Variants of vegfr and their use in the diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy associated medical conditions

An isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence capable of specifically hybridizing to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 70% homologous to SEQ ID NO:

• 4 as determined by protein BLAST algorithm (http://wwwdotncbidotnlmdotnihdotgov/blast/Blastdotcgi), and not hybridizing to a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 9.

An isolated antibody comprising an antigen recognition domain which specifically binds a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 70% homologous to SEQ ID NO:

• 4 as determined by protein BLAST algorithm (http://wwwdotncbidotnlmdotnihdotgov/blast/Blastdotcgi) and does not bind to a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 10.

16-17. (canceled)

A pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, the antibody comprising an antigen recognition domain which specifically binds a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 70% homologous to SEQ ID NO:

• 4 as determined by protein BLAST algorithm (http://wwwdotncbidotnlmdotnihdotgov/blast/Blastdotcgi) and does not bind to a polypeptide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 10.

A pharmaceutical composition comprising an isolated polynucleotide of and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, the isolated polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence capable of specifically hybridizing to a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 70% homologous to SEQ ID NO:

• 4 as determined by protein BLAST algorithm (http://wwwdotncbidotnlmdotnihdotgov/blast/Blastdotcgi), and not hybridizing to a polynucleotide as set forth in SEQ ID NO:
• 9.

A method of treating a VEGF-associated medical condition in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of regulating an activity and/or expression of sFlt-14 (SEQ ID NO:

• 1 or 2) and not sFlt-1 (SEQ ID NO:
• 9 or 10), thereby treating the VEGF-associated medical condition.

24-27. (canceled)

A method of diagnosing a pregnancy-associated medical condition associated with maternal or fetal stress in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising detecting expression level of sFlt-14 (SEQ ID NO:

• 1 or 2) in a biological sample of the subject using an agent capable of recognizing sFlt-14 (SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or 2) and not sFlt-1 (SEQ ID NO:
• 9 or 10), wherein an expression level of said sFlt-14 above a predetermined threshold is indicative of the pregnancy-associated medical condition associated with maternal or fetal stress.

A method of diagnosing a pregnancy-associated medical condition associated with maternal or fetal stress in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising detecting expression level of sFlt-14 (SEQ ID NO:

• 1 or 2) in a biological sample, wherein said biological sample is of a gestation week 13 and on, and wherein an expression level of said sFlt-14 above a predetermined threshold is indicative of the pregnancy-associated medical condition associated with maternal or fetal stress.

(canceled)