Novel G protein-coupled receptor encoding gene and diagnostic uses therefor

An isolated nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

• (i) the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• (ii) nucleotide residues 163 to 2241 of SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• (iii) a nucleotide sequence that encodes the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• (iv) a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to any one of (i) to (iii).

A nucleic acid probe comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of:

• (i) the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 11;
• (ii) the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 12;
• and
• (iii) the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 13.

A nucleic acid probe comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:

• 14, SEQ ID NO:
• 15, SEQ ID NO:
• 16, SEQ ID NO:
• 17, SEQ ID NO:
• 18, and SEQ ID NO:
• 19.

A method for detecting a cancer cell in a subject, said method comprising:

• (i) determining the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a test sample from said subject;
• and
• (ii) comparing the level of GPR56 mRNA determined at (i) to the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a comparable sample from a healthy or normal individual,
• wherein a level of GPR56 mRNA at (i) that is enhanced in the test sample relative to the comparable sample from the normal or healthy individual is indicative of the presence of a cancer cell in said subject.

A method for detecting ovarian cancer or a metastases thereof in a subject, said method comprising:

• (i) determining the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a test sample from said subject;
• and
• (ii) comparing the level of GPR56 mRNA determined at (i) to the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a comparable sample from a healthy or normal individual,
• wherein a level of GPR56 mRNA at (i) that is enhanced in the test sample relative to the comparable sample from the normal or healthy individual is indicative of the presence of ovarian cancer or a metastases thereof in said subject.

A method for determining an effector memory T cell response in a subject, said method comprising:

• (i) determining the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a test sample from said subject;
• and
• (ii) comparing the level of GPR56 mRNA determined at (i) to the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a comparable sample from a healthy or normal individual,
• wherein a level of GPR56 mRNA at (i) that is enhanced in the test sample relative to the comparable sample from the normal or healthy individual is indicative of an effector memory T cell response in the subject.

A method for determining whether or not a subject has been re-infected with an infectious agent, said method comprising:

• (i) determining the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a test sample from said subject;
• and
• (ii) comparing the level of GPR56 mRNA determined at (i) to the level of GPR56 mRNA expressed in a comparable sample from a healthy or normal individual,
• wherein a level of GPR56 mRNA at (i) that is enhanced in the test sample relative to the comparable sample from the normal or healthy individual is indicative of re-infection in the subject.

A method for detecting a cancer cell in a subject, said method comprising:

• (i) determining the level of a GPR56 polypeptide in a test sample from said subject;
• and
• (ii) comparing the level of GPR56 polypeptide determined at (i) to the level of said GPR56 polypeptide in a comparable sample from a healthy or normal individual,
• wherein a level of said GPR56 polypeptide at (i) that is enhanced in the test sample relative to the comparable sample from the normal or healthy individual is indicative of the presence of a cancer cell in said subject.

A method for determining whether or not a subject has been re-infected with an infectious agent, said method comprising:

• (i) determining the level of a GPR56 polypeptide in a test sample from said subject;
• and
• (ii) comparing the level of the GPR56 polypeptide determined at (i) to the level of said GPR56 polypeptide in a comparable sample from a healthy or normal individual,
• wherein a level of said GPR56 polypeptide at (i) that is enhanced in the test sample relative to the comparable sample from the normal or healthy individual is indicative of re-infection in the subject.

A method for determining the presence of effector memory T cells in a test sample, said method comprising:

• (i) contacting said sample with an antibody that binds to a GPR56 polypeptide under conditions sufficient for binding to occur;
• and
• (ii) determining the binding.
• wherein binding of the antibody to the test sample is indicative of the presence of an effector memory T cell in said test sample.