Human trk receptors and neurotrophic factor inhibitors

A method for the diagnosis of a pathological condition characterized by the over- or under-expression of a neurotrophin receptor in a subject, comprising (a) contacting a biological sample from said subject with an antibody specific for a neurotrophin receptor, and (b) testing for the presence of said antibody in complex with a neurotrophin receptor, further wherein said neurotrophin receptor is selected from the group consisting of human TrkA, human TrkB and human TrkC.

A method for the diagnosis of a pathological condition characterized by the over- or under-expression of a neurotrophin receptor in a subject, comprising (a) contacting a biological sample from said subject with a detectably-labeled nucleic acid capable of hybridizing to at least a portion of a neurotrophin receptor transcript, and (b) testing for the presence of said detectably-labeled nucleic acid in complex with a neurotrophin receptor transcript, further wherein said neurotrophin receptor is selected from the group consisting of human TrkA, human TrkB and human TrkC.

A method for the diagnosis of a pathological condition characterized by the over- or under-expression of a neurotrophin in a subject, comprising (a) contacting a biological sample from said subject with a detectably-labeled polypeptide comprising at least a portion of a neurotrophin receptor capable of binding a neurotrophin, and (b) testing for the presence of said detectably-labeled polypeptide in complex with a neurotrophin, further wherein said neurotrophin receptor is selected from the group consisting of human TrkA, human TrkB and human TrkC.

A method for the treatment of a pathological condition associated with elevated or reduced endogenous neurotrophin production in a subject, comprising contacting said subject with a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody specific for a neurotrophin receptor, or a suitable fragment of said antibody, wherein said neurotrophin receptor is selected from the group consisting of human TrkA, human TrkB and human TrkC.

A method for the treatment of a pathological condition associated with elevated or reduced endogenous neurotrophin production in a subject, comprising contacting said subject with a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide comprising at least a portion of a neurotrophin receptor capable of binding a neurotrophin, wherein said neurotrophin receptor is selected from the group consisting of human TrkA, human TrkB and human TrkC.