Molecular targets and compounds, and methods to identify the same, useful in the treatment of diseases associated with epithelial mesenchymal transition

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A method for treatment of a disease associated with epithelial mesenchymal transition in a mammal comprising administering to said mammal a pharmaceutical composition comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof specifically binding to a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

• 21-22, 18-20 and 23-34, or comprising an agent selected from the group consisting of an antisense polynucleotide, a ribozyme, a small interfering RNA (siRNA), microRNA (miRNA) and a short-hairpin RNA (shRNA), wherein said agent comprises a nucleic acid sequence complementary to, or engineered from, a naturally-occurring polynucleotide sequence of about 17 to about 30 contiguous nucleotides of a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:
• 4-5, 1-3 and 6-17.

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An in vitro method of inhibiting epithelial mesenchymal transition, comprising contacting a population of epithelial cells with an inhibitor of the activity and/or expression of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:

• 21-22, 18-20 and 23-34.