Stem Cell Markers
AssigneeProcure Therapeutics Limited
InventorsAnne Collins, Norman Maitland, Steven Bryce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
We disclose gene markers of stem cells, typically prostate stem cells, and in particular cancer stem cells, for example prostate cancer stem cells; therapeutic agents and diagnostic assays based on said stem cell genes; and including screening assays to identify therapeutic agents.
Claims51
An agent that modulates the activity of a cancer stem cell specific nucleic acid molecule, or a polypeptide encoded by a cancer stem nucleic acid molecule, wherein said cancer cell specific nucleic acid molecule is selected from the group consisting of:
- i) a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleic acid sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO:
- 1-452;
- ii) a nucleic acid molecule that hybridises under stringent hybridisation conditions to the nucleic acid molecule in (i) above and which encodes a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide is stem cell specific for use as a pharmaceutical.
An agent that modulates the activity of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of:
- i) a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule as represented by the nucleic acid sequence in SEQ ID NO:
- 1-452;
- ii) a polypeptide encoded by a a nucleic acid molecule that encodes a variant polypeptide wherein said variant polypeptide is modified by addition, deletion or substitution of at least one amino acid residue of the amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:
- 1-452 wherein said polypeptide is stem cell specific characterized in that said agent is for use as a pharmaceutical.
A composition comprising a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of:
- i) a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleic acid sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO:
- 1-452;
- ii) a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to the nucleic acid molecule in (i) above and which encodes a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide is stem cell specific for use as a vaccine.
A composition comprising a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid molecule as represented in SEQ ID NO 1-452, or a variant polypeptide wherein said variant is modified by addition, deletion or substitution of at least one amino acid residue of the amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid molecule as represented in SEQ ID NO 1-452 for use as a vaccine.
A method for preparing a hybridoma cell-line producing a monoclonal antibody comprising the steps of:
- i) immunizing an immunocompetent mammal with an immunogen comprising at least one polypeptide having the amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO 1-452, or fragments thereof;
- ii) fusing lymphocytes of the immunized immunocompetent mammal with myeloma cells to form hybridoma cells;
- iii) screening monoclonal antibodies produced by the hybridoma cells of step (ii) for binding activity to the polypeptide of (i);
- iv) culturing the hybridoma cells to proliferate and/or to secrete said monoclonal antibody;
- and
- v) recovering the monoclonal antibody from the culture supernatant.
A diagnostic assay for the determination of cancer in a subject comprising the steps of:
- i) providing an isolated cell sample;
- ii) contacting the sample in (i) with a binding agent(s) that binds to a nucleic acid molecule as represented by the nucleic acid sequence in SEQ ID NO 1-452, or a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes to said nucleic acid molecule under stringent hybridization conditions and encodes a variant polypeptide;
- and
- iii) determining the expression of said nucleic acid molecule in said sample when compared to a normal matched control sample.
A kit comprising a binding agent specifically reactive with a nucleic acid molecule as represented by the nucleic acid sequence in SEQ ID NO 1-452, or an agent specifically reactive with a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO 1-452.
A method to screen for an agent that modulates the activity of a polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of:
- a) a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleic acid sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO 1-452;
- b) a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to the nucleic acid molecule in (i) above and which encodes a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide is stem cell specific;
- said method comprising:
- i) forming a preparation comprising a polypeptide, or sequence variant thereof, and at least one agent to be tested;
- ii) determining the activity of said agent with respect to the activity of said polypeptide.
A method to immunise an animal against a cancerous condition comprising administering an effective amount of a nucleic acid or polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid molecule selected from the group consisting of:
- i) a nucleic acid molecule consisting of a nucleic acid sequence as represented in SEQ ID NO 1-452;
- ii) a nucleic acid molecule that hybridizes under stringent hybridization conditions to the nucleic acid molecule in (i) above and which encodes a polypeptide wherein said polypeptide is stem cell specific.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.