Use of the slug gene, or of the transcription or expression products thereof in the detection and/or treatment of cancerous cells
AssigneeUniversidad De Salamanca (Otri)
InventorsIsidro Sanchez Garcia, Alberto Orfao De Matos, Jesus Perez Losada
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Abstract
Method for the detection of cancerous cells, in particular, mesenchymal tumoral cells, in a biological sample suspected of containing said malignant cells. The methods are based on the aberrant expression of the Slug gene or transcription or expression products thereof. Also disclosed are methods of treatment that based on the alteration of the transcription or expression of the Slug gene and methods for screening the compounds that have cancer treating activities. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the anti-cancer compounds are also disclosed.
Claims21
1-21. (canceled)
A method for detecting the presence of cancerous cells in a test sample, based on the aberrant expression of a Slug gene, which comprises:
- 1) obtaining a test sample for a vertebrate suspected of having cancerous cells;
- 2) evaluating the expression of the Slug gene in cells contained in said test sample;
- and
- 3) comparing the expression of the Slug gene in the cells of the sample with the expression of the Slug gene in the cells of a control sample;
- in which the presence of an aberrant expression of the Slug gene in the cells of the test sample, when compared with the expression of the Slug gene in cells of the control sample, is indicative of the presence of cancerous cells in said test sample.
A method for detecting the presence of cancerous cells in a test sample, based on the level of the expression product of the Slug gene (SLUG protein), which comprises:
- 1) obtaining a biological test of a vertebrate suspected of having cancerous cells;
- 2) evaluating the level of the SLUG protein in the cells contained in said test sample;
- and
- 3) comparing the level of the SLUG protein in the cells of the sample with the level of SLUG protein in cells of a control sample;
- in which the presence of an aberrant level of the SLUG protein in the cells of the test sample, when compared with the level of the SLUG protein in cells of the control sample, is indicative of the presence of cancerous cells in said test sample.
A pharmaceutical composition that comprises a therapeutically effective quantity of an antibody that recognizes the SLUG protein, or a fragment thereof, or of a compound that interferes with the Slug function at the DNA level, or at the RNA level or at the protein level (SLUG), and a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
A method for in vitro screening of an antitumoral agent based on the regulation of the expression of the Slug gene, wherein the method comprises (i) developing a cell system which, under suitable conditions, expresses the Slug gene, (ii) bringing said cell system into contact with a compound to be tested, and (iii) evaluating the expression of the Slug gene, such that if the Slug gene is not expressed, or its expression is inhibited, the compound tested is a potential antitumoral agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.