may be computer controlled.
  • Capillary electrophoresis is especially preferable for sequencing small DNA fragments which may be present in limited amounts in a particular sample.
  • polynucleotide sequences or fragments thereof which encode GCRP may be cloned in recombinant DNA molecules that direct expression of GCRP, or fragments or functional equivalents thereof, in appropriate host cells. Due to the inherent degeneracy of the genetic code, other DNA sequences which encode substantially the same or a functionally equivalent amino acid sequence may be produced and used to express GCRP.
  • nucleotide sequences of the present invention can be engineered using methods generally known in the art in order to alter GCRP-encoding sequences for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, modification of the cloning, processing, and/or expression of the gene product.
  • DNA shuffling by random fragmentation and PCR reassembly of gene fragments and synthetic oligonucleotides may be used to engineer the nucleotide sequences.
  • oligonucleotide-mediated site-directed mutagenesis may be used to introduce mutations that create new restriction sites, alter glycosylation patterns, change codon preference, produce splice variants, and so forth.
  • sequences encoding GCRP may be synthesized, in whole or in part, using chemical methods well known in the art.
  • chemical methods See, e.g., Caruthers, M.H. et al. (1980) Nucleic Acids Symp. Ser. 7:215-223; Horn, T. et al. (1980) Nucleic Acids Symp. Ser. 7:225-232.
  • GCRP itself or a fragment thereof may be synthesized using chemical methods.
  • peptide synthesis can be performed using various solid-phase techniques.
  • Automated synthesis may be achieved using the ABI 431 A peptide synthesizer (Perkin- Elmer). Additionally, the amino acid sequence of GCRP, or any part thereof, may be altered during direct synthesis and/or combined with sequences from other proteins, or any part thereof, to produce a variant polypeptide.
  • the peptide may be substantially purified by preparative high performance liquid chromatography. (See, e.g, Chiez, R.M. and F.Z. Regnier (1990) Methods Enzymol. 182:392-421.)
  • the composition of the synthetic peptides may be confirmed by amino acid analysis or by sequencing. (See, e.g., Creighton, T. (1984) Proteins, Structures and Molecular Properties. WH Freeman, New York NY.)
  • the nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP or derivatives thereof may be inserted into an appropriate expression vector, i.e., a vector which contains the necessary elements for transcriptional and translational control of the inserted coding sequence in a suitable host.
  • these elements include regulatory sequences, such as enhancers, constitutive and inducible promoters, and 5' and 3' untranslated regions in the vector and in polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP. Such elements may vary in their strength and specificity.
  • Specific initiation signals may also be used to achieve more efficient translation of sequences encoding GCRP. Such signals include the ATG initiation codon and adjacent sequences, e.g. the Kozak sequence.
  • a variety of expression vector/host systems may be utilized to contain and express sequences encoding GCRP. These include, but are not limited to, microorganisms such as bacteria transformed with recombinant bacteriophage, plasmid, or cosmid DNA expression vectors; yeast transformed with yeast expression vectors; insect cell systems infected with viral expression vectors (e.g., baculovirus); plant cell systems transformed with viral expression vectors (e.g., cauliflower mosaic virus, CaMV, or tobacco mosaic virus, TMV) or with bacterial expression vectors (e.g., Ti or pBR322 plasmids); or animal cell systems.
  • the invention is not limited by the host cell employed.
  • cloning and expression vectors may be selected depending upon the use intended for polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP.
  • routine cloning, subcloning, and propagation of polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP can be achieved using a multifunctional E. coli vector such as PBLUESCRIPT (Stratagene, La Jolla CA) or PSPORT1 plasmid (Life Technologies). Ligation of sequences encoding GCRP into the vector's multiple cloning site disrupts the lacZ gene, allowing a colorimetric screening procedure for identification of transformed bacteria containing recombinant molecules.
  • these vectors may be useful for in vitro transcription, dideoxy sequencing, single strand rescue with helper phage, and creation of nested deletions in the cloned sequence.
  • vectors which direct high level expression of GCRP may be used.
  • vectors containing the strong, inducible T5 or T7 bacteriophage promoter may be used.
  • Yeast expression systems may be used for production of GCRP.
  • a number of vectors containing constitutive or inducible promoters such as alpha factor, alcohol oxidase, and PGH promoters, may be used in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae or Pichia pastoris.
  • such vectors direct either the secretion or intracellular retention of expressed proteins and enable integration of foreign sequences into the host genome for stable propagation.
  • Plant systems may also be used for expression of GCRP. Transcription of sequences encoding GCRP may be driven viral promoters, e.g., the 35S and 19S promoters of CaMV used alone or in combination with the omega leader sequence from TMV (Takamatsu, N. (1987) EMBO J. 3:17-311). Alternatively, plant promoters such as the small subunit of RUBISCO or heat shock promoters may be used. (See, e.g., Coruzzi, G. et al. (1984) EMBO J. 3:1671-1680; Broglie, R. et al. (1984) Science 224:838-843; and Winter, J. et al. (1991) Results Probl. Cell Differ.
  • viral promoters e.g., the 35S and 19S promoters of CaMV used alone or in combination with the omega leader sequence from TMV (Takamatsu, N. (1987) EMBO J. 3:1311).
  • plant promoters
  • constructs can be introduced into plant cells by direct DNA transformation or pathogen-mediated transfection.
  • pathogen-mediated transfection See, e.g., The McGraw Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology (1992) McGraw Hill, New York NY, pp. 191-196.
  • a number of viral-based expression systems may be utilized.
  • sequences encoding GCRP may be ligated into an adenovirus transcription/translation complex consisting of the late promoter and tripartite leader sequence. Insertion in a non-essential El or E3 region of the viral genome may be used to obtain infective virus which expresses GCRP in host cells.
  • transcription enhancers such as the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) enhancer, may be used to increase expression in mammalian host cells.
  • SV40 or EBV-based vectors may also be used for high-level protein expression.
  • Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) may also be employed to deliver larger fragments of
  • HACs of about 6 kb to 10 Mb are constructed and delivered via conventional delivery methods (liposomes, polycationic amino polymers, or vesicles) for therapeutic purposes. (See, e.g., Harrington, J.J. et al. (1997) Nat. Genet. 15:345-355.)
  • sequences encoding GCRP can be transformed into cell lines using expression vectors which may contain viral origins of replication and/or endogenous expression elements and a selectable marker gene on the same or on a separate vector. Following the introduction of the vector, cells may be allowed to grow for about 1 to 2 days in enriched media before being switched to selective media.
  • the purpose of the selectable marker is to confer resistance to a selective agent, and its presence allows growth and recovery of cells which successfully express the introduced sequences.
  • Resistant clones of stably transformed cells may be propagated using tissue culture techniques appropriate to the cell type.
  • selection systems may be used to recover transformed cell lines. These include, but are not limited to, the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase genes, for use in tk or apr cells, respectively. (See, e.g., Wigler, M. et al. (1977) Cell 11 :223-232; Lowy, I. et al. (1980) Cell 22:817-823.) Also, antimetabolite, antibiotic, or herbicide resistance can be used as the basis for selection.
  • dhfr confers resistance to methotrexate
  • neo confers resistance to the aminoglycosides neomycin and G-418
  • als and pat confer resistance to chlorsulfuron and phosphinotricin acetyltransferase, respectively.
  • Additional selectable genes have been described, e.g., trpB and hisD, which alter cellular requirements for metabolites.
  • Visible markers e.g., anthocyanins, green fluorescent proteins (GFP; Clontech), ⁇ glucuronidase and its substrate ⁇ -glucuronide, or luciferase and its substrate luciferin may be used. These markers can be used not only to identify transformants, but also to quantify the amount of transient or stable protein expression attributable to a specific vector system. (See, e.g., Rhodes, CA. (1995) Methods Mol. Biol. 55: 121-131.)
  • marker gene expression suggests that the gene of interest is also present, the presence and expression of the gene may need to be confirmed.
  • sequence encoding GCRP is inserted within a marker gene sequence
  • transformed cells containing sequences encoding GCRP can be identified by the absence of marker gene function.
  • a marker gene can be placed in tandem with a sequence encoding GCRP under the control of a single promoter. Expression of the marker gene in response to induction or selection usually indicates expression of the tandem gene as well.
  • host cells that contain the nucleic acid sequence encoding GCRP and that express GCRP may be identified by a variety of procedures known to those of skill in the art. These procedures include, but are not limited to, DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA hybridizations, PCR amplification, and protein bioassay or immunoassay techniques which include membrane, solution, or chip based technologies for the detection and/or quantification of nucleic acid or protein sequences.
  • Immunological methods for detecting and measuring the expression of GCRP using either specific polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies are known in the art. Examples of such techniques include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), radioimmunoassays (RIAs), and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS).
