Partial Fragment of REIC/Dkk-3 Gene and Cancer Therapeutic Agent Comprising the Same

A polypeptide fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein of any of the following (a), (b) and (c) having apoptosis activity:

• (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino acid 1 of any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (b) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• or
• (c) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 6.

A method for treating mesoepithelioma, which comprises administering a polynucleotide encoding REIC/Dkk-3 protein which consists of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

• 2 and has apoptosis activity, or a polynucleotide fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein, wherein the polypeptide fragment has apoptosis activity and the polynucleotide consists of a nucleotide sequence encoding any of the following (a), (b) and (c):
• (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (b) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• or
• (c) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 6 to a patient in need thereof.

A method for treating mesoepithelioma, which comprises administering REIC/Dkk-3 protein which consists of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

• 2 and has apoptosis activity, or a polypeptide fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein of any of the following (a), (b) and (c) having apoptosis activity:
• (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (b) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• or
• (c) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 6 to a patient in need thereof.

A method for inducing apoptosis of mesoepithelioma cells, which comprises administering a polynucleotide encoding REIC/Dkk-3 protein which consists of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:

• 2 and has apoptosis activity, or a polynucleotide fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein, wherein the polypeptide fragment has apoptosis activity and the polynucleotide consists of a nucleotide sequence encoding any of the following (a), (b) and (c):
• (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (b) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• or
• (c) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 6 to the mesoepithelioma cells. 33 A method for inducing apoptosis of mesoepithelioma cells, which comprises administering REIC/Dkk-3 protein which consists of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 2 and has apoptosis activity, or a polypeptide fragment of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein of any of the following (a), (b) and (c) having apoptosis activity:
• (a) a polypeptide consisting of amino acid 1 to any of amino acids 39 to 78 of the amino acid sequence of the REIC/Dkk-3 protein as shown in SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• (b) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4;
• or
• (c) a polypeptide consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 6 to the mesoepithelioma cells.