Erk7 and erk8, novel diagnostic markers for cancer
OwnerDeborah Lannigan-Macara, Lorin Henrich +1inventors
InventorsDeborah Lannigan-Macara, Lorin Henrich, Jeffrey Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed in part to the discovery of a novel signal transduction pathway that regulates estrogen responsiveness. Human extracellular signal-regulated kinase 8 (ERK8) has been discovered by applicants to preferentially enhance the destruction of ERα, and loss of ERK8 is correlated with breast cancer progression. Thus monitoring the expression of ERK8 can be used as a diagnostic and therapeutic indicator of cancer and cancer progression.
Claims20
A method of diagnosing the presence of an estrogen responsive cancer in a patient, said method comprising the step of
- measuring ERK8 levels in the cells of a biological sample obtained from said patient;
- and
- determining if the ERK8 levels of the biological sample are significantly lower than those detected in non-cancerous cells, wherein significantly lower ERK8 levels indicates the presence of cancer cells in said patient.
A method for diagnosing and determining the prognosis of a cancer patient, said method comprising the step of
- determining ERK8 levels in a biopsy sample, wherein the severity of the decrease in ERK8 levels is correlated with more advanced stages of the cancer.
An antibody that specifically binds to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
- 1.
A device for measuring ERK7/8 levels, said device comprising
- a base provided with a capillary space, said capillary space having an interior surface and a first and second end;
- a first port formed on an exterior surface of said base and in fluid communication with the first end of said capillary space;
- a second port formed on an exterior surface of said base and in fluid communication with the second end of capillary space;
- a reaction zone and a detection zone each formed on said interior surface of the capillary space, wherein said reaction zone comprises a labeled ERK7/8 antibody and the detection zone is located more proximal to the second port than the reaction zone, wherein fluid introduced into said first port will travel through the capillary space, contacting the reaction zone and then the detection zone as the fluid moves to the second port.
A method of monitoring the effectiveness of an anti-cancer agent for treating estrogen responsive cancers, said method comprising the steps of monitoring ERK8 levels in estrogen responsive cancer cells contacted with said agent.
A method for identifying modulators of ERK7/8 activity, said method comprising the steps of
- contacting an ERK7/8 polypeptide with a kinase substrate, and ATP, to form a control mixture;
- contacting an ERK7/8 polypeptide with a kinase substrate, ATP, and a potential ERK7/8 activity modulator, to form a reaction mixture;
- incubating the control and reaction mixtures under identical conditions for a predetermined length of time;
- and
- comparing the amount of phosphorylated substrate produced in the reaction mixture to that produced in the control mixture, wherein a different concentrations of phosphorylated substrate produced by the control and reaction mixtures identifies a ERK7/8 activity modulator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.