  • ELISAs enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays
  • RIAs radioimmunoassays
  • FACS fluorescence activated cell sorting
  • Means for producing labeled hybridization or PCR probes for detecting sequences related to polynucleotides encoding GCRP include oligolabeling, nick translation, end-labeling, or PCR amplification using a labeled nucleotide.
  • the sequences encoding GCRP, or any fragments thereof may be cloned into a vector for the production of an mRNA probe.
  • RNA polymerase such as T7, T3, or SP6 and labeled nucleotides.
  • T7, T3, or SP6 RNA polymerase
  • reporter molecules or labels which may be used for ease of detection include radionuclides, enzymes, fluorescent, chemiluminescent, or chromogenic agents, as well as substrates, cofactors, inhibitors, magnetic particles, and the like.
  • Host cells transformed with nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP may be cultured under conditions suitable for the expression and recovery of the protein from cell culture.
  • the protein produced by a transformed cell may be secreted or retained intracellularly depending on the sequence and/or the vector used.
  • expression vectors containing polynucleotides which encode GCRP may be designed to contain signal sequences which direct secretion of GCRP through a prokaryotic or eukaryotic cell membrane.
  • a host cell strain may be chosen for its ability to modulate expression of the inserted sequences or to process the expressed protein in the desired fashion.
  • modifications of the polypeptide include, but are not limited to, acetylation, carboxylation, glycosylation, phosphorylation, lipidation, and acylation.
  • Post-translational processing which cleaves a "prepro" form of the protein may also be used to specify protein targeting, folding, and/or activity.
  • CHO, HeLa, MDCK, HEK293, and WI38 Different host cells which have specific cellular machinery and characteristic mechanisms for post-translational activities
  • ATCC American Type Culture Collection
  • HEK293, and WI38 Different host cells which have specific cellular machinery and characteristic mechanisms for post-translational activities
  • ATCC American Type Culture Collection
  • natural, modified, or recombinant nucleic acid sequences encoding GCRP may be ligated to a heterologous sequence resulting in translation of a fusion protein in any of the aforementioned host systems.
  • a chimeric GCRP protein containing a heterologous moiety that can be recognized by a commercially available antibody may facilitate the screening of peptide libraries for inhibitors of GCRP activity.
  • Heterologous protein and peptide moieties may also facilitate purification of fusion proteins using commercially available affinity matrices.
  • Such moieties include, but are not limited to, glutathione S-transferase (GST), maltose binding protein (MBP), thioredoxin (Trx), calmodulin binding peptide (CBP), 6-His, FLAG, c-myc, and hemagglutinin (HA).
  • GST, MBP, Trx, CBP, and 6-His enable purification of their cognate fusion proteins on immobilized glutathione, maltose, phenylarsine oxide, calmodulin, and metal-chelate resins, respectively.
  • FLAG, c- myc, and hemagglutinin (HA) enable immunoaffinity purification of fusion proteins using commercially available monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies that specifically recognize these epitope tags.
  • a fusion protein may also be engineered to contain a proteolytic cleavage site located between the GCRP encoding sequence and the heterologous protein sequence, so that GCRP may be cleaved away from the heterologous moiety following purification. Methods for fusion protein expression and purification are discussed in Ausubel (1995, supra, ch. 10). A variety of commercially available kits may also be used to facilitate expression and purification of fusion proteins.
  • synthesis of radiolabeled GCRP may be achieved jn vitro using the TNT rabbit reticulocyte lysate or wheat germ extract systems (Promega). These systems couple transcription and translation of protein-coding sequences operably associated with the T7, T3, or SP6 promoters. Translation takes place in the presence of a radiolabeled amino acid precursor, preferably 35 S-methionine.
  • Fragments of GCRP may be produced not only by recombinant production, but also by direct peptide synthesis using solid-phase techniques. (See, e.g., Creighton, supra, pp. 55-60.) Protein synthesis may be performed by manual techniques or by automation. Automated synthesis may be achieved, for example, using the ABI 431A peptide synthesizer (Perkin-Elmer). Various fragments of GCRP may be synthesized separately and then combined to produce the full length molecule. THERAPEUTICS
  • GCRP Chemical and structural similarity, e.g., in the context of sequences and motifs, exists between regions of GCRP and G-protein coupled receptor proteins.
  • the expression of GCRP is closely associated with cell proliferation, cancer, and autoimmune disease/inflammation. Therefore, GCRP appears to play a role in disorders of the nervous system, autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, and cell proliferative disorders including cancer.
  • GCRP appears to play a role in disorders of the nervous system, autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, and cell proliferative disorders including cancer.
  • GCRP In the treatment of disorders associated with decreased GCRP expression or activity, it is desirable to increase the expression or activity of GCRP.
  • GCRP or a fragment or derivative thereof may be administered to a subject to treat or prevent a disorder associated with decreased expression or activity of GCRP.
  • disorders include, but are not limited to, a nervous disorder such as epilepsy, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, stroke, cerebral neoplasms, Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, Huntington's disease, dementia, Parkinson's disease and other extrapyramidal disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other motor neuron disorders, progressive neural muscular atrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, hereditary ataxias, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, bacterial and viral meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, epidural abscess, suppurative intracranial thrombophlebitis, myelitis and radiculitis, viral central nervous system disease; prion diseases including kuru, Creutzfeldt- Jakob disease, and Gerstmann
  • a vector capable of expressing GCRP or a fragment or derivative thereof may be administered to a subject to treat or prevent a disorder associated with decreased expression or activity of GCRP including, but not limited to, those described above.
  • a pharmaceutical composition comprising a substantially purified GCRP in conjunction with a suitable pharmaceutical carrier may be administered to a subject to treat or prevent a disorder associated with decreased expression or activity of GCRP including, but not limited to, those provided above.
  • an agonist which modulates the activity of GCRP may be administered to a subject to treat or prevent a disorder associated with decreased expression or activity of GCRP including, but not limited to, those listed above.
  • an antagonist of GCRP may be administered to a subject to treat or prevent a disorder associated with increased expression or activity of GCRP.
  • disorders include, but are not limited to, disorders of the nervous system, autoimmune/inflammatory disorders, and cell proliferative disorders.
  • an antibody which specifically binds GCRP may be used directly as an antagonist or indirectly as a targeting or delivery mechanism for bringing a pharmaceutical agent to cells or tissue which express GCRP.
  • GCRP may be administered to a subject to treat or prevent a disorder associated with increased expression or activity of GCRP including, but not limited to, those described above.
  • any of the proteins, antagonists, antibodies, agonists, complementary sequences, or vectors of the invention may be administered in combination with other appropriate therapeutic agents. Selection of the appropriate agents for use in combination therapy may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art, according to conventional pharmaceutical principles.
  • the combination of therapeutic agents may act synergistically to effect the treatment or prevention of the various disorders described above. Using this approach, one may be able to achieve therapeutic efficacy with lower dosages of each agent, thus reducing the potential for adverse side effects.
  • An antagonist of GCRP may be produced using methods which are generally known in the art. In particular, purified GCRP may be used to produce antibodies or to screen libraries of pharmaceutical agents to identify those which specifically bind GCRP.
  • Antibodies to GCRP may also be generated using methods that are well known in the art. Such antibodies may include, but are not limited to, polyclonal, monoclonal, chimeric, and single chain antibodies, Fab fragments, and fragments produced by a Fab expression library. Neutralizing antibodies (i.e., those which inhibit dimer formation) are especially preferred for therapeutic use.
  • various hosts including goats, rabbits, rats, mice, humans, and others may be immunized by injection with GCRP or with any fragment or oligopeptide thereof which has immunogenic properties.
  • various adjuvants may be used to increase immunological response.
  • adjuvants include, but are not limited to, Freund's, mineral gels such as aluminum hydroxide, and surface active substances such as lysolecithin, pluronic polyols, polyanions, peptides, oil emulsions, KLH, and dinitrophenol.
  • BCG Bacilli Calmette-Guerin
  • Corvnebacterium parvum are especially preferable.
  • the oligopeptides, peptides, or fragments used to induce antibodies to GCRP have an amino acid sequence consisting of at least about 5 amino acids, and, more preferably, of at least about 10 amino acids. It is also preferable that these oligopeptides, peptides, or fragments are identical to a portion of the amino acid sequence of the natural protein and contain the entire amino acid sequence of a small, naturally occurring molecule. Short stretches of GCRP amino acids may be fused with those of another protein, such as KLH, and antibodies to the chimeric molecule may be produced. Monoclonal antibodies to GCRP may be prepared using any technique which provides for the production of antibody molecules by continuous cell lines in culture.
  • hybridoma technique examples include, but are not limited to, the hybridoma technique, the human B-cell hybridoma technique, and the EBV-hybridoma technique.
  • chimeric antibodies such as the splicing of mouse antibody genes to human antibody genes to obtain a molecule with appropriate antigen specificity and biological activity.
  • techniques developed for the production of single chain antibodies may be adapted, using methods known in the art, to produce GCRP-specific single chain antibodies.
  • Antibodies with related specificity, but of distinct idiotypic composition may be generated by chain shuffling from random combinatorial immunoglobulin libraries.
  • Antibodies may also be produced by inducing in vivo production in the lymphocyte population or by screening immunoglobulin libraries or panels of highly specific binding reagents as disclosed in the literature.
  • Antibody fragments which contain specific binding sites for GCRP may also be generated.
  • fragments include, but are not limited to, F(ab')2 fragments produced by pepsin digestion of the antibody molecule and Fab fragments generated by reducing the disulfide bridges of the F(ab')2 fragments.
  • Fab expression libraries may be constructed to allow rapid and easy identification of monoclonal Fab fragments with the desired specificity. (See, e.g., Huse, W.D. et al. (1989) Science 246:1275-1281.)
  • Various immunoassays may be used for screening to identify antibodies having the desired specificity.
  • K a is defined as the molar concentration of GCRP-antibody complex divided by the molar concentrations of free antigen and free antibody under equilibrium conditions.
  • K a association constant
  • the K a determined for a preparation of monoclonal antibodies, which are monospecific for a particular GCRP epitope represents a true measure of affinity.
  • High-affinity antibody preparations with K a ranging from about 10 9 to 10 12 L/mole are preferred for use in immunoassays in which the GCRP-antibody complex must withstand rigorous manipulations.
  • Low-affinity antibody preparations with K a ranging from about 10 6 to 10 7 L/mole are preferred for use in immunopurification and similar procedures which ultimately require dissociation of GCRP, preferably in active form, from the antibody (Catty, D. 0988) Antibodies. Volume I: A Practical Approach. IRL Press, Washington DC; Liddell, J.E. and Cryer, A. (1991) A Practical Guide to Monoclonal Antibodies, John Wiley & Sons, New York NY).
  • polyclonal antibody preparations may be further evaluated to determine the quality and suitability of such preparations for certain downstream applications.
  • a polyclonal antibody preparation containing at least 1-2 mg specific antibody/ml, preferably 5-10 mg specific antibody/ml is preferred for use in procedures requiring precipitation of GCRP-antibody complexes.
  • Procedures for evaluating antibody specificity, titer, and avidity, and guidelines for antibody quality and usage in various applications, are generally available. (See, e.g., Catty, supra, and Coligan et al. supra.)
  • the polynucleotides encoding GCRP may be used for therapeutic purposes.
  • the complement of the polynucleotide encoding GCRP may be used in situations in which it would be desirable to block the transcription of the mRNA.
  • cells may be transformed with sequences complementary to polynucleotides encoding GCRP.
  • complementary molecules or fragments may be used to modulate GCRP activity, or to achieve regulation of gene function.
  • sense or antisense oligonucleotides or larger fragments can be designed from various locations along the coding or control regions of sequences encoding GCRP.
  • Expression vectors derived from retroviruses, adenoviruses, or herpes or vaccinia viruses, or from various bacterial plasmids may be used for delivery of nucleotide sequences to the targeted organ, tissue, or cell population. Methods which are well known to those skilled in the art can be used to construct vectors to express nucleic acid sequences complementary to the polynucleotides encoding GCRP. (See, e.g., Sambrook, supra; Ausubel, 1995, supra.)
  • Genes encoding GCRP can be turned off by transforming a cell or tissue with expression vectors which express high levels of a polynucleotide, or fragment thereof, encoding GCRP. Such constructs may be used to introduce untranslatable sense or antisense sequences into a cell. Even in the absence of integration into the DNA, such vectors may continue to transcribe RNA molecules until they are disabled by endogenous nucleases. Transient expression may last for a month or more with a non-replicating vector, and may last even longer if appropriate replication elements are part of the vector system.
  • modifications of gene expression can be obtained by designing complementary sequences or antisense molecules (DNA, RNA, or PNA) to the control, 5', or regulatory regions of the gene encoding GCRP.
  • Oligonucleotides derived from the transcription initiation site e.g., between about positions -10 and +10 from the start site, are preferred.
  • inhibition can be achieved using triple helix base-pairing methodology. Triple helix pairing is useful because it causes inhibition of the ability of the double helix to open sufficiently for the binding of polymerases, transcription factors, or regulatory molecules. Recent therapeutic advances using triplex DNA have been described in the literature. (See, e.g., Gee, J.E. et al. (1994) in Huber, B.E.
  • a complementary sequence or antisense molecule may also be designed to block translation of mRNA by preventing the transcript from binding to ribosomes.
  • Ribozymes enzymatic RNA molecules
  • Ribozymes may also be used to catalyze the specific cleavage of RNA.
  • the mechanism of ribozyme action involves sequence-specific hybridization of the ribozyme molecule to complementary target RNA, followed by endonucleolytic cleavage.
  • engineered hammerhead motif ribozyme molecules may specifically and efficiently catalyze endonucleolytic cleavage of sequences encoding GCRP.
  • ribozyme cleavage sites within any potential RNA target are initially identified by scanning the target molecule for ribozyme cleavage sites, including the following sequences: GUA, GUU, and GUC. Once identified, short RNA sequences of between 15 and 20 ribonucleotides, corresponding to the region of the target gene containing the cleavage site, may be evaluated for secondary structural features which may render the oligonucleotide inoperable. The suitability of candidate targets may also be evaluated by testing accessibility to hybridization with complementary oligonucleotides using ribonuclease protection assays.
  • RNA molecules and ribozymes of the invention may be prepared by any method known in the art for the synthesis of nucleic acid molecules. These include techniques for chemically synthesizing oligonucleotides such as solid phase phosphoramidite chemical synthesis.
  • RNA molecules may be generated by in vitro and in vivo transcription of DNA sequences encoding GCRP. Such DNA sequences may be incorporated into a wide variety of vectors with suitable RNA polymerase promoters such as T7 or SP6.
  • these cDNA constructs that synthesize complementary RNA, constitutively or inducibly, can be introduced into cell lines, cells, or tissues.
  • RNA molecules may be modified to increase intracellular stability and half-life. Possible modifications include, but are not limited to, the addition of flanking sequences at the 5' and/or 3' ends of the molecule, or the use of phosphorothioate or 2' O-methyl rather than phosphodiesterase linkages within the backbone of the molecule.
  • vectors may be introduced into stem cells taken from the patient and clonally propagated for autologous transplant back into that same patient. Delivery by transfection, by liposome injections, or by polycationic amino polymers may be achieved using methods which are well known in the art. (See, e.g., Goldman, C.K. et al. (1997) Nat. Biotechnol. 15:462-466.) Any of the therapeutic methods described above may be applied to any subject in need of such therapy, including, for example, mammals such as dogs, cats, cows, horses, rabbits, monkeys, and most preferably, humans.
  • An additional embodiment of the invention relates to the administration of a pharmaceutical or sterile composition, in conjunction with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, for any of the therapeutic effects discussed above.
  • Such pharmaceutical compositions may consist of GCRP, antibodies to GCRP, and mimetics, agonists, antagonists, or inhibitors of GCRP.
  • the compositions may be administered alone or in combination with at least one other agent, such as a stabilizing compound, which may be administered in any sterile, biocompatible pharmaceutical carrier including, but not limited to, saline, buffered saline, dextrose, and water.
  • the compositions may be administered to a patient alone, or in combination with other agents, drugs, or hormones.
  • compositions utilized in this invention may be administered by any number of routes including, but not limited to, oral, intravenous, intramuscular, intra-arterial, intramedullary, intrathecal, intraventricular, transdermal, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intranasal, enteral, topical, sublingual, or rectal means.
  • these pharmaceutical compositions may contain suitable pharmaceutically-acceptable carriers comprising excipients and auxiliaries which facilitate processing of the active compounds into preparations which can be used pharmaceutically. Further details on techniques for formulation and administration may be found in the latest edition of Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (Maack Publishing, Easton PA).
  • Pharmaceutical compositions for oral administration can be formulated using pharmaceutically acceptable carriers well known in the art in dosages suitable for oral administration. Such carriers enable the pharmaceutical compositions to be formulated as tablets, pills, dragees, capsules, liquids, gels, syrups, slurries, suspensions, and the like, for ingestion by the patient.
  • compositions for oral use can be obtained through combining active compounds with solid excipient and processing the resultant mixture of granules (optionally, after grinding) to obtain tablets or dragee cores.
  • auxiliaries can be added, if desired.
  • Suitable excipients include carbohydrate or protein fillers, such as sugars, including lactose, sucrose, mannitol, and sorbitol; starch from corn, wheat, rice, potato, or other plants; cellulose, such as methyl cellulose, hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose, or sodium carboxymethylcellulose; gums, including arable and tragacanth; and proteins, such as gelatin and collagen.
  • disintegrating or solubilizing agents may be added, such as the cross-linked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, agar, and alginic acid or a salt thereof, such as sodium alginate.
  • Dragee cores may be used in conjunction with suitable coatings, such as concentrated sugar solutions, which may also contain gum arabic, talc, polyvinylpyrrolidone, carbopol gel, polyethylene glycol, and/or titanium dioxide, lacquer solutions, and suitable organic solvents or solvent mixtures.
  • suitable coatings such as concentrated sugar solutions, which may also contain gum arabic, talc, polyvinylpyrrolidone, carbopol gel, polyethylene glycol, and/or titanium dioxide, lacquer solutions, and suitable organic solvents or solvent mixtures.
  • Dyestuffs or pigments may be added to the tablets or dragee coatings for product identification or to characterize the quantity of active compound, i.e., dosage.
  • Push-fit capsules made of gelatin, as well as soft, sealed capsules made of gelatin and a coating, such as glycerol or sorbitol.
  • Push- fit capsules can contain active ingredients mixed with fillers or binders, such as lactose or starches, lubricants, such as talc or magnesium stearate, and, optionally, stabilizers.
  • the active compounds may be dissolved or suspended in suitable liquids, such as fatty oils, liquid, or liquid polyethylene glycol with or without stabilizers.
  • compositions suitable for parenteral administration may be formulated in aqueous solutions, preferably in physiologically compatible buffers such as Hanks' solution, Ringer's solution, or physiologically buffered saline.
  • Aqueous injection suspensions may contain substances which increase the viscosity of the suspension, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sorbitol, or dextran.
  • suspensions of the active compounds may be prepared as appropriate oily injection suspensions.
  • Suitable lipophilic solvents or vehicles include fatty oils, such as sesame oil, or synthetic fatty acid esters, such as ethyl oleate, triglycerides, or liposomes.
  • Non-lipid polycationic amino polymers may also be used for delivery.
  • the suspension may also contain suitable stabilizers or agents to increase the solubility of the compounds and allow for the preparation of highly concentrated solutions.
  • penetrants appropriate to the particular barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Such penetrants are generally known in the art.
  • compositions of the present invention may be manufactured in a manner that is known in the art, e.g., by means of conventional mixing, dissolving, granulating, dragee-making, levigating, emulsifying, encapsulating, entrapping, or lyophilizing processes.
  • the pharmaceutical composition may be provided as a salt and can be formed with many acids, including but not limited to, hydrochloric, sulfuric, acetic, lactic, tartaric, malic, and succinic acids. Salts tend to be more soluble in aqueous or other protonic solvents than are the corresponding free base forms.
  • the preferred preparation may be a lyophilized powder which may contain any or all of the following: 1 mM to 50 mM histidine, 0.1% to 2% sucrose, and 2% to 7% mannitol, at a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5, that is combined with buffer prior to use.
  • compositions After pharmaceutical compositions have been prepared, they can be placed in an appropriate container and labeled for treatment of an indicated condition.
  • labeling would include amount, frequency, and method of administration.
  • compositions suitable for use in the invention include compositions wherein the active ingredients are contained in an effective amount to achieve the intended purpose.
  • an effective dose is well within the capability of those skilled in the art.
  • the therapeutical ly effective dose can be estimated initially either in cell culture assays, e.g., of neoplastic cells or in animal models such as mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, or pigs. An animal model may also be used to determine the appropriate concentration range and route of administration. Such information can then be used to determine useful doses and routes for administration in humans.
  • a therapeutically effective dose refers to that amount of active ingredient, for example GCRP or fragments thereof, antibodies of GCRP, and agonists, antagonists or inhibitors of GCRP, which ameliorates the symptoms or condition.
  • Therapeutic efficacy and toxicity may be determined by standard pharmaceutical procedures in cell cultures or with experimental animals, such as by calculating the ED 50 (the dose therapeutically effective in 50% of the population) or LD 50 (the dose lethal to 50% of the population) statistics.
  • the dose ratio of toxic to therapeutic effects is the therapeutic index, which can be expressed as the LD 50 /ED 50 ratio.
  • Pharmaceutical compositions which exhibit large therapeutic indices are preferred.
  • the data obtained from cell culture assays and animal studies are used to formulate a range of dosage for human use.
  • the dosage contained in such compositions is preferably within a range of circulating concentrations that includes the ED 50 with little or no toxicity. The dosage varies within this range depending upon the dosage form employed, the sensitivity of the patient, and the route of administration.
  • Dosage and administration are adjusted to provide sufficient levels of the active moiety or to maintain the desired effect. Factors which may be taken into account include the severity of the disease state, the general health of the subject, the age, weight, and gender of the subject, time and frequency of administration, drug combination(s), reaction sensitivities, and response to therapy. Long- acting pharmaceutical compositions may be administered every 3 to 4 days, every week, or biweekly depending on the half-life and clearance rate of the particular formulation.
  • Normal dosage amounts may vary from about 0.1 ⁇ g to 100,000 ⁇ g, up to a total dose of about 1 gram, depending upon the route of administration.
  • Guidance as to particular dosages and methods of delivery is provided in the literature and generally available to practitioners in the art. Those skilled in the art will employ different formulations for nucleotides than for proteins or their inhibitors. Similarly, delivery of polynucleotides or polypeptides will be specific to particular cells, conditions, locations, etc.
  • DIAGNOSTICS In another embodiment, antibodies which specifically bind GCRP may be used for the diagnosis of disorders characterized by expression of GCRP, or in assays to monitor patients being treated with GCRP or agonists, antagonists, or inhibitors of GCRP.
  • Antibodies useful for diagnostic purposes may be prepared in the same manner as described above for therapeutics. Diagnostic assays for GCRP include methods which utilize the antibody and a label to detect GCRP in human body fluids or in extracts of cells or tissues.
  • the antibodies may be used with or without modification, and may be labeled by covalent or non-covalent attachment of a reporter molecule.
  • reporter molecules A wide variety of reporter molecules, several of which are described above, are known in the art and may be used.
  • GCRP GCRP-specific reactivated protein kinase
  • ELISAs RIAs
  • FACS fluorescence-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase-activated protein
  • the polynucleotides encoding GCRP may be used for diagnostic purposes.
  • the polynucleotides which may be used include oligonucleotide sequences, complementary RNA and DNA molecules, and PNAs.
  • the polynucleotides may be used to detect and quantitate gene expression in biopsied tissues in which expression of GCRP may be correlated with disease.
  • the diagnostic assay may be used to determine absence, presence, and excess expression of GCRP, and to monitor regulation of GCRP levels during therapeutic intervention.
  • hybridization with PCR probes which are capable of detecting polynucleotide sequences, including genomic sequences, encoding GCRP or closely related molecules may be used to identify nucleic acid sequences which encode GCRP.
  • the specificity of the probe whether it is made from a highly specific region, e.g., the 5' regulatory region, or from a less specific region, e.g., a conserved motif, and the stringency of the hybridization or amplification (maximal, high, intermediate, or low), will determine whether the probe identifies only naturally occurring sequences encoding GCRP, allelic variants, or related sequences.
  • Probes may also be used for the detection of related sequences, and should preferably have at least 50% sequence identity to any of the GCRP encoding sequences.
  • the hybridization probes of the subject invention may be DNA or RNA and may be derived from the sequence of SEQ ID NO:9-16 or from genomic sequences including promoters, enhancers, and introns of the GCRP gene.
  • Means for producing specific hybridization probes for DNAs encoding GCRP include the cloning of polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP or GCRP derivatives into vectors for the production of mRNA probes.
  • Such vectors are known in the art, are commercially available, and may be used to synthesize RNA probes in vitro by means of the addition of the appropriate RNA polymerases and the appropriate labeled nucleotides.
  • Hybridization probes may be labeled by a variety of reporter groups, for example, by radionuclides such as 32 P or 35 S, or by enzymatic labels, such as alkaline phosphatase coupled to the probe via avidin/biotin coupling systems, and the like.
  • Polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP may be used for the diagnosis of disorders associated with expression of GCRP.
  • disorders include, but are not limited to, a nervous disorder such as epilepsy, ischemic cerebrovascular disease, stroke, cerebral neoplasms, Alzheimer's disease, Pick's disease, Huntington's disease, dementia, Parkinson's disease and other extrapyramidal disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other motor neuron disorders, progressive neural muscular atrophy, retinitis pigmentosa, hereditary ataxias, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, bacterial and viral meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, epidural abscess, suppurative intracranial thrombophlebitis, myelitis and radiculitis, viral central nervous system disease; prion diseases including kuru, Creutzfeldt- Jakob disease, and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome
  • the polynucleotide sequences encoding GCRP may be used in Southern or northern analysis, dot blot, or other membrane-based technologies; in PCR technologies; in dipstick, pin, and multiformat ELISA-like assays; and in microarrays utilizing fluids or tissues from patients to detect altered GCRP expression. Such qualitative or quantitative methods are well known in the art.
  • the nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP may be useful in assays that detect the presence of associated disorders, particularly those mentioned above.
  • the nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP may be labeled by standard methods and added to a fluid or tissue sample from a patient under conditions suitable for the formation of hybridization complexes. After a suitable incubation period, the sample is washed and the signal is quantitated and compared with a standard value. If the amount of signal in the patient sample is significantly altered in comparison to a control sample then the presence of altered levels of nucleotide sequences encoding GCRP in the sample indicates the presence of the associated disorder.
  • Such assays may also be used to evaluate the efficacy of a particular therapeutic treatment regimen in animal studies, in clinical trials, or to monitor the treatment of an individual patient.
  • a normal or standard profile for expression is established. This may be accomplished by combining body fluids or cell extracts taken from normal subjects, either animal or human, with a sequence, or a fragment thereof, encoding GCRP, under conditions suitable for hybridization or amplification. Standard hybridization may be quantified by comparing the values obtained from normal subjects with values from an experiment in which a known amount of a substantially purified polynucleotide is used. Standard values obtained in this manner may be compared with values obtained from samples from patients who are symptomatic for a disorder. Deviation from standard values is used to establish the presence of a disorder.
  • hybridization assays may be repeated on a regular basis to determine if the level of expression in the patient begins to approximate that which is observed in the normal subject.
  • the results obtained from successive assays may be used to show the efficacy of treatment over a period ranging from several days to months.
  • the presence of an abnormal amount of transcript (either under- or overexpressed) 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 or aggressive treatment earlier thereby preventing the development or further progression of the cancer.
  • oligonucleotides designed from the sequences encoding GCRP may involve the use of PCR. These oligomers may be chemically synthesized, generated enzymatically, or produced in vitro. Oligomers will preferably contain a fragment of a polynucleotide encoding GCRP, or a fragment of a polynucleotide complementary to the polynucleotide encoding GCRP, and will be employed under optimized conditions for identification of a specific gene or condition. Oligomers may also be employed under less stringent conditions for detection or quantitation of closely related DNA or RNA sequences.
  • Methods which may also be used to quantify the expression of GCRP include radiolabeling or biotinylating nucleotides, coamplification of a control nucleic acid, and interpolating results from standard curves.
  • radiolabeling or biotinylating nucleotides include radiolabeling or biotinylating nucleotides, coamplification of a control nucleic acid, and interpolating results from standard curves.
  • the speed of quantitation of multiple samples may be accelerated by running the assay in an ELISA format where the oligomer of interest is presented in various dilutions and a spectrophotometric or colorimetric response gives rapid quantitation.
  • oligonucleotides or longer fragments derived from any of the polynucleotide sequences described herein may be used as targets in a microarray.
  • the microarray can be used to monitor the expression level of large numbers of genes simultaneously and to identify genetic variants, mutations, and polymorphisms. This information may be used to determine gene function, to understand the genetic basis of a disorder, to diagnose a disorder, and to develop and monitor the activities of therapeutic agents.
  • Microarrays may be prepared, used, and analyzed using methods known in the art.
  • methods known in the art See, e.g., Brennan, T.M. et al. (1995) U.S. Patent No. 5,474,796; Schena, M. et al. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 93:10614-10619; Baldeschweiler et al. (1995) PCT application W095/251116; Shalon, D. et al. (1995) PCT application WO95/35505; Heller, R.A. et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:2150- 2155; and Heller, M.J. et al. (1997) U.S. Patent No. 5,605,662.
  • nucleic acid sequences encoding GCRP may be used to generate hybridization probes useful in mapping the naturally occurring genomic sequence.
  • the sequences may be mapped to a particular chromosome, to a specific region of a chromosome, or to artificial chromosome constructions, e.g., human artificial chromosomes (HACs), yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs), bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), bacterial PI constructions, or single chromosome cDNA libraries.
  • HACs human artificial chromosomes
  • YACs yeast artificial chromosomes
  • BACs bacterial artificial chromosomes
  • PI constructions or single chromosome cDNA libraries.
  • Fluorescent in situ hybridization may be correlated with other physical chromosome mapping techniques and genetic map data.
  • FISH Fluorescent in situ hybridization
  • Examples of genetic map data can be found in various scientific journals or at the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) site. Correlation between the location of the gene encoding GCRP on a physical chromosomal map and a specific disorder, or a predisposition to a specific disorder, may help define the region of DNA associated with that disorder.
  • the nucleotide sequences of the invention may be used to detect differences in gene sequences among normal, carrier, and affected individuals.
  • any sequences mapping to that area may represent associated or regulatory genes for further investigation.
  • the nucleotide sequence of the subject invention may also be used to detect differences in the chromosomal location due to translocation, inversion, etc., among normal, carrier, or affected individuals.
  • GCRP its catalytic or immunogenic fragments, or oligopeptides thereof can be used for screening libraries of compounds in any of a variety of drug screening techniques.
  • the fragment employed in such screening may be free in solution, affixed to a solid support, borne on a cell surface, or located intracellularly. The formation of binding complexes between GCRP and the agent being tested may be measured.
  • Another technique for drug screening provides for high throughput screening of compounds having suitable binding affinity to the protein of interest.
  • This method large numbers of different small test compounds are synthesized on a solid substrate. The test compounds are reacted with GCRP, or fragments thereof, and washed. Bound GCRP is then detected by methods well known in the art. Purified GCRP can also be coated directly onto plates for use in the aforementioned drug screening techniques. Alternatively, non-neutralizing antibodies can be used to capture the peptide and immobilize it on a solid support.
  • nucleotide sequences which encode GCRP may be used in any molecular biology techniques that have yet to be developed, provided the new techniques rely on properties of nucleotide sequences that are currently known, including, but not limited to, such properties as the triplet genetic code and specific base pair interactions.
  • RNA was purchased from Clontech or isolated from tissues described in Table 4. Some tissues were homogenized and lysed in guanidinium isothiocyanate, while others were homogenized and lysed in phenol or in a suitable mixture of denaturants, such as TRIZOL (Life Technologies), a monophasic solution of phenol and guanidine isothiocyanate. The resulting lysates were centrifuged over CsCl cushions or extracted with chloroform. RNA was precipitated from the lysates with either isopropanol or sodium acetate and ethanol, or by other routine methods.
  • poly(A+) RNA was isolated using oligo d(T)-coupled paramagnetic particles (Promega), OLIGOTEX latex particles (QIAGEN, Chatsworth CA), or an OLIGOTEX mRNA purification kit (QIAGEN).
  • RNA was provided with RNA and constructed the corresponding cDNA libraries.
  • cDNA was synthesized and cDNA libraries were constructed with the UNIZAP vector system (Stratagene) or SUPERSCRIPT plasmid system (Life Technologies), using the recommended procedures or similar methods known in the art. (See, e.g., Ausubel, 1997. supra, units 5.1-6.6.) Reverse transcription was initiated using oligo d(T) or random primers. Synthetic oligonucleotide adapters were ligated to double stranded cDNA, and the cDNA was digested with the appropriate restriction enzyme or enzymes.
  • cDNA was size-selected (300-1000 bp) using SEPHACRYL SI 000, SEPHAROSE CL2B, or SEPHAROSE CL4B column chromatography (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) or preparative agarose gel electrophoresis.
  • cDNAs were ligated into compatible restriction enzyme sites of the polylinker of a suitable plasmid, e.g., PBLUESCRIPT plasmid (Stratagene), PSPORT1 plasmid (Life Technologies), or pINCY (Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto CA).
  • PBLUESCRIPT plasmid e.g., PBLUESCRIPT plasmid (Stratagene), PSPORT1 plasmid (Life Technologies), or pINCY (Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Palo Alto CA).
  • Recombinant plasmids were transformed into competent E. coli cells including XLl-Blue, XL1-
  • Plasmids were recovered from host cells by in vivo excision using the UNIZAP vector system (Stratagene) or by cell lysis. Plasmids were purified using at least one of the following: a Magic or WIZARD Minipreps DNA purification system (Promega); an AGTC Miniprep purification kit (Edge Biosystems, Gaithersburg MD); and QIAWELL 8, QIAWELL 8 Plus, QIAWELL 8 Ultra plasmid purification systems or the R.E.A.L. PREP 96 plasmid purification kit from QIAGEN.
  • plasmids were resuspended in 0.1 ml of distilled water and stored, with or without lyophilization, at 4°C Alternatively, plasmid DNA was amplified from host cell lysates using direct link PCR in a high- throughput format (Rao, V.B. (1994) Anal. Biochem. 216:1-14). Host cell lysis and thermal cycling steps were carried out in a single reaction mixture. Samples were processed and stored in 384-well plates, and the concentration of amplified plasmid DNA was quantified fluorometrically using PICOGREEN dye (Molecular Probes, Eugene OR) and a FLUOROSKAN II fluorescence scanner (Labsystems Oy, Helsinki, Finland).
  • PICOGREEN dye Molecular Probes, Eugene OR
  • FLUOROSKAN II fluorescence scanner Labsystems Oy, Helsinki, Finland.
  • cDNA sequencing reactions were processed using standard methods or high-throughput instrumentation such as the ABI CATALYST 800 (Perkin-Elmer) thermal cycler or the PTC-200 thermal cycler (MJ Research) in conjunction with the HYDRA microdispenser (Robbins Scientific) or the MICROLAB 2200 (Hamilton) liquid transfer system.
  • cDNA sequencing reactions were prepared using reagents provided by Amersham Pharmacia Biotech or supplied in ABI sequencing kits such as the ABI PRISM BIGDYE Terminator cycle sequencing ready reaction kit (Perkin-Elmer).
  • Electrophoretic separation of cDNA sequencing reactions and detection of labeled polynucleotides were carried out using the MEGABACE 1000 DNA sequencing system (Molecular Dynamics); the ABI PRISM 373 or 377 sequencing systems (Perkin-Elmer) in conjunction with standard ABI protocols and base calling software; or other sequence analysis systems known in the art. Reading frames within the cDNA sequences were identified using standard methods (reviewed in Ausubel, 1997, supra, unit 7.7). Some of the cDNA sequences were selected for extension using the techniques disclosed in Example V.
  • the polynucleotide sequences derived from cDNA sequencing were assembled and analyzed using a combination of software programs which utilize algorithms well known to those skilled in the art.
  • Table 5 summarizes the tools, programs, and algorithms used and provides applicable descriptions, references, and threshold parameters.
  • the first column of Table 5 shows the tools, programs, and algorithms used, the second column provides brief descriptions thereof, the third column presents appropriate references, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, and the fourth column presents, where applicable, the scores, probability values, and other parameters used to evaluate the strength of a match between two sequences (the higher the score, the greater the homology between two sequences).
  • Sequences were analyzed using MACDNASIS PRO software (Hitachi Software Engineering, South San Francisco CA) and LASERGENE software (DNASTAR). Polynucleotide and polypeptide sequence alignments were generated using the default parameters specified by the clustal algorithm as incorporated into the MEGALIGN multisequence alignment program (DNASTAR), which also calculates the percent identity between aligne
  • the polynucleotide sequences were validated by removing vector, linker, and polyA sequences and by masking ambiguous bases, using algorithms and programs based on BLAST, dynamic programing, and dinucleotide nearest neighbor analysis. The sequences were then queried against a selection of public databases such as the GenBank primate, rodent, mammalian, vertebrate, and eukaryote databases, and BLOCKS to acquire annotation using programs based on BLAST, FASTA, and BLIMPS. The sequences were assembled into full length polynucleotide sequences using programs based on Phred, Phrap, and Consed, and were screened for open reading frames using programs based on GeneMark, BLAST, and FASTA.
  • HMM Hidden Markov Model
  • the product score takes into account both the degree of similarity between two sequences and the length of the sequence match. For example, with a product score of 40, the match will be exact within a 1% to 2% error, and, with a product score of 70, the match will be exact. Similar molecules are usually identified by selecting those which show product scores between 15 and 40, although lower scores may identify related molecules.
  • the results of northern analyses are reported as a percentage distribution of libraries in which the transcript encoding GCRP occurred.
  • Analysis involved the categorization of cDNA libraries by organ/tissue and disease.
  • the organ/tissue categories included cardiovascular, dermatologic, developmental, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hematopoietic/immune, musculoskeletal, nervous, reproductive, and urologic.
  • the disease/condition categories included cancer, inflammation/trauma, cell proliferation, neurological, and pooled. For each category, the number of libraries expressing the sequence of interest was counted and divided by the total number of libraries across all categories. Percentage values of tissue-specific and disease- or condition-specific expression are reported in Table 3. V.
  • the full length nucleic acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:9- 16 were produced by extension of an appropriate fragment of the full length molecule using oligonucleotide primers designed from this fragment.
  • One primer was synthesized to initiate 5' extension of the known fragment, and the other primer, to initiate 3' extension of the known fragment.
  • the initial primers were designed using OLIGO 4.06 software (National Biosciences), or another appropriate program, to be about 22 to 30 nucleotides in length, to have a GC content of about 50% or more, and to anneal to the target sequence at temperatures of about 68°C to about 72°C. Any stretch of nucleotides which would result in hairpin structures and primer-primer dimerizations was avoided.
  • Selected human cDNA libraries were used to extend the sequence. If more than one extension was necessary or desired, additional or nested sets of primers were designed. High fidelity amplification was obtained by PCR using methods well known in the art. PCR was performed in 96-well plates using the PTC-200 thermal cycler (MJ Research, Inc.).
  • the reaction mix contained DNA template, 200 nmol of each primer, reaction buffer containing Mg 2+ , (NH 4 ) 2 S0 4 , and ⁇ - mercaptoethanol, Taq DNA polymerase (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech), ELONGASE enzyme (Life Technologies), and Pfu DNA polymerase (Stratagene), with the following parameters for primer pair PCI 5 A and PCI B: Step 1 : 94°C, 3 min; Step 2: 94°C, 15 sec; Step 3: 60°C, 1 min; Step 4: 68°C, 2 min; Step 5: Steps 2, 3, and 4 repeated 20 times; Step 6: 68°C, 5 min; Step 7: storage at 4°C
  • the parameters for primer pair T7 and SK+ were as follows: Step 1 : 94°C, 3 min; Step 2: 94°C, 15 sec; Step 3: 57°C, 1 min; Step 4: 68°C, 2 min; Step 5: Steps 2, 3, and 4 repeated 20 times; Step 6
  • the concentration of DNA in each well was determined by dispensing 100 ⁇ l PICOGREEN quantitation reagent (0.25% (v/v) PICOGREEN; Molecular Probes, Eugene OR) dissolved in IX TE and 0.5 ⁇ l of undiluted PCR product into each well of an opaque fluorimeter plate (Corning Costar, Acton MA), allowing the DNA to bind to the reagent.
  • the plate was scanned in a Fluoroskan II (Labsystems Oy, Helsinki, Finland) to measure the fluorescence of the sample and to quantify the concentration of
  • the extended nucleotides were desalted and concentrated, transferred to 384-well plates, digested with CviJI cholera virus endonuclease (Molecular Biology Research, Madison WI), and sonicated or sheared prior to religation into pUC 18 vector (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech).
  • CviJI cholera virus endonuclease Molecular Biology Research, Madison WI
  • sonicated or sheared prior to religation into pUC 18 vector
  • Step 1 94 °C, 3 min
  • Step 2 94°C, 15 sec
  • Step 3 60°C, 1 min
  • Step 4 72°C, 2 min
  • Step 5 steps 2, 3, and 4 repeated
  • Step 6 72 °C, 5 min
  • Step 7 storage at 4°C DNA was quantified by PICOGREEN reagent (Molecular Probes) as described above. Samples with low DNA recoveries were reamplified using the same conditions as described above. Samples were diluted with 20% dimethysulphoxide (1 :2, v/v), and sequenced using DYENAMIC energy transfer sequencing primers and the DYENAMIC DIRECT kit (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) or the ABI PRISM BIGDYE Terminator cycle sequencing ready reaction
  • nucleotide sequences of SEQ ID NO:9-16 are used to obtain 5' regulatory sequences using the procedure above, oligonucleotides designed for such extension, and an appropriate genomic library.
  • Hybridization probes derived from SEQ ID NO:9-16 are employed to screen cDNAs, genomic DNAs, and genomic DNAs.
  • Oligonucleotides consisting of about 20 base pairs, is specifically described, essentially the same procedure is used with larger nucleotide fragments. Oligonucleotides are designed using state-of-the-art software such as OLIGO 4.06 software (National Biosciences) and labeled by combining 50 pmol of each oligomer, 250 ⁇ Ci of [ ⁇ - 32 P] adenosine triphosphate (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech), and T4 polynucleotide kinase (DuPont NEN, Boston MA).
  • state-of-the-art software such as OLIGO 4.06 software (National Biosciences) and labeled by combining 50 pmol of each oligomer, 250 ⁇ Ci of [ ⁇ - 32 P] adenosine triphosphate (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech), and T4 polynucleotide kinase (DuPont NEN, Boston MA).
  • the labeled oligonucleotides are substantially purified using a SEPHADEX G-25 superfine size exclusion dextran bead column (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). An aliquot containing 10 7 counts per minute of the labeled probe is used in a typical membrane-based hybridization analysis of human genomic DNA digested with one of the following endonucleases: Ase I, Bgl II, Eco RI, Pst I, Xba I, or Pvu II (DuPont NEN).
  • the DNA from each digest is fractionated on a 0.7% agarose gel and transferred to nylon membranes (Nytran Plus, Schleicher & Schuell, Durham NH). Hybridization is carried out for 16 hours at 40 °C To remove nonspecific signals, blots are sequentially washed at room temperature under increasingly stringent conditions up to 0.1 x saline sodium citrate and 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate. Hybridization patterns are visualized using autoradiography and compared. VH. Microarrays
  • a chemical coupling procedure and an ink jet device can be used to synthesize array elements on the surface of a substrate.
  • An array analogous to a dot or slot blot may also be used to arrange and link elements to the surface of a substrate using thermal, UV, chemical, or mechanical bonding procedures.
  • a typical array may be produced by hand or using available methods and machines and contain any appropriate number of elements.
  • nonhybridized probes are removed and a scanner used to determine the levels and patterns of fluorescence. The degree of complementarity and the relative abundance of each probe which hybridizes to an element on the microarray may be assessed through analysis of the scanned images.
  • Full-length cDNAs, Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs), or fragments thereof may comprise the elements of the microarray. Fragments suitable for hybridization can be selected using software well known in the art such as LASERGENE software (DNASTAR). Full-length cDNAs, ESTs, or fragments thereof corresponding to one of the nucleotide sequences of the present invention, or selected at random from a cDNA library relevant to the present invention, are arranged on an appropriate substrate, e.g., a glass slide. The cDNA is fixed to the slide using, e.g., UV cross-linking followed by thermal and chemical treatments and subsequent drying. (See, e.g., Schena, M. et al.
  • a complementary oligonucleotide is designed from the most unique 5' sequence and used to prevent promoter binding to the coding sequence.
  • a complementary oligonucleotide is designed to prevent ribosomal binding to the GCRP-encoding transcript.
  • GCRP GCRP expression and purification of GCRP is achieved using bacterial or virus-based expression systems.
  • cDNA is subcloned into an appropriate vector containing an antibiotic resistance gene and an inducible promoter that directs high levels of cDNA transcription.
  • promoters include, but are not limited to, the trp-lac (tac) hybrid promoter and the T5 or T7 bacteriophage promoter in conjunction with the lac operator regulatory element.
  • Recombinant vectors are transformed into suitable bacterial hosts, e.g., BL21(DE3).
  • Antibiotic resistant bacteria express GCRP upon induction with isopropyl beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG).
  • GCRP GCRP in eukaryotic cells
  • AcMNPV Autographica californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus
  • the nonessential polyhedrin gene of baculovirus is replaced with cDNA encoding GCRP by either homologous recombination or bacterial-mediated transposition involving transfer plasmid intermediates. Viral infectivity is maintained and the strong polyhedrin promoter drives high levels of cDNA transcription.
  • Recombinant baculovirus is used to infect Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells in most cases, or human hepatocytes, in some cases.
  • GCRP is synthesized as a fusion protein with, e.g., glutathione S- transferase (GST) or a peptide epitope tag, such as FLAG or 6-His, permitting rapid, single-step, affinity- based purification of recombinant fusion protein from crude cell lysates.
  • GST glutathione S- transferase
  • FLAG peptide epitope tag
  • GST a 26-kilodalton enzyme from Schistosoma iaponicum. enables the purification of fusion proteins on immobilized glutathione under conditions that maintain protein activity and antigenicity (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). Following purification, the GST moiety can be proteolytically cleaved from GCRP at specifically engineered sites.
  • FLAG an 8-amino acid peptide, enables immunoaffinity purification using commercially available monoclonal and polyclonal anti-FLAG antibodies (Eastman Kodak). 6-His, a stretch of six consecutive histidine residues, enables purification on metal-chelate resins (QIAGEN). Methods for protein expression and purification are discussed in Ausubel (1995. supra, ch. 10 and 16). Purified GCRP obtained by these methods can be used directly in the following activity assay. X. Demonstration of GCRP Activity
  • the activity of GCRP may be measured using an assay based upon the property of some GPCRs to support proliferation in vitro of fibroblasts and tumor cells under serum-free conditions (Chiquet- Ehrismann, R. et al. (1986) Cell 47:131-139).
  • Wells in 96 well cluster plates (Falcon, Fisher Scientific, Santa Clara CA) are coated with GCRP by incubation with solutions at 50-100 ⁇ g/ml for 15 min at ambient temperature. The coating solution is aspirated, and the wells washed with Dulbecco's medium before cells are plated.
  • Rat fibroblast cultures or rat mammary tumor cells are prepared as described and plated at a density of 10 4 -10 5 cells/ml in Dulbecco's medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS). After three days the media are removed, and the cells washed three times with phosphate- buffered saline (PBS) before the addition of serum-free Dulbecco's medium containing 0.25 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA, Fraction V, Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, MO).
  • PBS phosphate- buffered saline
  • BSA bovine serum albumin
  • the assay for GCRP activity is based upon the property of CD97/Emrl GPCR family proteins to modulate G protein-activated second messenger signal transduction pathways (e.g., cAMP; Gaudin, P. et al. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273:4990-4996).
  • a plasmid encoding full length GCRP is transfected into a mammalian cell line (e.g., COS-7 or Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-Kl) cell lines) using methods well-known in the art. Transfected cells are grown in 12- well trays in culture medium containing 2% FCS for 48 hours, the culture medium is discarded, then the attached cells are gently washed with PBS.
  • a mammalian cell line e.g., COS-7 or Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-Kl) cell lines
  • CMOS cells are then incubated in culture medium with 10% FCS or 2% FCS for 30 minutes, then the medium is removed and cells lysed by treatment with 1 M perchloric acid.
  • the cAMP levels in the lysate are measured by radioimmunoassay using methods well-known in the art. Changes in the levels of cAMP in the lysate from 10% FCS-treated cells compared with those in 2% FCS-treated cells are proportional to the amount of GCRP present in the transfected cells.
  • GCRP function is assessed by expressing the sequences encoding GCRP at physiologically elevated levels in mammalian cell culture systems.
  • cDNA is subcloned into a mammalian expression vector containing a strong promoter that drives high levels of cDNA expression.
  • Vectors of choice include pCMV SPORT (Life Technologies) and pCR3.1 (Invitrogen, Carlsbad CA), both of which contain the cytomegalovirus promoter.
  • 5- 10 ⁇ g of recombinant vector are transiently transfected into a human cell line, preferably of endothelial or hematopoietic origin, using either liposome formulations or electroporation.
  • 1-2 ⁇ g of an additional plasmid containing sequences encoding a marker protein are co- transfected.
  • marker protein provides a means to distinguish transfected cells from nontransfected cells and is a reliable predictor of cDNA expression from the recombinant vector.
  • Marker proteins of choice include, e.g., Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP; Clontech), CD64, or a CD64-GFP fusion protein.
  • Flow cytometry an automated, laser optics-based technique, is used to identify transfected cells expressing GFP or CD64-GFP and to evaluate the apoptotic state of the cells and other cellular properties. FCM detects and quantifies the uptake of fluorescent molecules that diagnose events preceding or coincident with cell death.
  • GCRP The influence of GCRP on gene expression can be assessed using highly purified populations of cells transfected with sequences encoding GCRP and either CD64 or CD64-GFP.
  • CD64 and CD64-GFP are expressed on the surface of transfected cells and bind to conserved regions of human immunoglobulin G (IgG).
  • Transfected cells are efficiently separated from nontransfected cells using magnetic beads coated with either human IgG or antibody against CD64 (DYNAL, Lake Success NY).
  • mRNA can be purified from the cells using methods well known by those of skill in the art. Expression of mRNA encoding GCRP and other genes of interest can be analyzed by northern analysis or microarray techniques.
  • XH Production of GCRP Specific Antibodies GCRP substantially purified using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE; see, e.g.,
  • the GCRP amino acid sequence is analyzed using LASERGENE software (DNASTAR) to determine regions of high immunogenicity, and a corresponding oligopeptide is synthesized and used to raise antibodies by means known to those of skill in the art.
  • LASERGENE software DNASTAR
  • Methods for selection of appropriate epitopes, such as those near the C-terminus or in hydrophilic regions are well described in the art. (See, e.g., Ausubel, 1995, supra, ch. 11.)
  • oligopeptides 15 residues in length are synthesized using an ABI 431 A peptide synthesizer (Perkin-Elmer) using fmoc-chemistry and coupled to KLH (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis MO) by reaction with N-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (MBS) to increase immunogenicity.
  • ABI 431 A peptide synthesizer Perkin-Elmer
  • KLH Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis MO
  • MBS N-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester
  • Rabbits are immunized with the oligopeptide-KLH complex in complete Freund's adjuvant.
  • Resulting antisera are tested for antipeptide activity by, for example, binding the peptide to plastic, blocking with 1% BSA, reacting with rabbit antisera, washing, and reacting with radio- iodinated goat anti-rabbit IgG.
  • Naturally occurring or recombinant GCRP is substantially purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using antibodies specific for GCRP.
  • An immunoaffinity column is constructed by covalently coupling anti-GCRP antibody to an activated chromatographic resin, such as CNBr-activated SEPHAROSE (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech). After the coupling, the resin is blocked and washed according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Media containing GCRP are passed over the immunoaffinity column, and the column is washed under conditions that allow the preferential absorbance of GCRP (e.g., high ionic strength buffers in the presence of detergent).
  • the column is eluted under conditions that disrupt antibody/GCRP binding (e.g., a buffer of pH 2 to pH 3, or a high concentration of a chaotrope, such as urea or thiocyanate ion), and GCRP is collected.
  • GCRP or biologically active fragments thereof, are labeled with 125 I Bolton-Hunter reagent.
  • Bolton-Hunter reagent See, e.g., Bolton et al. (1973) Biochem. J. 133:529.
  • Candidate molecules previously arrayed in the wells of a multi-well plate are incubated with the labeled GCRP, washed, and any wells with labeled GCRP complex are assayed. Data obtained using different concentrations of GCRP are used to calculate values for the number, affinity, and association of GCRP with the candidate molecules.
  • ABI AutoAssembler A program that assembles nucleic acid sequences. Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosysteins, Foster City, CA.
  • BLAST A Basic Local Alignment Search Tool useful in Altschul, S F. et al (1990) J Mol Biol ESTs Probabilily value- 1 OE-8 or sequence similarity search for amino acid and nucleic 215.403-410; Altschul, S F. et al. (1997) less acid sequences.
  • BLAST includes five functions, Nucleic Acids Res 23: 3389-3402 Full Length sequences Probabilily
  • Motifs A program that searches amino acid sequences for Bairoch et al supra. Wisconsin patterns that matched those defined in Prosite. Package Program Manual, version 9, page M51-59, Genetics Computer Group, Madison, WI

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Abstract

La présente invention concerne des protéines de récepteurs couplés à des protéines G (GCRP), et des polynucléotides identifiant et codant les GCRP. En outre, cette invention concerne des vecteurs d'expression, des cellules hôtes, des anticorps, des agonistes, et des antagonistes. L'invention concerne également des méthodes diagnostiques, thérapeutiques, ou préventives des troubles associés à l'expression des GCRP.
PCT/US1999/023317 1998-10-06 1999-10-06 Proteines de recepteurs couples a des proteines g WO2000020590A2 (fr)

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CA002345045A CA2345045A1 (fr) 1998-10-06 1999-10-06 Proteines de recepteurs couples a des proteines g
EP99951820A EP1119621A2 (fr) 1998-10-06 1999-10-06 Proteines de recepteurs couples a des proteines g
JP2000574685A JP2003521870A (ja) 1998-10-06 1999-10-06 Ｇタンパク質共役受容体タンパク質
AU64179/99A AU6417999A (en) 1998-10-06 1999-10-06 G-protein coupled receptor proteins

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Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000034473A3 (fr) * 1998-12-10 2000-08-17 Zymogenetics Inc Domaine transmembranaire 7 zsig56
WO2001025434A1 (fr) * 1999-10-05 2001-04-12 Agensys, Inc. Recepteur couple a une proteine g regule positivement dans le cancer de la prostate et utilisation
WO2002046230A3 (fr) * 2000-12-08 2003-06-05 Incyte Genomics Inc Récepteurs couplés à la protéine g
WO2002008289A3 (fr) * 2000-07-26 2003-07-03 Curagen Corp Nouvelles proteines et acides nucleiques codant ces proteines
DE10225443A1 (de) * 2002-06-08 2003-12-18 Aventis Pharma Gmbh Verfahren zur Identifizierung von Agonisten oder Antagonisten für den G-Protein gekoppelten Rezeptor mas like 1
WO2003057148A3 (fr) * 2001-12-27 2004-01-15 Agy Therapeutics Inc Utilisation de cibles biomoleculaires dans le traitement et la visualisation de tumeurs
US6790631B1 (en) 1999-10-05 2004-09-14 Agensys, Inc. G protein-coupled receptor up-regulated in prostate cancer and uses thereof
WO2004046315A3 (fr) * 2002-11-14 2004-11-18 Slowave Inc Compositions et procedes utilisant le recepteur de ghb humain
WO2002092842A3 (fr) * 2001-05-15 2005-04-21 Agensys Inc Acides nucleiques et proteines correspondantes dits 101p3a11 ou phor-1 servant au traitement et a la detection de cancers
WO2005050420A1 (fr) 2003-11-20 2005-06-02 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Procede et dispositif de mise a disposition de donnees numeriques codees
US7208280B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2007-04-24 Agensys, Inc. Nucleic acid and corresponding protein entitled 101P3A41 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
US7361338B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2008-04-22 Agensys, Inc. Methods to inhibit growth of prostate cancer cells

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1996018651A1 (fr) * 1994-12-16 1996-06-20 Smithkline Beecham Corporation Recepteur humain somatostatinoide
DE19617940A1 (de) * 1996-04-29 1997-10-30 Ihf Inst Fuer Hormon Und Fortp Nebenhoden-spezifisches Rezeptorprotein und dessen Verwendung
WO1999046281A2 (fr) * 1998-03-10 1999-09-16 Genentech, Inc. Nouveaux polypeptides et acides nucleiques les codant
AUPO938697A0 (en) * 1997-09-24 1997-10-16 Garvan Institute Of Medical Research Novel receptor

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000034473A3 (fr) * 1998-12-10 2000-08-17 Zymogenetics Inc Domaine transmembranaire 7 zsig56
US6838258B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2005-01-04 Agensys, Inc. G protein-coupled receptor up-regulated in prostate cancer and uses thereof
US7208280B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2007-04-24 Agensys, Inc. Nucleic acid and corresponding protein entitled 101P3A41 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
WO2001025434A1 (fr) * 1999-10-05 2001-04-12 Agensys, Inc. Recepteur couple a une proteine g regule positivement dans le cancer de la prostate et utilisation
US8236510B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2012-08-07 Agensys, Inc. Protein showing enhanced expression in cancer cells
US7795391B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2010-09-14 Agensys, Inc. Protein showing enhanced expression in cancer cells
US6790631B1 (en) 1999-10-05 2004-09-14 Agensys, Inc. G protein-coupled receptor up-regulated in prostate cancer and uses thereof
US7361338B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2008-04-22 Agensys, Inc. Methods to inhibit growth of prostate cancer cells
US7351583B2 (en) 1999-10-05 2008-04-01 Agensys, Inc. Antibodies to G protein-coupled receptor
JP2009050256A (ja) * 1999-10-05 2009-03-12 Agensys Inc 前立腺ガンにおいてアップレギュレートされるｇタンパク質結合レセプターおよびその使用
EP2003202A3 (fr) * 1999-10-05 2009-10-21 Agensys, Inc. Récepteur couplé à une protéine g régulé positivement dans le cancer de la prostate et utilisation
WO2002008289A3 (fr) * 2000-07-26 2003-07-03 Curagen Corp Nouvelles proteines et acides nucleiques codant ces proteines
WO2002046230A3 (fr) * 2000-12-08 2003-06-05 Incyte Genomics Inc Récepteurs couplés à la protéine g
AU2008200363B2 (en) * 2001-05-15 2010-08-12 Agensys, Inc. Nucleic acids and corresponding proteins entitled 101P3A11 or PHOR-1 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
AU2002309873B2 (en) * 2001-05-15 2007-10-18 Agensys, Inc. Nucleic acids and corresponding proteins entitled 101P3A11 or PHOR-1 useful in treatment and detection of cancer
WO2002092842A3 (fr) * 2001-05-15 2005-04-21 Agensys Inc Acides nucleiques et proteines correspondantes dits 101p3a11 ou phor-1 servant au traitement et a la detection de cancers
US7368098B2 (en) 2001-12-27 2008-05-06 Medarex, Inc. Use of biomolecular targets in the treatment and visualization of tumors
WO2003057148A3 (fr) * 2001-12-27 2004-01-15 Agy Therapeutics Inc Utilisation de cibles biomoleculaires dans le traitement et la visualisation de tumeurs
DE10225443A1 (de) * 2002-06-08 2003-12-18 Aventis Pharma Gmbh Verfahren zur Identifizierung von Agonisten oder Antagonisten für den G-Protein gekoppelten Rezeptor mas like 1
WO2004046315A3 (fr) * 2002-11-14 2004-11-18 Slowave Inc Compositions et procedes utilisant le recepteur de ghb humain
WO2005050420A1 (fr) 2003-11-20 2005-06-02 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Procede et dispositif de mise a disposition de donnees numeriques codees

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